Book Description

This book is an emotional, yet factual and detailed account of a successful recovery from an illness considered incurable by mainstream medicine.Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) is a severe, chronic pain condition, often accompanied by inflammation, swelling, spasms, and irreversible changes in the musculoskeletal system. Only about 20% of patients achieve "successful outcomes," which often means a reduction, but not a complete elimination of symptoms. Chances of recovery decrease with age. Treatments are often invasive, result in serious side effects, and may have to be repeated for the rest of the patient's life.Crippled by neuropathic pain and uncontrollable muscle contraction (dystonia), the author refused to settle for anything less than a full recovery and return to a normal lifestyle. She objectively had poor prospects due to her age (58 at the onset of disease), yet her story has a happy ending: full remission without invasive treatments or drugs. As she overcame one challenge after another, Tamara promised herself that in case of a successful recovery she would write a book to help others defeat their chronic pain conditions.Her story begins, like many CRPS stories, with misdiagnosis. Incorrectly diagnosed with carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) due to the abnormal electromyography (EMG) test results, she kept searching for an accurate diagnosis and a path to recovery. Her journey started as a search for cure but ended as a story of self-discovery and personal triumph over adversity. There was no spontaneous miracle: the author worked with mainstream healthcare providers, but also used unorthodox psychosomatic approaches that are now slowly gaining acceptance. This book is full of practical advice for those with movement disorders, such as dystonia, and with chronic pain conditions in any part of the body. Those with a diagnosis of carpal tunnel syndrome may benefit from this book, especially if their symptoms developed without an obvious preceding injury or repetitive stress on the hands or wrists. Unlike many other books on chronic pain, this book sets the reader on the path of ultimately getting rid of symptoms rather than teaching you how to cope with pain for the rest of your life.