Issue link: https://www.massageandbodyworkdigital.com/i/135515
Most recently, I worked Resources with a client with peripheral Ho, E. Y. and J.S. Robles. "Cultural Resources for Health Participation: Examining Biomedicine, Acupuncture, and Massage Therapy for HIV-Related Peripheral Neuropathy." Journal of Health Communication 26, no. 2 (2001): 135–46. Jones, B. et al. "Statins and Peripheral Neuropathy: Causation or Coincidence?" British Journal of Diabetes and Vascular Disease 11, no. 1 (2011): 38–9. Medical Disability Guidelines. "Peripheral Neuropathy." Accessed May 2013. www.mdguidelines.com/ peripheral-neuropathy. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. "Peripheral Neuropathy Fact Sheet." Accessed May 2013. www. ninds.nih.gov/disorders/ peripheralneuropathy/detail_ peripheralneuropathy.htm. neuropathy due to heavy Diagnosis and Treatment chemotherapy. My primary Surprisingly, given how extreme PN treatment was Active Isolated symptoms can be, this condition can be difficult to diagnose accurately. Some Stretching (AIS), manual specialists have created algorithms ligament therapy, and the to help sort out the many factors in a incorporation of Tom Myers's PN diagnosis, but the process is still 1 somewhat scattershot for many patients. work [Anatomy Trains], into It can involve many expensive, painful, the AIS model. I worked and invasive tests that range from blood my way proximal to distal tests and spinal taps to nerve conduction velocity tests and nerve biopsies. and finished with releasing One example of PN that is not the lines via stretching and difficult to diagnose is when it occurs manual ligament therapy. as a side effect of chemotherapy. In this situation, it is important to address the Joshua Morton PN symptoms so that the patient doesn't have to limit his or her cancer treatment. The most effective treatment options for PN involve identifying and working with the underlying problems first, when possible. Then, the pain and other symptoms can be addressed in a variety of ways, including over-the-counter and prescription analgesics, and antiseizure medications. Topical applications of capsaicin or lidocaine injections are sometimes recommended. TENS (transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation) units can interrupt the pain signals and are successful for some patients. In worst-case scenarios, surgery to destroy the affected nerve or nerves may be attempted. Finally, physical and occupational therapy can be employed to minimize muscle weakness and set the stage for the best possible recovery. Happily, this condition often has a positive prognosis—if treatment is enacted quickly and effectively. If the damage to affected neurons does not kill the entire nerve cell, function can return to normal or near-normal levels; but My approach begins with charting the regions of neuropathy and clearly identifying those nerves most affected. Next, I try to create length and balanced tension along the dura mater and nerve roots. Then, I feel along the affected nerves for local entrapments, inflammation, and changes to intraneural fluid pressure. At those spots, I use gentle fascial release to mechanically free the nerves from their interface layers. Then, I initiate a gentle stretch along the entire neural tract, call for deep breaths, and "surf" the nerve distally from midline. The art in all of this lies in being tissue-specific while modulating pressure to avoid causing pain. Michael Hamm 46 massage & bodywork july/august 2013