Comments for SIMPLE PAIN RELIEF with Kathryn Merrow, the Pain Relief Coach

Comment on Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome: Pain In Your Foot by Kathryn Merrow

Kathryn Merrow — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 02:34:08 +0000

Hi Caren,

I might suggest it could be any of your guesses either in combination or alone. Tight buttock muscles can cause pain on the soles of the feet. They also cause sciatica sensations.

What would I do? I would start by working on the gluteal (buttock) muscles. If they are the cause, that is an easy fix and you would know pretty quickly. Here are directions on using a tennis ball as a massage tool:

http://www.simplebackpainrelief.com/sciatica/how-to-massage-gluteal-muscles-for-back-pain-relief/

And here’s an article about muscles near your waist that can also cause sciatica.

http://www.simplebackpainrelief.com/sciatica/which-muscles-in-your-lower-back-can-cause-sciatic-pain/

But I’m kind of leaning toward the tight gluteals because of your feet symptoms. That’s where I would suggest starting. And it is possible that if you have flat feet they are causing you to have tight gluteal muscles. You may need arch supports but maybe the ones you had (or the shoes you wore them in) weren’t quite right for you.

Let me know your progress after you ‘massage’ and relax your buttock muscles. You may find quite a bit of tenderness there initially. Let’s see if that’s the key to getting rid of the pain in your feet.

Kathryn
The Pain Relief Coach

Comment on Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome: Pain In Your Foot by Caren

Caren — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 14:39:44 +0000

I am a 46 year old woman who is tall and thin. I have always been healthy. About a year and half ago I was suffering with what was diagnosed as Sciatica. After taking oral steriods, I was put in orthotics by a chiropractor. He was also doing weekly adjustments on me. I began experiencing pain in my very flat feet but I continued to wear the orthotics as advised by the chiro. I gradually increased wearing them as he suggested. After about 6 weeks, I stopped wearing them because my feet hurt too much. I also stopped seeing him. I then was diagnosed with Plantar Fasciitis by a Foot and Ankle Orthopedist. He gave me cortisone shots in both feet, physical therapy, and a night splint. I religiously stretched and iced as advised. I did not see any improvement so I began dry needling treatments as well. These treatments really did not help me. My pain began in the arch of my feet. Now it really hurts in my heel and radiates to my whole foot to include numbness and pain in my calves and legs. I have trouble walking and standing. I have also been diagnosed with Small Nerve Fiber Neuropathy which was proven by a skin punch test performed by a Neurologist. I also did not mention that I have been on a round of Lyrica and Cymbalta for nerve pain. I can’t say that these are really helping either. I have also taken Neurontin and Sevilla in the past. I guess I am not sure where to go from here. Could this be Neuropathy, Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome, Sciatica, Plantar Fasciitis or a combination of any of these? Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Comment on Back Pain – Spasm Between Shoulder Blade and Spine by Kathryn Merrow

Kathryn Merrow — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 03:46:52 +0000

Hi Serena, The wedge or even a roll of carpet or a rolled towel or foam tube all work as well as a tennis ball.

If you are a shapely woman with hips or very thin, you may need a softer mattress. Hopefully, the topper will help.

Switching positions many times during the night helps (according to one doctor I heard interviewed) but that could interfere with sleep. The Tempurdic people say that you are so comfortable that you don’t have to move at all! But I have wondered if staying in just one position may simply be cradling us in our dysfunctional position.

Trial and error with the sleeping position may give you some hints about the best way for you to sleep. Also moving/stretching as we discussed in our last online conversation here may also make a big difference for you in getting rid of your back pain naturally.

Kathryn
The Pain Relief Coach

Comment on Pain In Your Jaw And Teeth Can Be Caused By Muscles by Kathryn Merrow

Kathryn Merrow — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 03:36:53 +0000

Hi Zoe,

You are welcome! Glad to help. And on the off chance that it comes back too soon, then you will have to consider that it may be an abscess or infection and see a dental specialist. But I hope that was that and now the pain in your jaw is gone.

Kathryn
The Pain Relief Coach

Comment on Back Pain – Spasm Between Shoulder Blade and Spine by Serena

Serena — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 19:07:01 +0000

Thanks Kathryn for your advice! I am a side sleeper, I find it very hard to sleep on my back and when I am able it seems to just cause different pain (hips, lower back) which because a problem after pregnancy (I had a lot of hip pain when pregnant and it seems to have made things a bit touchy now!). I sleep with a triangle pillow and have for years and years as always liked the ability to tuck it right under my neck. I do get the softer, flatter ones as many are overstuffed and more for use for supporting the back when sitting up in bed. I’ll have a look for a mattress topper, it would be cheaper than buying a new bed. I think my bed is quite firm, it’s supposed to be a medium, but when I tried out some mediums at a shop, they felt a lot softer than mine.
I also have something similar to the tennis ball, it’s called a thera-wedge. It’s a firm foam triangle which you lay on like a tennis ball and puts pressure on the facet joints which I find is a great help. I usually use it before bed. I have tried it in the middle of the night, when the pain acts up and it does make the pain back off temporarily, but I find nothing really helps except to get up and moving for a few hours. By the time things have settled down it’s time to go to work!

Comment on Pain In Your Jaw And Teeth Can Be Caused By Muscles by Zoe

Zoe — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 22:01:05 +0000

Thank you, thank you, thank you! Finding this at 3am in agony saved me!

Comment on What Are Muscle Spasms and What Makes Spasms Go Away by Kathryn Merrow

Kathryn Merrow — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 02:10:57 +0000

Hi Sanny,

There are a lot of muscles around your backbone. Most times the pain around the spine (backbone) is caused by muscles. Either the muscles are tight and hurt or they may be pushing on nerves. If you can give me more clues about exactly where your pain is I may be able to help more.

In the meantime, there are lots of articles about back pain at http://SimpleBackPainRelief.com which is another of my natural pain relief websites.

I hope you get relief soon with your back pain.

Kathryn
The Pain Relief Coach

Comment on Why Are Your Muscles Sore After Massage by Kathryn Merrow

Kathryn Merrow — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 02:07:15 +0000

Hi Eleanor,

Thank you for writing! I appreciate your comments and the FB share. I’m glad to share! Massage is good medicine!

Kathryn
The Pain Relief Coach

Comment on Why Are Your Muscles Sore After Massage by Eleanor

Eleanor — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 22:29:06 +0000

Hi, Kathryn–thank you for writing so well on massage topics. I’m sharing this post with a new client who felt “worked over” after her first massage in a long time. Yes, I did speak to all the same topics you bring up here, but it’s great to have it in print, so readily! I’ll be happy to share your blog on FB.

thanks! eleanor

Comment on What Are Muscle Spasms and What Makes Spasms Go Away by Sanny

Sanny — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 07:59:25 +0000

i have muscle spasm in my backbone and not able to do any work and face problems in daily dealing. i can recover my muscle. what i do for this, thanks