Patchwork Times by Judy Laquidara logo

Reflexology

This is not medical advice. I’m simply sharing my own experience.

I’ve mentioned on here several times about having plantar fasciitis. I’ve had it off and on for years. When we were in Texas, it mainly hurt in the arch area of my feet. Sometimes it would be both feet, sometimes on or the other. I saw a podiatrist there and I think it was rolling the frozen water bottle under my feet that improved it. After moving here, when we first got here, the pain was more in my heel. Late last year I saw a podiatrist and had two cortisone shots. They helped tremendously but the injections were quite painful and the relief was temporary. The second shot only helped for a couple of days. I continued to do the frozen water bottle exercises and the heels got better but then the area just past my toes . . those long skinny bones hurt and where the ankle connects to my foot hurt. It was like the plantar fasciitis in that when I first stand up, I can hardly walk. Sometimes I have to stand still for a while and then I can hobble for a while and then everything is fine. Once it stops hurting, so long as I’m walking or standing, there’s very little (maybe none) pain but once I sit down and then try to stand up again, it’s there and I have to go through the same thing all over again. That made me think it was somehow related to the plantar fasciitis.

I was talking to a friend about it and she told me about the relief she had gotten from seeing a reflexology guy. I think it’s called a reflexologist but I’m not even sure what you call him.

I made an appointment and went yesterday. He told me right off that my left foot needed more work than my right foot and I may have to see him several times. He also suggested that I get another injection during the time period that he’s working with me. I said no to that idea.

He did stretches and massages and this and that and by the time I left, I could feel a noticeable difference in the right foot.

By last night, when I got up for us to take the dogs out, I was able to stand from a sitting position and not even have to hobble and feel unsteady on extremely painful feet. I didn’t even notice and we got outside and I guess I kinda squealed “VINCE!” He turned around and said “WHAT’S WRONG?” I said “Nothing! I just got up and walked without having to hobble and it doesn’t hurt!” This sounds corny but I almost wanted to cry . . this pain has really interfered with my activities.

Also, there’s been this lump on the back of my left leg, not far above my ankle, for at least six years. It was about the size of walnut under the skin and it stayed about the same size. I had shown it to the doctor in Texas and he said it was a fatty deposit . . don’t worry about it. I wouldn’t say it was sore but if I bumped it, I felt it. When the guy was doing the massaging around my ankle yesterday, he would go up my leg a little and I showed it to him so he didn’t mash on it. I told him it would hurt if he mashed on it. He asked some questions about it and I told him I had shown it to my doctor years ago and he said it was nothing and I told him it hadn’t grown. He said there was a chance it could have something to do with nerves in the area since there was pain when it was mashed. He also said there was a chance, once the plantar fasciitis was better, the lump would go away.

Last night after we came in from walking the dogs, I was going to show it to Vince and tell him what the guy had said. The lump was almost gone. I could barely feel it but you could not see it at all. Before, it stuck out and was very noticeable.

I really want to go back today and have him work on my feet again but I have an appointment for next week so I’ll be patient. It will be interesting to see if the pain returns between now and the next appointment. I’m so very optimistic that I’m going to get some good relief from this treatment. Even if it doesn’t get any better than it is right now, it’s a huge improvement and I can live with this amount of pain but I do hope it heals completely.

Pretty amazing, huh?

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. The only relief I get is reflexology, only one problem? I come out and have the giggles for 1-2 hours!! Apparently its relief from the chronic pain. My husband smiles and says I look and sound if I’ve been on the bottle? except I’m a tea totaller . Thinking ? Maybe I should take it up??

  2. The only relief I get is reflexology, only one problem? I come out and have the giggles for 1-2 hours!! Apparently its relief from the chronic pain. My husband smiles and says I look and sound if I’ve been on the bottle? except I’m a tea totaller . Thinking ? Maybe I should take it up??

    • That’s funny. I would not recommending taking up drinking and again . . not medical advice! 🙂

  3. That’s amazing and wonderful for you. My daughter suffers with foot pain. I will definitely be telling her about reflexology. you just never know what new ideas will help you. So happy for you to get relief.

    • It’s to the point that I almost feel like it’s in my head because I have a hard time believing it’s all so much better so quickly after all the other things I’ve tried. I hope if your daughter tries reflexology, it helps her.

  4. ps I amalways so thankful to the people who share their medical issues with us through their blogs. We might never otherwise hear about the things that really help actual real-live people. This way we can have some assurance that something might work for us or our loved ones also! Thanks to those who do share.

    • That’s how I feel but in this day, anyone perceived to be giving medical advice who isn’t a medical professional can have all kinds of legal problems. You wouldn’t believe how many times I start a blog post and decide it could cause problems and delete it all. It’s getting harder and hard to post here or on facebook and feel comfortable about it.

  6. I’m excited for you! My daughter is a reflexologist and people tell me all the time how much she has helped them!

  7. This may sound weird … but I learned this technique years ago when I was running … Before you get up in the morning, while lying on your back, “write” the alphabet with each foot twice. That’s it … but it must be done before you get up. Give it a try and see if it works! I’ve told several friends with plantar fasciitis and they said it was miraculous!

    • I will try it starting tomorrow! Thanks I’m not sure my left food will be able to “write” .. if it’s as useful as my left hand. 🙂

      Thank you. I’ll let you know how it works.

      • With your left foot write the alphabet letters backwards. It will come naturally and be a mirror image of your right foot. Try it with your hand and a pen. It’s magic.

        • You mean with my left foot, write it from right to left??

  8. That is wonderful news and I hope it continues to help!! You’ve been suffering too long! I’ve cried because I’ve been so relieved when something stopped hurting after hurting for so long.

    • I keep thinking . . this can’t be real. I’m going to wake up and my feet will still be hurting. I can’t wait to go back next week and see what he does. He thinks he can fix my hand too.

  9. Wish I’d read your blog about 10 years ago – it took about 18 months for the plantar fasciitis to improve and I babied the heck out of my feet. I’m going to remember your post! Thanks for sharing – anyone who’s had it will be SO thankful to know what to do. I’m going to remember the alphabet trick, too. Many of us (especially we seniors) have painful health issues – and sometimes it takes trying 2-3 different things we try before it really helps. Doctors are too pill happy and they have to limit time spent with each patient or they go broke – so sharing health tips with others can make such a difference. Thanks!

    • You’re right. As we get older, there’s more things that hurt but there’s no reason to live with the pain if there’s a way to fix it. I’m so happy with the results from the first trip to the reflexologist. I did the ABC trick this morning and my feet are not hurting at all today. I feel like I’m cured but I’m going to keep going and probably will continue to go to him . . maybe forever.

  10. I know that pain. Getting up and just standing. Then Hobbling around until it’s better. Thanks for the tip about the reflexologist.

Discover more from Patchwork Times by Judy Laquidara

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading