Complex Regional Pain Syndrome
Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) is a rare condition that causes prolonged pain after a minor injury. This pain is severe and can be debilitating. One patient, Tracey, explains that after a toy fell on her foot she suffered two fractured toes, and a pain score of 10 that didn’t go down for weeks. This incident occurred in 1998, and it was when she first received her CRPS diagnosis.
Other common complications are discoloration of the affected area, hypersensitivity, and swelling. Tracey had 6 different nerve blocks and an epidural to help her combat the pain, but it always returned. She eventually opted to remove the nerve that kept sparking the pain in her leg. That was the only solution that actually worked.
Sadly, she faced another episode 4 years later. She was with her daughter in the hospital because she had tonsillitis and the pain came out of nowhere. From then on, the pain persisted for 15 years, and she had to use a wheelchair at times. She also tried a whole host of medications, including opioids and infusions, but nothing lasted.
In 2017, she finally tried something that worked.
Electromagnetic Fields (EMFs)
Tracey heard of the company Oska from work and decided to do her own research. This company works with electromagnetic fields as a pain reduction method. It also helps with inflammation and has been shown to regenerate damaged nerve cells and tissue.
Tracey had this type of treatment in the hospital, but having a portable device means new opportunities. She decided it was worth a shot.
Although nervous, Tracey found that the machine only made her foot warm, it didn’t create any additional pain. Within just a couple of weeks she had a dramatic improvement in her daily pain score, and she says that by two months she felt like she was a normal person again. She at times even forgot about her foot.
She was able to walk her daughter down the aisle, go on vacation, and attend family gatherings. She felt like she had gotten her life back.
These EMFs are safe for humans because they are pulsed (PEMFs). They have lower frequencies and longer wavelengths meaning that they pass through the body and aren’t absorbed, which could cause damage. They were created specifically for this purpose- for people.
These can be so beneficial because they initiate actions at a cellular level, restoring function of cells and promoting healing. Additionally, there aren’t any limits to how often you can use the device.
Looking Forward
Looking forward, this could be a new option for patients.
Unfortunately, it is often not covered by insurance plans, but patients can buy a decently priced system of their own for around 400 dollars from Oska or MicroPulse.
You can read more about this therapy here.
