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My Pain in the Neck!


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Originally posted by meg

hi marybeth,

i also have scoliosis - although it is a mild case. some cases are so bad that they leave the person 'crooked' - that is not the case with me.

until about a year ago, i suffered with terrible back pain. it interrupted my sleep, made exercise a nightmare and made me an all around grouch alot of the time. on a whim, i decided to join a friend and see a personal trainer. he worked me very hard - mostly stregnthening my core muscles. (abs) after a few hideously painful months, i can honestly tell you that my back is not nearly as troublesome as it used to be. it is not perfect, but it is MUCH better. just thought i would share what worked for me.

good luck to you - i hope you have unlocked the source of your problems and you will soon be as grateful as i am to have some releif!

Strengthening my core has always been a key idea for me...at least I thougth so. I have done Pilates and tried a Pilates class, and though Pilates seemed to help some, I remain in pain. I talked with the PT about Pilates and Yoga, she said that until we get these muscles to calm down nothing is going to help me. I cannot turn my head very far from left to right and lifting my arms is out of the question. So, I am looking forward to getting to the point of starting Pilates and/or Yoga and having it do me some good.

Julie, walking is all I can do. Acutally, I should be swimming, for my back/knees but that hurts my neck because of my fine form in the water :D:D Walking, after a while, does make my shoulder/neck feel fatigue, but internally I feel so much better now that I am walking 2 miles a day that I don't want to stop.

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Originally posted by meg

hi marybeth,

i also have scoliosis - although it is a mild case. some cases are so bad that they leave the person 'crooked' - that is not the case with me.

until about a year ago, i suffered with terrible back pain. it interrupted my sleep, made exercise a nightmare and made me an all around grouch alot of the time. on a whim, i decided to join a friend and see a personal trainer. he worked me very hard - mostly stregnthening my core muscles. (abs) after a few hideously painful months, i can honestly tell you that my back is not nearly as troublesome as it used to be. it is not perfect, but it is MUCH better. just thought i would share what worked for me.

good luck to you - i hope you have unlocked the source of your problems and you will soon be as grateful as i am to have some releif!

Strengthening my core has always been a key idea for me...at least I thougth so. I have done Pilates and tried a Pilates class, and though Pilates seemed to help some, I remain in pain. I talked with the PT about Pilates and Yoga, she said that until we get these muscles to calm down nothing is going to help me. I cannot turn my head very far from left to right and lifting my arms is out of the question. So, I am looking forward to getting to the point of starting Pilates and/or Yoga and having it do me some good.

Julie, walking is all I can do. Acutally, I should be swimming, for my back/knees but that hurts my neck because of my fine form in the water :D:D Walking, after a while, does make my shoulder/neck feel fatigue, but internally I feel so much better now that I am walking 2 miles a day that I don't want to stop.

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Me too!! I don't have the relief yet, but am very hopeful. I think because of the treatments I am feeling blah all over....I hurt everywhere and just want to curl up in bed and stay there. But, we have discussed that I will be going "through the fire" so to speak before I feel better.

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Me too!! I don't have the relief yet, but am very hopeful. I think because of the treatments I am feeling blah all over....I hurt everywhere and just want to curl up in bed and stay there. But, we have discussed that I will be going "through the fire" so to speak before I feel better.

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Originally posted by Mary Beth

......... she said until we get these muscles to calm down nothing is going to help me.

So true! So true!

Have you ever heard of myotherapy? Click on these links. It's all about pressure points on muscles and causing them to spasm (which then causes them to relax); mostly working on the back muscles (all muscles in our body are in some way tied to the back). The only reason I know about this is because I almost went to a myotherapy school when I was in my early 20's...

Ask your PT about myotherapy. Perhaps this method will help calm your muscles. Then you can work on your pain.

http://www.mamashealth.com/massage/myotherapy.asp

http://www.bonnieprudden.com/

((sending more hugs and good thoughts))

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Originally posted by Mary Beth

......... she said until we get these muscles to calm down nothing is going to help me.

So true! So true!

Have you ever heard of myotherapy? Click on these links. It's all about pressure points on muscles and causing them to spasm (which then causes them to relax); mostly working on the back muscles (all muscles in our body are in some way tied to the back). The only reason I know about this is because I almost went to a myotherapy school when I was in my early 20's...

Ask your PT about myotherapy. Perhaps this method will help calm your muscles. Then you can work on your pain.

http://www.mamashealth.com/massage/myotherapy.asp

http://www.bonnieprudden.com/

((sending more hugs and good thoughts))

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back pain sucks big time it is amazing how much of the quilting community has "been there, is still there, given up hope there, are pain pill dependant etc." A physical therapist helped me the most did myotherapy or something like it, hurt whole bunches but broke down all the scarring and adhesions and most haven't returned. the thing beyond her care that has helped me tthe most Fish oil(four grams a day) and large doses of vitamin D not megadoses like some but have been and still am taking about 4000 iu a day for about 7 years. lots of things have improved. my "cents" I don't know how many anyway. PT is hard work and I love the idea of a personal trainer thinking seriously about that. never dawned on me to share the expense with somebody(duh!!!) very good idea.

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back pain sucks big time it is amazing how much of the quilting community has "been there, is still there, given up hope there, are pain pill dependant etc." A physical therapist helped me the most did myotherapy or something like it, hurt whole bunches but broke down all the scarring and adhesions and most haven't returned. the thing beyond her care that has helped me tthe most Fish oil(four grams a day) and large doses of vitamin D not megadoses like some but have been and still am taking about 4000 iu a day for about 7 years. lots of things have improved. my "cents" I don't know how many anyway. PT is hard work and I love the idea of a personal trainer thinking seriously about that. never dawned on me to share the expense with somebody(duh!!!) very good idea.

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Guest Linda S

Oh Mary Beth. I'm so sorry. I speak pain fluently, unfortunately. I had scoliosis along with the three ruptured disks I had in my lower back. The surgeon managed to almost straighten me out, so I don't have a lot of curvature left there, but what I do have manages to make me 'twist' when my muscles get tired and sore. I'm so glad the therapist recognized the problem and has some things to help you out. Have you ever used at TENS unit? I have one for when things get really bad. It's just some sticky pads with electric current (very small doses) that massage the muscles. It helps a lot.

Now that I'm nearly recovered from my back surgery, I need to have my left shoulder worked on next month. Too many bone spurs in there and I can't raise my left arm. Getting dressed is a real challenge. Quilting is mostly one-handed these days!

Best wishes.

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Guest Linda S

Oh Mary Beth. I'm so sorry. I speak pain fluently, unfortunately. I had scoliosis along with the three ruptured disks I had in my lower back. The surgeon managed to almost straighten me out, so I don't have a lot of curvature left there, but what I do have manages to make me 'twist' when my muscles get tired and sore. I'm so glad the therapist recognized the problem and has some things to help you out. Have you ever used at TENS unit? I have one for when things get really bad. It's just some sticky pads with electric current (very small doses) that massage the muscles. It helps a lot.

Now that I'm nearly recovered from my back surgery, I need to have my left shoulder worked on next month. Too many bone spurs in there and I can't raise my left arm. Getting dressed is a real challenge. Quilting is mostly one-handed these days!

Best wishes.

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At least you have found someone who maybe can help you and you know what the problem is. The Not Knowing can be the worst and cause stress that in turn aggravates the original problem. Good thoughts go with you for a good recovery - even though it may be a long haul. Hang in there ! Is quilting out of the question???

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At least you have found someone who maybe can help you and you know what the problem is. The Not Knowing can be the worst and cause stress that in turn aggravates the original problem. Good thoughts go with you for a good recovery - even though it may be a long haul. Hang in there ! Is quilting out of the question???

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Linda, a tens unit is on my list. I used one for my lower back before I had surgery there...I will be buying one, since my insurance doesn't pay for them. I have researched them online and have a list for my therapest to look at. She is going to tell me (under the table) which one is the best.

Shana, yes, that is the technique she is using. I have extremely tender places all over my sternum which I found out yesterday is a sign of back problems. I thought it was just tender spots :) But they are so tender I can barely stand to touch them. I am suppose to massage them and try to alleviate the pain. Ha! She has started with muscles in my neck. She touches one, I jump off the table, she just holds her finger there, I working on trying to breathe. I have to make myself relax. Finally, the tension starts to drain. It is pretty remarkable. I have to scoot to the end of the table so that my head hangs off the end. She hold her finger on the "hot spot" then starts turning my head until I tell her there is no pain. She holds her finder there until the tension is gone. Wierd! But it works.

This process is going to take several weeks. I cannot begin to tell you what a mess my neck/shoulders/back/and sternum are. By the way, no traction for me. I had traction when they first discovered I had scholiosis. It was fine then, (back when I was about 13). They tried traction last summer, on a Friday, I was in a twist all weekend. I could stand to move all weekend. No more traction for me, at least for now.

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Linda, a tens unit is on my list. I used one for my lower back before I had surgery there...I will be buying one, since my insurance doesn't pay for them. I have researched them online and have a list for my therapest to look at. She is going to tell me (under the table) which one is the best.

Shana, yes, that is the technique she is using. I have extremely tender places all over my sternum which I found out yesterday is a sign of back problems. I thought it was just tender spots :) But they are so tender I can barely stand to touch them. I am suppose to massage them and try to alleviate the pain. Ha! She has started with muscles in my neck. She touches one, I jump off the table, she just holds her finger there, I working on trying to breathe. I have to make myself relax. Finally, the tension starts to drain. It is pretty remarkable. I have to scoot to the end of the table so that my head hangs off the end. She hold her finger on the "hot spot" then starts turning my head until I tell her there is no pain. She holds her finder there until the tension is gone. Wierd! But it works.

This process is going to take several weeks. I cannot begin to tell you what a mess my neck/shoulders/back/and sternum are. By the way, no traction for me. I had traction when they first discovered I had scholiosis. It was fine then, (back when I was about 13). They tried traction last summer, on a Friday, I was in a twist all weekend. I could stand to move all weekend. No more traction for me, at least for now.

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