This patient broke her toe and developed severe nerve pain afterwards. This post is also included on her original post of 4/5/18. This is a wonderful example of how active we have to be in our treatment to get the right healing plan working.
Hi Dr Blake,
I wanted to give you and your blog readers an update...
I was worried after fracturing my toe (4th toe on left foot) I was developing CRPS because I have other nerve issues. I fractured my toe on Feb 2 and the pain just got worse. My foot turned ice cold blue and was like that for over a week plus my fracture wasn't healing and I was having shooting nerve pain/burning in my foot. I am wearing a boot and have a scooter. I did the following to try to heal my foot (which I found some of it on the blog from another reader):
- Went to a new anesthesiologist who just moved here from Cleveland Clinic and specializes in CRPS. I was lucky to get a next day appt with her. She was very nice and felt that it wasn't CRPS. She did give me Cymbalta - which I didn't take since I am sensitive to medication.
- Bought a used bone stimulator and used it twice a day (based on recommendations from several doctors - including Dr Blake)
- Light massaging to increase the blood flow
- Putting leg up when sitting or lying down
- Started taking (all of these without fillers) each day:
- 1200 mg of R-Alpha lipoic acid
- 1200 mg of NAC
- 2000 mg of vitamin C (powder to mix in water with cranberry concentrate)
- 600 mg of Calcium Citrate (powder to mix in water with cranberry concentrate)
- 5000 mg of vitamin D
- Magnesium citrate
- I am taking some herbs as well
- Stinging nettle tincture (without alcohol)
- Horsetail (without alcohol)
- Comfrey tincture rubbing on skin over fracture and applying DMSO on top for better absorption. I purchased Heiltrophen on Amazon - the bottle and dropper are glass which is important because DMSO absorbs everything. I applied with clean hands and washed them afterwards without soap.
- I tried Dr Christopher's Syrup and Ointment for bone and tissue repair a friend recommended. Tastes and smells awful. Lots of stars on Amazon but I couldn't stand it to take it consistently.
- Mirroring
- My friend let me borrow a mirror so I am doing some mirroring exercises I found on youtube.
- Went to Orthopedic surgeon (I wanted a second opinion in addition to my very good podiatrist just because the foot wasn't healing). I was lucky that the orthopedic doctor for the feet of the US ski team had an appt. Really nice guy - he just confirmed what my podiatrist had recommended) He said I needed to be off the foot for 6 weeks and gave me a clearance for work.
So I am happy to say after 6 weeks on my protocol, that the pain is almost gone from my foot. I don't have the shooting nerve pain in my big toe and the burning is less. I am able to walk very short distances without the boot. It isn't keeping me up at night. It looks like I am on a positive trajectory. I think it will still be a while before I really feel comfortable walking longer distances and doing my normal routine but at least, it is getting better.
Thank you so much Dr Blake for your support and help.
