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This blog is another opportunity to feel grateful and thank you dear Universe: You continue to bless me with recovery and overall health.
My Chiropractor came across as a normal-looking Asian guy, but hardly did I know that he had extraordinary skills to restore the natural healing process of my body and resolve certain basic issues of my musculoskeletal system.
My health journey has been an ongoing trail of physical and mental experiments trying to treat my rare medical condition, Isaacs’ Syndrome (a neuromuscular condition stemming from muscle hyperactivity), my life underwent a drastic change, following that diagnosis, and I also discovered I was suffering from Lyme disease (a bacterial illness transmitted by ticks), Glaucoma (which damages the optic nerve), and Membranous Glomerulonephritis (a progressive kidney disease).
Although I was diagnosed in 2016, the symptoms like hyperactivity of nerves, fasciculations, cramps, fatigue, muscle loss, weakness, stinging, sharp pain throughout the body, muscle tightness, and tension in the shoulder and back area, were visible long before the disease became drastically noticeable. The resources for fighting the rare disease are also limited, making proper treatment difficult as doctors are often unsure of what they are treating. Initially, I was on symptomatic treatment with allopathic medicines and therapies that seemed the only source of immediate relief however over time, I realized the need to try a holistic approach toward healing as I believe that there are several ways to solve a problem if plan ‘A’ goes wrong, it’s wise to try plan ‘B’ and therefore I was always for a lookout that could fix my issues.
As you might surmise, these diagnoses altered the course of my life irrevocably. Though I wish to credit all my doctors and their treatments which have significantly contributed to my success story however there are some treatments that have a special place in my life and among them would be visiting a Chiropractor.
I started researching the subject and discovered that Chiropractic is a science based on anatomy and neurology that has the capability to improve overall health through certain manual therapies which include spinal manipulation. This was another therapy apart from Seitai, and Mind-Body Meditation which offered and emphasized on body’s self-healing ability.
My first meeting with the Chiropractor was more toward understanding my health issues and whether this treatment was safe for my kind of disease or not. He followed a traditional approach by obtaining my health history and advocating some spinal X-rays due to unusual pain and as a standard of extra care that ensured the alignment of the spine. He also made an initial evaluation of my neurological integrity, sitting posture, and muscle strength by asking me to do some general movements. I even discussed my symptoms at length, and he agreed to start the treatment and clearly emphasize my:
- Spinal issues
- Chronic Pain
- Hip motion
- Shoulder adjustment
Though I visited the Chiropractor knowing that he was well trained, licensed to deliver the best results, and referred through a confidant however my past baggage was loaded with scars of severe pain and discomfort, and therefore my basic concern was the safety of the treatment and to rest assured if the therapy would not cause any further injuries, compression of nerves, etc.
The treatment started with some joint manipulations which were delivered by invoking a gentle thrust to align, improve blood flow and reduce pain. He always believed in moving a bit slow and taking one step at a time considering the mix of symptoms. As we progressed with our treatment plan he corrected various joint misalignments, stiffness-related issues, and relaxed muscle tension as I was overstressing them for all these years and catered to the performance of the nervous and digestive system.
Initially, for a couple of days, I experienced fatigue and pain in my spinal region after the procedure and therefore he advised the use of the following with the treatment regime:
- Use ice packs on affected areas for pain management as a heating pad in my case could increase inflammation.
- Try diverting your mind as thinking constantly about pain would only aggravate symptoms.
- Inculcate healthy mind-body practices like relaxation techniques like Yoga Nidra or Talking to Mind Body Meditation to ease body tension.
- Add Avocados and Magnesium supplements to the diet to help the Nervous System.
- Say no to Exertion till things settle down for good.
- Have a good rest.
What I liked the most about the treatment was his proactiveness, zeal to help, and know-how. about the subject, and the advanced technological modalities that helped support my spinal injury with the best possible result. He often did explain how our Nervous System is responsible for so much of our complete health and paid extra attention as my case was challenging.
The results were instantly noticeable with my improved mobility, spinal, neck, and shoulder pain relief, a reduced dosage of painkillers, and improvement in stiffness.
Through this write-up, I wish to share my experience of physical hardships and the will for complete well-being. Though the ratio of the two will completely look different for everyone however we should take enough care and seek help, if need be, to live life a little better. This therapy was surely a great support.
DISCLAIMER
The views expressed above in this article are the author’s own and do not represent any kind of medical advice.
