SHINGLES
Janet Merryman
Sarasota, FL
“Shingles. Two meanings. One means roofing material. One means a very painful health condition. This testimony focuses on the health condition.
So what is the health condition called shingles? It is a viral infection of the nerve roots. Shingles (or herpes zoster) is also the virus that causes chickenpox. Usually you will have chickenpox as a child and then the virus becomes dormant in your nerve roots, but with some people, it can “wake up” due to stress, certain medications, aging, injury or other conditions that damage the immune system. It is not known why this happens, only that when it does occur, it then causes shingles instead of chickenpox. Unlike chickenpox, however, shingles is not contagious.
At first, shingles causes searing, unexplainable pain that invades your body—general in the area of your waist and usually on one side or the other. The condition can manifest in other areas as well, but the most common is the waist area. Next comes the rash. It’s a red, burning, itching, blistery rash. It itches SO badly, you think you’ll scream. You know, however, that if you start scratching, you will probably never stop!
There are many treatments for the dreaded condition of shingles and its associated pain. One of the most soothing and long-lasting that I discovered in my own personal experience with shingles was a technology called an electro-acuscope. The electro-acuscope is a pain-management device designed to specifically heal the neurological tissues. It also especially works to heal connective tissue such as the muscles, tendons, bones and ligaments by providing electrical nerve stimulation to the body’s system.
It is one of the latest and most effective forms of pain relief therapy available, helping to manage many acute and/or chronic pain issues. Where can you receive this treatment? In our area here on the Gulf coast of southwestern Florida, Jim Gabriel, LMT, NMT, SET of the Gabriel Center for Massage Therapy is a qualified therapist who uses the acuscope as one of the treatment methods for his clients. Jim’s gentle and patient manner, along with his use of the acuscope, makes the treatment so relaxing and beneficial, it can actually alleviate most of the pain associated with shingles for several hours, and in some cases, for several days. A person who suffers with shingles pain knows better than anyone else how much even a few hours without that pain can mean.
Research indicates that shingles never really goes away. Of course, the rash eventually disappears, but a lingering side effect of shingles called “post-herpetic neuralgia” can and sometimes does continue for months and even years. What does that mean to a shingles patient? It means that there is hope and help for this condition at the Gabriel Center for Massage Therapy. Give them a call today. All you have to lose is that dreadful pain!”

INCREASED MOBILITY, MENTAL CLARITY AND COGNITION
Joseph Dotson
Sarasota, FL
“I took over the care and responsibility for my grandparents in the summer of 2008. My grandmother, Natalie Alfinda was pretty much bed ridden, as well as unable to communicate on a cohesive basis, due to dimentia, and minor alzheimer’s. Any movement on her part was a struggle, due to several car accidents and personal injury resulting from such; as well as accidents of slipping in the home. Movement was not an easy task, and did not offer any ease without some form of complaint from her. My grandfather, Pedro Alfinda, wished to do something for her to ease the pain, and to see if there was any way of awakening her mental activity without the use of drugs or typical modernized medical procedures. In our research for such treatment, we found the Gabriel Center for Massage Therapy. Sarasota is blessed to have a healer like Jim Gabriel!
We began to take her there for appointments in the spring of this year. Jim immediately began to work on her alignment with cranial work to lift the fog from her mind, and get blood flowing, and cells operating. The results thus far have been nothing short of amazing! She now has increased mobility, mental clarity, and cognition as well as the ability to cohesively communicate again. Because of the crainial work and treatments, Natalie is able to communicate in her second language, English, on a limited basis, as well as communicate more clearly and fluidly with my grandfather in their native Tagalog, a Phillippino dialect!
In addition to the incredibly exciting progress that has been made mentally from the procedures that Jim uses, my grandmother is able to read when asked what something says. She did this, the other night when Pedro asked her what his t-shirt said, she responded, “Sarasota Bay Hunger Walk.” Not believeing what had just happened he called me into the room, and told me to ask her what was written on the t-shirt. I did and her response was the same. I could not believe it and was ecstatic, as well as happy to know that these treatments W O R K! As for the body work, what was once a maligned muscular skeletal structure, which was a task in itself to move or bathe, she is now able to walk with assistance, climb into the vehicle, feed herself, and now READ!
We will continue going to the Gabriel Center for Massage Therapy. I would highly recommend that anyone else seeking relief and results do the same to treat their mind, body, soul connection. I look forward to watching as the results continue to unfold and the progress from the treatments increases Natalie’s comfort, quality of life and independence. Our gratitude to Jim is unending.”