Hello & seeking help with long standing nerve injury

[joeybags73]

Hi All,

I found this forum after researching nei kung in an effort to help me recover from a chronic nerve injury. I don't have any experience with nei kung or qigong or any chinese martial arts. However, I am open to learn and see which path would help me the most.

 

12 years ago I was injured during rock climbing when I fell numerous times during my climbs. The safety harness I wore awkwardly wrapped around my pelvis and took all of my weight (230 pounds). With that happening all day on this particular day I felt fine but didn't realize the damage it was causing. It turned out that the next day I started feeling tingling in both buttocks while sitting and lying down. That progressed over a two week period to include tingling down the back of my thighs and in the front of my thighs, then to a vibration sensation in both feet, then onto invountary muscle twitching in both legs, and then onto a general weakness sensation in my legs. These symptoms are chronic and never go away and I've just coped with them for the past 12 years. The buttocks and legs tingling is the most annoying as its constant when I sit. When I stand up and walk around it feels better, probably because I don't have any clothes pressure on those areas. My assumption was that the climbing harness crushed and stretched sacral nerves and those nerves running along the pelvis.

 

Since that time I have had 4 different neurologists take MRIs and EMGs and they all say that there is no nerve damage and they can't find anything wrong. They said that if there was any damage that the EMGs would have found it. All other serious neurological problems were ruled out. I took Neurontin for the paresthesia but it didn't seem to help. I have had acupuncture for years and it didn't help at all. Also did yoga and weight lifting to help build my strength and stretch my body but they haven't helped the condition at all. It's been constant for a full 12 years.

 

Despite what the doctors say I know there is something wrong. Perhaps, these are symptoms created by my mind and are not physical in nature. I was seeing a chinese doctor who would give reflexology and acupuncture and he said that my chi is stuck and not moving downward past my lower back. He would send his chi through his palms and into my head and move it down to my legs and I would feel the heat generated in my butt and legs during the session. But all that did was to heat my body and never helped my symptoms.

 

I'm revisiting ways to possibly cure myself. I was thinking there may be a solution to my issues with chinese external and internal martial arts.

 

If there's anyone here who can offer some advice as to what might help me that will certainly be greatly appreciated. I recently moved to Buffalo, NY from NYC so if anyone knows of a good TCM doctor in the area please let me know. I'm actually taking a trip to NYC in January to attend Master CK Chu's Nei Kung workshop. I took it once but never practiced it. But I'm going to try it again.

 

Thank you for listening.

Joe

[Chang]

Hello Joe and welcome to the forum.

 

Hopefully someone will be able to point you in the right direction to get some help. The Lobby is really only for introductions and you may get more response if you re post your question on the Taoist discussion section of the forum.

 

Before that however please take the time to read the two posts pinned at the top of the Lobby and also take a look at the forum terms and rules http://thetaobums.com/topic/19575-forum-terms-rules/ This covers all that you need be aware of to make a start with posting.

 

Good luck and best wishes,

 

Chang

[NotVoid]

Hi Joe. I have found that not all acupuncturists and TCM doctors are of the same caliber or abilities, which I guess goes without saying. Overall, I personally have not had much results with acupuncture or herb doctors when I have tried them in the past however. Also, some conditions can be hard to diagnose or even to detect at all, as you know doubt know. It is possible that certain qigong/neigong or similar practices might help with your condition, but it is hard to say when it is not known what the exact cause or nature of your condition is. One possible practice to consider is the practice of tai chi, as it includes the neigong aspect but also works a lot with gently opening up and exercising the pelvic region and spine, and tai chi has a reputation with helping with some chronic conditions which may not respond well to other treatment options. CK Chu's Nei Kung practice may have a lot or some of this in it as well, but the slow continuous moving and gentle stretching and repetitive way that the tai chi form is practiced seems to have some unique healing aspects to it that are at least worth considering in my view. Good luck with the search!

Edited January 3, 2014 by NotVoid

[BaguaKicksAss]

Bagua!

 

Well OK, you could try these folks http://www.zhenggutuina.com/

[寒月 Hanyue]

Sorry to hear of your problems.

 

You can affect the nerve, qi, and blood flow through the sacral-pelvic area without it being nerve damage that would show up on an MRI or EMG.

 

Simply flushing qi through the area won't help, the structure itself needs to be worked on. Few people have strong enough qi to affect the structure in the way you most likely need. You still want someone to work with the qi, you don't want to throw that away. However..

 

Find a reputable osteopath and have them assess the sacral junctures. I say Osteopath, but I have no idea of how the standards are maintained in the US. I am personally not a fan of Chiropractors, for numerous reasons, however that doesn't mean all Chiro's are bad. And my recommendation of an Osteopath doesn't mean all Osteo's are good either. Caveat emptor, look passed marketting and try to find someone who has a genuine reputation.

 

If you want to go Chinese medicine then I second BKA recommendation, the Zhengu Tuina guys have a very good reputation with what they do. Not all tuina (Chinese bodywork) is the same kind of animal.

 

Self work, stretching is a no-no in that it probably won't help you, and may make it worse. If you have strongly compressed the junctures throughout the pelvis and the lumbar spine, there will also most likely be a 'trauma reaction' in the nervous system causing an subconsious bracing as a protective mechanism. Pulling on these tissues, can reinforce that.

 

Weight training, heavey weights, also a no-no. This adds the stimulation of compression on to the issue.

 

Chinese arts, when done properly (yoga when done properly too), should be about creating length and decompressing, even when it appears to be adding load across a joint. In the West we approach handling such load through contraction and compression.

 

An easier option would be exploring some of the Feldenkrais movements associated with the pelvis and spine. It may feel a little alien as the approach to movement can be quite different and take a while to get used to. Most approach them as though they are simple gym calisthenics. Don't be fooled by the apparent simplicity, these can be done very soft and VERY deep into the body, releasing soft tissues, opening joints and relieving nerves. I have found it more accessible to Westerners for this kind of work than Chinese arts making use of the same processes.

 

When a stuck and compressed sacro-iliac juncture 'opens' and pops/cracks, you may experience a sharp brief pain, but it should not stay with you. I have felt this myself. Depending upon the extent of any resulting pressure on the nerves down into the legs, you may further experience nerve related sensations down the legs or feet as that pressure changes.

 

I have seen more forceful methods to approach the above, but the Feldenkrais movements are the amongst the softest and simplest, and have more potential for re-integrating the balance of the muscles and bones through the area than many other methods. It certainly isn't the only way, but it is accessible.

 

Do so along with the guidance and treatment of someone, this way it will support that treatment and vice versa.

 

There are lots, of free lessons on this website. Please read the guide first though.

 

http://www.flowingbody.com/

 

This video I have quickly chosen at random to simply illustrate the basic idea of Feldenkrais type work with the pelvis and sacrum, as many prefer a visual aid.

 

 

You can always search out a practitioner for lessons if need be.

 

Best,

Edited January 4, 2014 by snowmonki

[Songtsan]

I am no expert (caveat), but the fact that the tingling happens when you sit says something - sitting position involves flexed (contracted) hip flexors (rectis femoris and iliopsoas) and stretched hip extensors (notably glutes and hamstrings). I am guessing it is due to a compression of nerves from some muscle group or single muscle...If you were to stand on one leg and have the other leg bent in a 90 degree angle, perhaps rested on a chair or something, would only the bent leg start tingling?

 

A chiropractor or kinesiologist might be useful if they can determine any excessive muscle imbalance in those areas...

[joeblast]

homeboy needs to learn Xing Shen Zhuan

Edited January 5, 2014 by joeblast

[Songtsan]

oh yeah - could also be due to pressure on glutes when sitting - maybe find way to duplicate that pressure when keeping hip in neutral position - to see if it is pressure or angle of hip flexion