TESTIMONIAL

POST POLIO SYNDROME

I am now 74, and had polio at about 4 or 5 years of age. In my twenties I started having stomach problems and a nervous digestive system. In the 1980’s I was diagnosed with diverticulitis and colitis. Gradually I experienced more and more fatigue and aching in my legs, and eventually over the entire body. Increasingly I had more fatigue and less sleep. Then in Sept. of 2004, I was diagnosed with Post Polio Syndrome at the Spalding Clinic.I have been seeing Dr. Ertha for nearly a year now, and during that time my energy has improved considerably, and the pain is gone except when I overdo at work. I am sleeping better, and can bound up my front steps with ease. I still have to pace myself, but I no longer “hit the wall” at 4 or 5 in the afternoon so that I cannot go on without taking a nap.I am currently seeing Dr. Ertha every three or four weeks. I have experienced improvement that I did not find with other doctors.

I.M. Marblehead, MA

 HEPATITIS C

I have been a patient of Dr. Ertha for about three months. I was diagnosed with HCV 4 years ago. During these four years I have experienced different levels of pain in different regions of my body. I had a lot of abdominal pain, and it had gotten to the point of my legs collapsing without warning and falling down. With her treatments these few months my energy has improved greatly, I am without pain for the most part, my legs are stronger, and I have been able to stay on my feet longer. I see her once a week, which right now is about how long the treatment works for me, which is a little piece of heaven for me during that time. I wished I would have found her a long time ago, but it’s never too late for anyone. I know I won’t be able to work like I used to, but she has given me a better quality of life that I’m so grateful for everyday. Her extensive experience and knowledge along with a great bedside manner have proven this is her calling in life.

J.C., Winchester, MA.

LOW BACK PAIN

I had low back pain for 25 years, starting when I was 18 years old. At that time I was 6 ft 4 in tall. I was given a sports car for my birthday, and took it for a ride. When I got out of it I got a pinched nerve in my lower back. It was painful, and got worse as the years went by.  Eventually I was all hunched over all the time. About three years before seeing Dr. Ertha, I had laser therapy, which helped me to stand up straight, but aggravated the condition and made the pain worse. I didn’t know what it was like to not be in pain. By the time I first saw Dr. Ertha the pain was going into the groin area and down both legs. I was depressed because of the pain and constipated from the medication I was on. I was also having a lot of headaches.

Dr. Ertha treated me with manipulative therapy. After the first treatment I made it all the way to the car without any pain. Then when I got into the car, I had pain again. I saw Dr. Ertha the next week, and she added crainiosacral therapy to the manipulative treatment. I went three or four days without pain. Then I got into an awkward position trying to catch a delicate object that I was dropping. That brought the pain back. After the third treatment I went a whole week without any pain. Then, on my way to my appointment with her, a car cut in front of me and I had to slam on the brakes and got thrown against the steering wheel. The pain came back. She treated me with manipulation and craniosacral that day. I don’t remember having any pain since then, which was a year ago. And the visceral manipulation she did took away my constipation. I had seen many doctors over the years, but only Dr. Ertha was able to take away the pain like that.

A.M., Toronto, Ontario

CHRONIC CONSTIPATION
I was referred to Dr. Ertha by another naturopathic doctor. I had chronic constipation for seventeen years. I ate stewed prunes for breakfast and took laxatives every day. Eventually even the laxatives didn't work, and I would go weeks between bowel movements. When I first saw Dr. Ertha I hadn't moved my bowels for three weeks. She treated me with craniosacral therapy and visceral manipulation. One and a half hours after my first treatment I had a bowel movement, and I had one every day for a week. After the second treatment, a week later, I had a movement every other day, and complete evacuation with them, which hadn't happened for years. After a few treatments my bowels became able to work on their own, and I didn't need treatments nor laxatrives anymore. It was amazing! I had seen medical doctors, chiropractors, and other naturopaths. Nothing else worked for me.
A.L., North York, Onterio

SEVERE ATYPICAL MIGRAINES
Before seeing Dr. Ertha I had suffered from migraines for 23 years, and episodes when I could not walk well, but would stagger, for 2 years. MSG triggered my migraines. In the fall of 2001 I began having more frequent and intense migraines usually behind the eye. Then I began to get numbness and tingling in my cheek, chin, fingertips, hand, and arm - all on the left. My eyelid had begun to droop, sometimes with migraines, and sometimes without. During an attack of staggering I would have slurred speech and have to hang on to the wall to keep from falling down. In February of 2003, I stopped my medications (Verapramil, Celexa, Diamox, Metaclopromide, and Imatrex injections) by tapering down with the support of my primary care physician. After 1-2 weeks of stopping Verapramil I had migraines, blurred vision (could not focus),  L side of face drooping, could not talk, could not walk  felt heaviness on the left side especially the arm. I went several times  to the E.R.. A CT scan was done to rule out "brain bleed" due to the Plavix I was given on one occasion. A carotid U/S , Cranial Doppler, and echo cardiogram done at that time were all OK. In 2002 I had had a normal PET scan.

I then saw Dr. Ertha and had a gluten-sensitivity test which showed a sensitivity to gluten. I  started eliminating gluten from my diet with good results. Dr. Ertha treated me with diet therapy, supplements, craniosacral therapy and lymphatic pumping.

Within three weeks my headaches happened only one third as often and were very much less intense. I had no numbness, tingling, paralysis, nor staggering. The headaches were not cured, but I was getting steadily better. This has made a huge difference in my life.
K.C., Brampton, Ontario

TRIGEMINAL NEURALGIA
I had TMJ pain for 5 ½ years before seeing Dr. Ertha. It would begin as pain near the teeth. It was diagnosed by my dentist. By 2 months the pain was "electric" and in my face, around my mouth and sometimes, my eye. It would move around, but was continuous. Sometimes it lasted only a minute, but sometimes it was so bad I thought about committing suicide: I wanted to kill myself because the pain was so bad. I wanted the pain to stop; I wanted to die. While mostly on the right side, sometimes it traveled to the other side as well. Pain could be flared up by  movements, eating, showering, brushing my teeth, raising my voice, or a strong wind. Sometimes it was a burning pain, but mostly it felt like an electric current.

Dr. Ertha treated me with craniosacral therapy, microcurrent, and vitamin B-12 shots. It helped a great deal. I felt very relaxed, confident and comfortable in Dr. Ertha's hands.
C.C., North York, Ontario

STRESS
I was treated with craniosacral by Dr. Ertha. She has the hands of an angel! I asked her if she would treat my son who is fourteen years old and has cerebral palsy, because I wanted him to experience her touch. She did, and he loved it although he does not often like to be touched by another person.
G.M, Wilmington, Delaware