Herniated disks from fall caused chronic neck pain

CLIENT SUCCESS STORY: Charissa M. | BodyGnosis | Massage Therapy

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What did you initially come in seeking help with? Please describe in some detail what injury or pain that prompted you to come in. 

In March of 2017, I fell down hardwood stairs and herniated two discs in my neck. One of them is bulging at the C6-C7 level. The bulge presses on my nerves that coupled with the trauma from the fall left my neck, back, and shoulder muscles in a very tight and painful state. Along with the pain I had tingling down my left arm and into my fingers from the nerve compression. I had decompression done at a chiropractor, which helped some and then plateaued, and every other conservative approach including steroid injection, physical therapy, trigger point injections, and acupuncture didn't help. My next major waves of improvement came from seeing Tom. Could you describe before and after? What specific issues were improved? What benefits would you say you received from our sessions? 

Before seeing Tom, I could barely lift my head to get out of bed I was in such intense pain, and I didn't have the range of motion because my neck area was always too tight. Every session with Tom I think to myself, how does he just know? Tom has a unique ability to assess and pinpoint the areas that I feel the most issues at that point in time without me saying a word. Before Tom, I thought surgery was inevitable. Since starting the sessions I have felt a drastic reduction in everyday pain and have also increased my mindfulness of habits contributing to my pain. It gives me the confidence and optimism to believe that one day I can be pain free without surgery. My range of motion, daily pain level, and ability to be active have all dramatically improved.

How would you describe the sessions you had? What was the experience like for you? Is there anything else you would like to add?

Tom has always been professional, kind, and personable. He cares, which goes a long way for me in the optimism in my recovery. One thing I always love about the sessions is that he communicates well. Before, during, and after. During the sessions, he walked me through every step - no matter how many times in the past we had done that same step, he still described each action. There are times when I was in so much pain that I cried during our sessions. And Tom always creates a safe, trusting space; he just knew in those moments what I needed, and he made it happen. And I always walked away with some relief.

To touch on those everyday habits we all have; Tom was helpful in reiterating in sessions my habits that he saw, which made me more and more mindful of them everyday, which also makes a difference in my recovery. Meeting Tom and getting bodywork from him has been the best thing for my progress to date. Thanks Tom, for everything. 

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