Inflammation as a vicious cycle

[cjsmith]

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.

Comments

[rampling.livejournal.com]

Wow, *hugs* and sympathies. I can only wish you better luck with the next phase of figuring out how to solve this. *more-hugs*

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Thanks. I don't know what to do if all of this doesn't work... and the dietary change, that'll take real effort, 'cause I don't just *know* what I can and can't eat in order to try that one, but instead I gotta *study*.

Eh. At least cheese isn't high-glycemic. I think. (No web site I've found lists the GI of any type of cheese. Weird.)

[ambar.livejournal.com]

I'm fairly sure there's an inverse relationship between high-fat and high-glycemic. Cheese falls in the former category (hard cheeses more so than soft cheeses).

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Thanks! That would make sense given that white bread was listed as "high" while cheese pizza was only "medium".

Side note: I've always been a bit frustrated at how little cheese is on a cheese pizza. Now I can add an extra fillip to that annoyance. I shall cherish it. ;-)

[quasigeostrophy.livejournal.com]

*hugs* I hope you can get this figured out. I had my fingers crossed the injections would do it. :-(

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

They did kill the tumors. Now I "just" have to recover from what else they screwed up.

[ambar.livejournal.com]

if you want something else to research, some of the more clueful horse types use a TENS unit on healing tendons and such. you might see if that would have any effect on your particular collection of unhappiness.

And, um, herbs. Arnica?

*hugs*

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Hmmm. Not sure how to find that out -- ask a physical therapist maybe?

Arnica, will go look at it, thanks. :)

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Arnica

Sounds right up my alley! Will obtain some.

[msmichelle.livejournal.com]

Break the cycle vibes, break the cycle vibes. You are really working hard at this, CJ.
I thought the keep walking idea was interesting, in a very good way. It seems to make sense.
I just wish this would end for you, SOON!

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Thanks! So do I -- I'm getting more than a little bit annoyed.

[oddhack.livejournal.com]

AIUI, inflammation can be thought of as a feedback loop between white blood cells coming in to scavenge and destroy things that shouldn't be there, and the destroyed tissue giving off chemicals that attract more WBCs, with the point of NSAIDs being to intervene in the loop before the WBCs go overboard and start damaging healthy tissue. Admittedly, this is based solely on grilling a hapless intern, after the doctor nominally in charge of my knee therapy got into his own endless loop with my questions, along the lines of

Q: So what is inflammation?
A: That's where the tissue is inflamed.
Q: Yes, fine, but what do you mean by "inflamed"? (lather,rinse,repeat)".

Anyway - temperature is another way of influencing the cycle, so I second the ice/cold pack idea.

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

and the destroyed tissue giving off chemicals that attract more WBCs

Ahhhhh, this makes some sense. Cool. And it jives with the concept that this cycle can go far enough to damage healthy tissue.

One article I read had a GREAT diagram of it all, but it had been scanned in at a resolution insufficient to make its labels readable. Then the article's text didn't explain but just referenced the diagram. :-)

Cold packs here I come!

[genderfur.livejournal.com]

Check website for diabetics for info on the GI for different foods.

Add to your list: when you're sitting down, prop up your feet! Let gravity do some of the work for you. When you're lying down, get your feet higher than your head.

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Have been looking at such websites, so far haven't found very complete lists. Still, a good start. They give me a rough idea.

Let gravity do some of the work for you.

Ooo, may as well! Thanks!

[just-cyd.livejournal.com]

*hugs* the lack of actual relief has got to stink; i know it does for me. it's not like you can't *not* walk!

i'll look through my current batch of library books and see what they come up with on alterna-treatments. I've been recommended Evening Primrose Oil and Flaxseed oil, which i started this week.

i heartily second the cold/heat, elevation, and checking out a TENS unit. you like electrical stuff, right? ;-)

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

I'm on flaxseed oil at the moment also. Not sure how to do the elevation while sitting at work ... maybe one foot at a time. :-)

I like electrical stuff when it's not my job to fix it. ;-)

[kimatha.livejournal.com]

It sucks that your feet are still so painful! Especially after all you've already gone though.

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I admit I'm getting pretty darned annoyed.