A sprained ankle or a twisted wrist – for most people, these may be uncomfortable, but recovery is usually quick and without complications. But in some cases, minor injuries such as these can be the onset of a grueling and unbearable future, filled with pain.
Take Ceciley Maxa, a bright and lively 25-year-old from River Falls, Wisconsin, who sprained her ankle, which set off a chain reaction no one could have ever imagined. As the days went by, hoping for improvement and after numerous medical tests, the pain only worsened until she couldn’t take it any longer. “The sensation can be described as being burned with a blowtorch on the skin,” she said.
After navigating hospitals, clinics, and doctors without remission, Ceciley eventually found The Spero Clinic in Arkansas, which specializes in holistic treatments for neurologic disorders. She learned that she had contracted Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS), a rare disorder causing symptoms that make the body seem to be on fire.
What is CRPS?
Among the many neurologic dysfunction disorders, CRPS is probably the most brutal one. Spero’s Founder and CEO, Dr. Katinka van der Merwe, likened CRPS to a bully, which takes over to become a howling, raging storm of pure pain.
More than 200,000 people in this country suffer from CRPS, which, according to the medical community, cannot be cured. Patients are being sent home with pain medication, which only brings temporary relief but can create long-term, lasting, and damaging effects.
CRPS is associated with imbalance and malfunction of the autonomic nervous system, resulting in disability, chronic pain, and functional loss. It can present itself in several stages, ranging from intense, burning pain, muscle spasms, joint stiffness, swelling, and restricted mobility, to permanent changes in the skin and bones, and damage to other body parts such as the optic nerves or the digestive system.
For Ceciley, CRPS has meant enduring bouts of nearly unbearable, panic-inducing pain. She said it meant being unable to work and missing out on planning her 2018 wedding. “I wasn’t able to live a normal life with my friends or family,” she says.
The Road to Healing
Given the fact that CRPS is the result of a malfunctioning autonomic nervous system, Spero’s holistic approach lies in the philosophy that healing starts with enabling the body to heal itself.
Spero’s focus is on isolating and repairing the global failure of the central nervous system, which is causing the extreme body phenomena linked to neurologic dysfunction disorders. Within that system, the Vagus nerve is a major player in solving the puzzle that forms CRPS.
The holistic approach at The Spero Clinic consists of reactivating specific nerves, in particular the Vagus Nerve, which is the single most important nerve inside the human body outside of the spinal cord. This important cornerstone of Spero’s treatment protocol calms the central nervous system and restores the autonomic nervous system to optimum function once again.
Additional holistic treatments, such as healing tissues and stimulating the nerves to produce certain vital neuropeptides essential for optimal functioning of the body, complement Spero’s unique treatment program.
A New Future
While Spero’s remission rate is an unprecedented 84%, the clinic does not advocate a “miracle cure.” Most patients experience significant relief already at the beginning of their program, but the road to full recovery can be long. However, patients can be assured that there will be a continuous, marked increase in health, mobility, and well-being, with no side effects.
For CRPS patient Ceciley, Spero’s treatment has given her something crucial: full remission and a pain-free life. “It has helped more than anything I have experienced.”
Says Dr. Katinka, “Our whole focus with everything we do in here is to remove anything that’s blocking the central nervous system from doing its job.” For the hundreds of other Spero patients suffering from CRPS, that focus has meant a new future – a new life.
For more information about the Spero Clinic, visit their website, or call (479) 304-8202.
Dr. Katinka’s book about CRPS, Putting Out the Fire: New Hope for RSD/CRPS can be found on Amazon.
Note: The information written in this article is designed to provide helpful information on various conditions and the subjects discussed. This article is not meant to be used to diagnose or treat any medical condition or to replace the advice of physicians. The Spero Clinic does not claim to treat, diagnose, or cure Long COVID, CRPS, EDS/POTS, AMPS, or any other specific condition or infection. The Spero Clinic treats the central nervous system only, often resulting in the body being able to heal itself. If you experience symptoms of neurologic dysfunction disorders, you should first consult your physician.
