I am sorry if this is in the wrong category, I wasnt sure of the right place for this post to go.
I have been working through the book for the last few months, but unfortunately i am struggling to see any improvements. One thing that has been mentioned to me before by my physio is that my body is stuck in an almost 'fight or flight' mode and my body seems to be locked up, not responding to anything.
This makes me wonder if i am unable to progress with the 8 step book due to this reason, and i was wondering if anyone, or if the Gok Hale method suggests any way with addressing this as i have been advised this may be a nuerological issue.
The only thing me and my physio have had progress with in terms or improving my back pain is looking into PRI (postural restoration institute). He thinks my jaw/teeth placement and maybe even a vision component is playing a role in my injuries. I have had a splint/ retainer made for my teeth and several therapists have commented that when i am wearing this my muscles are slightly softer and more relaxed. However we are still working on finding the perfect retainer/position for my teeth.
I just really wanted to enquire whether anyone had any opinions/ experiences on PRI or a way of getting my body to 'switch off'. My physio has said he just cannot get my body into neutral, femur bones not sitting in the hip socket correctly, pelvis unaligned, stuck in extension, ribs flaring, shoulder blades sticking out, poor forward head posture, not getting enough air into my right lung when i breath... just to name a few. In addition, my physio believes my body had never truly been in neutral and therefore does not know what it is.
I also noticed on an MRI scan of my spine that it appears my spine twists slightly to the left/clockwise in the lumbar area, but the doctor said there was nothing of significance. Would love to hear peoples thoughts on this as i have suffered from this almost 5 years and I am only 24 with no signs of improvement.
Thanks in advance
Stephen
18 hours 55 min ago
09/05/2014 - 6:51am
Hi Stephen - Thanks for writing. It sounds like you've really been working diligently with the book and your physiotherapist. Sorry, I don't know anything about PRI.
In my experience, if indeed your body is "locked up, not responding to anything," it might help to look for an underlying cause. It could be anything from trauma in childhood to too much coffee-drinking! It might be that your body is guarding against more back pain, or maybe there's a lack of sleep. It might be a combination of factors.
There are many modalities that you could check out and see what seems like a good fit. You could try daily calming, strengthening practices like tai chi, therapeutic yoga, and meditation - ways to work from the inside out. Also you could consider seeing various practitioners to work from the outside in, like with talk therapy, acupuncture and herbal medicine, cranio-sacral therapy, myofascial release, massage, or naturopathy. Perhaps you would benefit from making art or music or engaging in some sport as a creative outlet to release stress.
Whatever you do, you can incorporate the principles from the Gokhale Method to give your body healthy alignment. Have you considered consulting with a Gokhale Method teacher to tailor the techniques to your particular needs?
Good luck to you, Stephen. Write again if you have more questions or to give us an update.
Doreen Giles
Gokhale Method Teacher
7 years 3 months ago
08/11/2017 - 7:03am
Hi Stephen,
I recently had extensive treatment with a PRI dentist and physical therapist that gave me relief after ten years of pain (despite having tried EVERYTHING). I too was stuck in extension / fight or flight. Look up Elizabeth Caughey and Mike Cantrell in Atlanta. I traveled there from Boston (3 visits in all) and found the cost to be worth living without pain. Atlanta is a hub so the airfare is inexpensive.
Hope this helps! I've also found trigger point dry needling to be immensely helpful
6 years 3 months ago
11/22/2016 - 2:06pm
Thank you so much, it's nice to speak to someone who knows what PRI is! I know it's relevately new so it's hard to find peoplw who have experience with it yet!
I am wondering if you are still active on these forums as I would love to find out more about your experience with PRI. I am hoping I can use it in conjunction with gokhale. - Let me know if you are still here on the forums ( Not sure how to send messages to users on here )
6 years 10 months ago
12/17/2017 - 6:33am
Hi Stephen,
Have you tried TRE yet which is meant for trauma release (and body locked in tension)? There's nothing like getting your cns (central nervous system) into your own hands!
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=27VgK0LrR3Q