Sara Leigton is a renowned artist whose commissioned portraits include the Queen Mother (for her 80th birthday) and Margaret Thatcher. When she approached me, she was in severe pain which was affecting her sleep and which prevented her from doing her painting. I treated the pain site in the shoulder blade and then stimulated the median nerve in the shoulder, in the axilla area (under the armpit) as well as a site close to the wrist. I was pleased with the outcome after 2 sessions and I’m pleased to say that Sara remains completely pain free 2 months after her first treatment.
Though I am now an ardent convert, I have to admit that I was highly sceptical when I entered the Horsham Nerve Pain Practice that anything they could offer would have any effect on the excruciating pain that ran from my right shoulder blade down my right arm and ended in a numb second finger. My doctor had diagnosed a trapped nerve and prescribed painkillers (which by now I was living on) and physiotherapy. As I have an inbuilt phobia about being pulled and prodded, I decided to give the physio terrorists a miss (yes,I know they do wonderful work!) and finally gave into my husband Michael’s insistence that we should book an appointment with Keith Atkinson at his practice.
Once inside the surgery I felt immediately at ease. Keith is charming and has the quiet air of authority of one who is an expert in his field. I told him that I was an artist with a particularly heavy workload and that the pain was seriously affecting my painting. Keith told me that he was certain that he could treat me and that I should be pain free after three treatments. The relief was immediate; after 45 minutes of Keith using the Stimpod machine on my back, arm and fingers, I was completely free of pain, though he warned me this might only be temporary.
The first few days after the treatment I only experienced twinges of pain but by the time of my next visit it was painful again though sporadic. On my second visit I had another slightly more intense session and once again returned home completely pain free. I fully expected the pain to return by the end of the week; but nothing, no pain, no twinges, no numb finger: IT WAS A MIRACLE!
When I returned ten days later for my third session, I immediately told Keith how wonderful it was to be out of pain at last and that I had not had a moments discomfort since my last visit. I fully expected him to give me another treatment “to make certain”, instead he said quite simply “I am not going to treat you today. You are out of pain so it would be a waste of your money” I asked him if he was sure; he smiled and said “Of course!”
How refreshing in this day and age to find a professional whose ethics are on a par with his talent and ability to cure pain.
Sara Leighton, Southwater 18/6/13
