Inflammation as a vicious cycle

My feet aren't getting any better. They still hurt with a pain that's sort of like a really nasty bruise.

My understanding of this: they became inflamed as a result of the neuroma treatments, but failed to heal properly and stop the inflammation. They are now in some kind of mysterious condition, some vicious cycle or infinite loop, where inflammation causes some kind of signal to trigger more inflammation. I have searched the web for more details on this "bug" and as yet have no clear idea of how it happens. Various sources seem to agree that it does, though, and that moreover the tissue begins taking damage from it, and once it goes downhill that far the whole thing gets REALLY hard to fix.

So the idea is to break the cycle. Preferably soon, before it causes much real damage.

First, I took 600mg of ibuprofen 3x/day for a while, as the doctor recommended, and it did squat, as I pretty much knew it would. Whoopee.

Next, completely without the doctor's knowledge I substituted naproxen sodium (Aleve) for the ibuprofen. I chose to try this because at least I know Aleve has the power to affect my body at all. I kept the dosage level the same. (This is not the most naproxen sodium I've ever had in a day, not by a long shot!, but it's way more than I "should" have.) It's helping some, but not much. It isn't cutting out the inflammation/pain entirely. Square dancing last night was pretty rough. Also, this dosage level is enough to start my stomach hurting. I *know* that signal: I'm gonna have to cut it out Pretty Darn Soon Now.

What else haven't I tried? Quite a few things, as it turns out.
1. High-glycemic foods have been linked to inflammation (in some people?). Quit it with the white bread.
2. More omega-3 fatty acids, less omega-6, same reason. Sez some medical/nutrition info, somewhere indexed by google.
3. Ice. Stick my feet on a very cold thing, particularly after square dancing.
4. Get more information about the actual mechanism of this cycle, and add to this list.
5. Look for herbs and such that might help.
6. Keep walking. (Sez some other medical type somewhere indexed by google.) If I'm going to build scar tissue, it had better be strong in the right ways, with its fibers lined up in the right direction or what-have-you. I risk far more damage letting it heal up "wrong" while my feet are inactive; then I'd just have to get it reinjured (eg via physical therapy) to heal "right".

Probably best if I hit it all at once with all of 'em. All I have to do is break the cycle once.

rfrench doesn't tell everything he knows

Yesterday evening, just as I was about to leave work, I got a phone call from the front desk. "You have something here," I was told.

Sure enough I got around the corner and saw roses. Awwwww! Rob!

Then I learned they came with a small heart-shaped box of Neuhaus chocolates. Rob doesn't know about Neuhaus, does he? I so rarely find any -- how would he know they're my favorite hazelnutty chocolate in THE ENTIRE UNIVERSE? So...... who sent these, then?

I opened the card. Rob!

I was squealing like a kid in a tickle fight, so I explained what had been going through my head. I had been so sure Rob didn't know how much I loved Neuhaus! Our office manager, a woman in her forties who sits just near the front desk worker, nodded sagely. "They don't always tell you everything they know, do they?" The smile behind her comment said and I love mine with all my heart.

Heh. I guess she's right: they don't always tell everything they know. :-)

I attempted in my own small way to show my heartfelt appreciation. I think rfrench slept well last night. ;-)

The roses are sitting here on my desk at work, making the cube smell unusually unlike heated electrical components. The chocolates, well, it's going to be awfully difficult to set those aside as part of attempting to heal my feet. But I'll get to them, oh yes I will.