Not all patient problems may be due to fascial strain.
A sixty-seven-year-old woman presented with laryngitis, speech difficulty, and reflux. She loved to sing and has been a speech teacher for years. Music has become her identity.
Before she proceeded any further in the history, I asked her if she was taking statins. When she said she had been on them for ten to fifteen years, my heart sank.
In the past, I have seen three patients with similar issues, and was unable to help them. One of the side effects of long-term statin use is muscle weakness. Patients usually think of pain in their larger muscles, but the smaller throat muscles can be affected also.
She said her doctor never mentioned this side effect. When taking medication, there is always the risk-reward factor, as every medication has side effects.
On examination, she had a zero-second brain cycle and tightness in her throat and neck. I could not tell if the root of the problem was chronic overuse of the tissues causing strain or a side effect of the statins.
I suggested that she see me for the craniosacral fascial work and a massage therapist to work with the associated muscles. Our hope is that the former is the issue. If the statins are the root cause, she will need to see other providers to institute a possible detoxification regimen.
Since everyone who comes to me seems to have an incurable problem where everyone else has failed, I need to be alert to the many aspects of disease. Gillespie Approach Training can help providers reach the next level of care.
