A new patient emailed her story:
“About three years ago, I hit the base of the right side of my head while trying to pick up snowboarding again. I also hurt my left lower back carrying my middle son through Disney.
“I had a a pelvic floor therapist help me ‘realign my pelvis’ after my third child. Currently, I seem to have hEDS-like symptoms, overall lymphedema, potentially Hashimoto’s (I’m TPO and TGab+), and lower morning cortisol that slightly spikes later in the day.
“I do find I have cognition issues as the day wears on. I can’t get words out, am too tired to think, and mix up or misplace words, particularly in the early evening.
“I do have some level of hypermobility, but my congested lymphatic system has been providing a lot of stiffness and stability. Pain builds in my neck and down into my trapezius on my right side. I feel like this directly correlates with the pain in my hip, lower back and iliacus on my left side.”
Dr. Barry Gillespie Writes
She was right! Some patients are sensitive to their bodies to the extent where they can accurately describe their internal workings.
I expected the zero-second brain cycle with the right-sided head and neck strain. I expected the left hip and low back strain. What I did not expect was the direct connection between these two areas.
When I started therapy in her head and neck area, a distinct twist developed diagonally down her back into her left pelvis. Crossover strains in the trunk are uncommon.
In the history, she also mentioned some coccyx pain, which appeared to be a part of this strain. This tightness started to mitigate during the sessions, and the patient felt an immediate positive change in her body upon leaving the office.
Providers need to remember that the fascial web presents a global presentation of bodily function. If they just look at piecemeal sections of the body, they can easily miss the big picture.
As she opened to a 90-second brain cycle, I expect her to do well over a series of visits. Gillespie Approach Training presents an important piece of structural health.
The Patient Comments
“I feel better! My right neck, shoulder, and trapezius all feel like they are trying to decide if they want to lock up or not.
What’s interesting is the pain is more pronounced in the left gluteal muscles, iliacus, and coccyx. It feels like one part of the larger knot unraveled revealing an older persistent knot.
I also feel greater sensations on my forehead, top, and back of my head. Also, there is slightly less fluid in my head, down my neck. I’m feeling quite hopeful and good.”
My Comments
I agree that the lower back pain probably started first and eventually reached the upper body. We saw that consistently in our Lancaster infant research, where upper body problems started in the lower body.
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