Regaining Joy: Tammy’s Journey to Minimizing Neck and Back Pain

JORDAN PYSZ / iFoundMyDoctor.com
After Tammy was diagnosed with osteoporosis, her chiropractor halted regular treatments for her back pain related to scoliosis. She eventually found relief at Regional Rehab through physical therapy that included the Class IV laser and HIVAMAT 200.

If she hadn’t planted them herself, Tammy Myers could not tell you what flowers are growing in her garden because she can’t see them. She can make out their colors, and for that she is extremely grateful, but telling impatiens from petunias is all but impossible.

“It’s the same with a tree,” she says. “I can look at a tree and tell you it’s a tree, but I can’t identify the leaves because I can’t make out any detail. It’s that way with people, too. Unless someone comes up and stands nose to nose to me, all I see are silhouettes.”

Tammy’s view of the world has been a blur for more than 15 years, or ever since this 57-year-old woman of devout faith was declared legally blind after a thyrotoxic crisis, a rare, life-threatening complication of hyperthyroidism.

Known more commonly as a thyroid storm, a thyrotoxic crisis occurs when the thyroid releases a large dose of hormone in a short period. In Tammy’s case, the effects forced her to go on disability, but she does manage to get around a bit.

“I don’t drive, but I have a white cane and I love to walk around my neighborhood and socialize,” Tammy says. “We have a lot of older people living here, and if I see their newspaper in the driveway, I’ll go over and pick it up and deliver it to them.

“And I love to piddle in the yard. Everything God makes is beautiful, and I especially love his flowers. I also appreciate that God wakes me up each morning because I’ve been through a lot, but I’m happy to be alive and happy for the wonderful family that I have.”

Tammy’s family recently watched her struggle through another health issue, this one stemming from a sideways curve in her spine known as scoliosis that was generating a disabling degree of neck and back pain.

“The pain was so bad that I had a hard time walking, but I also couldn’t sit for a long time because of it,” Tammy laments. “I was having a hard time doing anything and was just miserable because it got to a point where it hurt just to take a deep breath.”

Tammy is no stranger to neck and back pain. She has dealt with it for years because of the scoliosis, but regular chiropractic adjustments helped to keep that pain at bay – until about a year ago, when she was diagnosed with osteoporosis.

Found most often in postmenopausal women, osteoporosis and its predecessor, osteopenia, develop when new bone growth lags behind natural bone loss, leading to critically low bone mineral density.

The condition puts people at an increased risk for hip, spine, wrist and other bone breaks. Fear of such fractures prompted Tammy’s chiropractor to stop the regular adjustments. He did, however, suggest that she try physical therapy. It proved to be a blessing in disguise.

“I spent almost a year looking for a place that took my insurance, but finally a friend of mine who works at a nursing home called Regional Rehab and asked if they could treat me,” Tammy remembers. “They said yes, and so I went there.”

Signature Tools

JORDAN PYSZ / iFoundMyDoctor.com
With guidance from Maribel (PTA), Tammy performs a stretching exercise.

Regional Rehab is the practice of Charles C. Donley, PT, who first visited with Tammy in August. During that initial evaluation, Charles immediately noticed that Tammy’s scoliosis was causing her to have a stooped posture and her right shoulder to droop.

“Tammy’s biggest concern, though, was pain,” Charles explains. “Because she was no longer being treated by a chiropractor, her pain had greatly intensified to the point where by the end of each day she felt like her back was going to break in half.”

To help, Charles immediately fit Tammy with a back brace that gave her a little more stability. He then presented her with a treatment plan featuring two of Regional Rehab’s signature tools: the Class IV deep tissue therapeutic laser and the HIVAMAT® 200 deep oscillation device.

The Class IV laser uses wavelengths of red and near-infrared light to stimulate nerves and the body’s natural ability to heal damaged cells. It does this by triggering a release of nitric oxide, which reduces inflammation, promotes healing and increases blood circulation even in the nerves, which is why it has even proved effective as a treatment for stroke victims.

“The Class IV laser, in particular, is an impressive and versatile tool,” Charles notes. “We use it for burn and wound patients as well as for all the musculoskeletal issues we typically treat, such as acute, chronic and postoperative pain.”

The HIVAMAT creates gentle impulses that relax muscles and penetrate all tissue layers to remove inflammatory byproducts from cells that cause pain.

The Class IV laser and HIVAMAT are part of a protocol that typically includes stretching, exercises for balance and range of motion, and manual therapy. Intrigued by its possibilities, Tammy agreed to the treatment plan, and she’s glad she did.

A Happy Place

Tammy began receiving treatment from the Regional Rehab staff in August. Within a matter of weeks, her neck and back pain were minimized.

“My lower back pain, which was like a stabbing pain that was so sharp that it almost burned, has completely gone away, so the treatments are working great,” Tammy confirms. “I could not be happier with the improvement.

“That lower back pain was the pain that was keeping me from doing a lot of things, but I’m back taking longer walks again, and I can do my gardening. I can’t tell you what that means to me.

“I was at a point where I was afraid that I wouldn’t be able to do anything anymore. I was going downhill quick, but now that I’m feeling better, I’m getting my self-esteem back, so I am really happy with what Charles and everyone at Regional Rehab have done for me.”
-Tammy

Charles’ treatment plan also calls for Tammy to perform a series of stretches and strengthening exercises. Tammy says she follows the protocol even though some of the movements are difficult for her to perform.

“The stretches and exercises are working great,” she adds. “I’m doing those at home and at Regional Rehab. I’m also using tension bands because I can’t do weights since I could break a bone if I tried picking up something too heavy.

“But it’s all working very well for me. There was a time when I would go for a walk and my legs felt like they weighed 100 pounds. I don’t have that problem anymore, so I would absolutely recommend Charles and Regional Rehab to anyone.

“If anyone ever asks me about a place to go for physical therapy, I’ll tell them to go to Regional Rehab because the people there really do care. A lot of these places are just revolving doors, but everyone at Regional Rehab knows your name and really cares about you.

“And everyone there is always smiling and saying, Good morning. It’s like the happiest place on Earth, and Charles always comes in and checks on me whenever I’m there, which I really appreciate. From a medical standpoint, it’s one of the best places I’ve ever been.”