OMG, I would so surely gag and vomit if I were to do your concoction because I have such a sensitive gag reflex...but I am glad that it has worked for you and that it’s relieving the TTS pain because I have suffered with that in my left foot for over 2 years now. Had a horrific fall onto concrete floor back in 2021, and although at first an x-ray did not reveal any fractures, I had a weird, slightly elevated bruise the size of a quarter on the side of the leg (just above the ankle bone). It progressed into a weird sensation in the area where the leg bone connected to the foot, making me feel as if the area was super-stuffed with cotton. Pain progressed, my primary sent me to PT, but that did not help. Started progressing to extended nerve pain, and the foot orthopedist was of no help at all. He was skeptical and dismissive, saying that he saw nothing in his examinations that supported needing any intervention, definitely nothing surgical. But I wasn't looking for surgery, just an answer and relief! Kept telling me it was "soft tissue damage" and that such damage "...takes a long time to heal, so bear with it, let's give it another six weeks and see how it goes." Seriously??!! I demanded an MRI when nearly 6 months later, symptoms had spread and were affecting my already problematic balance and gait issues (ataxia diagnosed in 2014). He refused to order the MRI, but did acquiesce to nerve conduction study, which I then had almost a month later (not many neurologists are accredited for nerve and muscle conduction testing, so it took a while to get an appointment). I'm going to fast forward and just say that I dropped that foot orthopedist and went to see a top notch neurologist (who IS accredited for nerve studies but couldn't make app't with him since he was booked a year out!). He took one look at my still swollen ankle/leg (yes, still swollen a year after the fall!) and said "An MRI should have been ordered." HE ordered one, and along with the conduction study and examination of my ankle, etc., he sent me to a foot orthopedist in another medical group. TWO injections into the ankle did not help (but were dang painful after the anesthetic in that area wore off!). Fast forward some more months, and my ankle pain was a 24/7 constant burning nerve pain of Pain Scale 7 to 9 out of 10. It was sometimes so bad that I cried because I can't take morphine, codeine, tramadol NOT ANYTHING except for Aleve (which helped along with application of heat to the affected area). Fast forward several more months, and my neurologist diagnosed Complex Regional Pain Syndrome Causalgia 2. Translation for me: I was doomed with yet another chronic pain added to my already crowded plate of chronic pain from other causes. This deepened my depression. I learned of TTS through John, a mentor here on this site, and tried to investigate that route. Got nowhere. Finally discovered (via extensive and intensive research) an outstanding podiatrist who concurred with the CRPS diagnosis and urged me to consider trying PT again because PT is absolutely needed to keep the joint from atrophying and would help me handle my seriously affected gait. He urged me to question whichever therapist as to experience/knowledge with TTS, but after calling centers within a 15 mile radius of our home, I found that no one had even heard of this diagnosis/condition. So I chose to ask the wonderful therapist who had helped with my knee (torn meniscus, damaged tendons/muscles from the same fall as what damaged the foot). I researched info on TTS and recommenda-tions for exercises (do's and don'ts), proposed to him what my goals were, and together a plan emerged for PT: he would gain experience with TTS and I would benefit from the therapy👍🏼.

It's been almost 6 wks of therapy and I'm so happy that the ankle is so much better! The constant burning pain still exists but down to Pain Scale 5 to 6. THAT is so much more "acceptable" for me, compared to what I'd suffered/endured for so many months. The joints still feel “stuffed” but not as stiff, and there are areas of skin discoloration, which I learned is symptomatic of TTS. My podiatrist is pleased with the progress, and I'll continue PT for another month or so, then evaluate. We are going to explore a brace to support the ankle but we must take into consideration that I have nerve issues that extend up the leg, along with a bit of "numbness" which my neurologist says is nerve damage. Extends up both sides of leg. I can't have anything binding/pressing on top of foot either due to nerve issues there as well. Yeah, it's not a "simple case" but nothing in my medical history has been "simple"...

My podiatrist also wrote a prescription for a compounded cream, which is filled at a compounding pharmacy outside our state. Pricey, but one metered pump rubbed into the affected areas calms the pain.

Bottom line, all of us who suffer from and have to endure pain will seek out whatever avenues can gain us some level of relief. I do believe in alternate medicine, and have great respect for the medicinal qualities of herbs, etc.