I frequently get emails like THIS ONE (people whom, unfortunately, I cannot help). I also get a lot of can-you-help-me requests from people who have SYSTEMICALLY ADHESED FASCIA. These are the individuals who are literally being “TETHERED” by restricted fascia all over their bodies. Can I help these folks? It depends.
I’ve found that the most common deciding factor is whether or not they are following some sort of anti-inflammatory protocol and already addressing these issues on their own (HERE is a generic protocol I’ve created that should help most people get started in this endeavor should their doctor give them the OK).
Bottom line: since inflammation always leads to scar tissue (HERE), and scar tissue is not just a common cause of pain but also our nation’s leading cause of death (YOU READ THAT CORRECTLY), you must deal with underlying drivers of INFLAMMATION or ANY PROGRESS YOU MAY MAKE IN OUR CLINIC will not be as good as you were hoping for.
As far as my LONG-DISTANCE PATIENTS are concerned (HERE is another example of an LDP), I’m amazed at how many of them have been intensely working on their overall health in trying to battle whatever problem they are battling. Although I have shown you any number of CASE STUDIES in the past, this one is a bit different because it’s S’s journey to find a solution. By the way, thanks for letting me publish this S; I promise that someone somewhere will be helped.
Case History: Fascial Adhesions
Hello Dr. Schierling,
I wanted to share my story with you because I know you will find it intriguing. I found your website shortly after I cracked my own mystery and was seeking help to untwist me. Twenty six years of issues. Symptoms piling up and becoming difficult to live with. I managed to work, then have 4 children and work more, but energy is low, autoimmune issues and vertigo so it’s a little more interesting. I had a strong feeling that it was all physical, but couldn’t put my finger on it.
4.5 years ago I started a physical treatment that shed a big light on what was going on. But it had no source or reason behind it. Treatment focused on my upper back, right shoulder and hand that had muscle atrophy (top part, I was compensating with the bottom.
In fact I was compensating throughout my whole body, with different directions…). It included deep, extra deep tissue massage, to break the inflammation out of the sleeping muscles. (maybe a coma would be a better word), electric pulses to restart muscle movement and laser to wake up the nerves. 3 months into a 3 times a week very painful treatment, I started feeling the pain. Pain I didn’t have for years in some parts of my body. It was mostly discomfort and tightness everywhere.
This treatment made me make a list of all my issues. I created a table, chronologically sorted, of everything I remember about my body. 3.5 pages of them [She attached this record which included things like AUTOIMMUNITY, MIGRAINE HEADACHES, A MOTORCYCLE CRASH (WHIPLASH) EAR INFECTIONS, SEVERAL SURGERIES (including the appendectomy, which caused an ABDOMINAL WALL ISSUE), several SHOULDER INJURIES, LOW BACK PAIN, VERTIGO, CHRONIC NECK PAIN, FIBROMYALGIA, numerous FOOD INTOLERANCES —- and this is just hitting some of the high points].
I also saw a Visceral Osteopath that mentioned the word fascia as related to internal organs being pulled. Nice ah? I was thinking about my appendectomy scar (1992) as a possible source for my issues, and there it was – I googled “fascia appendix scar” and wow…. It explained how my chronic neck pain and pulling sensation I was having are related to that painful scar. Yes after all these years it still hurts sometimes.
Since the article I found was related to craniosacral , I tried that. It made a minor change but nothing major. I went to a functional medicine doctor, she helped me find I have a slight leg length discrepancy (6mm). Wearing my orthotics for 3 months made my BPPV [vertigo] go away since my head wasn’t constantly trying to sync with my hips. I was able to lie down without the spinning room… But my left ear balance nerve has 54% damage, so I still get dizzy and ears popping.
October 2017 I saw a physiotherapist in Israel during a family visit, who specializes in fascia – he does fascial manipulation. He recommended this treatment for me. During the treatment I found that not only the appendectomy scar is pulling my right side, but the bunion surgery I had on my left foot (8 months after appendix, at the age of 17!) is pulling down on my left. Did I say twisted? The treatment is slowly helping me gain more movement range, I stretch a lot and hope to have a straight back and normal metabolism, normal gut, normal skin… maybe just normal.
I would love to get your feedback and to send your my famous list…which my practitioner was very impressed with. So I’m pretty proud I was able to find the cause and treatment. I’m hoping it’s the right one. It feels like it.
Thank you,
SN, Toronto
What do I have to offer you S? Other than the information in the links I provided, it’s important to remember that breaking adhesed fascia is similar to playing a certain old-fashioned carnival game (HERE). There is a threshold that must be reached to break SCAR TISSUE. Fail to reach this threshold and you have done nothing to truly help the patient beyond making them feel good for the brief time they were on your table.
One of the major difference I noticed in what you’ve been doing and what I do in my clinic is the length of treatment time. Don’t get me wrong, I have had people that I have done significant work on. However, not only is that not the norm, but people know within a treatment or two whether or not what I do is going to work (HERE). By the way, don’t be afraid to like, share, or follow on FACEBOOK as it’s a fantastic way to reach those you love and care about most with information that could potentially be transformational for them.
