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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.
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.
no subject
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!