Living with RSD

NEW TREATMENTS MAY AID IN RSD REMISSION
By Suzy Holcomb
December, 2006

You will find after you read this that this will help most all medical conditions placing them in a calmer remission status. Hope you enjoy this read.

I write to inform the RSD/CRPS afflicted as well as all suffering with ailments that seem to illuminate a yearning for pain-free moments and normalcy in everyday living. I believe I have found an answer (until we find a cure for our dystrophy) in permitting us lesser pain, decrease in medication intake, reduced visits to therapy and doctors, and treatments that are covered (in most part depending on one’s coverage) by insurance. I have experienced wonderful results as have many of my support group members, their family members and friends. With only a few visits, one can see results happening and by far, a change in your personality (for the better). This seems unreal – but true.

Prior to our moving to a new area/state, I readied myself to present a topic to my support group. In this preparation, I discovered (several years back) a treatment called “Cold Laser Therapy.” I started these treatments and found them helpful in reducing some of my pain and discovered my mobility returning somewhat. However, the pain in my thoracic/shoulder/arm area remained untouched and I still had difficulty bending my arm to even wash my upper back, let alone have my hand and arm move higher than my hip. Soon after starting these treatments, I discovered “Fenzian” treatments and found that in conjunction with the cold laser treatment, full range of motion started returning to my arm, my pain was diminishing, my medication intake lessened, my personality became brighter and illuminated a “glow” of healthiness. My relationship with my husband continues to recapture days I felt long lost, I even ventured white water rafting this summer, and actually assisted in moving objects more than five pounds! Guaranteed, I’m not saying they weighed 50 lbs. or more – but to lift more than a tea cup is an accomplishment! I am able to walk further, wear shoes with toes, and perform activities for short periods – longer than ever before!

Am I pain free? Not, quite. I’m now able to tolerate the discomfort experienced without all the paraphernalia in times past, lesser trips to the drugstore are wonderful as is the necessity to see doctors. Hip, Hip Hooray!

Is this treatment covered by insurance? Yes, in most cases. These are FDA approved so please consult your insurance representative.

How many treatments need to be taken and for how long a period to see any effective results? Depending upon your condition (I am full-body RSD with a laundry list of other ailments); you should see results at least within the first 12 visits or less. After that time, your appointments will adjust to reaction to these pain-free techniques. Unfortunately, I started these treatments prior to our move out-of-state and received only a few combined treatments. I returned to NJ six to eight weeks and received one or two treatments while there. I know I’m due to return soon as my body is signaling me it’s time. However, still with this signal, maintaining the pain is so much easier to handle.

Where can I go to receive these treatments? Unfortunately, at the present juncture, there are only about five doctors here in the USA certified to perform these Fenzian treatments. Now living in TN, the closest doctor for me is NJ and/or PA. The best factor is the doctor in NJ, Dr. Neil Liebman, is a doctor who truly cares for his patients and is willing to stand by their side until they are healed/feeling better. He fully explains his treatments to his patients which can be more than the two mentioned above. The combination of these treatments establish the winning results he seeks for each of his patients. His energy radiates to his well-trained staff; and this alone, presents a warm, friendly, healing atmosphere. Their attitude alone awakens one’s own inside lost person to knowing they can feel better soon.

Are these treatments working on everyone? I can honestly say a good majority are better and functioning to full or almost full capacity. Even my Mom, age 86, who has chronic back and leg neuropathy problems, has seen results. The doctor informed her up front that he wouldn’t be able to get her to regain full capacity; but, he believed possibly she would see some improvement. She reduced her medication and started walking without her walker and using only her cane when in questionable walking areas. Another member’s mother was readying for total knee replacements. After receiving only a few treatments, she walked without her cane, and is walking and dancing pain-free. Her daughter (suffering with RSD) ventured on a cruise to Italy and traveled with minimal discomfort and continues seeing good results.

How does this treatment work? The cold laser therapy is a painless red laser that is moved over your body while you sit or lie and remain stationary or move body parts. This seeks to energize nerve activity that has become dormant within your body. The Fenzian treatment, which resembles a remote control is then rubbed along your skin and feels similar to the sensation of a mild tens unit. This computerized apparatus searches for a cluster of active nerve endings and once found transmits them to another local part of your body that has since shutdown and is non-functioning. This unit remains in the non-functioning area until the unit registers activity “awakening” in this area and “jump starts” this inactive area. This allows a normal flow of activity through the nerves and regains circulation that has forgotten its existence in your body. For example, my leg pain and spasms resulted in cold feet, swelling, fire, pins and needles, weakness, and an inability to walk. The two treatments are restoring my feet to warmth and lessening the side effects listed above.

Is this the cure we seek? The need to restore the workings and rejoining of our nerves to the way they once functioned remains a necessity. However, these treatments may be a way to aiding our maintaining our pain more efficiently. I firmly believe with a positive attitude, a desire to beating this dystrophy, hope, and a strong faith, anything is possible. As we continue to relax and focus on eliminating stress and tension that increases RSD/CRPS pain, and open ourselves to treatments such as these, I am confident we can win our battle in defeating this affliction.

It is important for all of us to continue to seek information on how to manage our lives the best way we possibly can with what we have been given. Seek the aid of doctors and medical facilities that specifically are aware of RSD/CRPS. Promote awareness of this dystrophy to local organizations, churches, radio, TV, and newspapers. Explain to family and friends what this disease is and how it is destroying your well-being. Insist that the medical profession increase money allocations for research and incorporate information on RSD/CRPS in textbooks and lectures affording upcoming doctors and medical professionals an edge on this affliction.