Today I made a little discovery related to Copaiba oil. It has similar properties to CBD oil, without the hallucinatory effects. On Monday 5th February, a non-locked-glute day, it was time to try the essential oil Copaiba. Copaifera reticulata has definite properties in connection with strokes. I immediately felt my paresthesia appease the moment I applied it to my foot. The results of experimental scientific experiments suggest that Copaiba oil resin treatment induces neuroprotection by modulating inflammatory response following acute damage to the central nervous system.
(Neuroprotection is defined as any strategy, or combination of strategies, that antagonizes, interrupts, or slows down the sequence of injurious biochemical and molecular events that, if left unchecked, would eventuate in irreversible ischemic injury to the brain.)
This experimental study suggests that natural sesquiterpenes have an enormous potential to decrease the burden of inflammation-induced damage following neural diseases. I only managed 4 minutes on the treadmill, compared with 5 minutes the previous day, and 6 the day before. However, I felt that I had stumbled across a good method to alleviate the ever-increasing paresthesia in my foot. More research is inevitable, given the positive response Iāve had to Copaiba. In turn, I strongly suspect that better condition and function of my nerves will lead to better muscle control and behavior. It is likely it will also improve spasticity and hypertonia.
Previously I had tried Geranium, and Frankincense (which I hear is an ideal oil to use in conjunction with Copaiba). Good luck, ciao, Roland
Iām not sure I 7nderstood all of that but I think you are saying it is showing positive signs for you? I hope it does help with your issues as you are certainly due a break with it all.
Yes, thanks for the thought. My locked-glute day (every other day) was a nightmare, but it eased with time. Yesterday, I was thinking that itās only a fraction of the problem it used to be. Maybe 1/10th. Unfortunately in 2024 my paresthesia (pins n needles) has been atrocious. Again, itās every other day, but on unlocked-glute day. From what Iāve understood, my brain is not interpreting what I feel very clearly, and paresthesia is the result. This is a new mystery I want to crack at the earliest opportunity, because I was spending 16 minutes on the treadmill, now itās down to 0. Actually the Copaiba oil seemed to improve things and I managed 4 agonizing minutes on the treadmill. My condition may be a natural awakening of nerves, but itās worrying and debilitatingā¦ and I could do without said complications. Watch this space, and hopefully Iāll overcome yet another hurdleā¦
It reduced to 25% of what it was. I even attempted the treadmill (4 agonizing minutes only) and the rest of the afternoon I spent stimulating the sensation in the soles of my foot. I would say sensation is crude, almost hyper-sensitive, but itās not a warm feeling, but a sharp rough sensation, with no differentiation between feelingā¦ everything feels the same.
I canāt wait to get rid of the problem, ciao, Roland
I really feel for you. One problem improves another appears but maybe it is all part of the recovery process & will get you where you want to be. Shame it has to be so painful along tye way.
Hi Roland, do you think it might be any good on arthritic thumbs. If so what brand do you use? Iām always dubious as the price seems to jump from Ā£10 to Ā£50šµ
No skin rashes from any of the DoTerre oils I use.
The DoTerre oils are so pure and refined they say they can be ingested, a drop or two on the tongue. I do ingest some of these oils, but they are very powerful taken internally, and I gather not for everyone.
Electrical feeling is great ; I know just what you mean. Great news, well done. I call it crude sensation; in time it will become something more accessible, and a warmer sensation. My torso is 6 -9 months ahead of the sensations in my limbs, and my torso can feel so much more. Maybe my right torso feels 55-75% of my left torso. I therefore have a preview of what is to come. The foot paresthesia is a bummer.
Forgive me, but I canāt understand your question ādo you think you had a reduction in time as you were not used to the sensation you did get?ā I am pretty sure the Copaiba had a huge effect, and will confirm my findings as I go along. But I am not completely confident in it, as itās newā¦ but time will tell.
Hi Emerald,
I believe that essential oils were on this planet before us, and have the power to heal us of many things. I definitely recommend essential oils, but I am not knowledgeable on them. For your arthritic thumb, recommended are eucalyptus, frankincense, lavender, ginger, turmeric and basil. The oils I take are called DoTerra, and a 15ml bottle of frankincense cost almost Ā£100 ; too expensive for most, but cheaper alternatives are out there.
Hereās a video clip by someone who takes Copaiba internally. She mentions so many aspects and positives of this oil, and we get the feeling that there is a lot we donāt know yet about copaiba
I was wondering if you could do less on the treadmill as the sensation you were getting, was different to before ie that took a bit of getting used to ?
When my tingling reduces, which occasionally can happen late in the evening, my touch sensation changes. I am looking at this as the sensations flow up through a pipe. A lot of the time that pipe is half full of tingling and the touch sensation is battling to get through.
When the tingling reduces, the close to normal touch sensation almost feels a bit odd on my weak side as Iām not used to it. It feels almost extreme, even if Iām touching something soft like a duvet.
I can relate to everything you say. I think the brain eases up late at night. I am going to have to reinvent myself, and find solutionsā¦ otherwise I canāt exercise at allā¦I think a confused , clogged pipeline in a good analogy. How long have you had the tingling, and is it from your foot? or hand too?
Anyway thx for sharingā¦ my symptoms are so strong, they have me stumped
ciao, Roland
Hi Roland, yeh as of now, its in the far periphery (fingers,toes) but also hand, leg, upper arm and face. It ranges from itching, tingling, numbness,burning,wet feeling, throbbing post exercise, dull pulled muscle feeling and outright pain.
Initially it started in the face in month 3 after the stroke. I had an incident shortly after where I lost all sensation down my stroke side. CT scan and nothing new. Recovered 2 days later. Another partial loss of sensation a few days later which again recovered.
Since then, the feelings and intensity have gradually spread. I now know the tingling in month 3 was very minor compared to the intensity 2 years on.
At worst it feels like I would have to scratch my skin off but I know that serves no purpose.
In fact, at times, I think if I overlay another sensation on top, it can help reduce the tingling. Mindfulness/imagined movement seems to help as well.
This is guesswork but I wonder as you sort of get relaxed/cosy some way out from actual sleep (a bit like a computer starting itās shutdown) it perhaps closes off certain processes or runs them at a lower speed. On full shutdown, when you are asleep, it doesnāt need whatever is generating the tingling. On waking, movement can bring the tingling back to life.
At times, especially sometimes post exercise, itās utterly miserable until it settles.
I have been told it will plateau but how intense it will be by then, is not known. Cold and stress are triggers.
Hence very interested in anything that might help. I think there is some relatively new spasticity in there as well to add to the fun.
I think itās possible to get used to almost anything but I need it to level off for that to happen.
Cheers
Nige
Have you tried EMS or E-Stim machine, Nige?
I have been using one on my tibialis anterior on and off for the last 48 hoursā¦ it does something, like cool the muscle down, and with time I may build more confidence in what it can do. Iāve also been rubbing my feet. Sounds simple, but Iām trying to register touch as sensation, not paraesthesia nor pain. The I have my vibration boardā¦ I think that appeases paraesthesia, but I have no control to compare with.
Probably youāve tried these ideas, but just in case you havenātā¦
Afternoon Roland, I have been using a FES machine to help with muscle contractions. Also tried a tens machine, that gave some relief when on but once off, felt like there was some sort of residue sensation which I didnāt like.
Have you found it helps level of sensation wise ?
Yeh the hyper sensitivity, even to the point of gentle wind blowing on the skin can be pretty unpleasant. Rain on the face isnāt nice either.
Had a bit of physio today and more next week. Things always feel a bit better with some support
Cheers
Nige
okay, Nige,
I think Iām starting to tune in to what you are going through. Thatās extreme to experience wind like that, we have to try and work out how to tone down the hypersensitivity. My eyelid still confused and very bothersome, and if I get upset over anything itās even worse.
The EMS / TENS machine relaxed my tibialis anterior muscle, which was angry, disorientated and swollen. That seemed to help. I had to play around with settings in EMS mode, there seemed to be a sweet spot.
Iād better look up what a FES does. I also get physio once a week; I wonder if thereās anything left she can do with me? My paraesthesia has been on the verge of starting up all dayā¦ but Iāve not been on my treadmill, and worried I will get weak. Iām going to compile an emergency list for things to help my foot behaveā¦
If you need it, it looks like a FES device is free in most areas but not necessarily around us. Depends how persuasive your physio is it seems.
The little device sits on a belt or in your pocket and has a lead connecting to a sensor on an insole and this picks up your heel strike.
The clever part seems to be the two electrodes on your leg and the timing of the electrical impulse.
The idea being that once it picks up the heel strike, it sends a pulse to the electrodes and that gets the muscles to contract at the right time for your foot to move/walk better.
It does take a bit of getting used to and the timing and strength of the pulse needs the physio help.
Downside is the wired connection is a bit fiddly, only tend to use it for outside walking
