Surprising Benefits

Viewing 2 posts - 1 through 2 (of 2 total)

Author

Posts
Commited2Change
Participant

November 23, 2009 at 6:53 am

Post count: 24

#1622

It’s still amazing to me that simply deciding to accept a friend’s invitation to join her at hot yoga has changed my life so much! I feel so much calmer, able to handle stressful situations, and like/accept myself for who I am.

Almost 2 years ago I was in a fluky ski accident and ended up with severe frostbite on several toes. Unfortunately, I then went into septic shock due to an infection in one of the toes, my major organs were shutting down and I was hours away from death. I lived due to extremely skillful physicians, my will to live and a VERY expensive medication (10K for 48hrs worth!). So, after a long hospitalization and recovery to have discovered hot yoga has been such a blessing!

I’m gradually getting my body back..bit by bit. I know that it is going to take time, patience and commitment. The doctors told me that I would never recover sensation in my toes (due to the nerve damage from the frostbite). Interestingly enough, since beginning my practice I’ve gradually regained almost full sensation!!! Has anyone heard of this type of benefit? My doctor thinks that it may be from the increased vasodilation. It’s great to be able to feel my toes during Utkatasana!

Thanks for putting up with be long post. I guess I’m feeling chatty tonight! 😛

Gabrielle (The Hot Yoga Doctor)
Forum Owner

November 29, 2009 at 12:48 pm

Post count: 3048

#5930

Hello YogaSkier

What an incredible story. Amazing for so many reasons, not least of which is that experience of medical doctors by no means predicates or determines your ability to heal or the extent to which you can heal. To recover from parasthesia like that (numbness), to defy the odds and to amaze your doctors and yourself is awe-inspiring. And that part (after your stint in hospital) you did yourself!

I think it’s safe to agree with the notion that it is your circulatory improvement that has helped things along. The ability to cleanse, flush, regenerate is there. What I am interested in is the ability to regenerate the neuronal component and move from a tingling sensation to what you describe as normal. Both seem to have moved hand in hand.

I have definitely had students with very poor and medically serious circulation conditions – even somebody who had to wear socks in the room (really!!!). I cannot remember anyone with frostbitten tootsies before. I do know that in the beginning when I lived in ‘the Big Smoke’ my 4th and 5th toes on each foot would be numb because of habitual shoe wearing. What fixed that up was a combination of moving to warmer climes (and a change of shoes because of lifestyle changes) and practicing yoga – but nothing as miraculous as your experience.

Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂
Author

Posts