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On October 15, 2002 I enlisted health coaching help from Dr. Stoll for the following: 41 year old mail with a) Osteo-arthritis in the neck; b) Osteoarthritis in my right shoulder; c) Osteo arthritis in my left knee; d) Osteoarthritis in my right hip.
After giving my health history, Dr. Stoll decided that it was an obvious case of bracing. He concluded that nearly every item on my list had its origins in bracing.
Dr. Stoll’s recommendations: 1) Skilled Relaxation twice a day. (He thought it might take more than a year for me because I had such chronic bracing); 2) Change all regular exercise to underwater exercise.; 3) Begin the study of the Alexander Technique. 4) do regular stretching via Synergetics method; 5) Continue with my current diet..(not Perfect Whole Foods..but 80% fruits and vegetables every day); 6) Take the following supplements: a) Vit C and E; b) the EFAs described everywhere on this site; c) MSM; d) Glucosamine; e) Multi-Vitamin
I have been able to do the following:
a)SR twice a day. Every once in a while I can fit in 3 times a day… but always twice a day. I have verified that I am getting to the relaxation response through a bio-feedback specialist.
b)I average 4-5 days a week in the pool doing regular swimming for about 30-40 minutes a session
c)Tried reading about and implementing the Alexander Technique on my own…but didn’t have much success. So in Late November, I started studying the technique with a certified teacher (weekly lessons). It has gone much better with a teacher…however it is clearly a long process to “unlearn” a life-time of habits. I would say I am about 30-40 percent there. I will keep at it.
d)Regular Stretching. This is the one item I have not been able to accomplish consistently. The above 3 items have taken a bit more time that I had envisioned.
e)Continued with the current diet
f)Have taken the supplements as described.
Progress:
Neck: 30%-40% better. My neck used to ache at the end of the day. It no longer does. I believe that the Alexander Technique is particularly helpful with my neck because the technique is so focused on the head-neck-back relationship.
Right Shoulder: 15%-20% better. Although still much weaker than my left shoulder, I do feel a bit more strength and less stiffness.
Left Knee: About the same. My knee actually got a little worse near the beginning of the swimming because the leg kicking seemed to aggravate it a bit. But it has rallied in the past month or so and seems to feel fine.
Right Hip: 10%-15% better. The swimming has definitely strengthened the hip…but I still feel slight discomfort if I have to walk for a long time.
Overall, I would say that I am cautiously optimistic. I plan to continue this program for at least 1 and 1/2 years before I come to any conclusions.
Dr. Stoll asked me to give quarterly reports on this site. I'll report again in 3 months.
Thanks..
In Reply to: 3 month report for Osteoarthritis health coaching.. posted by Tom From Mid-Michigan on January 13, 2003 at 10:44:18:
I think that's great. You are doing well. If Dr. Stoll says not to do what I am about to mention, I would listen. However, I feel that this therapy is crucial to healing osteoarthritis and I believe it can take you from a 30-40% improvement straight to an 60-90% improvement in a matter of a few months. The therapy is called Prolotherapy. In osteoarthritis, not only is cartilage and bone affected, but so are the soft-tissues like ligaments and tendons. If the ligaments and tendons are weak, stretched, torn, or inflamed, your joints will be loose and they will be able to move beyond a healthy range of motion. If they do, you will simply wear the joint out sooner. Think of constantly wearing shoes with the shoe laces loose. Your food moves around in the shoe excessively and you basically wear out the shoe AND you injure yourself in the process because shoes are meant to be comfortably tight. But, if you tighten up those laces, the excess movement stops. Prolotherapy also increases blood flow to the joints by creating new blood vessels to the injured area. With Dr. Stoll's permission, go to www.prolotherapy.com and find a doctor that can do it. It can be done in virtually every joint. I got an 85% improvement in my neck and my mid-back within a few months. That was 5 years ago and I have never needed to go back for more. I hope that helps
-HY
In Reply to: 3 month report for Osteoarthritis health coaching.. posted by Tom From Mid-Michigan on January 13, 2003 at 10:44:18:
What brand of MSM and Glucosamine are you taking? The message boards talk a little about some being better than the others...
I'm pretty much on the same program myself.
Good luck!
Martha
In Reply to: Re: 3 month report for Osteoarthritis health coaching.. posted by Helping You on January 13, 2003 at 12:25:29:
Thanks, HY.
Certainly he does not need my permission. I would be interested in hearing from him about the results. Prolotherapy will not interfere with anything I am recommending.
Walt
In Reply to: 3 month report for Osteoarthritis health coaching.. posted by Tom From Mid-Michigan on January 13, 2003 at 10:44:18:
Thanks, Tom.
Any purely conventional program would consider your progress miraculous--especially in such a short period of time! You are the one putting in the effort. You surely deserve the results.
Hopefully others will see your notes and begin to help themselves.
In Reply to: Re: 3 month report for Osteoarthritis health coaching.. posted by Walt Stoll on January 14, 2003 at 08:59:10:
Hi Walt,
I didn't think it would. I just felt that since you were working closely with him, it would be a good idea to run it by you first. Prolotherapy is not always cheap, but can produce some wonderful results in people that really need it.
-HY
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