If you have ever seen the movie Fight Club you may remember Ed Norton’s dictation of certain discovered snippets from an unknown author that go something like this. “I am Jack’s Medulla Oblongata”. Throughout school I was always trying to figure out ways to remember random parts of the body and their functions better. As I caught Fight Club on TV a couple weeks ago, I could not shake the effectiveness of the simple phrase “I am” and wish I had remembered it years ago.

Due to the fact that if something is not well known, it is likely to be ignored, I am doing a tribute to the long thoracic nerve,  an often overlooked nerve originating in the cervical spine, that when dysfunctional can present similarly to rotator cuff injury, and/or cervical spine pain.

I am Mike’s Long Thoracic Nerve. I originate from the cervical spine nerve roots of C5-C7. I typically run through the middle scalene muscle but my C7  root likes to take a different path in front of the muscle. I’m usually not one for attention so I usually hang out in the shadows of the brachial plexus, where I finally find my way down to the surface of the Serratus Anterior.

I’m a pretty superficial guy, but sensitive at the same time. I tend to get hurt even taking part in high pressure situations (like carrying a heavy bag on the shoulder for a long time). I’m also frequently hurt by being stretched to my limits. When I’m not feeling well I tend get angry, making Mike feel a burning or tingling sensation under his shoulder blade. It is also possible that I can completely shut down, causing Mike’s scapula to wing.

I usually get ignored, like I said I am not one for attention, until all other parts have been checked out. Usually my well known friends the rotator cuff and the upper traps get all the focus. Once I am given some attention, what to do with me is the next question. Am I being squeezed by my origin at the cervical spine, or have I been irritated along my way to the Serratus Anterior? It’s up to you to figure out. Just remember as you are trying to figure out what’s wrong with Mike’s shoulder, I might be hanging out in the shadows waiting to be discovered. I am Mike’s Long Thoracic Nerve, and I am sick of being ignored.

For more information about the long thoracic nerve click here.

Guillain-Barre syndrome involves a disorder which attacks a person’s nervous system and may cause paralysis or even death. The syndrome is linked to infections such as the flu, yet it has also been suggested that a previous swine flu vaccine caused cases of Guillain-Barre syndrome in America in the 1976 pandemic when officials rushed a vaccine to citizens after an outbreak. Approximately forty-million people were given the vaccine; doctors reported an increase in Guillain-Barre syndrome, and twenty-five people died before the immunization program was ended.

Doctors are not absolutely certain whether or not the flu itself, or the vaccine was responsible for causing Guillain-Barre syndrome in those affected. The H1N1 vaccine being used in America is a different one that the one that was used thirty years ago, although doctors are being asked to report cases of Guillain-Barre syndrome. There is debate over the vaccine, with some doctors suggesting that it may even prevent the syndrome. In Britain, Guillain-Barre syndrome affects about one-thousand five-hundred people each year. A letter, sent by six-hundred neurologists on July 29th, expresses concern that the vaccine itself could cause serious complications, referring to the flu vaccine  of 1976 in America.

During the 1976 flu vaccinations:

Five-hundred people were diagnosed with Guillain-Barre syndrome
The vaccine was withdrawn after a period of only ten weeks because of the link with Guillain-Barre syndrome. The vaccine could have increased a person’s risk of contracting Guillain-Barre syndrome by a factor of eight times. More people died from the vaccination than from the swine flu. The United States Government was forced to pay millions of dollars to people who were affected

There has already been some concern expressed that the new H1N1 vaccine has not been tested sufficiently. There is concern that the effects of the vaccine, particularly on children, remain unknown – even as the Fall flu season approaches in America. One senior British neurologist stated that he would not get the vaccine because of the risk of Guillain-Barre syndrome. Meanwhile, the focus of the vaccination program in America is to give the vaccine to everyone between the ages of six months and sixty-five years with an underlying health issue, as well as women who are pregnant and health care providers.

Defining Guillain-Barre Syndrome

Guillain-Barre syndrome is a disorder that attacks the body through the immune system and the person’s peripheral nervous system. The first symptoms a person commonly experiences involve different degrees of tingling sensations and weakness in their legs. Many times, the sensations and weakness continue to spread to other areas of the person’s body, such as their arms and upper body. The symptoms may increase in intensity, reaching the point where the person is unable to use their muscles and they become paralyzed, or nearly so. When a person reaches this point the disorder becomes life-threatening and a medical emergency.

Once Guillain-Barre syndrome becomes life-threatening, the person is many times placed on a respirator for breathing assistance. The majority of persons with Guillain-Barre syndrome do recover, even though some people do continue to have muscle weakness. The syndrome usually happens between a few days to weeks after someone has experienced symptoms of either a gastrointestinal or respiratory viral infection. On occasion, either a vaccination or surgery will trigger Guillain-Barre syndrome.

Medical science does not understand why Guillain-Barre syndrome affects some people but not others. What is known is that a person’s immune system starts to attack itself causing an autoimmune disease. Persons who are affected commonly lose reflexes such as knee-jerks, and signals that travel along their nerves are slower. Doctors use a nerve conduction velocity test (NCV) to help them diagnose the syndrome. Persons with Guillain-Barre syndrome have cerebrospinal fluid that has more protein that usual, leading doctors to perform a spinal tap if needed to diagnose the syndrome.

Treatment of Guillain-Barre Syndrome

At this time there is no known cure for Guillain-Barre syndrome. Therapies may decrease the severity of the disorder while accelerating recovery. There are a variety of ways to treat the complications associated with the syndrome, such as plasmapheresis and high-dose immunoglobulin therapy. Plasmapheresis appears to reduce both the duration and severity of episodes of the disorder. High dose immunoglobulin therapy involves intravenous injections of proteins which, in small amounts, are used by the person’s immune system to attack invading organisms. Research has found that administering high doses of immunoglobulins to persons with Guillain-Barre syndrome may decrease their immune system’s attack on the nervous system. Most importantly, keeping the person’s body functioning during recovery is a critical goal. Keeping a person’s body functioning may involve the use of a heart monitor, respirator, or additional machines which assist in body function.

Prognosis of Guillain-Barre Syndrome

The reason that Guillain-Barre syndrome is particularly devastating is because it appears suddenly and is unexpected at onset. The majority of people reach the point of greatest weakness within their first two weeks after they first experience symptoms. By the third week of illness nearly ninety-percent of all persons affected by the syndrome are at their weakest. Recovering from Guillain-Barre syndrome may take anywhere from a few weeks to several years. Around thirty-percent of persons affected by this syndrome still experience residual weakness after three years. Approximately three-percent experience a relapse of muscle weakness and tingling sensations several years after their initial illness.

If you have ever slept on an arm and awakened with a “dead” hand, or sat too long with your legs crossed and had your foot fall asleep, you have some inkling of what many people with peripheral neuropathy experience day in and day out, often with no relief in sight.

And numbness and tingling are hardly the worst symptoms of this highly variable condition, which involves damage to one or more of the myriad nerves outside the brain and spinal cord. Effects may include disabling pain, stinging, swelling, burning, itching, muscle weakness, twitching, loss of sensation, hypersensitivity to touch, lack of coordination, difficulty breathing, digestive disorders, dizziness, impotence, incontinence, and even paralysis and death.

I realize now that I had a mild, reversible bout of peripheral neuropathy several decades ago when a misplaced shot of morphine damaged a sensory nerve in my thigh. It took three years for the nerve to recover, and for much of that time I could not tolerate anything brushing against my leg.

One of my sons, too, was afflicted when a nerve behind his knee was injured during a basketball game. He had no feeling or mobility in his foot for nine months, but after several years the nerve healed and he regained full use of his foot.

And a good friend was nearly paralyzed, also temporarily, following a flu shot, by a far more serious form of peripheral neuropathy — an autoimmune affliction called Guillain-Barré syndrome, in which one’s own antibodies attack the myelin sheath that protects nerves throughout the body.

There are hundreds of forms of peripheral neuropathy. A medical guide describing them, compiled by a team of neurologists at the behest of the Neuropathy Association, fills a booklet the size of a two-year wall calendar.

The association, which sponsors research and provides education and support for patients and families dealing with peripheral neuropathy, estimates that the disorder afflicts more than 20 million Americans at any given time. If the cause can be corrected, peripheral nerves can regenerate slowly and patients can recover, although not always completely.

But many people never recover. They must learn to live with the disorder, with the help of treatments and devices that can ease their discomfort and disability. With such a wide array of symptoms and causes, getting a correct diagnosis is often a challenge. Worse, frustrated patients are sometimes told, “It’s all in your head.”

Causes Behind an Ailment

There are three types of peripheral nerves: sensory nerves, which transmit sensations like pain, touch, heat and cold; motor nerves, which control the action of muscles throughout the body; and autonomic nerves, which regulate functions that are not under conscious control, like blood pressure, digestion and heart rate. Symptoms of neuropathy depend on what nerves are involved.

Someone with damaged sensory nerves might not feel heat, for example, and could be scalded by an overly hot bath. Neuropathy of the motor nerves can result in weakness, lack of coordination or paralysis; neuropathy of the autonomic nerves can lead to high blood pressure, irregular heart rate, diarrhea or constipation, impotence and incontinence.

The list of possible causes of neuropathy is far too long for this column. They include inherited conditions like Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease; infections or inflammatory disorders like hepatitis, Lyme disease, AIDS, rheumatoid arthritis and lupus; organ diseases like diabetes, hypothyroidism and kidney disease; exposure to toxic substances like industrial solvents, heavy metals, sniffed glue and some cancer drugs; trauma to or pressure on a nerve from an injury, cast, crutches, abnormal body position, repetitive motion (as in carpal tunnel syndrome), tumor or abnormal bone growth; alcoholism; and deficiency of vitamin B12.

The most common cause, accounting for nearly a third of neuropathy cases, is diabetes, especially among those whose blood sugar levels are poorly controlled. Half of all people with diabetes eventually begin to lose sensation and develop pain and sometimes weakness in their feet and hands. In people with diabetes, even minor injuries to the feet, if not quickly and properly treated, can result in gangrene and amputations.

In nearly a third of cases, no cause is ever found, leaving patients with no other recourse than treatment of their symptoms.

Suspected cases are best referred to a neurologist, who should begin by taking a complete personal and family medical history and performing a physical and neurological examination, checking on reflexes, muscle strength and tone, sensations, balance and coordination.

A complete workup is likely to include blood tests, urinalysis, a nerve conduction study and electronic measurements of muscle activity. Imaging studies, like a CT scan or an M.R.I., may reveal a tumor, vertebral damage or abnormal bone growth. In some cases, a nerve or muscle biopsy may be done.

Relief and Restoration

If the underlying cause cannot be corrected, the goals of treatment are relief of symptoms and restoration of lost functions. Pain control is paramount. Effective relief may come from over-the-counter remedies or a lidocaine patch but sometimes requires prescribed opiates.

Many with neuropathic pain have benefited from drugs licensed for other uses, including antiseizure medications like gabapentin, topiramate (Topamax) and pregabalin (Lyrica) and antidepressants like the tricyclic amitriptyline and the selective serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor duloxetine (Cymbalta).Vitamin B12 deficiency can be treated with supplements and fortified cereals or by judicious consumption of meats, poultry, fish, eggs and dairy products.

And since alcohol and tobacco are particularly risky for people with neuropathy, or a health problem that predisposes them to it, they have every reason to quit smoking and to drink only in moderation.

Many patients are helped by physical therapy, occupational therapy and devices like braces, splints and wheelchairs. Railings on stairways and in the bathroom, elimination of tripping hazards like scatter rugs, and improved lighting (including night-lights) can reduce the risk of falls. For those insensitive to heat, a thermometer should be used to test water in a tub, shower or sink. Orthopedic shoes are invaluable to patients with lost sensitivity in their feet or impaired balance.

A variety of mechanical aids can make it easier to live with peripheral neuropathy, among them kitchen tools made by Oxo. Those with digestive problems might try eating small frequent meals and sleeping with their heads elevated.

Other helpful sources include the book “Peripheral Neuropathy: When the Numbness, Weakness and Pain Won’t Stop” (Demos Health, 2006), by Dr. Norman Latov, professor of neurology and neuroscience at Weill Cornell Medical College; and the Neuropathy Association, 60 East 42nd Street, Suite 942, New York, N.Y. 10165-0930 (800-247-6968, or online at www.neuropathy.org). The association maintains a list of support groups and of centers that specialize in diagnosing and treating neuropathy.

Have ever had a drink of cola without giving it a second thought.

I’ve been drinking Diet Coke as long as I can remember and drink TAB before that.

Over the past number of years I’ve had unexplained health problems which were that bad that my neurologist at one time thought that I might have M.S. and sent me for an MRI scan of the brain and spine, and a nerve conduction test which all came back normal. This didn’t help me because I was still suffering from neurological symptoms unrelated to McArdle’s disease.

I had been suffering from numbness and tingling in my hands with burning feet pain along with my muscles being very tight to the point that I could hardly walk without serious pain. I was also suffering from migraine headaches.

During this time I was drinking about 4 litres of Diet Coke throughout the day and every day, from when I got up in the morning until I went to bed at night.

It was suggested to me by different people that I was drinking to much of diet cola and that maybe I should wean myself of it to see if my health would improve, so I resolved to kick diet cola and to give it a go!

I give it up and as I gave it up my health did start to improve I started to drink water instead of the coke though now and again I would have an odd tin of it.

As I started to read about diet cola and neurological problems I started to become seriously alarmed at the connection between the two due to potassium in the body being depleted caused by excessive consumption of drinks laced by artificial sweeteners and caffeine.

The BBC reported on this last May.

Losing control can sometimes feel so good the tension thats inside ones self just explodes all over. Splattering everything with in an ear shot radius. Ones anger just comes out with an unabandoned control. Once this happens a calmness comes over the mind and body a tingling sensation runs from head to toe, and one feels at peace momentarily.

Originally Written June 3, 2006 11:04 AM

“Look well to the spine for the cause of disease” – Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine.

Area – Blood supply to the head, brain stem, ear, eye, sinuses, sympathetic nervous system

Effect – Headaches, nervousness, dizziness, migraines, insomnia, allergies, head colds, high blood pressure, earaches, fever, chronic tiredness

Area – Face, nose, lips, mouth

Effect – Skin and gland problems

Area – Neck glands, shoulders, arm, hands, wrist, and fingers

Effect – Laryngitis, sore throat, stiff neck, bursitis, asthma, cough, pain, numbness, tingling in arms and hands

Area – Heart, lungs

Effect – Heart conditions, bronchitis, pneumonia, asthma, influenza

Area – Gall bladder, liver, digestive organs

Effect – Gall bladder and liver conditions, indigestion, heartburn, ulcers, blood sugar

Area – Spleen, adrenals

Effect – Lowered resistance, allergies, hives, blood sugar, varicose veins, fatigue, low blood pressure, skin problems, asthma

Area – Kidneys

Effect – Kidney problems, hardening of the arteries, chronic tiredness, skin conditions

Area – Intestines

Effect – Gas pains, sterility, constipation, colitis, diarrhea

Area – Sex organs, uterus, bladder, knees, prostate gland, lower back

Effect – Bladder troubles, cramps, menstrual difficulties, bed wetting, impotency, knee pains, sciatica, difficult urination, back aches, poor circulation in legs, swollen, weak ankles and arches, cold feet, leg cramps, spinal curvature, hemorrhoids

Call us at 417-339-3978 or visit our website for more information.

I’m losing track of the days, being school hols. Only realised it was Tuesday today when my local pizza joint sent me a ‘It’s Cheapo Tuesday – order now!!’ email a few moments ago. That’s right… yesterday was a foray into the world of groceries and haircuts. We walked all over town, plundering department stores for beach holiday essentials – sun hats x2, Bikini x1, shorts x2 haircut x3 etc etc.

I acquired an unwelcome new symptom yesterday – a strange tingling, numb feeling on the top of my left foot. It sometimes spread up the front of my ankle / leg and was mostly happening whilst i was walking and made me have to concentrate on placing my foot down properly. It was kinda weird cause usually you’d associate pins and needles with being in the same position for a long time but this was only happening when i was moving about. I think I may have overdone things because last night on the phone, I had some other weird things going on too, like a burning / freezing sensation that was running up my left arm as well as the usual joint stiffness – I have to change hands/ears constantly while talking on the phone as my elbow joints seize up easily at night and then i can’t straighten my arms which looks even stoopider than it feels:) The tinnitus in my ears was extremely annoying last night too, but i think that may be because I’m fighting off some kinda bug at the moment, the glands in my neck/under my ears are huge and i gots the sniffles and sore throat.

Enough of that, in other monday news on a tuesday, it was me ‘n’ sidekicks 15 month anniversary yesterday! Yes – 15 months can you believe it!! I attribute all our success and happiness to the fact that we do not live together, else one of us should probably be maimed, murdered or otherwise incapacitated at this point:) Between me being often annoyingly sick and retardedly over-analytical (yet otherwise gorgeous and infallibly perfect in every possible way;) and he being Aspishly inclined to logicality and  manishly emotionally challenged, we are a match made in opposites world and doomed to annoy crap out of one another on a regular basis (with a sprinkling of romance thrown in from time to time) from here to eternity:) I love your guts off, sidekick…now gimme some romance!

The getting to the beach is now organised, and i now just need to pack suitcases and tidy house before leaving. The girls are being better behaved today, Phew! Oh yeah… we went to the cinema this morning and saw UP! It was great and we all giggled out loud and really enjoyed it, despite the popcorn shortage:(  I cried 3 times: twice in the sad parts and once when i’d had enough of the shitty little kid behind me constantly kicking the back of my seat. I have no idea what the little rotter was doing back there but i’m sure i had whiplash, sea sickness and kidney failure by the end of the movie. Her ‘mother’ conveniently asked her to put her feet down approximately 2.5 minutes before the credits rolled, i think because she could tell i was up for a fight. Fortunately titch did not ask for helium balloons upon leaving the cinema … yet i could see her little mind ticking with new inventions of flying craft and talking dogs:)

Well, that is all for now … i shall take myself and my tingly foot off to fetch in the washing and track down some suitcases whilst also successfully ignoring my boring assignment just a little longer m

I saw 5 different patients today with “stroke” like symptoms. They were of different ages and their symptoms occurred for different reasons. An 86 year old woman that had difficulty speaking and her right arm began to tremor while eating breakfast. A56 year old woman with no prior health problems after having a colonoscopy became pale, stopped talking and “spaced out”, collapsing her arms while sitting with friends. A 54 year old diabetic woman who awoke at 2 am with numbness to her face, left sided chest pain and inability to speak. ( she waited 2 hours for the symptoms to go away and went back to sleep! only to wake up with the facial numbness again.)
A 30 year old female with a 2 day “typical migraine” that developed into numbness, tingling and weakness to her right arm and leg. Her symptoms were completely resolved when she left the department. Finally a 25 year old with an unusual headache for 3 hours and left arm numbness and tingling and unsteady gait. Again, symptoms completely resolved when he left the department. The diagnoses: TIA, Near Syncope, Unstable Angina, and Complex Migraines. Interesting.

Chiropractic has helped millions with:

ADD/ADHD                         Ear Infections                        Painful Joints

Allergies                               Headaches/Migraines        Pregnancy Aches & Pains

Arthritis/Bursitis             Hip/Leg Pain                          Pre-Menstrual Syndrome

Asthma                                 Hyperactivity                        Sciatica

Bed Wetting                        Infantile Colic                        Scoliosis

Carpal Tunnel                    Low Back Pain                        Shoulder/Arm Pain

Chronic Colds/Flu           Menopause                              Sinus Troubles

Digestive Problems         Muscle Spasms                       Stiffness

Disc Problems                   Neck Pain                                  Stress/Fatigue

Dysmenorrhea                 Numbness/Tingling             Trigger Points

Call us at 417-339-3978 or visit our website for more information on how to treat these symptoms and more.

]]> http://fasciavictim.wordpress.com/2009/09/14/hello-world/ Mon, 14 Sep 2009 22:51:38 +0000 jbenick http://fasciavictim.wordpress.com/2009/09/14/hello-world/

September 15, 2009:
I’ve been battling a pretty bad cold over the past week. I’m trying to get over it in time for my surgery on the 25th. Since I’m experiencing a crazy case of vertigo, I haven’t been able to commute to work. So, lots of propping has been taking place. It’s been good for the legs though…even though I am getting a bit stir crazy.

I am an athlete and I have the injuries to prove it. 

It’s difficult as a writer to feel that words are trapped in my head, unable to find their way to paper.  This article has taken longer to draft than usual because the frustration I harbor over this set back is immense.  But as with most things that are supposed to be deterrents it serves as the opposite for me, it fuels my passion and desire to finish the Nike Women’s Marathon 2009 with everything I have left to give. 

I’ve come too far to let a couple neuroma take me out, as painful as they are.  A Neuroma is a thickening of a group of nerves in the feet.  They become inflamed and painful due to mechanically induced trauma.  To put it simply the pressure from my shoe laces pounding on the top of my feet while coming down hill has created a bruise like situation in bundles of nerves along the top of my feet.  It makes my foot go momentarily numb when I step down and there is excess pressure on the area, or sometimes it feels like pins and needles shooting along the nerves.  Most of the time it is an annoying ache that feels similar to the pressure that builds when a joint needs to pop.  It’s maddening.  Especially when the rest of my body is ready to rock and roll.  And knowing I am destined for San Francisco, the course with the most hills, I have to get better.  Fast.

I stopped at mile 10.5 Saturday – only 3.5 miles shy of the schedule – after having no pain powering up all the hills, coming down hill, where I should have been free and easy, suddenly I was having a hard time taking more than 10 steps at a time without my foot suddenly shooting pain then going numb only to regain feeling within seconds.  After talking with Coach Sue about new lacing patters to relieve the pressure point on the top of my foot and pads that I can put into my shoes to help absorb some of the pressure I headed home to an ice bath with Epsom salt.  I left my coaches and team mates secure in the knowledge that I was still laughing and smiling.  That’s me, always a smile plastered to my face even in when confronted with adversity or pain.  After all this injury is nothing in the big picture, painful, but nothing. 

Training for the Nike Women’s Marathon 2009 has proved to be a test of my endurance both physical and mental.  God forbid that these neuromas don’t heal on their own and I have to get cortisone shots in my feet.  But if it comes to that, then so be it.  Everything I have left hinges on this marathon.  People have faith in me, and for the first time in a long time I have faith in myself.  This is just another challenge for me to conquer.  It signifies a new beginning, a new chapter in an otherwise unremarkable life.

Two years ago the blinders that I had lived my whole life with came off.  Since then I have been on an incredible journey leading me to where I am right now.  My physical, mental and spiritual health are all strong.  My desire to keep moving towards what I feel in my heart to be right is like a bungee cord.  It’s scary yet fascinating and when I get too far away from where I should be it pulls me back to security.  A constant ebb and flow that brings me closer to the life I always dreamed of.  I spent a long time consumed by grief, loss, anger, and pain.  They were my constant companions until the light broke through.  There is no going back.

I will cross the finish line at the Nike Women’s Marathon 2009 with my head high, secure in the knowledge that I accomplished something that matters.  I will do whatever it takes to get there because I am an athlete and this is worth it.  I would gladly trudge through all 26.2 miles of the marathon in immense pain if it meant that at the finish there was one person whose life my efforts helped save.  Pain is temporary but the joy that comes with helping others and making a difference resonates in your soul forever.

            http://pages.teamintraining.org/or/nikesf09/kleeki

Have scorpions? Me, too. Think you can call an exterminator and eliminate them for good? No way.

Scorpions are well entrenched in the Valley, says pest control technician, Bob Ledgerwood, of Burns Pest Control.  “They’ve been here a hundred million years, and they ain’t goin’ anywhere fast!”

When I was stung, it was incredibly painful. My hand, arm, and shoulder felt as if they were plugged in to an electric socket inside of a firepit. It ranked just a notch under labor and delivery on my personal pain scale. Yes, I tried deep breathing.

One of my biggest fears was that one of my kids would be stung when they were pre-verbal – and not be able to tell me what was wrong. A scorpion sting site tells you nothing- it doesn’t get red, rarely is swollen, there’s no welt, nothing.

There’s nothing like finding a scorpion to throw the parents of  young children and babies into a protective overdrive. RAK blogger Rob Turchick, who lives in Mesa, admits that the drive to protect his three young boys from getting stung far outweighs a longstanding phobic reaction to anything crawly with six or eight legs.

One Valley mom, a RAK Mompreneur, Emily Simons, started a business because of a scorpion. She found it climbing up the side of her new baby’s crib- and Scorpion Safe was born. Emily will send you glass containers to set your bed or crib legs in, because bark scorpions like to climb, but don’t seem to be able to make it up slick surfaces.

Bark scorpion not so wily after all; gets stuck in family room A/C return.

I’d keep the crib or the bed of a young child away from an air conditioner return or vent in the ceiling, too. Take a look at this photo, from my family room, that I took a couple of weeks ago. I don’t know how long it hung there but I hope it died a slow and painful death.

Watch what ultimately happened to this one, and hear more about my story on our RAKmagazine channel.

What can you do about scorpions? Well, information is power.

Here are a few things that I’ve learned from Bob, who’s been in the business for many years, and from my own experience living in in the Sonoran Desert with scorpions for over fifteen years.

FAQs about Scorpions:

Why do I have scorpions, but my neighbor across the street does not?

Bob says that this might have to do with the kind of landscaping you have, or the PH of your soil. Scorpions don’t like acidic soil. And if a neighbor changes the kind of landscaping they have, the scorpions may change location.

How did the scorpions get here in the first place?

The bark scorpion is native to this area, but it can also ride into your neighborhood on stacks of wood or tile that has been sitting in an area (lumberyard, etc.) where they live. Bob says that many people use granite rocks for their landscaping that comes from the Salt River bed – and that’s where plenty of scorpions live.

Do scorpions like or dislike homes with flood irrigation?

Doesn’t matter, says Bob. But they avoid large bodies of water – they seek the water dripping from an air conditioner unit, or a drippy sprinkler system. If you drop them in a glass of water or they fall in your pool, they will swell up with the liquid and that’s the end for them. When flood irrigation comes in, they just seek refuge near the perimeter of your yard. They love block walls, which gives them lots of cracks in which to hide. Watch how easily they slide into cracks and literally, disappear.

But I don’t live in a desert landscaped area; I live in a lush area where there are citrus trees, in a neighborhood full of citrus groves!

Back when many of the trees in the old citrus groves were cleared to build houses, the roots of those trees stayed behind, in the ground. Over many years, the roots decayed, says Bob, and formed tunnels under the ground. The decayed material provides food for crickets and sewer roaches, which are what scorpions like to eat. It’s a great arrangement for them.

What about sealing my house?

We tried to seal our home when we first moved in and discovered scorpions lived here, too. We spent around $700 to do this; I wish I had that money back. It’s nearly impossible to seal a home completely; you can’t seal the doors, and once you see how easy it is for scorpions to slide through a crack that is only the width of a piece of paper—well, it’s madding. You can buy a fine mesh screen to cover entry points in the ceiling, such as a/c returns.

What can I do to minimize the population outside?

• Clear out any firewood or railroad ties you keep on your property.

• Don’t use river rocks within a couple feet of your house.

• Minimize debris in your yard.

• Keep trees – especially palm trees – trimmed. Pick up fallen leaves and fronds right away.

What can I do about the inside of my house?

• Shake out shoes before putting them on.

• Do not leave wet towels, or anything wet, on the floor.

• Train your kids to never put their hands or feet anywhere that they can’t see.

• Scorpions like to camp out in places that are quiet and undisturbed. So keep things moving. Pick up toys, throw out old newspapers, vacuum and dust regularly.

• Teach kids to use laundry hampers, and make sure that all toys and clothes are picked up and put away in the evening. Scorpions are nocturnal; the idea is to not give them a weigh station to hide in when the sun comes up.

Does pest control work?

It can work, but if anyone says they can completely rid your home and yard, get it in writing, says Bob. The scorpion’s body is an exoskeleton- so it is very tough to penetrate with chemicals. Just walking through an area that has been sprayed isn’t likely to do much damage. Some powders can work when applied around doorways- the scorpion will avoid that area.

Diatomaceous earth (used in some pool filters) will coat the body and eventually suffocate a scorpion, but be careful. Bob says that his company will not apply this because if inhaled, it can cause illness. His strategy is to spray for other insects, like crickets and sewer roaches, to lower the food source for the scorpion population.

UPDATE: I’ve had lots of good luck the last two weeks with glue traps. We actually were able to locate a point of entry into our bathroom by placing the traps around where we typically see scorpions.

Night hunts can make quite a dent in the population. Use a black light, gloves, and shine the light on walls around your yard. Be ready with ammo. Rob Turchick likes to use a scorpion spray from Ace Hardware. It’s in their Terro line, and I couldn’t find it on their website, so it’s probably just distrubuted here locally. Mala Bloomquist and her family use the spray and some extra long tongs.

The gestation period for the scorpion is five months to one year; so you can make a real dent in the population with night kills. One scorpion wrangler that collected on our property suggested placing a railroad tie in an area between the block wall and the house to attract them- and then to diligently go out each night to kill.

The typical scorpion lives from three to eight years. Find out more about scorpions and night hunts from U of A’s cooperative extention.

What if I, or someone in my family, is stung?

Call Banner Poison Control. 1-800-222-1222. They will lead you through! They receive several calls per week, more at certain times of the year. Stings are very rarely fatal. In fact, the U. of A. says that no fatalities have been reported in the U.S. in over 20 years. Certain people may be allergic to the venom; however, the U. of A. also reports no cases of anaphylaxis in Arizona.

I decided to tell my story not only because of how painful the sting was, but because I think it is important for people who move here from other places to understand how easy it is for scorpions to get into your home, and what you can do about it.

Do you have scorpions? What has worked for you? Been stung? We are interested in your experiences. You can read about when we decided it was time to drive to the emergency room when I was stung, and why doctors ultimately decided to treat me with the antivenom, Anascorp.

I think it is important for people who move here from other places to understand how easy it is for scorpions to get into your home, and what you can do about it.

Let us know about your scorpion experiences!

Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS) is one of common illnesses in neurology, generally it may be related to auto immuno inflammation in peripheral nerves, GBS usually also called Acute Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyradiculoneuropathy (AIDP), occationally GBS also has chronic condition, called Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyradiculoneuropathy(CIDP). Acupuncture and Chinese Herbology are very effective therapies in GBS acute stage and recovery stage.

Here are several case studies or patients’ testimonies.

Patient 1. Mr. J.A.A. 49 years old.
(He aggreed to publish this case study, and he said we could use his real name, but we still use his name’s initial here).

First visit (10/15/2005): Main complain are weakness and tingling in both legs 8 month. Patient had spleen removal surgery last year because he had continuous decreasing in white blood cells and platelet. In the early Janurary patient had left-sided facial weakness and apparent facial droop, as well as numbness and tingling in hands and feet. One month late, the facial palsy recovered, the numbness, tingling worse in hands and feet, since Feburary patient has obvious weakness in both legs, couldn’t walk normally. He was admitted in hospital and had five dose of IVIG treatment because of his acute neuropathy consistent with Guillain Barre syndrome. He felt the treatment improved his weakness about 5%.

When patient saw Dr. Fan, patient just could walk 50 feet with the help of his wife. He had difficulty to move in or out of his car, he had steppage gait. Both hands and feet numbness, tingling and tight. Taking pain killer to ease the multiple-site muscle pain. There were obvious muscle weakness at right upper back and four extremities. Sometime patient dropped the dishes or other stuff because the hand weakness and short of sensation (esp. right hand no. 3, 4 fingers and inner side of forearm). There was a muscle cramp at right leg almost everyday. Patient still took Vitmine B1, B2, B6 and shoot B12. PE: Tendon reflexion disappeared in four extremities; Muscle tone (++-); Sensation: pain-exist, touch-generally exist. Muscle force: both leg 4+. Hands 3+. Treatment: Acupuncture.

No.2 visit (10/18/2005): After initial acupuncture, patient felt the sensation at left hand and right foot seemed better. However, during next two days, the sensation still bed-numbness, tingling and pain. Right leg still cramp, esp.at waking up in the morning. There was a obvious purple marks at the front and sides of the the tongue surface, his pulse was string and slippery. Starting Chinese “herbal tea” (herbal decoction, the method of tonifying the Qi and dispelling the blood stagnant) with the electroacupuncture.

No.3 visit (10/25/2005): The weakness and numbness was “much less”. If the initial weakness as 100%, immediate after the no.3 acupuncture treatment, patient felt recovered 30%.

No.6 visit (11/02/2005): The sensation recoveral rate reached 40-60% (there was 20% fluctuation in different days). The recovery of right leg was a slight quicker than that of other extremities. Left hand still hard to hold the dish, often dropping dishes.

No.10 visit (11/15/2005): Patient felt he had more energy and could walk more longer distance ever. However, when he felt tired the weakness and nubness/tingling seemed worse than before. Continue the Chinese herbal tea and electroacupuncture.

No.12 visit (11/22/2005): Patient felt Dr.Fan’s treatment was very successful. Currently he could walk independently over one mile (at initial visit, he just could walk 50 feet with other’s help), could conduct almost every daily personal work, such as fastening the shoes’ tie. Could left 15 Lb (initial visit 2 Lb).

No.13 visit (11/27/2005): Currently, patient has one full-time job Monday to Friday, also has another part-time job in weekends. In weekdays evening, he also takes course in a college. These would be a big challege to him. Today after 8 hours working, patient felt very tire and felt glove sensation at hands and feet. Initially he just could work as part-time worker. But anyway, patient felt much better than before, he has more energy, could squat down and up freely (at initial visit, patient couldn’t do that). Patient quited all medications (such as vitmins and Licara which is for neuropathy). And patient’s sensation is more allert, now he could feel electrical sensation when acupuncture.

No.15 visit (12/03/2005): Patient danced into my clinic, which showed his improving in movement and balance, as well as in a good emotion. Continue electroacupuncture and Chinese herbal tea.

No.16 visit (12/06/2005): Patient evaluated his condition–has improved 65% (65% normal) since 10/15/2005.

No. 17 visit (12/10/2005): Patient danced into my office, he and his wife were very happy. His recovery rate reached 70% today. However, still had some numbness at fingers or/and toes. The tightness and tingling sensation at left foot bottom became occationally. Patient had more energy. Muscle force at both legs: 5. hands 5-. Muscle tone (++). Tondon reflex still poor(+-). The improvents were at: (1) Balance;Gait; (2) Muscle force; (3) Sensation; (4) Daily activities and fine work; (5) Working. (Note: Patient signed above evaluation and agreed to publish his case study.)

Patient 2. Ms. S. J. 43 years old.

First visit (11/24/2006): Main complain is Dyspnea, both legs weakness for two month. Patient had Guillain barre syndrome two month ago, initially she had dyspnea, heavy on chest, swollow difficulty and both legs couldn’t walk, tingling below the chest. Currently she could walk about one mile per day total half hour, but the gait abnormal, felt tired and short of energy. Hands shaking, couldn’t type the keyboard of computer, just could using three fingers. There was still heavy sensation in chest/breathing difficulty, couldn’t breath deeply. Basically patient’s muscle force: 4. Tendon Reflex (+-); Treatments: Acupuncture and Chinese herbal tea.

No.2 visit (11/28/2006): Felt better, could walk longer.

No.3 visit (12/02/2006): Big improvement, recovered 30% (baseline: initial visit as 100% weakness). Hands no shaking aleady 48 hours, both legs’ Touching sensation recovered, breathing almost normal,still had slight heavyness in chest.

No.4 visit (12/06/2006): Could walk 2.5 miles per time. Using fingers normally, esp. typing was normalized. The gait much better.

No.5 visit (12/09/2006): Hands no shaking, typing keyboard already normal. “Definit improved!” Patient said.

No.6 visit (12/12/2006): Much better. (1) whole condition, mainly the ability of movement: 70% recovered. If the score at first vist was 10, now 3. Could walking 3.5 miles in one hand half hour; (2) Sensation: arms sensation- recovered 80%, if at first visit it was 10, now 2. And from constant numbness/tingling to occationally, just in night; legs sensation- recovered 90%, score 10 dropped to 1. When acupuncture, patient could feel more sensative than before. (3) Chest heavy or breathing difficulty, recovered 80%, score 10 dropped to 2. (Note: Patient signed for above evaluation.)

No.10 visit (12/30/2006): Much better. Feel almost normal. But right leg is weeker than left.

No.12 visit (01/09/2007): Tendon reflex recovered good, currently: both elbows (+ to ++), knee (++), ankles (+- to +). Feels tired due to catching a cold. Sensation recovering is good, already amost normal.

Patient 3. Mr. W. W. 58 years old.

First vist (12/04/2006): Main complain is pain in both hands and feet, low energy for 3 years. Patient had GBS 3 years ago, at that time he couldn’t move and stayed in hospital for IVIG treatment 3 weeks, after that he also had 2 month treatments in a rehab center. Then his movement is recovered. But the pain, tingling and numbness in both hands/palms, and feet bottoms do not disappear. And the problem is even worse when he gets tired or short of sleeping. The pain, tingling and numbness would increase and spread up to elbows and knees. Also, when he gets tired, the movement also becomes poor. The issue is he is very easy to get tired and short of energy. The neurological examination generally is normal, included in both movement and sensation, except the tendon relexion(-) at extremities. Treaments: acupuncture and Chinese herbal tea.

No.2 visit (12/07/2006): much better.

No.3 visit (12/11/2006): almost hasn’t any pain, tingling and numbness in hands and feet bottoms. Seems have more energy.

No.4 visit (12/14/2006): no any symptom in hands, but there is numbness at feet bottom. “Due to some reason, today my energy is lower than the day before”. Tongue purplish, pulse thin. We modified the formula in Chinese herbal tea.

No.8 visit (01/02/2007): no any symptom and feels good, although slept late in new year patient didn’t feel low energy and tingling, nubmness and weekness on extremities. Patient decides terminate acupuncture and continue the Chinese herbal tea for stablizing his condition.

Neuropathy and severe pain

 07/09/2007

 I started going to Dr. Yin Fan for acupuncture to treat neuropathy caused by severe nerve damage to my spinal cord. Modern medicine alone was not treating the associated neurogenic pain. After several sessions, I had a very noticeable decrease in pain. I also gained a noticeable amount of positive sensation. Feeling that I had lost to the injury had begun to return. During this time my energy level also increased. Overall it made a significant difference in my life / recovery.

A. L.

Norfolk, Virginia

Neuropathy, Burning Pain 

I came to Dr. Fan for neuropathy in my neck, shoulder, and arm. I have a bone spur in my neck that was causing a lot of severe burning pain and sensation discomfort. After 12 sessions (acupuncture), the burning sensation is barely there, the first few times the pain level was up and down, but the last month the discomfort is almost all gone and the remains very low. I feel much, much better and encouraged. Dr.Fan is very gentle and kind and I thank him very much for help me.

S.D.

Fairfax, Virginia

Arthur Fan note:

For neuropathy, although the original causes may be complicated, acupuncture and Chinese medicine is a very effective therapy.

We have one herbal formula which was approved by Chinese FDA (jiangsu province) as hospital use, very good for Neuropathy and pain,called LIU JUN SAN.

While browsing the wares at the Hilo Farmers Market during our recent jaunt to the Big Island, we came across a dapper gentleman looking something of an early twentieth century vaudevillian, or carny, perhaps. He was peddling his own peculiar brand of soap, Filthy Farmgirl. While I was drawn to the inspired design of the packaging, my wife was drawn to the pungent aromas, which were undeniably bold through the thin film of plastic wrappings.

Well, we just tried out the first bars last night, a Goat’s Milk Chai for Mizuho, and a Manly Mint for myself. Holy tingling orifices, the stuff is fantastic! I’m ready to order bulk, and I recommend that you do the same.

If you do not know what Cell Phone Elbow is, take the time to look at my blog entry about Cell Phone Elbow. This is condition is more correctly called cubital tunnel syndrome. Your first step should be to avoid activities or improper techniques which can cause this condition. Avoid bending the elbow beyond 90 degrees for any prolonged period of time. When you have to bend your elbow beyond 90 degrees, pay attention  to your posture or the position of the neck, shoulder and hand position. Try to keep these in the mid range of their range of motion with the muscles as relaxed as possible. Pay attention to your work environment and proper ergonomics especially if you have to work at the computer. Look for future blogs about proper computer ergonomics. Buy hands-free devices and more ergonomic devices.  Take frequent breaks trying to avoid any prolonged position for more than 20 minutes.  A splint or brace may be used to remind you to avoid any incorrect position from habits. A simple brace can be a towel wrapped around your elbow. In my practice, I may use an elastic tape called Kinesio Tape to tape the bottom of the elbow which will prevent extreme elbow flexion. When treating nerve entrapments, I use a technique called nerve flossing which allows the nerve to glide easier preventing inflammation from too much friction and the nerve is allowed to stretch evenly along the nerve when elbow is flexed past 90 degrees. The closest that I could find to demonstrate this is a video I found on YouTube from Doug Alexander. While it is focusing on a different nerve, you may still get some benefit since the ulnar nerve branches from the brachial plexus like the median nerve in carpal tunnel syndrome. Just follow the precautions and ask your doctor before trying this. I would also highly recommend some type of massage/myofascial therapy to loosen any tight muscles and ligaments causing the nerve compression. I personally use Graston Technique instruments which I have found excellent results compare to using my hands alone and they also have their own research regarding results with carpal tunnel syndrome. I am also certified or trained in using the metal instruments for conditions like cubital tunnel syndrome or carpal tunnel syndrome. In my references section, there are more excellent resources and tips. I handpicked the best information that I also tell my patients.

 
ChiroWorks Care Center
Anthony Tsai, D.C.
ChiroWorksCareCenter.com
Chiropractor in San Jose, CA
Graston Technique Certified with emphasis in shoulder pain & nerve entrapment such as carpal tunnel syndrome

References:
http://chiroworkscarecenter.blogspot.com/2009/06/cell-phone-elbow.html
http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=a00069
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xi_yAWCqhI
http://www.nervemobilization.com/
http://www.handuniversity.com/topics.asp?Topic_ID=8
http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=a00069
 http://www.handhealthresources.com/problems%20pages/cubital%20tunnel.htm
http://www.eorthopod.com/public/patient_education/6469/cubital_tunnel_syndrome.html
http://www.grastontechnique.com/Findings_and_Presentations.html?%3E%3CFONT%20face=

“Little Known Secrets Save Thousands Of Americans From Surgery With Long Lasting Results!”
You Are About To Discover An Amazing Breakthrough In Carpal Tunnel Diagnosis And Treatment. You Will Be Shocked When You Find Out How Many Unnecessary Surgeries Are Making Junk Yards Of People’s Wrists… And The Worst Thing Is That Even After The Surgeries, In Many Cases, The Cause Is Left Untreated!!! As you read on, you will discover the MISSING CONTRIBUTING FACTOR to Carpal Tunnel Syndrome that over 95% of the time, when they diagnose and treat CTS, is missed by most doctors! This, in my opinion is a form of MALPRACTICE! 

Want a drug free and non surgical approach to Carpal Tunnel that works in more than 95% of the time?  follow the link below

http://www.naperville-chiro.com/carpal_tunnel_syndrome.html

If you’ve used indoor tanning lotion before, you know that it can sometimes produce a tingling sensation on the skin. The tingling isn’t painful and is rarely even uncomfortable. However, many people are afraid of that tingling sensation. They worry that the tingling means that something is going on with the skin that isn’t healthy. As a result, a frequently asked question in tanning salons is “why do tanning lotions tingle?” Salons which are staffed with knowledgeable people will have the answer. But for those that don’t already know, the tingling is related to the process that is happening when lotions are activated by the rays of the tanning booth.

Basically, the way that indoor tanning lotions work is that they stimulate the production of melanin in the body. The purpose of this is to increase the effects of the UV rays that you expose yourself to in a tanning booth (which is why you can get a tan more quickly indoors than outdoors). There are different ways that different indoor tanning lotions stimulate melanin production. One of these is to use chemicals which cause the blood to flow to the skin more quickly than normal, moving the melanin to the skin. You know that feeling when your foot falls asleep and then the blood rushes back into it and it tingles? It’s more or less the same idea, except that you have increased blood flow instead of blood returning to the body after levels decreased.

Okay, so why do some indoor tanning lotions tingle more than others? You might have even used lotions that don’t tingle at all, and that’s probably because the method of increasing melanin is different in those products. Although many indoor tanning lotions use the stimulation of blood flow to achieve this effect, there are other ways of doing it. Some indoor tanning lotions simply have melanin as an ingredient; these may produce little or no tingling effect. Additionally, how much of a tingling sensation you’ll feel depends on your own body chemistry. The amount of increased blood flow and your own ability to notice nerve sensation can affect how much tingling you may feel when applying indoor tanning lotions.

The other question that people have in relation to the tingling sensation produced by indoor tanning lotions is whether or not this sensation is an indication that something unsafe is going on with the body. There are no definitive answers to this question although the general consensus in the industry is that there is nothing unsafe about the tingling sensation. Just as there is nothing unsafe associated with the tingling that you feel when blood flow returns to a foot that has fallen asleep due to poor circulation, you are not doing anything to the body with indoor tanning lotions that the body is unequipped to handle.

However, some people disagree with the assessment that the tingling sensation is safe. Others don’t care one way or another about whether or not it’s safe; they just don’t like the feeling of the tingling that comes from indoor tanning lotions. That’s okay; there are enough products on the market that you should be able to find suitable indoor tanning lotions which do not cause your skin to tingle from use. Work with your salon professionals to find the right tanning lotions and other products for your tanning preferences.

Years ago, and maybe still today, the Pennsylvania Power and Light Company had a mascot named Reddy Kilowatt.  He was made up of lightening bolts and wore a hardhat.  Electricity.  Work.  Get it?  Pretty clever I thought.  He may still be around.  I don’t know since I don’t live in PA any more.  But he always iunterested me because he was a man made of electricity.  And so, it seems, am I.

This isn’t any Einstein theory. It is kinda complex. And its still evolving. But its not the theory of evolution either. Einstein and Darwin were real scientists. And real smart. Damn geniuses even. This is my theory and  I ain’t no genius. And the theory will probably sound more insane than genius. Unless you are me.

All of this is based on my own experience, and view of the world. And universe. So, here we go.

A year ago yesterday I had a surgical procedure performed on my body. It was pretty serious. I had some parts taken out because they were interfering with some other parts which left me pretty well immobilized. It was all stuff dealing with nerves. I wish sometimes it were a body transplant.  I’ll keep my brain.

The surgery was pretty successful, but I’ve never been right since. Some would go so far as to say I was never right before either. Another story. It was better, but not perfect. One thing that I noticed happening was that I’d get these sensations of electrical charges building up in my body. At some point, they needed to be discharged, so my leg would shake.  It was like lightening bolts were flying out of my feet.

That’s been going on for a year now. Early on I developed the first part of the theory. The building up of electrical charges was contact from aliens. They were probing. I theorized that when my whole body became charged the aliens were about to snatch me up into their transport vehicle and take me to their leader.

If you know me, you know I believe in extraterrestrials. Why not? How could all this univerase exist and Earth be the only place with intelligent life? I may be leaning toward the extreme, but I believe. So, if you know me, you can see how I might think of this theory. It was a big joke though. Or so I thought.

It got less funny as more of me actually did get electrified.  I woke up one night last week and suddeenly my left leg jerked violently.  It was sort of amusing.  It felt wierd and I knew if anyone had seen it they would think I was having a siezure.  The first one only lasted a couple of seconds.  Then there was another.  And another.  Now it wasn’t funny.  I had no contriol over it.  None.  I swore and jumped out of bed.  Since I had awakend her with all this my wife asked what was going on.  I could only tell her I didn’t know, and as I did, my knees started to shake.   I was afraid I’d fall.

Didn’t matter if I was laying down, standing or sitting.  When the legs wanted to jerk, they did.  This went on for an hour.  That night.  My wife wanted me to go to the emergency room at the hospital.  No.  It’s nothing.  She finally made me call a nursing hotline.  They said go to the emergency room.  No.  Stubborn..

On the fourth day of this crap I was beginning to be pretty tired since I had become afraid to go to bed.  This shaking crap wasn’t something I looked forward to.  So I stayed awake as best I could.  In my mind I’d decided that I was having a stroke.  Or had developed any number of debilitating diseases.  MS. Parkinsin’s.  ALS.  I looked it all up on the internet.  And I realised that my mind was faltering as well- I couldn’t think straight or concentrate- so I knew it had to be Alzheinmer’s.  How old am I anyway?

All of this was enough to send me to the doctor.  The first one I talked to asked a lot of questions.  How long has this been going on?  When does it happen?  Can you feel it coming?  Do you have any control?  Some answeers seemed to bother her while others seemed to reassure her.  Finally she said she needed to have a conference with her colleagues.  Sit tight she said.

While I sat there several things occured to me.  One was that I had something new, as yet undiscoverd.  They could name it after me.  That would be cool.  But they probably had no cure either so that wouldn’t be cool.  Then I began to tell my self that  the focal area of my surgery was finally feeling much better.  Maybe all this shaking and being electrified was really my nerves coming back to life and I was being cured.  I do feel better, but there is still some distance to go before proclaiming a full cure of my nerve issues.  Then my alien theory crept back into my mind. 

Let’s see.  They’ve been to both legs and both arms.  Now my face is starting to tingle.  Is it a stroke?  Are these aliens getting closer and closer?  There isn’t much left of me for them to get new information from.  What was gonna happen when they showed up?  WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!  I told my wife.  She’s a little skeptical at best.  Of my theory that is.  She absolutely does not believe in aliens.  Impossible.  But she indulged me and said it meant the end of the world was near.  Did she mean the end of the whole world? m Or just MY world?  I guess either way my fate was the same.

So the doc finally comes back and says it’s a drug interaction.  Let’s try changing the dosage of something here.  Damn.  I didn’t want it to be life threatening or debilitating, but a drug interaction?  How boring!  The jerking has pretty much stopped now.  Yes, since I changed my med dosage.  But I still think the aliens are coming to get me and will watch for further electrification.  Or maybe it is the nerves being revived.  I won’t tell anyone it was a drug interaction.

Last night (Day 16), I fixed strawberry blended drinks for my husband and me.  I blended up strawberries, seltzer water, and ice with a bit of vanilla.  Man, it was delicious, and a nice change.

About 1/2 an hour later, my skin started to break out in splotches and I had tingling in my arms and legs.  Hmmm…maybe I’m allergic to strawberries. Crap.

Although I’ve eaten strawberry snacks throughout, I only noticed this reaction last night.  I think I’ll be avoiding strawberries until I have my doctor check if I have an allergy to them.

I’ve read that if you eat a food to frequently you can develop an allergy to it.  Hmmm…

Life has been very chaotic at our place, with Frank’s progressively worsening body spasms and loss of sensation and coordination in both legs, spreading to his knees and thighs now.

Could it be a complication of PHN, which in extreme cases like his can lead to palsy (the paralysis of a body part, often accompanied by loss of sensation and by uncontrolled body movements, such as shaking)?  Or is it an expanding case of neuritis (inflammation of a nerve or group of nerves, characterized by pain, loss of reflexes, and atrophy of the affected muscles; the main symptoms of neuritis being a tingling and burning sensation and stabbing pains in the affected nerves; in severe cases, leading to numbness, loss of sensation, and paralysis of the nearby muscles)?  But why is it enveloping his entire body?  The worst case scenario is that it’s ALS (which my neurologist couldn’t rule out from what I told him).  His paternal aunt’s having died of it doesn’t calm Frank’s nerves (and unfortunately it’s not simply X-linked).  The potential diagnosis has truly been more frightening than anything I’ve ever dealt with.

Frank asked me how I reacted when I was first dealing with my health problems, before I knew what I had, and I told him I was just annoyed that a school therapist asked me, when I had no appetite because I wasn’t able to feel my tongue, how my relationship with my parents and brothers were, as if my symptoms were psychosomatic.  I thankfully didn’t have the internet back in the 1994 to look up possible diagnoses, so I left it up to my doctors and focused on what I could do, my schoolwork, which seems rather practical to me though my brothers would never call me practical for some reason.

But the good news from all this is that my father finally takes Frank’s health problems seriously.  I have no idea what the future will bring (both of us in wheelchairs?  my losing him in four years or less?), but a few nights ago, in desperate need of distraction, we watched “Strictly Ballroom,” which was perfect in combating our sadness, though I didn’t know at first if it’d make me sad, as I’ve never been able to dance and was always made fun of for my stiff body until I got MS.

There’s a beautiful and painful scene in the film “Oasis,” in which a girl with cerebral palsy imagines herself dancing and we see her untangle her limbs, get out of her wheelchair and float effortlessly, as if with wings.  That’s how I am in my dreams as well.

I told Frank that one of the reasons it was relatively easy for me to accept my physical limitations was because I’d never identified with my body, only my mind, so as long as my MS didn’t affect my cognitive functioning, which for some patients it sadly does, I was fine.

I can’t imagine what it’s now like for Liu Yan, the dancer whose lower body was paralyzed while preparing for the one solo dancing role in the 2008 Beijing Olympics.  The fuckers even made her smile in her hospital photos to reassure everyone she was all right, though she’s lost what was most dear to her, her unparalleled physical control.  It was painful to read that she’d never gotten injuries while practicing before, meaning her accident was the sole result of their shoddy construction, which is no surprise but still immeasurably depressing, though my second brother insists on painting a smiley face on the story by noting that at least she can move her upper body.  So says a man in denial of life.

But a bureaucratic kick in his groin eliminated whatever lingering gult I had about using my parents’ money to travel: Frank got denied his disability claim (which we’ll appeal of course), but this finally made me realize we have to set a date this year to go to Europe.  Just like Lev’s friend decided to travel when she was laid off, we’re going to travel now because, damn it, we deserve it after all we’ve been through (and in the front of my mind, I know we need to travel while Frank can still help me about).  So we’re planning on finally going to London and Paris and perhaps Amsterdam or Belfast in October, instead of saying, “some time next year,” as we’ve done for the past several years.

There was a recent NY Times article about how research is a traveler’s best friend, which was very evident when I saw what a cool hotel Lev stayed at while in Paris last month, so yes, we’ll go with our research in hand, Lev’s research. 

All I hope right now is that Frank can continue plucking my eyebrows.  That’s my juvenile wish in the face of crisis.  Everything else, we can find someone else to do.

MN Chiropractor discusses Golfer’s elbow and how chiropractic and acupuncture can help.

 The most common cause of Golfer’s Elbow is over-use of the muscles which attach to the inner portion of the elbow.  This can happen if the muscles of the hand, wrist, and forearm are strained or over-used and become irritated, inflamed, and swollen. This produces pain and tenderness at the inner part of the elbow. If allowed to progress, the pain intensifies at the elbow and can create tingling and/or numbness to the fingers.  This can happen not only in golfers but other sports that rely heavily on grip strength.

Many cases of Golfer’s elbow are seen in the office in, but not limited to, the spring.  Why?  The golf courses are thawing and drying up enough for golf.  In turn folks are getting back into the swing of things from a six to seven month layoff.

Many cases of Golfer’s elbow are exclusively in the the arm, but in some cases can stem from the neck, upper back or shoulder. 

With a complete history, chiropractic and orthopedic evaluation we can help find a solution for you.

If you, or someone you know, has Golfer’s elbow and are looking for a solution – without drugs or surgery - call for a free consultation at: 

763-323-3456, or email at:  appointments@achievehealthchiropractic for more information.