Myofascial Release Therapy (MFR) for treating compression and pain

@hotfooted I'm glad MFR helped you both physically and emotionally and it is common for people to release emotions during the sessions. It's those stressful and emotional issues that create the tension in fascia as well as injuries and scars. It feels good to be free of that doesn't it? Good for you for taking your life back.

Hi Jim @jimmccarl, I've been thinking about Myofascial Release Therapy (MRT) but more for my back. There is a discussion on Myofascial Release Therapy. I'm tagging our moderator @lisalucier to see if we can move your post to the following discussion where you can meet other members discussing MRT.

> Groups > Neuropathy > Myofascial Release Therapy (MFR) for treating compression and pain
-- https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/myofascial-release-therapy-mfr-for-treating-compression-and-pain/

@artscaping has discussed how myofascial release therapy has helped her neuropathy. I'm looking for a therapist that specializes in MRT that is local to Rochester but have not found one yet. Have you looked into myofascial release therapy to help your neuropathy?

Has anyone found any relief from the effects of neuropathy?

Hi, @jimmccarl - you may have noticed I moved your post to this existing discussion, "Myofascial Release Therapy (MFR) for treating compression and pain." I did this so sharing on this topic would be in one place. Simply click VIEW & REPLY in your email notification to get to your post and read through some of the previous posts in this conversation.

I'd like to tag @jenniferhunter @hotfooted @nurseheadakes @artscaping to share further about their experiences with this therapy for neuropathy.

For what symptoms are you particularly seeking relief, @jimmccarl?

@jimmccarl I've been doing myofascial release regularly with my physical therapist for about 5 years, and it has helped me a lot. My pain stems from physical compression and trigger points that prevent the normal movement of the soft tissue, and that can and does cause pain. I have thoracic outlet syndrome that entraps nerves and vessels as they pass through some small spaces in my neck and shoulder. MFR helps, and you have to be patient. It's about unwinding tight dehydrated tissues, restoring the circulation and getting them moving again which then allows the bones and muscles to align properly because they are not pulled out of shape by the fascia.

Recently my arm started hurting again all the time, and yesterday, my PT treated a fascial restriction at the junction of my arm and shoulder blade to the back of the arm pit where muscles from the rib cage, shoulder blades, neck and chest intersect. I am tight from my shoulder through my rib cage to my hips on this side. My PT had an assistant applying light pressure between my ribs and hips, and she pulled my arm up over my head and the fascia was making a tight path through all of that. It was locked and immovable, so she also used cupping, where a cup is placed with suction on the skin to pull on the fascia. With cups attached, I was to move my arm and shoulder through positions that stretched, and doing this relieved all the pain yesterday. It was about a 6 on a scale of 10, and I left that session after an hour with pain reduced to a one, only because there was some tightness left in the shoulder, but it has released enough of the tightness that the nerve in my arm stopped complaining. I've had similar experiences when we only do manual releases. Fascial restrictions are layers that you need to work through. While I was working on the TOS, I developed spinal cord compression from an old injury and had to stop MFR and physical therapy for spine surgery, but having done all the fascial work on my neck made my surgery easier for my doctor because the muscles in my neck moved easily so they could be retracted easily for surgery, and my recovery was easier for me, and I didn't have issues that can be risks of anterior cervical spine surgery. When I was recovered enough, I went back to therapy and MFR helped loosen the surgical scar tissue that causes fascial restrictions. I need to keep that moving correctly because of the proximity to the TOS areas. There is a lot you can do at home for fascial releases after the therapist teaches you how.

Yes. Modifying diet (no sugar, dairy, gluten or processed foods), getting proper sleep, moderate & consistent exercise (assuming no weight issues which are an obvious contributor)....has stopped the progression for me. I have been relentless in finding the root cause, which is critical to a reversal. I’ll also add that I have SFN, which is different the PN in that the small nerves can regenerate. Don’t give up!

I agree that diet and exercise can possibly halt the progression, but where have you learned that SFN can be reversed? Often it is diagnosed as idiopathic. I guess I don’t understand the significance of the root cause, once the damage is done but I would love to know that it is possible.

I'm searching for more info on how to regenerate the SFN... Have already modified my diet a lot, but am going forward with more on that, too.. No sugar, but still have small amount of milk now and then.. will look into ridding myself of gluten. and already avoid processed foods.. I sent a message to my doctor today about how taking magnesium glycinate might benefit my erothromyalgia and diabetes 2... Hopefully now we can reverese the SFN too... I am inspired, and NEVER give up... Just ask my husband... grin...

Fantastic! I will check it out.

This amazing description of MFR helped me move forward in scheduling a consult with PT again!!!!

After 3 years of trial and error with epidurals, nerve blocks and radio frequency ablations on my head, neck and back, my body went through physical and emotional stress to no avail. Along with chronic migraine causing the majority of it in the earlier stages, emphasis was always placed on my necks 2 bulging disc and 1 moderately herniated disc then later lumbar mild herniated disc. My GP was always dumbfounded why I felt so much pain and spinal doctors kept saying no to surgery. I never benefited from PT, chiropractic, acupuncture, blah, blah, blah. Pain management provided less and less relief while creating more pain. I started to think I was a hypochondriac because every part of me began hurting at different times for no real reason. A rheumatologist dismissed fibromyalgia, EMG and nerve conduction studies were normal, SED rates were normal, I had my strength but boy did I pay the price after using it. I had begun having nerve pains and arm numbness a while back but everything was blamed on my neck and ablation side effects. I had slowly been losing myself and my life. Left my job after 27 years to go on disability for migraines at age 46 and that was after I had cataract surgeries and corneal transplants at age 43.

I'm sorry to be going on and on... long story short...my New Year's resolution this year was to tell my new neurologist that something WAS WRONG neurologically beyond my chronic migraine and if he couldnt figure it out, I was going to the MAYO CLINIC. He immediately ordered skin biopsy and I tested positive for small fiber neuropathy with a B12 deficiency. My work up lasted over 4 months and was thorough. Amen to having a diagnosis that finally pieced my puzzle together. Such a relief to know I wasn't going crazy, but, my body was!

My neuropathy is wide spread from occipitals, neck, shoulders, arms, hands, upper back, lower back, left hip, legs, and right toe. These areas vary day to day in their pain intensity with flare ups that trade off. I've had or have numbness, pins and needles, sun burn sensation, vibrations, cold flush, hot spots, sweats, palpitations, shortness of breath, internal burning, feeling of lumps under my foot. Also diagnosed with Chilblains last month after a nasty outbreak and my feet and toes love to turn bright red, purple/almost blackish. Im telling you, I couldnt make this stuff up! Haha!

The moral of my story is to KEEP PERSEVEERING, keep being your OWN ADVOCATE. I am now 49 and am experimenting with weekly IV lidocaine infusions in hopes of reducing/eliminating my hydrocodone intake. I take Hydro, Lyrica CR, Duloxatine, Magnesium, Tumeric. I receive B12 injections every 2 weeks, Emgality migraine self injection monthly and Botox injections every 3 months. Now, after all this, Im going to try myofacial release to hopefully help undo some of the pent up crap my body and brain has endured. Hoping the SFN that lives within can handle it.

Be well everyone and thanks so much for listening...guess I really needed to get that out and if nothing more, I hope I have at least helped someone else out there.