Rolfing/cold laser therapy is working so far!!!!
 

I started with 4 sessions on non crps sites to see if i would be able to tolerate rolfing and it is working better than anything else so far. this week i finally let the rolfer touch my legs which was very scary but he started very soft and only uses enough pressure to get relief.

in my opinion, rolfing is the best manual therapy i have had. I have had hundreds of treatments of manual work before crps.

the rolfers now use a cold laser so they dont have to go so deep.

i will keep this going as i receive further treatment.

mike

for those who are wondering how a treatment session goes...

you usually start by walking back and forth down a hallway so they can watch your gait. they then put you on a massage table and start on a specific area. they might spend the entire session on one area of the body unlike massage ware you can get the entire body worked on in an hour.

for me i can barely walk with a cane and i am limited to about 100ft a day of walking so i dont do the walk before getting on the table. i then told him to work on the hips cuz they hurt like crazy from being in bed almost 24hrs a day. everything has atrophyed so he's got a lot of work to do. unlike massage ware you can go to sleep, in rolfing its constant feedback and sometimes you have to move slightly, such as when he was woking on my IT band, he would say move your heel toward the bottom of the table slowly(you move maybe an inch or so and then slowly go back). its sorta weird how they can feel your nerves and know what type of work to do to that nerve. they also work on tendon and ligament attachments. so far i feel like i can walk slightly faster and straighter with my cane. i havent been able to raise my arm above my head for years and after one treatment i can now.

the cold laser looks like the laser at the grocery store. it shoots out a red beam. here is a cut and paste that better explains the laser.(by the way, you cant feel it-no heat).

Welcome to ColdLasers.Org. This site was created to present information about cold lasers and cold laser therapy. This site includes information about different technologies available and different style of cold laser therapy.Some sources say that cold lasers can be used for many purposes including inflammation treatment, pain treatment and stop-smoking therapy. This site will review each type of therapy and discuss treatment options and possibilities. In addition this site will review the different types of lasers and quality of lasers.

Cold laser light is:

Monochromatic (a single wavelength in the 635 to 970 nm range)
Coherent (traveling in a straight non-diverging line)
Has a wavelength in red portion of the electromagnetic spectrum (cold)
Polarized (concentrating it energy as a defined spot)
Low power level (ranging from 10 to 7500 mw)
Unlike high-power medical laser, which are widely used to safety cut and remove tissue, the Low Level Laser penetrates the surface of the skin with no heating effect or damage. The energy is directed deep into effected area stimulating the body’s cell which convert the energy into chemical energy to promote natural healing.

Cold lasers are often compared to " acupuncture with a laser beams." In most LLL treatments the laser beam is use to stimulate the body's acupoints or damanged area in an attempt to increase the blood supply to parts of the body. The energy from the laser may penetrate as deep as 2 inches into the body based on the power of the laser and other variables.

Cold Laser Therapy is considered an alternative Therapy like Acupuncture. Traditional medicine still more sever treatment options like Ultrasound And Tens. These treatment provide releif for many patients every years and may be used on combination with cold laser treatment for even better results.

Currently there are over 25 different cold lasers that have been cleared by the FDA for various types of treatments. Cold laser have been in use around the world for over 30 years and have been in use in the US for over 10 years, mostly in the veterinary field. Low level laser therapy has been proven completely safe in over 3000 worldwide studies.

The wavelenght of the laser light ranges from 635 to 970 nanometers. The power level of medical grade cold lasers ranges from 10 milliwatts to 7500 milliwatts. This energy can be created using one or an array of laser diodes. An array of lasers allows a wider treatment area. Since finding the troubled spot deep inside the tissue is "educated guess", it can be very useful to cover a larger area with an array. This increased the probability of energizing the problem area and also helps increase the energy in the area surrounding the problem area.

The average cold laser therapy session cost from 30 to 60 dollars. The average medical grade laser costs about $4000.

link to info site-
http://www.coldlasers.org/

Hi Alaska Mike,
I am glad you are using cold laser. I had used it and it really helped me too. The only thing I noticed is that I could only use it for say 10-12 minutes at each session or it would increase my pain. My chiropractor did it for me. I would still be seeing her had it not been for my never ending fighting with workers comp insurance. I hope to see her again within the next six months once the judge approves it again. Best of luck to you and let us know how you are coming along with it. Good news.
kathy d

My chiro uses cold -also called low level laser - for muscle, joint or wherever needed.

I was having some shoulder pain and 10-20 seconds on a few spots - no more pain!
plantar fasciitis -a few treatments on my foot/heal and a recommendation of arch support inserts and much better.

after learning about the laser uses I expanded my searching into infrared and near/far infrared therapies.

which got me interested in that type of heating pads vs the regular heating pads.
The detoxing properties and the deeper tissue penetration effects do make a difference for my RSI/TOS and the associated muscle soreness issues.

I found a lot of info on lasers here-
http://www.laser.nu/

Would like to know if there is a treatment protocal for cold laser?

My friend has had CRPS since 3/06. First R knee - with scs attemt it went to both feet (in OR while he was under), the last 3 months it seems to have spread to face/neck/shoulders and arms. Then last week the left foot looked like it had been placed in boiling water (massive blisters) the day after a nerve block it started to heal (just like magic).

He has been having cold laser PT (2-3 times a week) at AQ PT in Kenai. It is a long trip from Soldotna to Nikiski pool - I wonder if the cold from travel is making him worse. His dr now wants to try hot laser to see if it would help, but am concerned that it might make it worse.

Currently he is confined to a wheelchair - unable to put pressure on feet since 1/09. He gets nerve block on both side (lower back) every two months. If you have any information on the areas of treatment for cold laser I would appericate the information (just because PT has a cold laser not sure it is being used correctly). CPRS is not a normal problem.

Thank you for any infor you can offer.
Carrol

I searched on this- RSD treatment protocol for cold laser
here is the results link-
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&c...+laser&spell=1


hot laser therapy
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&c...&aq=f&oq=&aqi=

Generally, cold is contraindicated in CRPS
 

Just to clarify a bit -
It isn't actually a cold therapy, just that the laser is not "hot".
I believe it's called cold laser { also low level laser} because it is not like the surgical hot laser.


[Unlike high-power medical laser, which are widely used to safety cut and remove tissue, the Low Level Laser penetrates the surface of the skin with no heating effect or damage. The energy is directed deep into effected area stimulating the body’s cell which convert the energy into chemical energy to promote natural healing.]
http://www.coldlasers.org/

Thanks for clarifying cold laser vs. cyrotherapy. I wasn't paying close attention, duh :eek: I am interested in anything that would help anyone. I just saw "cold" and thought COLD and never looked back..
Corinne:rolleyes: [/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/I][/B][/QUOTE]

My daughter has RSD. Some questions to see if it would help.Do you have a SCS? how has the rolfing helped? Was it for muscle soreness, controlling spread of rsd, relaxation, or just overall general well being. She has a SCS and have to be careful so leads are not moved, but is so tense everything hurts. Regular massages do not help. Any input would be great. Thank you

i wonder why you can only handle 10-12 minutes of cold laser. my rolfing session is 90 minutes long and he uses the cold laser about half the session and like i mentioned before, i cant feel the laser. can you feel the laser?

i love far infrared products too. all my socks have it and my blankets and some of my clothes. it really helps keeping my hands and feet close to the same temperature as the rest of the body. i used to have a infrared sauna that was awesome too.

alaska is a horibble state to livein with crps. the cold is defitnetly hurting him. the scs made me much worse also, cant wait for it to come out. i dont know much about cold laser treatment except some people believe it depends on the person doing the treatment.(in other words, do they know what they are doing)

what is the hot laser treatment???

if you want to talk in person about treatments , let me know.

are you referring to cold in cold laser treatment/therapy, if so the cold laser just means low level. because of this, it makes it safe for pretty much anyone to use. there are lasers that cost a few hundred and others that cost tens of thousands. to me the more expensive ones seem to be working better.

rolfing rocks!!!

oops, i guess i should of read ahead a little and i would of seen tha Jo*mar had already replied.

yes i have a scs and its off because it doesnt help me, infact it hurts me. the rolfer just works around the wires and battery/generator. generally a rolfer does whats called a 10 series. each session is about 90 minutes or whatever you can handle. they only work on a specific area each session unlike a massage.

muscle soreness---yes

controlling spread---no, cuz i dont know if anything can stop spread. we know cold/ice and electical devices can cause spread and i bet other stuff too.

relaxation---yes and no. you are relaxed but you do have to participate in the therapy the whole time cuz they ask "is this pressure ok" several times in a session. they dont believe in the "no pain no gain", in fact, if you let them put you into too much pain it can defeat the treatment so its up to you to let them know how much pressure to use and exactly where.

general well being---yes so far and i am sure it will be much better after i complete a 10 series. fight now he has agreed to jump around on my body and do whats hurting me most that day rather than doing the 10 series in order and there is a very specific order.

i have crps pain in my legs,arms,face mostly.
low and mid back pain from failed surgeries and other spinal problems.
hip and shoulder pain from being bed bound over 3 years in a row.
alot of atrophy all over.

so far i am feeling better and walking with a cain slightly better.

update
 

just a quick update from this weeks treatments.

we worked on my ankles and tibia's, mostly below the knee work. this is where all my crps pain was originally. 2 years after getting crps2 it moved to my arms and then 2 years after that it moved to my face/cheeks. i am tolerating the rolfing. he does have to go lighter than normal and this might mean 2 or 3 sessions per area but that is ok by me. i have noticed that i can move slightly faster now. i do need a cane to get around. my steps are straighter(not so much sway) and they are further apart(rather than baby steps). i can go down the steps/stairs better too.

i have my first lidocain infusion this week so i dont know if that is going to affect my rolfing schedule but i will keep updating as i progress.

still improving with rolfing and laser work. it sure wipes me out which is good cuz i am getting sleep that way. i normally sleep from 5am to 11am but if i have treatment(rolfing or pt or dr. appt.) i will sleep 6pm to10pm and then off and on from 10pm to 5am and then get my normal sleep from 5am to 11am and then on and off from 11am to 4pm. i can never make appts following a treatment day. but i think "sleeping causes healing" so i am ok with this for now.

Hi Mike,

I want to find some alternative treatment for my daughter, she is 16 years old, and has had two sets of the Ketamine infusions with Dr. Kirkpatrick. She is in a pretty good flare right now. We have a person very close to us that does Rolfing, What kinds of questions did you ask the therapist before you let them touch your limbs. I just want to make sure that I find the right person. Thanks for your time, I am glad to hear that you are getting relief from this, and some good sleep. :)

:hug:Sandy

Hi Sandy,

make sure the rolfer has passed their advanced(which means they have at least 3 years of rolfing under their belt)(10 years would be better) and ask if they have worked on rsd or crps people. if they dont sound like they will be extra careful on your daughter then i would keep looking. i basically interviewed over the phone for several days before i found someone i trusted to work on my body. your closefriend should know who is the best in your area.

the first 2 monthswe stayed away from the crps areas cuz i was worried he would flare me up worse. my body is accepting work on the crps area but he has to do it very light so it will take extra sessions. last week i had a 48hour flare that did not give me a break and it was caused by the rolfing session. sometimes it does not matter, i will flare up regardless but as long as i improve my mobilty, i feel its worth it in the long run.

timing is everything, hopefully herbody will accept this treatment. i know my body could not handle any body touching me the first 4.5 years and now i can handle different treatments.

if i didnt answer your questions i amsorry. i am a little out of it right now. bad pain day.

Hi Mike,

Thank you for answering my questions. Yes those are great answers. I am sorry that you are in so much pain. I hope you have a better day tomorrow.

:hug:Sandy

Good Rolfer in Tampa
 

Sandy,

Did you find a good Rolfer in Tampa? I am also in Tampa and am considering trying Rolfing. I do not have any perticular problems - just 50 years old and figured I could use a good alignment.

Thanks,

Ruth