Why I Chose the Spero Clinic
2. Beat paralysis
So what is CRPS and how did I develop it? Or how does anyone develop it?
Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) is a condition that is associated with the imbalance and malfunction of the autonomic nervous system. Medically speaking, it is the most painful disease known to man – rating higher than both childbirth and amputation on the McGill Pain Index. I'm kind of embarrassed to write, but it's true...and unlike childbirth, though, the pain experienced from CRPS is relentless and unending. Tragically, this condition has been dubbed the “suicide disease” due to the severity of the pain it causes those who suffer. Don't worry G-Ma, I haven't come close to a suicidal thought. That's why this story has to be told, because for whatever reason I've known that I can beat this pain and I'm so close to finding relief, I know it.
Many CRPS patients suffer for years before they finally figure out what is wrong with them. Some never even receive an official diagnosis. The typical CRPS patient has been down a long road and has seen many, many doctors. Sadly, there is a general lack of awareness and understanding surrounding this condition. This lack of understanding has resulted in treatment options that typically do not provide any kind of real, sustained relief for patients.
Below are some symptoms of CRPS:
Continuous burning or throbbing pain, usually in your arm, leg, hand or foot
Sensitivity to touch or cold
Swelling of the painful area
Changes in skin temperature — alternating between sweaty and cold
Changes in skin color, ranging from white and mottled to red or blue
Changes in skin texture, which may become tender, thin or shiny in the affected area
Changes in hair and nail growth
Joint stiffness, swelling and damage
Muscle spasms, tremors, weakness and loss (atrophy)
Decreased ability to move the affected body part
I've got lower body CRPS, which 100% makes sense being that my spinal surgery was from my T10 vertebrae to my L3 vertebrae. I have pretty intense foot spasms that occur all day, involuntarily. Watching my foot bend and twist reminds me of The Exorcism of Emily Rose. "Devils come out!!" I have a REALLY hard time managing the temperature of my lower body as well. Unlike many other paraplegics, I can sweat, but I have a hard time warming up should a leg get cold. And when my leg gets cold, all hell breaks loose and a flareup takes place. So...I live in tall wool socks, sweats and the heating pad has become my best friend. CRPS doesn't take breaks and often makes me jump out of my chair with sudden pain. She (CRPS) loves to wake me up every 2 hours throughout the night and often makes thinking difficult. I mean how could you think when your legs feel like they've been set on fire and are sporadically being stabbed with heated nails. My breathing has gone to shit and why wouldn't it? I'm more used to holing my breath throughout a flare up because just breathing can send more fiery pain throughout my body. Its the pits....total pits.
Back to the drawing board....
The main reason I decided to go forward with the Spero Clinic is because they are passionate about getting to the root cause of conditions and treating the body from the inside out.
They understand that the presence of CRPS indicates a malfunction of the central nervous system. Therefore, they have found that the most effective approach to treating this condition is to treat the central nervous system itself. That to me my friends is, BADASS. I want to FIX myself, rather than put a bandaid on a symptom.
The clinic's approach is focused on nervous system rehabilitation. Here's what they do:
✔️ Balance the brain and nervous system for natural healing of pain triggers
✔️ Decrease inflammation which can reduce burning, shooting, stabbing pain and restore tone to the vagus nerve. Bringing balance to the autonomic nervous system for improved health, energy, and mental function
✔️ Magnetic resonance therapy for an improved immune system which reduces anxiety and stress
✔️ Reprogram the body with neuromuscular re-education for balance, coordination, and elimination of “stuck” patterns of emotion, illness, and trauma.
✔️ Personalized body retraining that eliminates “Pain States” so the brain relearns function
✔️ Atrophy prevention, relaxation of muscle spasms and improved blood circulation including increase range of motion
✔️ Oxygen therapy floods the body with healing nutrients through previously blocked pathways
✔️ Reduce scar tissue that blocks the flow of electric current and healing through your nerves
✔️ Heart rate therapy reads, maps, and translates your heart rate into healing sound frequencies.
✔️ Ionic therapy uses charged particles to purify and detoxify the body. This balances your PH (an important factor in health), reduces swelling, boosts immunity and removes harmful bacteria, fungus, and microorganisms.
These modalities are designed to enhance one another synergistically to restore balance to the central nervous system. When the nervous system is given the tools that it needs to achieve a state of balance once again, symptoms tend to resolve. Apparently we're not broken beyond repair. Our bodies are amazing and capable of healing!
Happy Monday Friends!
xx- Taylor
Taylor Gilkey Laird
Author