This article is a transcribed edited summary of a video Bob and Brad recorded in May of 2024. For the original video go to https://youtu.be/G_NHEzh7Puw
Brad: All right, so many of our fans and viewers have been commenting and asking how Bob has been doing. So we're going to take this video to explain it and give you an update.
Mike: So Bob was diagnosed with cerebellar ataxia, which affected his speech, coordination, and balance, as well as some of his upper extremity coordination.
Brad: All right, so Bob's symptoms are he has difficulty with his speech, he is currently walking with a wheeled walker, and he no longer drives.
Mike: However, he does walk a mile twice a day with a walker that Brad customized for him.
Brad: So what Bob bought is a four-wheeled walker. It has casters that swivel on the front, as almost all of them do, but that was actually causing a problem for his stability. So what I needed to do was create a locking system so the casters could no longer swivel. You'll see in the photograph how I made them, quite simple actually, there are washers with a piece of strapped steel on both sides. Very basic and elementary as far as fabrication, but it works very well.
Mike: So another thing Bob has been trying lately is called low-level laser therapy, LLLT for short. Also, it is known as cold laser therapy. So Bob was reached out to by a fan for its effectiveness, so Bob decided to give it a try. He reached out to the company and they sent him one for free to test out.
Brad: That's right. The fan actually was using it out himself with good success. We have a number of people who help us, give us options, and want to give us their advice or input.
Mike: So some of you may be wondering what low-level laser therapy actually is. It's been around for years in treatment with physical therapy and other health practitioners. But Brad will give a brief explanation of what it does.
Brad: Right, so it's a non-invasive pain-free treatment utilizing a specific wavelength of light to stimulate cellular activity and promote a natural healing process. In other words, the cold laser goes directly on the skin and it goes in deeply into the skin to help cellular healing at the neuro level.
Mike: So the low-level laser therapy beams can also affect the tissue in the area, enhancing cellular metabolism, reducing inflammation, and accelerating tissue repair. It is commonly used for pain management of sorts, and also if someone has an open wound, sometimes it can help it heal up faster.
Brad: Yeah, now we're really getting them confused. One way or another, we're going to show you some examples of how Bob's been using it and some results of its effectiveness.
Mike: So for 45 days, Bob decided to try out this treatment of low-level laser therapy. Now he put it on different parts of his head, targeting different areas of his brain. While he did that, he was also doing some exercises of various types, meaning some he was moving and some he was just doing isometric holds. He also did some on his voice because that is an issue for him. So he put it near his throat while saying the alphabet or phrasing different words.
Bob: A, B, C, D, E, F, G.
Brad: Now this protocol has specific lengths of time for each one. We're not going to get into the details of that, but the video does a good job of giving you an idea of how he was treating himself.
Mike: So after 40 days, Bob didn't really notice a difference in anything, whether walking or exercise strength, so he decided to stop for five days, but then something happened.
Brad: Well, it's very interesting because he continued to do his morning walks with his walker and after he stopped, his wife noticed a distinct difference in the quality of his walking, his balance, as well as his gait. So what he did, was he started doing the treatment again, and lo and behold, some improvement and he got back to where he was. So it's one of those things that showed gradual improvement over 40 days. He didn't notice it, but when he stopped it, things started deteriorating quickly.
Mike: Bob also said that the laser is actually helping with his upper extremity coordination as well, and his walking is actually improving. He's getting a little bit faster and walking further.
Brad: That sounds like a good plan.
Mike: So if you'd like to check out this low-level laser therapy device, you can visit erchonia.com, and you can contact them for specific protocols that may work for you and the conditions you have.
Brad: That's right. So we'll continue on, Bob's going to continue working hard and we'll keep up with you and let you know future progress. Anything else, Mike?
Mike: If you missed the videos of Bob explaining more concisely what was going on with him, you can check out our Ataxia page.
Brad: There you go.
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