I never thought dancing would ever be something I could ever do again.
To be honest I am a terrible dancer. In fact I rarely danced at parties, weddings, etc. because I worried about how foolish I would appear.
When my chronic illnesses first stole my ability to hit the dance floor, I didn’t really think much about what I had lost…. Then last year a burning desire to move my feet ignited……..
Achy feet
My feet began hurting long before my diagnosis of psoriatic arthritis and fibromyalgia.
At first I thought it was from the shoes I was wearing. Little by little I rid my closet of high heels. By 1999 I found myself able to wear nothing but wide slip on types of shoes, sneakers (but only for a few hours as my feet would swell and feel strangled by the laces), and flip flops.
Living in flip flops wasn’t a problem when I lived in Arizona, but it was a problem when I lived in colder climates and when I traveled. By 2005, I could only wear Crocs, flip flops, and wide boots without heels. As time went by the amount of time that I was able to spend on my feet dwindled.
By 2012 I couldn’t stand or walk for more than 5 minutes at a time.
Disclosure: I am NOT a medical professional and I am not issuing medical advice. This post contains some affiliate links. Meaning that, at no additional cost to you, I earn a commission from sales.
A toe tapping surprise!
I didn’t notice a difference in the pain that was felt deep in the bones of my feet until my fifth year of treating my chronic pain with natural and alternative treatments.
I will never forget the day that I realized the pain was gone.
I returned home from grocery shopping. But instead of making a beeline for the recliner while I waited for my husband and daughter to unload the car and put the groceries away, I did it.
It wasn’t until my daughter asked why I hadn’t called her out of her room to help that I realized what I had done.
I wasn’t tired, I didn’t need to rest, and to my delight, my feet didn’t hurt!!!! At first, I thought this was just a fluke, that it couldn’t be real, or that it wouldn’t last. But guess what it did!!!
Happy feet
Wondering what happened? I did too! Because I also treat my illnesses in the same manner I combat chronic pain, it was pretty easy to figure out which item to credit.
Eight months prior to feeling footloose and fancy-free, I added PEMF therapy to my pain management plan. But at that time I was only using it a few times a week. Then four months later and also four months before noticing the pain was gone, I began using my PEMF device all day, every day!
Even though I hadn’t been specifically treating my feet, the device was close enough to treat them without my realizing it. It was also at this time that the non-stop pain that I had been experiencing in my lower back from degenerative disc disease had disappeared.
Continued therapy
PEMF therapy is still part of my daily treatments. I have been using it now for two years and the relief it provides still blows my mind.
After a day at Disneyland, my feet are beat. They ache like the average person’s would, but the even more because of my chronic illnesses.
While in the park I treat my lower back and abdomen with my device, but I move it to my ankles (if I am driving home) or place it directly on both feet (if someone else is driving).
When I reach my home, 45 minutes later, my feet no longer hurt and I am able to go to bed without pain. Some days my feet require a few extra treatments, but even when they hurt, I am able to walk without the pain I used to experience in the past.
A few months ago I added another thing to my daily treatment plan. Each night before bed and first thing in the morning I apply a topical CBD lotion to my feet.
I rub it into the arch, heel, ball, and around ankles. I truly never thought I would know what it was like to walk again without feeling like I was dragging my bones across the cement. And to think that I can now walk 4-12 miles a day and without worrying about whether or not I will be able to walk tomorrow.
The gift of relief
Last year I danced for the first time since becoming chronically ill.
My husband and I were attending a Christmas party and the host was hoping to get some people out on the dance floor. Being that I only see these people once a year, I let go of my inhibitions and let loose on the dance floor.
I have no rhythm, I can’t keep a beat, but I made sure to enjoy every move knowing that my feet would be okay!
A few months later I had a blast dancing with friends at my God-daughter’s wedding and I am looking forward to more opportunities to show off my horrendous dance moves.
If you are a glutton for punishment, you can check out my terrible dancing via the link I provided in my post How traveling with a chronic illness went from good to bad to what the heck just happened!
A good pain management plan shouldn’t just mask pain, it should decrease it, relieve it, and make living with your diseases better.
If your plan isn’t doing that you probably should look into making some changes. You are welcome to take a peek at mine.
Click here to read about my pain management plan.
I also invite you to learn more about PEMF therapy.
