“I was first diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in my very early twenties. The pain and inflammation started in my hands and feet in the mornings initially but wore off after around 20 minutes or so of moving around. One morning I woke up and couldn’t straighten my arm, which is when I thought it was time to see a doctor. I was referred to a well reputed rheumatologist in Harley St and confirmed as having seronegative RA.
Low doses of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) did little to help, and within a couple of years, the ‘flare ups’ were so severe that I could barely put one foot in front of the other. The road to recovery has not only been long and winding, but an expensive one too.
Traditional medication, apart from high doses of steroids back then, did little to help, so I started investing in myself. Alternative therapies offered short term pain relief; reflexology, massage, sports massage, osteopathy, physiotherapy, chiropractors, reiki, and acupuncture all played a valuable part. I was fortunate to have supportive parents that helped fund the never-ending quest to be pain free. Elimination diets seemed to be useful but were too hard to maintain and not well controlled, meaning I was never entirely sure what caused what. Nothing shifted it entirely, despite claims from some that they could.
I went through some very, very dark patches mentally, not knowing where I would end up. Needing care? Unable to hold down a job? Maybe needing a wheelchair? All terrifying at such an early age, or indeed at any age. Lifestyle played a big part, and I was in denial of the disease. I worked long hours in the West End in advertising, sitting at a PC for hours. Late nights, too much partying and not enough sleep in defiance only compounded the problem.
Fast forward almost 30 years, I am virtually medication free and almost entirely pain-free, almost all the time. To what do I attribute that? Many things: predominantly gut health, good quality organic food, great sleep, mindful meditation, cold showers and movement – and learning to cope with the stressors in life.
I truly believe all played and continue to play a valuable role. But, most importantly, stumbling across Nikki and the Holisticare team was very much the icing on the cake.
Of all the pains throughout the body, the one that was constantly inescapable, regardless of how other joints were faring, was the pain in my neck. I had long since changed opinions on intense ‘sports’ type massages; it felt counter intuitive to imagine that something so painful could be doing any good. If anything, I recoiled and tensed up, shying away from the pressure.
Nikki taught me that to gently coerce the myofascial tissue into releasing was a far superior method in getting everything else to relax, a bit like taking off tights that are too small. It’s true and it really works.
I can honestly say that after each treatment, I leave with freer movement in my neck than the time before and, genuinely, with no pain. Nikki is so knowledgeable, a master in her craft, and an all-round bloomin’ nice person. I can’t recommend her highly enough.”
Anna H
Nikki says:
Anna’s condition is not one that will be ‘cured’, but she has found ways to be able to keep it under control. The focus of this is working with her body, rather than against it, so her symptoms do not build up in the way that they used to.
The myofascial release treatment helps to control the compensations for the joint damage – many of the symptoms from arthritis arise from the tension surrounding the joint. This is the body’s way of compensating for the underlying joint damage. Myofascial release takes the pressure off joint, making it easier to manage symptoms. In Anna’s case, the combination of approaches is enabling her to live the life that she wants to.
