All you need is someone to listen…

I have always said that patients will tell me exactly what is wrong with them if I get out of my own way and listen.

It is our job as medical practitioners to listen, watch for patterns and connect the dots (clues). Watching patterns is an occupational hazard and my experience in the field lends itself to help differentially diagnose issues easier than when I first graduated over 15 years ago.

I always make patients point to their pain with 1 finger. When I only give them one, single, finger they tend to direct me to exactly where the inflammation is. It is then my job to peel the layers and determine where the root is coming from.

I have had a triathlete and ultra endurance runner who had severe hip pain, but the dysfunction was coming from her opposite shoulder blade. I have had a patient who had continuous knee swelling limiting her extension range of motion and causing her to limp, creating an apparent shorter leg. After a thorough evaluation and assessment (including blood tests) we had her tested for food sensitivities (IgE). We realized she was eating a food item daily creating additional inflammation based on her IgE testing. Swelling was pocketing behind her knee. We eliminated that food, used a low histamine approach and worked to correct her lymphatic drainage. She is is back to living life, limp free.

I’ve seen patients post spinal surgery loose function of their big toe and ankle dorsiflexors (present with drop foot). We target the nerves through dry needling with electrical stimulation, movement focused on neuromuscular retraining and balance training. They are back to enjoying golf, swimming, cycling & strength training.

“Jen, I will miss you and your excellent advice and treatment. You helped me recover from two very serious and complicated back operations and I am so lucky and grateful to have been assigned to you for PT!!”

You need someone who will listen to the clues your body is leaving, look for patterns and have the knowledge and tools to help correct the dysfunction.

This is not medical advice. You should always consult your healthcare practitioner(s) for medical advise and what is best for your care. The purpose of this blog is to centralize and share information while connecting with others.