Just wondering.
There seems to be a bit of interest in the treatment I've been having for a longstanding (3.5 years) condition where I've not been able to sit for long without moderate to severe pain from butt to foot, lost lots of flexibility, been in fairly constant discomfort, and incidentally have not really been able to run. Hamstring origin tear, hip cartilage tear, and hip bursitis are are parts of the explanation; it seems to me no-one is quite sure what combination of things causes all the trouble, and for sure no-one quite knows the best thing to do about it.
General explanation:
Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy (ESWT) devices generate pulses of high-pressure sound that travel through the skin. For reasons that are not fully understood, soft tissue and bone that are subjected to these pulses of high-pressure energy heal back stronger.
ESWT devices evolved from lithotripters (a.k.a. kidney stone shock wave machines). The beneficial effect of the high-pressure waves may be from the growth of new blood vessels ("neovascularization") in small cavities that are created by the pulses. New blood vessels to an area of tissue would promote healing.
After exhausting all treatment modalities prior to a proposed operation apart from this final one (the Shock Wave Therapy), I was prepared to give it a go. Anyways the surgeon (Bruce Twaddle) wouldn't operate till I had.
No detail is required: however I have had a remarkable response.
Just how remarkable remains to be seen as I build up activity.
In the first instance, though, I can sit fairly comfortably, am in little general pain, and flexibility has returned. Which is a different lifestyle altogether.
So I had a second treatment on Saturday, which entailed 3000 shocks to 3 different sites in my hip, about 2 a second.
Each of the 3 sites started off a little gently for a few minutes, then building up the intensity till on the verge of passing out from pain and nausea, and staying that way for about 10 minutes. One site entailed significantly less nausea than the other 2.
Kind of like having a baby, without the breaks.
Apparently the degree of pain is anecdotally linked to degree of response. No wonder I'm feeling so good!
Guts turn to water, migraine is triggered - but running again 30" this morning.
Let's see, shall we?
Oh, and - in response to a few comments I've had, Somerset Maugham had a back-handed compliment for the likes of me:
The ability to quote is a serviceable substitute for wit.
L
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment