I was referred to the studio by a Pilates instructor because I had joint pain, constant pain around my ribs, a sprained ankle, and overall fatigue. The Pilates was helpful for general well-being, but Tina suggested that Arlene had treated a lot of tough cases.
Mine was indeed a tough case. I was diagnosed with rheumatic autoimmune disease about 25 years ago. The main symptoms were joint pain, including debilitating wrist pain, exhaustion, swollen glands, and dry eyes and mouth. I have been taking hydroxychloroquine ever since. I also took prednisone for many years. About 7 years later, I was diagnosed with celiac disease and started a gluten-free diet. The hydroxychloroquine and the GF diet resolved the worst of the joint pain and most of the swelling. But I was still exhausted much of the time and had gotten accustomed to fairly constant pain around my ribs and joints. I had bronchitis frequently and took asthma medications as well. I also had gastroparesis for several years, which stumped my gastroenterologist because it had no known origin. The gastroparesis caused a chronic feeling of nausea and a 25 pound weight loss.
When Arlene did my intake exam, she told me within minutes that I was hypermobile. I had been told that before by a physical therapist (ankle) and also a TMJ specialist (jaw). Both of these authorities said there was very little I could do about it and I would have recurring problems in these areas throughout my life. Arlene was different. She explained that hypermobility is a body-wide thing that leads to tightness and pain, and it could be addressed through corrective exercises. Two years later, my rheumatologist confirmed that I have EDS type III, but told me it is harmless and doesn’t matter. After that, I am confident that Arlene knows more about hypermobility than my board-certified medical specialist.
In the time that I have been seeing Arlene and her junior trainee, Cora, I have seen remarkable improvements in multiple areas. In no specific order, I recall these:
1. Gastroparesis. Arlene and Cora began releasing tight fascia around my stomach and abdomen. It probably took a year, but eventually the nausea faded, and I realized I was enjoying food again. Unfortunately, I made up the weight loss in about two years’ time.
2. Gluten reaction. Every celiac gets unintentionally poisoned with gluten now and then, usually from restaurants. In one instance, the restaurant must have made a major mistake because I was having severe cramps, vomiting, and diarrhea. I called Arlene to cancel my appointment, but she instead told me to come in and she would see what she could do. I doubted that anything could be done because the gluten reaction had always progressed to systemic effects, including severe fatigue, joint pain and swelling. Arlene did a fascial release all over my body (using cupping, manual manipulation and ?). After 90 minutes, I felt surprisingly relieved. The cramps were gone and I felt more clear-headed and energetic. When I got home, I was able to do normal activities (e.g., gardening). The next day, I had minimal fatigue and no joint pain. I have had many glutening “incidents,” and I was accustomed to a week or two of fatigue and joint pain.
3. Costochondritis. I had had chest pain for decades, starting before I was diagnosed with Sjogren’s/Lupus. After my internist and specialists ruled out heart and pulmonary problems, I was told to take ibuprofen to treat the chronic pain and prednisone for flare-ups. When I first went to Arlene, this chest pain was one of my major complaints. She told me that I was “tight to the bone” and it would take many treatments to soften up the fascia. I went to the studio twice a week for fascial release and corrective exercises. I was willing to invest this time and money because the chest pain was constant and debilitating, and I did not want to take so many anti-inflammatories. After several months, I suddenly realized that my chest was pain-free. I don’t know when that happened. The chronic chest pain never came back, with just a few flare-ups when the lupus is acting up. My frequent bouts with bronchitis have also declined. I will forever appreciate Arlene for relieving me of my chest issues.
4. Joint pain. Despite the prescription medications, I had frequent pain in my knees and wrists. These pains worsened during lupus flare-ups. Again, I’m not sure when these pains were relieved. It was only during flare-ups that I realized the chronic pain had disappeared. Furthermore, the flare-ups have decreased in frequency and intensity (and I usually can tell what triggers them, where I couldn’t before).
5. Breathing. Arlene has written about this in detail from her perspective. From my perspective, she had me do some weird squats after a comprehensive fascial treatment, and suddenly I felt myself breathing differently. My lungs were begging for deeper breaths, and I had to comply. I can’t say what happened, but I felt like my lungs had expanded and needed more air than before. It was concerning to Arlene, but it felt freeing to me.
6. Proprioception and coordination. I participated in weekly classes for hypermobile people. Among other things, we worked on core coordination and proprioceptive feedback. This is entirely subjective, but I feel that I have improved in these areas. I still have a long way to go, though.
7. Sprained ankle. When I started seeing Arlene, I had a two-year old ankle injury from hyperextension. It took another two years to heal. I mention this to make the point that fascial releases did not fix everything. I think that is important to note because it distinguishes authentic fascial treatments from magic.
8. Normal stuff. Like everyone else, I get tension headaches and other stress-related symptoms. I get lethargic if I don’t exercise enough. Fascial release helps with this too.