Following Years of Anguish, Ceciley Maxa is Now Living Pain-Free After Groundbreaking CRPS Treatment from the Spero Clinic in Arkansas
For years, chronic condition CRPS caused Ceciley Maxa extreme pain, also leaving her disabled. After receiving innovative CRPS treatment from the Spero Clinic, Ceciley achieved long-awaited healing and relief.
Spraining your ankle may not sound like a big deal – it’s uncomfortable and painful, but recovery is usually quick and without complications. Yet, in some cases, a minor injury can spark off a condition that results in excruciating chronic pain and loss of mobility. This condition is called Complex Regional Pain Syndrome, or CRPS.
For Ceciley Maxa, a lively 25-year-old from River Falls, Wisconsin, her sprained ankle developed into years of living a nightmare, until she couldn’t take it any longer. “The sensation can be described as being burned with a blowtorch on the skin,” she said.
After navigating hospitals, clinics, and doctors without remission, Ceciley eventually found The Spero Clinic in Arkansas, which specializes in holistic treatments for neurologic disorders, including CRPS… Read the full article here.
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark., July 7, 2025 – With around 30 million children participating in organized sports in the U.S., almost all of them will experience some kind of injury while playing or practicing. In fact, approximately 3.5 million sports-related injuries occur each year. Most of them are thankfully minor, like cuts and bruises.
But not in the case of Ohio teen Kole Jackson. At age 10, Kole suffered two concussions – two minutes apart – while playing football. Little did he know at that time that those two minutes would change his life forever.
When Nothing Seemed to Help
After an endless journey to numerous doctors, clinics, and specialists, Kole and his parents found The Spero Clinic in Fayetteville, Arkansas. This one-of-a-kind facility specializes in treating neurologic-based conditions, including Fibromyalgia and Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS).
Extensive tests found that Kole’s neck injuries placed his nervous system under extreme stress, overloading the brain with pain signals, inflammation, and alarm responses. When prolonged, as occurred with Kole, this can disrupt how the brain processes movement, sensation, and even consciousness.
As a result, the nervous system can begin to “misfire” – not because of actual brain damage but because it has been pushed into a hyper-protective, dysfunctional state.
Read the full article here.
A sprained ankle or a twisted wrist – for most people, these may be uncomfortable, but recovery is usually quick and without complications. But in some cases, minor injuries such as these can be the onset of a grueling and unbearable future, filled with pain.
Take Ceciley Maxa, a bright and lively 25-year-old from River Falls, Wisconsin, who sprained her ankle, which set off a chain reaction no one could have ever imagined. As the days went by, hoping for improvement and after numerous medical tests, the pain only worsened until she couldn’t take it any longer. “The sensation can be described as being burned with a blowtorch on the skin,” she said.
After navigating hospitals, clinics, and doctors without remission, Ceciley eventually found The Spero Clinic in Arkansas, which specializes in holistic treatments for neurologic disorders. She learned that she had contracted Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS), a rare disorder causing symptoms that make the body seem to be on fire.
Read the full article here.
Wolverhampton-born Talia Sinnott, 27, is currently receiving pioneering neurological treatment at the world-renowned Spero Clinic in Fayetteville, Arkansas, as she continues her courageous battle with a rare and debilitating condition known as Gastroparesis.
EXPRESS & STAR — Gastroparesis is a chronic illness that affects the stomach muscles and prevents proper digestion. In Talia’s case, her stomach no longer functions, meaning she must be fed through a tube that delivers a specially formulated nutritional mix directly into her small intestine. This condition has led to other health issues which Talia currently suffers from including CRPS (Complex Regional Pain Syndrome) and POTS (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome).
Her journey began in January 2022, when she contracted a virus that triggered the onset of her condition. With limited awareness and resources for Gastroparesis within the NHS, Talia struggled to obtain a diagnosis. Eventually, she was referred to Dr. Shidrawi, one of the UK’s leading specialists in the field. Based in London, he runs the country’s only dedicated Gastroparesis clinic and has been managing Talia’s care for the past three years.
Despite intensive efforts, there is currently no known cure for Gastroparesis. In June 2024, Talia underwent surgery to implant a gastric pacemaker — a device similar to a heart pacemaker that delivers electrical pulses to stimulate stomach muscles. Unfortunately, the device had little effect, and Talia remains unable to digest food in the normal way.
In search of hope, Talia turned to the Spero Clinic, which offers cutting-edge neurological rehabilitation not available anywhere else in the world. The clinic specialises in treating complex conditions such as CRPS (Complex Regional Pain Syndrome), Long COVID, POTS (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome), and Gastroparesis through a non-invasive, drug-free approach focused on restoring optimal nervous system function.
Read the full article here.
No one could have predicted the impact that COVID-19 would have on the world, leaving massive casualties in its wake. Most of us remember the relief when it was over – no more masks and back to work. But for many, including Easton, Maryland teen Dylan Smith, the ordeal was only beginning.
Dylan contracted COVID-19 in 2022, one week after his mother was infected. Mom recovered, but Dylan’s symptoms remained and quickly turned into chronic fatigue, body aches, migraines and even seizures.
Only a few months later, Dylan became bedridden with a feeding tube. “Lying down in a wheelchair, eyes shut, couldn’t talk, couldn’t move any part of my body,” Dylan explained.
Eventually, he was diagnosed with Long COVID – a condition for which traditional medicine has no cure. After navigating many different treatments, Dylan’s parents found The Spero Clinic in Fayetteville, AR, which offers a unique protocol for pediatric Long COVID.
Read the full article here.
Is it possible that a simple sound can hurt you? That the sound of a bird singing in the yard can make you scream out in pain? That’s the reality of having CRPS. Here’s how the Spero Clinic helped Heather get her life back.
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark., June 11, 2025 – For 14-year-old Port Elizabeth teenager, Heather Botha, that’s a yes. Suffering from a rare, neurological disorder, the slightest sound would send her into a spiral of pain so severe that doctors have likened it to childbirth.
After navigating countless treatments, her doctors were even convinced Heather was imagining it. “I was told that it is all in her head; one specialist even said she is crying out for attention,” Heather’s mother, Hayleigh, recounts. “But I know my daughter. I knew something was wrong.”
Finally, a scan established that Heather’s condition was all too real. She was suffering from a neurological disorder, called Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) – a chronic condition that often worsens over time. In Heather’s case, she ended up wheelchair-bound and unable to use her legs.
Sadly, traditional medicine has no answers for CRPS. But lucky for Heather, the Arkansas-based Spero Clinic, does.
Read the full article here.
Through the help of Dr. Katinka van der Merwe at The Spero Clinic, Emma was able to get her life back from CRPS.
FAYETTEVILLE, ARKANSAS / May 16, 2025 / Estimates suggest that more than 20% of the world’s population suffers from pain, while each year, 10% are newly diagnosed with chronic pain. Pain has become a “silent” epidemic for which the medical community has no answers.
Rowan County, N.C. native Emma Meyers had never been without extensive nerve pain since the age of 4. Instead of spending her childhood playing and having fun, Emma’s mobility worsened to a point where she could no longer use her right arm and leg and became wheelchair-bound.
Emma’s condition is unfortunately not unique. Over the years, hundreds of patients like Emma have entered The Spero Clinic in Lafayette, Arkansas. In many cases, those patients arrived when crippled with chronic pain, caused by a condition called Complex Regional Pain Syndrome, or CRPS.
Read the full article here.
It has been said that, among the many chronic pain disorders, Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) is probably the most brutal one. Often referred to as the “suicide disease,” more than 200,000 people in this country suffer from CRPS which, according to the medical community, cannot be cured.
This was the case with 29-year-old Bria Block of Lynden, WA, who has battled with CPRS since she was 11 years old. According to Bria’s mother, “From a very young age, her life has been controlled by pain. Dreams, goals, and simply life have had to be placed on the back burner as she has tried to survive.”
From Pain to Devastation
Bria’s CRPS condition started in her leg and gradually spread all over her body, causing debilitating pains. Says her mom, “Even breathing and talking is agonizing. On a scale of 1-10, her pain levels never dip below a six and her daily pain stays at a 7-9 level. When Bria’s pain reaches 8 or more, she is completely incapacitated.”
Bria’s ordeal was not just limited to CRPS. In addition to this condition and due to failing adrenal function, she was also diagnosed with Complex-PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) as well as an onset of Fibromyalgia. Eventually, Bria’s mobility was damaged to the degree that she could hardly move.
Read the full article here.
Tune in as Bryce and Kelci dive into the power of neuromuscular reeducation and its role in rewiring the nervous system. Gain a deeper understanding of why it is crucial to retrain both your mind and body for optimal function. Plus, learn how to maintain your progress and continue your journey at home with Vigeo Health. Don’t miss out on these insightful tips for lasting transformation!
In their premiere episode, Bryce and Kelci discuss what rewiring the nervous system actually looks like—from clinical insights to the emotional rollercoaster of recovery, and everything in between.
You can also stream directly below:
🎤 Bryce Johnson (Director of Neuromuscular Reeducation at Spero Clinic) – Often referred to by Dr. Katinka as her “lieutenant,” Bryce is a master of rehabilitation who’s helped elite athletes and severe neurological cases alike. He’s known for going beyond the clinic walls—literally—taking patients fishing, golfing, or bike riding as part of their customized care plans. His passion is infectious, and his commitment is unmatched.
🎤 Kelci (Vigeo Health) – With a B.S. in Kinesiology and a Master’s in Education, Kelci brings both heart and high-performance insight to the world of nervous system recovery. She’s a former D1 All-American gymnast and certified ARP Wave Therapist who trained and worked at Spero Clinic starting in 2021, and helped launch Vigeo Health in early 2023 to support patients in their healing journeys from home. Her family is her everything. Kelci is passionate about helping clients reach their strength and wellness goals—even through a screen.
To schedule a personal training session with Kelci or to learn more about Vigeo Health, you can book a session directly on the Vigeo website: https://vigeohealth.as.me/schedule/b9edf108
To learn more about Vigeo, follow on Instagram: @VigeoHealthTraining
EASTON — Keeping good grades — much less straight As — your freshman year of high school is an accomplishment for anyone.
But when it comes to 15-year-old Dylan Smith, those good grades are a testament to Smith’s perseverance.
For about three years, Dylan was too sick to attend school. After getting COVID-19 in January 2022, Smith developed long COVID.
At 12 years old, Dylan lost the ability to do anything for himself. Over time, he could no longer eat without a feeding tube or walk. He developed non-epileptic seizures, caused by trauma and pain.
“My pain got worse every day,” he said. “It kind of felt like my bones were breaking every second.”
There were two months where he stopped talking.
“And it’s not that he didn’t want to talk,” said his mom, Stacey Smith. “He physically couldn’t.”
Read the full article here.
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