Laser On Adhesions..How Would That Even Work?

Months ago, I received the advice to go check out a doctor that performs Chiropractic Neurology. I was told that he uses a laser to treat adhesions. He works outside the body, making it much less invasive than the most popular treatment, surgery. My response was, "laser on adhesions..how would that even work?" I was intrigued and also extremely hopeful that it could be the solution to fix my abdominal pain.

It took me a few months to get in, but the doctor was extremely helpful and sat down with me for quite a long chat and went over what he does and whether or not he could help me. He went over my medical records before I got to the appointment (which any good doctor will do) and was armed with a plan of attack in mind.

He made mention of the fact that I am a bit of a tough case. And it was refreshing that he knew the difference between my case and the folks that have normal scar tissue growth. He knows that I am a "super grower" as I have called it before. Everyone grows scar tissue. Not everyone keeps growing it until it takes over your entire abdomen. Nevertheless, he did think he could help me. So what exactly does he do? How does it work? Can it really help me?

To give you the most accurate information, I am taking the following verbiage straight from his website. I'm not great with remembering names of procedures or equipment, and I want you to know where you can find the information. But, I also want you to know exactly what to look for in your city or somewhere close if you decide to seek out this treatment. Maybe you want to come out to sunny Tucson for treatment?

There are a couple of different ways he goes about tackling adhesions. The first way is to use Laser Therapy or Low Level Laser Therapy (LLLT). To do this, he uses Helium-Neon (HeNe) and Laser Diode/Infrared equipment. What does that mean to me and probably most of you? He uses a laser. :) His website also states that research has shown LLLT creates photobiostimulation which activates enzymatic processes in our cells that promote cell metabolism (a fancy way to say it increases cell function) that eventually increase/release key hormones from the pineal gland whose primary source of stimulation is light energy. LLLT has been successful in treating carpal tunnel syndrome up to 85% of the time and other non repetitive stress disorders. Fibromyalgia seems to respond well as does trigeminalneuralgia, scar tissue, complications from surgery, torn cartilage, nerve damage and headaches, muscular injuries, open wound and diabetic lesions. And clinical research continues to be done on hundreds of different conditions.

The second way he tackles adhesions is to use Physio-Therapy.  He uses an ultra sound, which is the use of high frequency sound waves which increase blood flow for increased nutrition and fuel delivery and to soften scar tissue and break up adhesions. It also softens scar tissue and relieves pain. Another part of Physio-Therapy is Electrical Muscle Stimulation. There are many different types for many conditions and I highly recommend you go over to this page of his website for a little more about this.

He also uses Massage, Nutrition, Acupuncture, Applied Kinesiology as well as personalized techniques! He is certainly a man of many talents and I am quite sure there are more of these type of doctors around the country or in your area, but obviously, I can't say for sure. You would want to do a search in your area.

But now that I have given you the information about what exactly he and possibly other Chiropractic Neurologists do...here's another little story that relates.

I happened to run into a friend of a friend that has actually been receiving treatment from this very doctor and she had nothing but positive things to say about him and the treatment. It was almost as if I was supposed to see her that day and I was supposed to hear it. However, I believe she suffered from normal scar tissue growth which everyone gets. She hasn't had continuous issues with adhesions and had multiple surgeries to keep getting "cleaned out". So, if you have normal scar tissue growth, I believe these types of treatments could help you. Obviously, I'm not a doctor. But I am someone that has undergone multiple surgeries and have researched this condition thoroughly. And I live with them, day in and day out.

So what about those of us who are "super growers"? Can it help us as well? The doctor was very honest with me. It would not be a quick fix. Because of the growth rate of my adhesions, it would be an uphill battle..but not impossible.

Now for a little bad news. Because these are "alternative treatments"... what does that mean? Yep, you guessed it..THEY ARE NOT COVERED BY INSURANCE! (Yes, I am yelling) Ugh! Of course! So the bad news is that these treatments are a little on the expensive side. If you have the money to try it, I highly suggest it.

Some people have had great success with other treatments such as Myofascial Release and Acupuncture. I did not. It was a lot of pain to endure and didn't seem to benefit me at all. And I will never try it again! If you have normal scar tissue growth, though, you may fall in with the success stories from these treatments. 

I am in the process of trying to work this Chiropractic Neurologist into my budget, because I do think it could work. And I am willing to try almost anything to get my life back. Speaking of back, :) this treatment is also used on backs. I have the lower back of a 90 year old (or at least that's how it feels) I have herniated discs, degenerative disc disease, spinal stenosis and slight scoliosis! He was actually a little more on the positive side for my back and thought he could help the back issues quicker than the adhesions..but I am going to stay positive and give it a go.

If anyone gets to the treatment before I do, please come back and comment to let us know how it's going. If no one else gets to it before I do, obviously, I will be back to let you know of my progress..as slow as it may or may not be due to financial constraints.

I would like to thank Dr. Nathan Conlee for talking to me like a human being, not just another patient. And for giving me some great information and insight. But above all else, giving me hope. Hope is hard to come by when you have chronic pain. Thank you for the hope!

All medical verbiage was taken directly from Dr. Conlee's website. Go check him out for yourself..only you can choose what's right for your own body. But hopefully this gave you some food for thought.

~ Until next time...

New Treatments for MY Adhesions

I also just have to quickly address a message I received. I realize that I have not been here for awhile..I apologize. I have been very sick and fighting to win a disability case, which I did win by the way. The message I received asked about any new treatments that I had found for my adhesions. I wish that I had good news for you and that I could say that I have tried something that works. I have not. :(

I have tried epidurals that are injected in your lower spine, but unfortunately, they did not work for me. I was recently told about another procedure where I would receive injections in my back that go through to the front???? I really don't want to be stuck with one more needle!! I was just in the hospital for 8 days and had like 7 I.V's. :/ I'm done with needles!

As I said before, I wish I had good news..unfortunately, no. Anyone else???

Please read my last post...it is extremely important to me!
Thank you for reading and for your support everyone!

What are Adhesions?

Adhesions are "fibrous bands that form between tissues and organs, often as a result of injury during surgery" as defined by Wikipedia. They are basically the same as scar tissue. The difference is that scar tissue does not attach to things that it shouldn't.  Adhesions can basically take over your entire abdomen, causing extreme pain. They do this by growing and attaching themselves to organs and the abdominal wall.

 I was diagnosed with adhesions after having a partial hysterectomy a few years prior. I had survived cervical cancer and thought I was out of the woods. I was growing adhesions like crazy, but I thought the pain was coming from a large cyst that had developed on my ovary. Not that the cyst wasn't painful, but I was dealing with the beginning of a whole new existence. They went in to remove the cyst and found that all of my abdominal organs had been taken over by adhesions. I had never even heard of adhesions. 

My doctor said that everything was fused together and he had to bring in a general surgeon to remove the adhesions before getting to the cyst. He cleaned everything out, including both ovaries and I was back on the highway to good health. Well...also the highway to menopause, but that's another blog!

There was a small amount of fallopian tube cells left inside me and guess what? I grew another cyst within just a couple of weeks. I went to a general surgeon who saved the day. He went in to remove the second cyst and found that adhesions had taken already taken over my colon from just four months prior. They had also taken over my appendix, so he went ahead and took that too! He inserted an adhesion barrier. It was a film to help block the adhesions from being able to grow and attach to anything.

I went home feeling "cured". I thought surely this was it, I wouldn't be in anymore pain. The surgeon told me he did not expect to ever see me again. He had done a thorough job and everything will be fine.

It's not fine. I now live with abdominal adhesions everyday. The barrier did not work for me. I am a super grower! You see, it's a vicious cycle...surgery causes adhesions, and the only way to completely get rid of them...surgery. To make matters worse, I have encountered the harsh reality that some doctor's don't even believe that the real pain I am experiencing is real. I actually had one doctor tell me, "I'm not giving you pain pills, so just stop trying". Was I really being treated like a drug addict off of the street? I left there devastated, crying my eyes out. I did not return to that doctor, unfortunately it seems there are more of these doctors than the ones that understand and treat adhesions. 

That was the day I knew I needed to make sure no one was ever treated like this. It was the day I knew that I had found my purpose. I am now unable to even get up long enough to do my own chores. I am unable to keep myself fit..even unable to be a "wife" to my supportive and loving husband. I am unable to work except for the few things I can do at home (sitting on my laptop all day).  My job has kept me on the payroll for the hours I can log in to my work computer from home. Unfortunately, this may not last very much longer and it does not pay the mounting medical bills that have grown so much that they now have their own table. I know that there are many people just like me. Please help me bring awareness and understanding about adhesions and the pain they cause. Please help me so I can help others.

If you are able to donate, thank you from the bottom of my heart and soul. I am happy to list your donation and even link to your site to let others know of your good deed. If you are unable to donate, trust me, I understand. Just please help me by passing this on...either way, thank you!