Wednesday 16 September 2009

Plantar Fasciitis - Policeman's heel



Here's another case study from Wendy Boast at the Sunu Centre, Oxted.
Plantar Fasciitis (presenting as a severe pain in the heel) affects about 1 in 10 people; it usually occurs in people spending at lot of time on their feet such as sportsmen and women, police officers, postal workers etc. It eventually gets better on its own as long as the patient takes plenty of rest - this is not always possible for busy working people.

This policeman did indeed have policeman's heel (plantar fasciitis) which was giving him a lot of pain, because he walked the beat 6 to 7 hours every day. The condition had been getting worse over 12 months, and he didn't want to take time off work. I gave him four treatments over three weeks which resolved the condition. The treatment included Cranial Laser Release Technique (CLRT) to relieve the pain, as well as cold laser application for the heel itself. His size 15 feet were happy again.

Tuesday 8 September 2009

LLLT for Morton's Neuroma


Morton's neuroma is a thickening of nerve tissue which occurs at the base of the third and fourth toes. The thickening, or enlargement, of the nerve is the result of compression and irritation of the nerve. This compression creates swelling of the nerve with resultant pain, which can eventually lead to permanent nerve damage.


Here are two very different Morton's Neuroma(MN) cases who have had great relief after cold laser treatments which are pain free, non invasive, relaxing and have no side-effects. They have been provided by Wendy Boast, Laser therapist at the Sunu Centre, Oxted.

Patient 1 developed the MN about two years ago on her right foot, at the base of her toes. She tried the steriod injection (agony and no improvement) and then had surgery, but has since developed two more MN spots on the same foot around the scar tissue, and also the left foot has developed MN. She could not walk for more than 15 minutes without severe pain and could spend very little time on her feet, so her life was really restricted by this condition.. She felt great improvement after the first treatment, and is now well on the way to full repair.

Patient 2 has had MN on her right foot for at least four years, and has tried acupuncture but with no improvement after two years treatment. Her pain starts after walking for about an hour despite using arch supports etc, she is a keen rambler and this condition was preventing her enjoying her favourite pastime. Her normal walking to and from work etc was not badly affected. The first few treatments did not seem to make much difference but she was determined to avoid surgery so we persisted and the results were good. She can now walk 10 to 15 miles on her weekend rambles.

Saturday 18 July 2009

LLLT on chronic arthritis and the side effects of medication

Here's an intersting case study on the long term effects of LLLT on an elderly patient. This woman is my mother. Her debilitating condition was too severe for her to make the journey to Daventry to be treated by Gordon Farmer, (see previous blog). It was the need to improve her quality of life which has driven me to research, understand and practise cold laser therapy.

Mrs C, aged 87, has chronic arthritis in her shoulders, hands, hips, knees and ankles. When I first started to treat her almost 12 months ago she was suffering from oedema in her legs and ankles, breathlessness, abdominal pains, acid reflux, constipation, numbness in her fingers and feet, carpal tunnel syndrome, mild depression and pernicious anaemia. Many of her ailments were a result of side effects from her drug regime.

Low level laser treatment administered on a regular basis has resulted in a very significant reduction in oedema, all feeling returned to her feet, no abdominal pain or acid reflux, improved mobility, reduced pain, no constipation and generally a great improvement in her mental state and her quality of life. She has ceased many of her medications including warfarin, statins, Losartan for HBP and breathlessness, steroidal inhalers, anti-emetic meds, omeprazole and allopurinol for gout. Her weight has also reduced by over 30lbs, much of which is attributable to the reduction in water retention.

Friday 17 July 2009

Introduction and Welcome

I’ve been meaning to sit down for ages to write up my experiences and case studies of what is probably the most exciting therapeutic treatment I have ever come across, i.e. Low Level Laser Therapy (LLLT) or ‘cold’ laser as it is often referred to.

My passion for this modality stems from its impact on my own quality of life. Struggling to cope with incessant and debilitating migraines I turned in desperation to a therapist who had been recommended to me by a friend who had been treated for a serious lung condition. Enter one of the most influential men in my life and one for whom I will always be eternally grateful, namely Gordon Farmer.

Not only did Gordon significantly improve my migraines but he also cured a number of other nagging complaints along the way. I was so impressed by this technique that I literally begged him to teach it to me. And how glad am I that he eventually agreed? Together with a dear friend of mine, Wendy Boast (of lung condition fame) I embarked on an intensive learning programme to grasp not only the mechanics of laser therapy but also to acquire an understanding of acupuncture, reflexology, lymphatics and neural pathways. Applying this knowledge to treatment protocols in my opinion delivers a far superior result than conventional cold laser therapy.

I set my practice up in North Yorkshire in March 2008. Working from home I have had the privilege of seeing some remarkable results from my application of this therapy. Over time I intend to use this blog as an opportunity to share some of these results and to spread the awareness of the truly amazing benefits of laser therapy.

My thanks to Gill Jacobs of Light for Health for suggesting I set up this blog.