Can you stop injuries from becoming chronic?

Sean, I have had pain in tendons in my feet and knees for 5 years. I am hoping to lose them with treatment, but wonder if past abx use could be part of it. There are some Abx that are known for tendon damage. (I think cipro is one of them)

Could any of the tendon pain you have be from antibiotics that you have taken for Lyme?

Hopefully others will be along with some answers for this!

Sean.scott256-

Seems like you are where I was a few years ago. Your several posts about this could vary well have been something I wrote.

I do have chronic injuries from continued sports and repetitive injuries dating to late 80's that should not have happened in the first place to "normal people". Simple injuries that turned chronic- and no Dr could figure it out.

I have spent a lot on this, and LLMDs dont know much about this area either.

Some without this condition might come to the general conclusion to just kill the bugs and you will be fine. Those who have experienced this might tell you its not that easy. This is different than a few aches and pains. Detox is good, but not a cure for this, manually increasing circulation is a must do. And you must be able to sleep. No sleep- limited fiber healing. Must have REM.

After 1 year ABX, new injuries are very limited. And I can sleep again, but with some sleep aids. However, I have also been manually increasing my muscle circulation for 8 years now. I did not learn the real important stuff on this till a few years ago though.

If it has gone to a certain point, ans chronic, it then becomes a long term project, which looks like you are trying to avoid ! Congratulations for the pro-active thought process on this.

What I have learned from the last 5 years doing this is the need to increase circulation in the muscle and tendon fibers is #1 - this is relatively new (20 years) thinking. Old thinking is to rest with ice and nothing else. New injuries are now to rest with ice short term, while increasing movement and circulation as quickly as possible.

As I pointed out in other posts, increasing circulation would be by using manual methods / practicing / learning myofacial release, trigger point/knot release with foam body rollers, LaCross balls, Theracane ect.

Wish there was an easier way.

Once its chronic, if STOPPED and your in repair mode (me) fixing the layers of pain is like peeling away an onion. The big areas get smaller with each layer fixed or "peeled" away. It can take years.

I wish there was a manual for this, or at least someone to guide me in this journey 10-15 years ago, but I found none. Not even today. I am obsessed with fixing this and have researched it a lot, with professionals help too. I will be seeing a "muscle chemistry specialist" soon, one of only about 30-50 in US. Its amaising how little the medical profession knows about proper muscle/tendon/fiber chemistry.

I also looked into and attempted to gene mutations. I believe gene mutations have some degree on how ones body and immune system reacts to infections. There are many with pos lyme bacteria and no symptoms, this is why.

Extreme: Some tendons I have purposely re-injured with VERY aggressive trigger point pressure, inorder to allow controlled healing with lighter pressure release and continious stretching. It worked. I've had some muscle adhered to bones and other muscles where they should not be. Did the same thing. Have read about this, and I'm playing Guinea pig on myself, but its working. I did inquire some basic professional guidance / approval on this, from professional sports trainers / PT's (from past Olympics teams) with the go ahead.

Tried kinseo tape to- very limited improvement for the taping work involved. Good for new injuries, not old ones.

Post Edited (astroman) : 7/7/2016 10:33:18 PM (GMT-6)

Boy do I have experience with muscle and tendon pain.

Ice is my go to. I usually take ibuprofen at night so I get a good night's sleep.

If you can handle sulfur - MSM is awesome for tendons. I do 1,000 mg 3 times a day.

I do collagen support with Biosil and Peptan Hydrolyzed Collagen Protein Powder.

On days when I don't do pineapple, I do Bromlain 500 mg 3 times a day.

I use essential oils directly on the painful spots. I use a combo of cypress, frankincense and peppermint oil mixed in with coconut oil and put it on topically.

I eat a lot of fish so I get plenty of Omegas. But if I didn't I would supplement with that.

I do bone broth!! And I eat lots of organic vegetables.

Tendons can take a very long time to heal and are usually caused by repetitive motions, however, once a tendon is hurt, it does not take much to re-injure it - has been my experience.

Also I have noticed that with lyme all those old injuries seem to be good spots for lyme to go and cause havoc. I have no idea why, but it sure has happened with my ole bod.

Hope this is helpful.

"Are you cured of lyme?"

This is a truly chalanging question. There really is no way for any of us to know this, since testing is a joke.

I do have less symptoms now, I had bad symptoms off/on since late 80's, my whole adult life. And new pain does not develope. Chronic muscle pain from tension can cause physical change. It twisted my spine- not something that just heals- it requires years of repair, as muscles can change to addapt to the "new you". ABX can stop new injuries as the invader is killed off, but not heal old scar tissue. The body cannot heal scar tissue on its own, it made the scar tissue in an attempt to heal.

And I have autoimmune issues too, another long term project, might be improving, takes years sometimes.

This may raise hairs, very few totaly get cured, the bacteria is simply beaten down to mimimal ammounts, our bodies have tons of forighn bacteria inside, controling it is key.

Yes, new injuries should be taken in baby steps, rest if neede, just dont over rest it. Massage your shoulder before moving a lot.

I use arnica gell as the tranporter for the MSM cream topically, helps.

It's good you're looking into alternative treatments...but I don't agree with your statement that antibiotics don't usually eradicate lyme with chronic cases.

I know several people who are well now - who used antibiotics as their primary treatment.
and "know of" many more.

I think our best shot at it is not giving up too soon. It often takes longer than what we thought/planned.

Sean.scott I totally understand you.
During the time I was undiagnosed, I had a bunch of injuries, all of which would in normal conditions last short time, and they got chronic.
Ftom my experience, I can tell you one thing: if you had an injury, no matter how silly it may look, give time your body to heal - the time YOU need, not an average person or you before being infected.
I did it both ways and injuries that I didn't take care of and I thought they will go away by themselves - boy did they not go away. Give yourself enough time to heal - slowly, but do not put pressure on an injured part.
I will give you an example. When I was younger I sprained my ankle very bad - it was painful, swollen and I needed to immobilize the leg and it needed two weeks to heal. Two years ago I sprained my ankle - and today it is still not healed!!! I have pain every day and chronic tendonitis. It is awful. Only because of that, when the injury happend, I thought: ok two weeks and I'll be fine. when those two weeks passed, I still had much pain, but I started using my ankle normally , all the time I was thinking it must hurt, it was injured, but it will pass. It didn't pass. I have tingling, burning, pins and needles in that foot. I am sure it has some nerve damage. I am not sure if it will ever pass.

Heat increases inflammation, ice cools it- opposite of the old school thinking.

I think there were sugestions for topical ant-inflamation gels here try those- wont harm gut. Aspercream is also avail- its creamed aspirin.

I was told that ice decreases inflammation and swelling....but heat increases blood flow to the injury to stimulate healing.

So, my take was at first you use ice...to get the inflammation down...but later you use heat to promote healing.

I think I just repeated what Sean.scott said...lol

I've read about PRP, like Prolotherapy but better. Sounds awesome for really injured tendons. I 'll have to ask the dry needling clinician about this. Hoping the dry needling works since its insurance covered.

www.outsideonline.com/1786651/are-prolotherapy-or-prp-injections-worth-it

So far the dry needling works great for a few days. If they hit the right spot (you know, its a very dense pain), the release is greatest the next day, the lightness in the effected area feels awesome, unlike anything else, like a "new" limb attached! But, then my old muscle memory kicks back in to its old stuck spot. From what I've been reading, I need my appts closer together - makes sense.

Ice or heat: From what I've been told is- heat for a few days after an injury, then only cold after that point. Always liked those blue gel packs at night for back or shoulder pain. But if your so stiff you cant move the area, heat helps, then followed by cool. Complicated........ yes.

I was instructed to use heat after the dry needing, since the extremely rapid release is technically a medical induced injury, its actually straining the tissues back into the correct position.

First thing in AM I do is the foam roller, and lacross or golf ball if needed followed by a warm shower, I can move freely then. For the last 10-15 seconds, I turn the water all the way to COLD - its obviously cold but feels great on shoulders/back and makes a difference for the start of the day.

Astroman-I was told by a physical therapist who treats pro athletes that you can alternate between cold and heat. Both have benefits. Cold-reusable ice backs (because they are malleable) reduce inflammation. Heat increases circulation which stimulates healing. You should use heat prior to your AM routine so that the area's you are working the foam roller, golf and lacrosse ball are loosened up. After you have treated those areas icing for twenty or so minutes will help to keep the area from swelling so that your circulation isn't inhibited. You can do both throughout the day just keep an hour or so between the two.