Combatting Pain From Head To Heel

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JORDAN PYSZ / iFoundMyDoctor.com
Ray and Lynn Pilkington

During the 21 years that he proudly gave to the Army, Ray Pilkington never experienced a day of combat. This despite serving in a combat unit.

“It seemed like every time my unit got deployed, they were shifting me to another unit,” Ray says. “So, I never saw combat. And that’s fine with me. I’m not complaining.”

Except, perhaps, for where he was transferred. A Rhode Island native, the retired first sergeant says he spent the bulk of his military time in similarly cold climates.

“I was stationed in Colorado for a while, then in Stuttgart, Germany,” he says. “I also spent some time in California in the Mojave Desert, but it gets ice cold there at night. So, when I retired, I told my wife, Lynn, We’re moving to Florida.”

Ray, 70, and Lynn, 62, have been in Florida for more than 30 years, and since their arrival, they have been the hands-on owners of a pool cleaning business with 80 to 100 customers.

“We do all the work ourselves, but I should note that it’s actually Lynn who does most of the work,” Ray says. “I’m on the retirement side of things. I just drive her around mostly. But we’re always on time, and we don’t miss our appointments.”

Their impressive track record has remained intact despite some physical ailments that threatened to disrupt it.

One such problem for Ray was plantar fasciitis, an inflammation of the band of tissue at the bottom of the foot known as the plantar fascia.

As it did with Ray for almost a year, plantar fasciitis can cause immense pain from the front of the heel area through the arch when walking. The pain is often at its worst in the morning or after a period of inactivity, but it can be corrected.

In Ray’s case, a podiatrist first took on the task of alleviating his pain, which was exclusive to his left foot. But when repeated steroid and platelet rich plasma injections failed, the podiatrist recommended that Ray visit Regional Rehab.

A Level Above

Regional Rehab is the practice of Charles C. Donley, PT, who takes the concept of comprehensive care to a new level by looking beyond his patient’s primary complaint.

Through that approach, Charles discovered that Ray was also suffering from aggravating right hip pain, the result of one leg being slightly longer than the other. Charles quickly corrected that with a heel lift for Ray’s right shoe.

Charles then evaluated Ray’s left heel, and after confirming the diagnosis of plantar fasciitis, he put together a treatment plan centered around one of Regional Rehab’s two signature tools: the Class IV deep tissue therapeutic laser.

The Class IV therapeutic laser uses wavelengths of red and near-infrared light to stimulate nerves and the body’s natural ability to heal damaged cells. It does this by triggering a release of nitric oxide, which reduces inflammation, promotes healing and increases blood circulation.

The impact of the Class IV laser is so great that the device has also proved effective in treating stroke victims. Indeed, Charles recently used the laser as part of a treatment program that helped a stroke victim regain some lost mobility.

“The Class IV laser is an impressive and versatile tool,” Charles says. “We’ve also used it in our treatment of burn and wound patients as well as for all the musculoskeletal issues we typically treat, such as acute, chronic and postoperative pain.”

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JORDAN PYSZ / iFoundMyDoctor.com After Ray received relief for his hip and foot pain from Regional Rehab, he encouraged his wife, Lynn, to visit the practice, where she was treated for back, neck and headache pain.

Back to Normal

Ray received his first laser treatment in February. At the time, he says, the pain in his left arch was nearing 10 on a scale of one to 10 and the pain in his hip was significant but tolerable.

Before long, though, he was out of pain entirely.

“My hip pain went away right away, as soon as Charles gave me that lift for my shoe,” Ray says. “I then started the laser treatment. I had 16 treatments across eight weeks, and now I have no pain in that foot at all, so I’m feeling good.

“And let me tell you, that laser is amazing. I had no idea there was a therapy like that available, but with that and the stretches and balancing exercises that they had me do, it worked great. I never thought my foot could feel as good as it does now.”

Ray’s foot and hip feel so good that he recently encouraged Lynn to ask Charles about treatment for her debilitating neck pain, muscle spasms and headaches.

“I developed osteoarthritis in my neck while working for many years as a nail tech, and the pain it caused was sometimes excruciating,” Lynn says. “I could literally feel the pain come up through my neck and the back of my head and into my eyes.

“It was almost like having a migraine headache because it upset my stomach sometimes, and I’d have to lie down to get rid of it. But Charles put me on a regimen of different exercises and did another treatment on me and now – knock on wood – I’m doing OK.”

That other treatment Charles used with Lynn featured the HIVAMAT® 200 deep oscillation device, the second of Regional Rehab’s signature tools.

The HIVAMAT (histological variable manual technique) creates gentle impulses that relax muscles and penetrate all tissue layers to remove inflammatory byproducts from cells that cause pain.

As it was with Lynn, it is typically used as part of a protocol that includes stretching, exercises for balance and range of motion, and manual therapy.

Lynn is among the many who can attest to its positive impact.

“One time I went there, and my pain level was about a seven,” Lynn relates. “So, they treated me with (the HIVAMAT), and I would say that my pain was gone in less than half an hour. And now, the frequency of the headaches has diminished.

“If I do get a headache now, it’s not as bad as before because I know what to do when I feel one coming on. They showed me what exercises and stretches to do, so I just do that, and I don’t want to jinx myself, but when I do that, they’re not bad at all.”

Residents of Citrus County, Ray and Lynn drove about 30 minutes each way more than twice a week for their respective treatment sessions at Regional Rehab. But they agree that the pain relief they received made the drives worthwhile.

“Justin (Pena, PTA) took care of me most of the time, and he was excellent,” Ray offers. “He has an excellent personality, treated me like a brother, and made sure I did all my different stretches and stuff.

“And Charles, well, he’s just incredible. Lynn and I have both been to other places, but Charles’ evaluation was spot on. He can really pinpoint the problem and come up with a solution, and that’s why we’d gladly recommend him.”

“As a matter of fact,” Lynn adds, “I just recommended one of our customers to Regional Rehab. This is a woman who had been in car accidents and has had back issues and surgeries, and we told her to go to Regional Rehab because we’re confident they can help her.”