Discovering Body Logic study group

.

 

LOL Poor Jeff!
I'm glad this helped him Dye. And yes, what a difference a little knowledge makes.

Jeff ... any chance of buying Dye a packhorse for her birthday? ;D

 

Just flying past and thought I'd stop in a post a quick message. I was thinking about you all, and the DBL book today (mainly because the neck trigger point came back and I found myself cracking my jaw etc.) Well, it is new moon and just before my period and after a week of intense work on the new location and just not enough home grounding cooking time, or, as you remind me, early bed time!

I just wanted you to know that I'm thinking of you and still working with the DBL stuff. I also am taking flamenco lessons from a wonderful woman who also knows T'ai Chi. It is so great on so many levels!

Tamara

 

Flamenko lessons! How wonderful! I really appreciate that you took the time to look this thread up and stop by. My very best wishes to you Tamara.

Lee.

 

Hi everyone! I was glad when this post popped back up because I couldn't find it last week when I wanted to - and I tried the search option too.
Anyway, I was just looking at a few of the last posts and noticed where Lee said it would be so much easier if she could just show me - oh I wish you could Lee. I am having a terrible struggle right now. I feel I have a 'setback' going on. I have been having attacks off & on for the past 11 days, it all started the day hurricane Dolly moved into our area, I had a major attack as the hurricane moved through, it really shocked me! I have to admit I had let some things slide but I really thought I was doing o.k.. I have been doing some trigger point work and gotten stricter on my diet again, still seeing the chiro and by the way - my visit to him on the day after my big attack I was 1 1/4 inches off when he measured my leg length.
I am very frustrated and feel I just don't know how to do DBL yet - still looking too hard at the puzzle I guess.
There are days I wish you had a video we could purchase Lee - I know you give lectures and show people all the time about DBL and I just keep thinking maybe if I could see it done and hear you speak in person. Well, I just wonder if that would help me see what I need to you know?
I am feeling very desperate and I have even decided to take a cycle of Acyclovir - I know this is very anti DBL but it seems to have helped a great number of people. Yes, I know I'm still looking for a pill to fix me but I'm just so frustrated because I can't seem to see the 'easy' of this DBL puzzle. I really wanted this to be my answer but I feel I'm just not 'smart' enough to get this.
I am also wondering if anyone here has heard of retracing and if so do you think this is a real possiblility that this happens to anyone?

 

Elaine I'm sorry to hear you're experiencing such a rough time lately. Because interest in this thread has currently waned, if you like we can work together via PMs. You have all the parts now you just have to pull them all in together.

I'm due to unravel tension in my own body (from top to toe) so we can team up ... a mini support group where we encourage each other to do things like release tension, make regular veggie juices, improve hydration and diet. If you are interested, just send me a PM. And naturally if anyone else wants to join in, just let me know. We can send messages with cc's.

Elaine there is a reason why changes in atmospheric pressure triggers problems, particularly with our joints and ears. And yes, I do believe in retracing ... remember I described it on page 51 as 'whatever hurts the most gets our attention' based on a shifting hierarchy of suffering. And as far as taking medication, please don't think that's 'anti DBL'. It can make sense to reduce suffering ... just so long as we respond to the message.

So, if you are interested (or anyone for that matter) just send me a PM.

Lee.

 

Hi Lee and Elaine,

I'd like to join your mini-support group, or get this thread going again? I've missed it, alot, and I realize (again) how much it helps to keep DBL in mind all the time.

I'm having symptoms again too, not dizziness, but hearing--it's dropped, the tinnitus is very loud and the pressure and fullness much worse. I don't know exactly what caused it, but I know I haven't been taking care of myself as mindfully lately. I was doing well, so I overdid it, thinking I was fixed, you know? It's that denial that comes up to bite me every time.

Lee, reading your recent posts inspires me to do more work on my shoulders. The base of my neck and my shoulders are tight every day, and I've been so frustrated because I work on my SCMs and scalenes every day (usually), but there's no change. I wake up in the morning and the scalenes are tight and sore, the shoulders too. Am I just not doing it enough? Am I not doing it right?

I went to see a trigger point therapist, hoping that would jump start my TP work, and he worked on my neck, mostly the SCMs, and the inside of my mouth, the muscles that open the jaw. It hurt so bad it brought tears to my eyes--Lee, do you think that could have something to do with the drop in hearing?

thanks
Nina

 

Lee, thanks so much for your offer to help with a mini support group. I am for whatever will work!

Nina - I can so identify with you, I know I let things slip but also I have done alot of work on my SCM and scalenes with what seems no change and I also question if I am doing something wrong.
Sorry you are experiencing problems.

You all may not remember but my diagnosis is Cochlear Hydrops - I have not had much trouble with dizziness at all until now and seems like after the hurricane I have not been able to stop this cycle of attacks, they seem very classic - the pressure builds, tinnitus gets really loud and terrible fullness, then an episode of dizziness or vertigo (I've experienced both), then sometimes the ear clears for a few hours and I can hear better and sometimes it doesn't clear much, the cycle just starts over. Almost 2 weeks for me now although I did have a few days last week without the attacks but then I felt off balance at times.

I got my Trigger Point Therapy book (Davies) out today and was looking at it, I have never been able to do more work other than above the waist so far, my lower body is so thick even though I am not overweight. I just wonder if doing the whole body will make that much difference in my ear problems?

Another thing I just don't get about my body is I am the picture of health other than this ear situation, I've had bloodwork done twice this year and both times it's perfect. The doctor told me last week that my numbers are better than hers and that I'm very healthy other than my ear.
I can't understand why someone otherwise so healthy would have this problem. So frustrating.

 

Hi Elaine,

So sorry to hear that you've had vertigo and dizziness episodes--not fun! I think I remember Pardonme saying that things started to change when she began working on her whole body--maybe you could pm her?

I just wanted to tell you and Lee that I had some success today--after I posted earlier, I laid down to rest, and I felt the beginnings of vertigo, but instead of taking a valium I got up and did the legs up exercise and worked on my neck. I felt nauseous for a while, but it passed and I've had a fairly good day the rest of the day. And my hearing got a little better! Anyway I'm feeling very encouraged.

Thanks to all of you who have ever posted here--I wish you'd come back!

 

.

 

Yes Nina, it's so easy to let it slip once we feel better. And we can then start to doubt it will actually work again! But trust me, it does. It's almost magical.
***

To get awesome results, it absolutely, positively, 100% has to be done as a whole body approach - the feet, the legs, the hips, the belly, the torso and even the arms (TP's here can pull the shoulder forward). Because this is rarely (if ever) applied at such a level, the link between tension and Menieres has remained obscured. If you take a leap of faith and try this, we'll start at the feet and work our way up. Do you know that one tight area in the instep of the foot can cause ongoing neck tension? If you don't believe this, try walking flat-footed with your hands lightly around your own neck and feel how your neck HAS to respond. It has no choice.

Somewhere in your body will be stored tension that may have been there for decades ... My advice would be to forget about your overworked neck/jaw for a while and sort the rest out. You may find you don't even need to work your neck. If you want (and can afford) a kickstart to this, look for a masseur who will do your whole body. I found the Brandon Raynor method excellent as they search for trouble from top to toe (owie!!!). But the real work starts when you go home and work the troublesome areas.

I know it's nice to have a supportive thread going, but unfortunately the numbers participating here have dwindled (if only people realized how this can turn their lives around!). Again if you're interested, just send me a PM and with no fanfare, we'll get started. Actually I already have.

[Hi Pardonme!]

Lee.

 

i'd like to be included in the cc's for the messaging support group. but... why not do it as a thread?

i've been away for a while...

just went to my massage therapist yesterday, and he worked on my neck and also lengthening my psoas muscle. i felt so different, so good afterwards. it was a very distinct, although subtle difference all the way from the middle of my body to my feet. more relaxed, more ease. he also showed me how to strengthen my rhomboid muscles so that my shoulders would more easily move into the proper position.

i've been reading lots of books by dr. andrew weil. i like his approach of integrative medicine, which seems balanced and sensible to me.

 

G'day all you DBLers :-*

Just wanted to let you know I am still working on my DBL and it has helped my neck and shoulder muscles enormously....I rarely get the dreadful muscle pains I was getting in them anymore

I am also continuing working on my posture and trigger points...the trigger points have been a lifesaver for other new injuries as well (I've had a few falls lately : ) I am still applying Di ideas of doing the "opposite" movement to what my mind has been telling my body to do for years and years....I can now sleep on my left side in comfort but still have to actually put myself into that position...it don't come naturally as yet : but it has been over 30 years since I have slept on that side, so I consider that a positive

Unfortunately my AIED has been really active the past few months and my vertigo has returned with a vengence and my hearing has gotten worse...not happy about that at all but the prednisone is working and I am off to some new guru oto ??? to discuss "other" immunosuppressants cause I can't stay on pred forever.

Just wanted to touch base with you all

Love Maggie

 

Hi ariapace and Goomeri Spinner,

It's good to hear from you! Ted, how did the massage therapist work on the psoas? Is it something you can do yourself?

And Maggie, I'm sorry to hear you're having vertigo, but glad to hear you're seeing progress and having less muscle pain. That's awesome, that you can now do something you couldn't do for 30 years.

Maybe Pardonme or mnme will come along with some ideas about the vertigo--

I'm working on noticing my breathing, and trying to breathe from the belly--it sounds so simple, but it's not at all. Ah, DBL--
Nina

 

Nice to hear from you Ted! It would be wonderful to have you join in!

There are quite a few reasons why I think the messaging support group may be more beneficial, including:
* When this thread goes quiet, it falls off the main screen so people tend to forget it is active.
* Messaging provides a 'heads up' via email so we don't have to continually search for this thread to see if there are new posts.
* Everyone in the group will be there to apply the ideas: a shared goal.
* We don't have to worry about personality clashes.
* I don't have to worry about being criticised for trying to 'sell my book'.
* PM's are more informal - friendlier. Some find it quite daunting to speak freely on the open forum.
* Joining the group helps with accountability - a bit like joining a gym. As you know, DBL (like exercise) is ongoing.

Ted, currently we are sharing our methods/troubles with releasing the psoas muscle. So if you want to join in, just drop me a PM and I'll add you to our small group. Or if you prefer to stay on the open forum, then this thread is always here. Whatever suits you best.

Maggie, I'm glad you have gained something from trigger pointing. It was nice to hear from you. If you ever want to join our small group, just drop me a PM ... and of course the same goes to anyone.

Lee.

 

A good question came up in another thread about BPPV and whether it could in fact be a neck problem. As this thread wasn't in the Living Room, I thought I'd reply here also as this issue is interesting. Consider this...

ON BPPV from Dr Timothy Chain: http://www.tchain.com/otoneurology/disorders/bppv/bppv.html
* Dizziness is thought to be due to debris which has collected within a part of the inner ear.
* Dizziness is always precipitated by a change in position of the head
* Woman can find use of shampoo bowls in beauty parlours brings on symptoms
* Most common cause of BPPV is head injury
* Physicians make the diagnosis based on your history, findings on physical examination, and the results of vestibular and auditory tests. (NB: There is no way to see if these 'ear rocks' exist until autopsy ... and even then many people will have these who never once suffered dizziness.)

Now straight from a medical journal: "Trigger points (in neck muscles)... are apt to make you dizzy and prone to lurching or falling unexpectedly. You can experience a degree of reversible hearing loss on the side where these trigger points exist." (Travell and Simons 1999) NB: Trigger points in muscles are very common.

So ... do Doctors check that the problem may be trigger points in neck muscles before making a BPPV, or in fact Menieres, diagnosis? I've never found one who has. Trigger points in muscles can be resolved - whereas 'ear rocks' can't (only 'repositioned'). So why don't they investigate the 'simplest' reason first?

I met a lady who had been diagnosed with BPPV and suffered for many years. And sure enough, once she resolved her neck tension, her dizziness went away. Her Doctor never knew of the inconsistencies in his own medical textbooks. I now wonder how many people will be just like this lady.

 

lee,
i see your point(s) about messaging versus threads. i just sent you a pm to add me to the group.

oaktree,
he moved my legs (one at a time) around in different ways while pressing on some points (which i can't remember where they were exactly). it's not something you could do yourself. he also worked a lot on trigger points in my glutes. but then he gave me an exercise to do at home for the psoas. it's kind of hard to explain, and i'm actually not sure i'm doing it totally correctly. but it's standing just in front of a door frame (with your hands on the door frame so you don't fall) with one leg in front of the other. then you lean the midsection of your body forward so that it is in front of the knee on the forward leg. hold it for a while, then switch leg positions and do it again with the other leg forward. i think it's called a bowman's posture.

i just listened to the 2-cd set by dr. andrew weil on breathwork (Breathing--The Master Key to Self Healing). i think it's excellent. he's really big on breathwork, and recommends these exercises to almost everyone he sees. they're simple. they feel good. he's seen amazing success with clients using them. they come from the yogic tradition of india. i think they would help you with abdominal breathing in addition to a lot of other benefits.

 

Bump for Intrepid...
[In response to your inquiry, you'll find lots of valuable suggestions on how to treat the scalenes within this thread.
I also mention how well this works for carpal tunnel in the following thread...
http://www.menieres.org/forum/index.php/topic,18186.45.html
Note that you'll need to release more than just the scalenes ... but don't worry, it's really not that hard. My best advice is to trust yourself!
Good luck!]

 

Good find. Helps to see it in action. And the beauty of doing it yourself is that you will never press somewhere that doesn't feel right. As far as how long, you can either start with what Davies said, or what I outlined, or what feels right to you. Start slowly and explore. Then next time press a little deeper and a little longer.

See her shoulder? Does yours 'stick up' while lying down? (Get someone to raise your arm for you while you have your other hand on the shoulder ... then when they lower your arm, notice if your shoulder 'pops up' from undue tension) If so, follow the directions outlined in DBL (with the shoulder as the 'central problematic joint' p. 104-105). Trust that it is no harder than that. It's almost meditative as you shut down all other thoughts and focus on your body - exactly what every one with a very busy lifestyle needs every now and then.

 

I am "mnme" from long ago. Sorry for dragging up an old thread, but there is much valuable information here. This thread relates to my recent one, "How I stop vertigo attacks while they are happening.