How Tai Chi Healed my Long Battle with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome
Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) is a form of chronic pain that usually affects an arm or a leg. Our patient, Marzena, healed herself from debilitating pain with diligent Tai Chi practice. Read her incredible story, complete with before- and- after photos, below:
My journey of healing started in 2017.
I was diagnosed with CRPS one year after my fall in which I suffered a broken bone with torn tendons and ligaments. This injury that occurred in 2012 wasn’t anything out of ordinary, it can happen to anybody. However, after months spending in a medical walking boot, re-learning how to walk again, spending 3 months in physical therapy, something wasn’t right.
My pains were increasing more and more from burning to stabbing, crushing, to horrific paralyzing moments that knocked me to the ground with excruciating pain that felt as if someone was cutting off my limb.
I felt the pain took control of my life and dictated daily what I can do and how little I was able to walk. I felt CRPS had me hostage.
I have visited numerous specialists to try to find out why is this happening. By then the pain had spread into the other limb. Each specialist that I went to, ran different tests and they all concluded that I have CRPS- Complex Regional Pain Syndrome that at this point was un-reversible. The treatment will be lifelong consisted of pain management (mostly nerve pain meds).
CRPS on the McGill Pain Scale reaches 45 of 50.
As the time passed, 2 years into it, my both feet would swell, toes would be dark purple to almost black in color, light purple moving up to my knees, ice cold with toenails stopped growing all together. I was told by one of the specialist, there was a possibility facing amputation once the gangrene would set in.
Fast forward to 2017, my healing journey through Tai Chi. This is the year when this slow process of healing begun.
My Tai Chi practice progressed very intensely when I switched Masters. Tai Chi with Dr. Wu led to total healing in Fall of 2022! I am CRPS FREE! My feet look normal, no more pains and I can walk now up to 3 miles!
Tai Chi is amazing! Not only it can heal you physically but also emotionally and spiritually, however consistent practice is the key.
Tai Chi is often described as meditation in motion but it might be as well called “medication in motion”.
There is growing evidence that this mind-body practice has value in treating and preventing many health problems and I am clearly one of them 😊
Before:
After:
