I haven't updated in awhile, mostly because I've been rather busy. I've also been relatively pain-free for most of the time.
The worst came last Wednesday, when we learned a move in t'ai chi called "Finding a snake in the grass." It is a variation of the crouch step, only...lower. Pretty much as low as you can get. You stick one leg straight out, bend the other one down, and then slowly shift your weight to your other leg, then stand up. Whether or not you get the idea from this description, the point is, my thigh muscles were screaming at me. It was a good workout, but...wow. They hurt for two days.
My main problem has been whatever decided to settle in my lungs. I've been coughing, with vigor, for a good two weeks now. I have an appointment today to address that, along with another issue, which may or may not be mentioned here.
I'm down to one or two sra sessions left. I'm also down to the last two weeks of college. Lots of change ahead for me.
Today was a very exhausting day, as well. When I walked in, the first thing I saw were sparring gloves and mitts. We spent the first 15 minutes punching each other's hands. It was pretty fun, I'll admit. Still exhausting. After that, we proceeded to work on certain steps in the form. One of them being the aformentioned thigh-killer. We did this...too many times. I didn't kill my legs as bad this time, though, since I didn't go all the way down. Don't get me wrong, though, my legs still hurt.
At least the worst thing that I have to do today is walk around. I've worked out enough today already.
2008-12-01
2008-11-12
More In-depth Description-Dr. Frank Jarrell
This is a comment that I received a few days ago from the Director of SRA-Dr. Frank Jarrell. While it is a bit technical, it is an extremely good description of SRA, and I feel that it needs to be posted on the main site.
Hello Amy,
My name is Dr. Frank Jarrell. A colleague of mine in Atlanta, GA forwarded your blog reference to SRA and indicated that you were new to SRA and that I may want to assist in explaining the process to you.
First, I want to compliment you on a tremendous looking website/blog. It is very professional in design.
SRA Attachment Point Therapy (APT) is one of several procedures available to various professions to reduce the Axial Spinal Reflex (a cord mediated withdraw reflex) and its' adverse effects on nerve, muscle and joint.
When your therapist is applying mild pressure to the tendon attachment points in a given reflex pattern, he or she is stimulating receptors in the muscle, tendons and deeper tissues in a controlled fashion to produce a specific physiological response in the muscles, joints, and nerves.
One receptor stimulated in this procedure, that for low grade pain, conveys information through the spinal cord and on to the pain analgesic centers of the brain.
More specifically, the paraaquaduct grey portion of the Thalamus, a part of the brain stem. This area will release neurotransmitters and analgesics that are transported back to the spinal cord and cause the "fading pain" effect of this technique. As the point is held longer the chemical build-up will cause a drop in tone or tightness in multiple muscles associated with the reflex ("lengthening response").
Although it is a procedure that triggers nerve stimulation and nerve induced nerotransmitter release, the actual pressure is not on the nerves per say, it is on the muscle and tendon end points.
The level of pain should be well below the "splinting" or tension reaction stage and should be relatively comfortable. Pain that causes splinting (as in deep tissue work or injury) releases a different set of neurochemicals that trigger adrenaline and other fight or flight responses.
All points worked are specific to the assessment she performed in the beginning of the session. Not following the charts would be completely ineffective.
The web site is devoted mostly to professional continuing education and therefore does not have a great amount of information available to the general public. We will provide more access in the near future as people indicate the need.
Mild soreness after the first or second session is not uncommon and is noted more in those with lower than average core body temperatures. Please inform your therapist if this persists. She will need to apply a lighter pressure during your sessions.
I hope this information helps in your understanding of this exciting and new approach to pain and dysfunction.
Please feel free to discuss this more with your therapist or contact us at info@spinalreflex.com.
My staff and myself will assist you as best we can.
Sincerely,
Dr. Frank Jarrell
Director of Spinal Reflex Institute, Intl.
Hello Amy,
My name is Dr. Frank Jarrell. A colleague of mine in Atlanta, GA forwarded your blog reference to SRA and indicated that you were new to SRA and that I may want to assist in explaining the process to you.
First, I want to compliment you on a tremendous looking website/blog. It is very professional in design.
SRA Attachment Point Therapy (APT) is one of several procedures available to various professions to reduce the Axial Spinal Reflex (a cord mediated withdraw reflex) and its' adverse effects on nerve, muscle and joint.
When your therapist is applying mild pressure to the tendon attachment points in a given reflex pattern, he or she is stimulating receptors in the muscle, tendons and deeper tissues in a controlled fashion to produce a specific physiological response in the muscles, joints, and nerves.
One receptor stimulated in this procedure, that for low grade pain, conveys information through the spinal cord and on to the pain analgesic centers of the brain.
More specifically, the paraaquaduct grey portion of the Thalamus, a part of the brain stem. This area will release neurotransmitters and analgesics that are transported back to the spinal cord and cause the "fading pain" effect of this technique. As the point is held longer the chemical build-up will cause a drop in tone or tightness in multiple muscles associated with the reflex ("lengthening response").
Although it is a procedure that triggers nerve stimulation and nerve induced nerotransmitter release, the actual pressure is not on the nerves per say, it is on the muscle and tendon end points.
The level of pain should be well below the "splinting" or tension reaction stage and should be relatively comfortable. Pain that causes splinting (as in deep tissue work or injury) releases a different set of neurochemicals that trigger adrenaline and other fight or flight responses.
All points worked are specific to the assessment she performed in the beginning of the session. Not following the charts would be completely ineffective.
The web site is devoted mostly to professional continuing education and therefore does not have a great amount of information available to the general public. We will provide more access in the near future as people indicate the need.
Mild soreness after the first or second session is not uncommon and is noted more in those with lower than average core body temperatures. Please inform your therapist if this persists. She will need to apply a lighter pressure during your sessions.
I hope this information helps in your understanding of this exciting and new approach to pain and dysfunction.
Please feel free to discuss this more with your therapist or contact us at info@spinalreflex.com.
My staff and myself will assist you as best we can.
Sincerely,
Dr. Frank Jarrell
Director of Spinal Reflex Institute, Intl.
The Return
I've been doing so well lately with pain. Tonight changed that.
I have a massive cramp in my lower right side of my back, which kind is creeping up the rest of my back. It's almost to spasm level. I have no idea what is causing it. Hopefully, it is just an isolated incident. The next few days will answer that question.
I have antibiotics for my budding sinus infection, and I bought a multivitamin. This is now what I'm taking daily:
Multivitamin
Iron Supplement
Zithromax (allergy meds)
Tri-Sprintec
Plus Z-pack (antibiotics)
As needed:
Hydrocodone
Cyclobenazpiene
Albuterol (inhaler for asthma)
Goodness.
Anyway, I took my hydrocodone, which is sort of working. I hope it does. This is the last thing that I need right now.
I have a massive cramp in my lower right side of my back, which kind is creeping up the rest of my back. It's almost to spasm level. I have no idea what is causing it. Hopefully, it is just an isolated incident. The next few days will answer that question.
I have antibiotics for my budding sinus infection, and I bought a multivitamin. This is now what I'm taking daily:
Multivitamin
Iron Supplement
Zithromax (allergy meds)
Tri-Sprintec
Plus Z-pack (antibiotics)
As needed:
Hydrocodone
Cyclobenazpiene
Albuterol (inhaler for asthma)
Goodness.
Anyway, I took my hydrocodone, which is sort of working. I hope it does. This is the last thing that I need right now.
Yesterday, I had some pain, but not enough to really bother me. It was mostly evident when I moved in the wrong way; I felt little twinges of pain.
I'm getting sick again. I've been coughing (with substance) since last night, and I'm getting congested as well. It's probably going to lead to another sinus infection. Joy. I'm sure that all of this isn't helping my back, either.
I feel okay pain-wise so far today, but whatever bug I caught this time is running me down. I didn't go to t'ai chi, mostly because I don't think I could make it through an hour of working out feeling the way that I do.
Something I wanted to mention: there was a comment left on my blog explaining SRA in a lot more detail. I will post this in the main posts soon, but I want to do a little research, first. I hope to have that up in the next couple days or so.
I'm getting sick again. I've been coughing (with substance) since last night, and I'm getting congested as well. It's probably going to lead to another sinus infection. Joy. I'm sure that all of this isn't helping my back, either.
I feel okay pain-wise so far today, but whatever bug I caught this time is running me down. I didn't go to t'ai chi, mostly because I don't think I could make it through an hour of working out feeling the way that I do.
Something I wanted to mention: there was a comment left on my blog explaining SRA in a lot more detail. I will post this in the main posts soon, but I want to do a little research, first. I hope to have that up in the next couple days or so.
2008-11-10
The Third Day
Third day of my SRA thing today.
I went in feeling pretty stiff and sore. T'ai chi, and the walk to and from, really wore me out. That, combined with changing weather and stress, are a triple threat that takes a lot of willpower to deal with.
I had given the therapist the link to this site, and she checked it in the meantime. Not only did my x-ray help her out immensely, she was both impressed and excited that I've been documenting my story. Hearing that makes me very happy. If this treatment works, she believes that my story will help other people dealing with the same issues as I am. I am more than happy to contribute to furthering knowledge on this new type of treatment and the uses it has.
The pain didn't really come back until about half an hour after I left. Even then, it was fatigue pain for the most part, until about an hour ago. That, though, has a separate cause, since my back hurts when I get stressed, and I was under a great deal of that tonight. Hopefully, a good night's sleep will help that, as will turning in the project that caused the night's stress levels to peak.
Hopefully, I won't hurt much tomorrow. Publication design critique will be pretty much painful even without back pain.
I went in feeling pretty stiff and sore. T'ai chi, and the walk to and from, really wore me out. That, combined with changing weather and stress, are a triple threat that takes a lot of willpower to deal with.
I had given the therapist the link to this site, and she checked it in the meantime. Not only did my x-ray help her out immensely, she was both impressed and excited that I've been documenting my story. Hearing that makes me very happy. If this treatment works, she believes that my story will help other people dealing with the same issues as I am. I am more than happy to contribute to furthering knowledge on this new type of treatment and the uses it has.
The pain didn't really come back until about half an hour after I left. Even then, it was fatigue pain for the most part, until about an hour ago. That, though, has a separate cause, since my back hurts when I get stressed, and I was under a great deal of that tonight. Hopefully, a good night's sleep will help that, as will turning in the project that caused the night's stress levels to peak.
Hopefully, I won't hurt much tomorrow. Publication design critique will be pretty much painful even without back pain.
Different Types of Pain
I feel that it's time to clarify the 3 types of pain that I experience. This will help me be more specific in my descriptions, as well as better document what I'm dealing with.
Fatigue Pain - This type of pain is the soreness after a physical activity, such as running or, say, t'ai chi. This type of pain occurs when your muscles are tired. This type of pain isn't entirely unpleasant, because it's usually accompanied by a relaxation of said muscles.
Nerve Pain - If you've never had this, I envy you. This type of pain is sharp, stabbing, and persistent. This is the type of pain that I had when I had my herniated disk.
Cramp Pain - Everyone's had it at some point in their life. It can be a dull ache to full blown waves of pain. This, by far, is the most common pain I experience. This is the pain that debilitates you. It also persists no matter what you do. This muscle cramping is what leads to the spasms that I've had so many times in the past. This is what I will keep stressing: This is the pain that rules my life. This is the pain that debilitates me. This is the pain I live with every day.
Fatigue Pain - This type of pain is the soreness after a physical activity, such as running or, say, t'ai chi. This type of pain occurs when your muscles are tired. This type of pain isn't entirely unpleasant, because it's usually accompanied by a relaxation of said muscles.
Nerve Pain - If you've never had this, I envy you. This type of pain is sharp, stabbing, and persistent. This is the type of pain that I had when I had my herniated disk.
Cramp Pain - Everyone's had it at some point in their life. It can be a dull ache to full blown waves of pain. This, by far, is the most common pain I experience. This is the pain that debilitates you. It also persists no matter what you do. This muscle cramping is what leads to the spasms that I've had so many times in the past. This is what I will keep stressing: This is the pain that rules my life. This is the pain that debilitates me. This is the pain I live with every day.
2008-11-08
Giving in
Most of the day yesterday and today, I've been really sore.
I think it's partially due to the fact that the weather changed so drastically. This has affected me before in a negative way, so it's a very good possibility.
I finally gave in and took some hydrocodone. I was so stiff and sore that I could hardly move. The high has hit me, so I may take it easy for awhile. If the pain goes away, I might try some t'ai chi to relax me a little. Or do some stretching, if I feel up to it.
I don't feel so bad that I broke my two week streak of no painkillers. I needed them, and that's what they're for. I have proved that I have the willpower to not take them all the time, so that's what matters, right?
I was going to go out tonight, but I'm too tired and sore to make it until 2. Another moment in the countless times that I've been restricted by my pain. Let's hope that these times continue to become less frequent.
I work tomorrow. Hopefully, I will do okay.
I think it's partially due to the fact that the weather changed so drastically. This has affected me before in a negative way, so it's a very good possibility.
I finally gave in and took some hydrocodone. I was so stiff and sore that I could hardly move. The high has hit me, so I may take it easy for awhile. If the pain goes away, I might try some t'ai chi to relax me a little. Or do some stretching, if I feel up to it.
I don't feel so bad that I broke my two week streak of no painkillers. I needed them, and that's what they're for. I have proved that I have the willpower to not take them all the time, so that's what matters, right?
I was going to go out tonight, but I'm too tired and sore to make it until 2. Another moment in the countless times that I've been restricted by my pain. Let's hope that these times continue to become less frequent.
I work tomorrow. Hopefully, I will do okay.
2008-11-07
I've been pretty sore for the last couple of days. It almost overwhelmed me at work today, but I managed to make it through. I work tomorrow, too, but only for 3 hours or so, and then nothing after that. I'm looking forward to sleeping in a little and also resting my body most of the day. (My mind, however, will have to be put to good use)
Hopefully soreness does not interfere with my plans tonight.
Hopefully soreness does not interfere with my plans tonight.
2008-11-05
I'm happy to report that there was none of the surface skin pain that I had the first time that I had the SRA treatment. I didn't really hurt much at all yesterday, but I did spend a good deal of my time sitting down. Today will be more of a test.
I decided to park in a lot south of campus and walk to all of my classes today, as opposed to driving to my first class and then parking. This is signifigant, because not only do I have to carry my work-out clothes with me all day, it is a long way to walk. Since I'm such a visual person, I took a map of campus and drew out everywhere I have to walk today:
Sorry about the crappyness, I didn't put much effort into it)
T'ai chi was a lot easier today, mainly because we didn't do those kicks that we did on Monday. We went over the forms we've learned so far, added one more, then he taught us meditation techniques. That was pretty cool, actually. I knew how to do what he was teaching, but I still enjoyed it.
Currently, I'm exhausted, but I'm not in a significant amount of pain. The pain that I have is the "after exercise" type, not the muscle cramp type. This is good.
I have a class, my internship, and then I work at Piazza at 5. The test of how the treatment is working will come then. Let's hope that I can continue the streak of not taking painkillers.
I decided to park in a lot south of campus and walk to all of my classes today, as opposed to driving to my first class and then parking. This is signifigant, because not only do I have to carry my work-out clothes with me all day, it is a long way to walk. Since I'm such a visual person, I took a map of campus and drew out everywhere I have to walk today:
Sorry about the crappyness, I didn't put much effort into it)
T'ai chi was a lot easier today, mainly because we didn't do those kicks that we did on Monday. We went over the forms we've learned so far, added one more, then he taught us meditation techniques. That was pretty cool, actually. I knew how to do what he was teaching, but I still enjoyed it.
Currently, I'm exhausted, but I'm not in a significant amount of pain. The pain that I have is the "after exercise" type, not the muscle cramp type. This is good.
I have a class, my internship, and then I work at Piazza at 5. The test of how the treatment is working will come then. Let's hope that I can continue the streak of not taking painkillers.
2008-11-03
Second Day
I just recently got back from my SRA session.
The second one went about the same as the first one. I felt more relaxed after the treatment, certainly. It's too early to say whether or not I'll have the same pains as last time.
Right now, I'm sore, but I think that's more a factor of t'ai chi plus the appointment today. It's not the muscle cramp pain that I generally have. It's actually more like the pain you'd feel after a workout. Certainly not bad enough to cause too many problems.
I'm going to try to update this more. Especially if there are changes. I should probably try to document what hurts when and where and at what level of pain on a daily basis. In an ideal world, I suppose, but we'll see how that works out with the mountain of stuff I already do.
Update for sure, later.
The second one went about the same as the first one. I felt more relaxed after the treatment, certainly. It's too early to say whether or not I'll have the same pains as last time.
Right now, I'm sore, but I think that's more a factor of t'ai chi plus the appointment today. It's not the muscle cramp pain that I generally have. It's actually more like the pain you'd feel after a workout. Certainly not bad enough to cause too many problems.
I'm going to try to update this more. Especially if there are changes. I should probably try to document what hurts when and where and at what level of pain on a daily basis. In an ideal world, I suppose, but we'll see how that works out with the mountain of stuff I already do.
Update for sure, later.
Spinal Reflex Analysis (SRA)
Spinal reflex analysis, or SRA, is the technique that the therapist is performing. This is the description from spinalreflexanalysis.com:
"Where all other therapies currently focus on simple reflex reactions, Spinal Reflex Analysis (SRA) focuses on the ASR, the root cause of these reactions. SRA is a fast and extremely accurate system of identifying the involved axial spinal reflex and 'turning them off' through specific SRA based treatment programs."
Basically, she's working directly with the nerves to "turn them off". What this means is, my muscles won't hurt nearly as much. I also think that it will prevent them from getting to the pain stage so easily.
I have only had one treatment, which was last Friday. I didn't say too much about it then, mainly because I wanted to have the information in once place. I did find the one site dedicated to SRA, but i didn't find a whole lot of information besides that. This is a new treatment, so I'm really not that surprised. I will post the link in the sidebar and try to describe it as best I can.
She places her finger on a specific nerve, in a specific pattern. To begin with, the pain level is about a 4 or so...just under flinching away stage. She keeps her finger on that place, and asks me to move my eyes in a certain pattern. The way she explained it to me, moving the eyes stimulates the nerves in your brain, and the pain gradually fades to nothing. She continues this through a certain pattern for about an hour. I looked for a graphic of this on the internet, but I didn't find one in the couple minutes that I looked. I will try to get the copy of the one she gave me on here eventually.
When I went in last week, I was really sore and really tense. When I left, I was pretty relaxed. That night, and the next day, my muscles felt okay, but my skin was really tender. I think it might have something to do with the release of lactic acid and other chemicals from my achy muscles. My eyes also hurt a little, I'm assuming since I moved them around so much. We will see if this happens again, and if that reaction is normal.
I have not taken my painkillers for a couple weeks now. Not that I haven't been in enough pain to take them: I have. But I think that my t'ai chi, combined with the SRA is helping me to remain relaxed enough to keep the pain at a bearable level. I hope this will improve over time.
My second SRA appointment is today. I'll post sometime after that.
"Where all other therapies currently focus on simple reflex reactions, Spinal Reflex Analysis (SRA) focuses on the ASR, the root cause of these reactions. SRA is a fast and extremely accurate system of identifying the involved axial spinal reflex and 'turning them off' through specific SRA based treatment programs."
Basically, she's working directly with the nerves to "turn them off". What this means is, my muscles won't hurt nearly as much. I also think that it will prevent them from getting to the pain stage so easily.
I have only had one treatment, which was last Friday. I didn't say too much about it then, mainly because I wanted to have the information in once place. I did find the one site dedicated to SRA, but i didn't find a whole lot of information besides that. This is a new treatment, so I'm really not that surprised. I will post the link in the sidebar and try to describe it as best I can.
She places her finger on a specific nerve, in a specific pattern. To begin with, the pain level is about a 4 or so...just under flinching away stage. She keeps her finger on that place, and asks me to move my eyes in a certain pattern. The way she explained it to me, moving the eyes stimulates the nerves in your brain, and the pain gradually fades to nothing. She continues this through a certain pattern for about an hour. I looked for a graphic of this on the internet, but I didn't find one in the couple minutes that I looked. I will try to get the copy of the one she gave me on here eventually.
When I went in last week, I was really sore and really tense. When I left, I was pretty relaxed. That night, and the next day, my muscles felt okay, but my skin was really tender. I think it might have something to do with the release of lactic acid and other chemicals from my achy muscles. My eyes also hurt a little, I'm assuming since I moved them around so much. We will see if this happens again, and if that reaction is normal.
I have not taken my painkillers for a couple weeks now. Not that I haven't been in enough pain to take them: I have. But I think that my t'ai chi, combined with the SRA is helping me to remain relaxed enough to keep the pain at a bearable level. I hope this will improve over time.
My second SRA appointment is today. I'll post sometime after that.
2008-10-24
Memory Problems, Too?
I was going to post an entry with links and all kinds of information about my therapy that I had today. I was sort of constructing the phrases in my mind while I was on my drive back to campus, complete with any diagrams I found and information available. One problem, though:
I forgot what my therapy is called, and I left the sheet in the car.
So, pretty pictures later. I'll wait to explain it until I have some diagrams or...something.
I forgot what my therapy is called, and I left the sheet in the car.
So, pretty pictures later. I'll wait to explain it until I have some diagrams or...something.
I forgot to post about this earlier.
Wednesday, I made the decision that I would try my hardest not to take hydrocodone. This was going to be a tall order, since I was scheduled to work twice at one job and once at another, plus 2 classes. But hey, if i can make it through a day like that, then I can make it through pretty much any day.
I only worked an hour in the morning, so while I was sore, I didn't stand up long enough to really let it get bad. It was the walk to T'ai Chi that felt really...interesting. Mind you, it was raining pretty hard, so not only was I sore, but cold and wet as well. Once I got there and changed, though, it was a lot better.
My poor leg muscles got their first real workout in a very long time. However, the results were not what you might think. Yes, I was very tired, but afterwards, I felt more relaxed than I have in a long time. And I had no pain for a few hours. It was amazing.
I didn't begin hurting again until my second shift at Piazza. I knew this one would hurt. I didn't start hurting until about an hour in, and it hit me pretty hard. I remedied this situation by reflecting back to how I was standing during t'ai chi, and it really helped. And I managed to meet my goal; I did not take painkillers that day.
In fact, I haven't taken any since Monday.
I will most likely need them Sunday, but I want to see how I do. Wish me luck, this is a very difficult thing to do.
Wednesday, I made the decision that I would try my hardest not to take hydrocodone. This was going to be a tall order, since I was scheduled to work twice at one job and once at another, plus 2 classes. But hey, if i can make it through a day like that, then I can make it through pretty much any day.
I only worked an hour in the morning, so while I was sore, I didn't stand up long enough to really let it get bad. It was the walk to T'ai Chi that felt really...interesting. Mind you, it was raining pretty hard, so not only was I sore, but cold and wet as well. Once I got there and changed, though, it was a lot better.
My poor leg muscles got their first real workout in a very long time. However, the results were not what you might think. Yes, I was very tired, but afterwards, I felt more relaxed than I have in a long time. And I had no pain for a few hours. It was amazing.
I didn't begin hurting again until my second shift at Piazza. I knew this one would hurt. I didn't start hurting until about an hour in, and it hit me pretty hard. I remedied this situation by reflecting back to how I was standing during t'ai chi, and it really helped. And I managed to meet my goal; I did not take painkillers that day.
In fact, I haven't taken any since Monday.
I will most likely need them Sunday, but I want to see how I do. Wish me luck, this is a very difficult thing to do.
2008-10-20
A New Step
Yay for being at work and doing something else.
First of all, an update on my various illnesses. I think the tonsillitis has been beaten, but I managed to get a sinus infection because of my allergies shortly after that went away. So, I'm on my 4th round of antibiotics, along with various allergy meds and some nasal spray. I'm also taking iron suppliments for the anemia. While I'm still very tired, I do feel a lot better than I did last week.
I started my t'ai chi class today. This martial art, I think, will be very beneficial to me, because it teaches balance and stregthens your core body. I only did the steps for about 20 minutes today, but I'm already exhausted from it. I think it will really help, and I'm looking forward to actually getting into it.
I continue to have back, knee, and foot problems, though they've seemed to reach a plataeu on how bad they've gotten. I'm happy to say that my feet haven't caused me immense amounts of pain lately, but I can feel the cramps sometimes. I do not have arthritis, which I figured, so it's most likely related to my back.
The main reason for this post is to mention a new treatment option for me. The physician that I've been going to for a couple weeks now refered me to a massage therapist that works with nerves. Basically, from my understanding, this technique will "turn off" the nerves that cause me so much pain. It sounds valid enough to try, and I am willing to try new things to get this pain under control.
I must admit that, lately, it's been weighing on me pretty heavily. I've always tried to be as optimistic as possible, but I do have my times where it gets to me. An example of this is on Saturday night, I was out with my friends, just hanging out at a local bar, and I had to take the hydrocodone for my back (I was DD already for several reasons, so I hadn't been drinking. Just letting you know). One thing about the hydrocodone that I've noticed is that whatever emotion I am feeling is intensified. Meaning, if I'm happy, I'm really happy, and if I'm irritated, I'm really irritated. This can get hard to control. I prefer not to have my emotions and actions be influenced by external forces, such as, say, painkillers, so even the little bit that I took it out on my friends made me unhappy. It is another reason to try to get off of my painkillers as soon as I can. There are just so many good reasons to not be on them. But I digress.
Massage appointment is on Friday. We will see how it goes.
First of all, an update on my various illnesses. I think the tonsillitis has been beaten, but I managed to get a sinus infection because of my allergies shortly after that went away. So, I'm on my 4th round of antibiotics, along with various allergy meds and some nasal spray. I'm also taking iron suppliments for the anemia. While I'm still very tired, I do feel a lot better than I did last week.
I started my t'ai chi class today. This martial art, I think, will be very beneficial to me, because it teaches balance and stregthens your core body. I only did the steps for about 20 minutes today, but I'm already exhausted from it. I think it will really help, and I'm looking forward to actually getting into it.
I continue to have back, knee, and foot problems, though they've seemed to reach a plataeu on how bad they've gotten. I'm happy to say that my feet haven't caused me immense amounts of pain lately, but I can feel the cramps sometimes. I do not have arthritis, which I figured, so it's most likely related to my back.
The main reason for this post is to mention a new treatment option for me. The physician that I've been going to for a couple weeks now refered me to a massage therapist that works with nerves. Basically, from my understanding, this technique will "turn off" the nerves that cause me so much pain. It sounds valid enough to try, and I am willing to try new things to get this pain under control.
I must admit that, lately, it's been weighing on me pretty heavily. I've always tried to be as optimistic as possible, but I do have my times where it gets to me. An example of this is on Saturday night, I was out with my friends, just hanging out at a local bar, and I had to take the hydrocodone for my back (I was DD already for several reasons, so I hadn't been drinking. Just letting you know). One thing about the hydrocodone that I've noticed is that whatever emotion I am feeling is intensified. Meaning, if I'm happy, I'm really happy, and if I'm irritated, I'm really irritated. This can get hard to control. I prefer not to have my emotions and actions be influenced by external forces, such as, say, painkillers, so even the little bit that I took it out on my friends made me unhappy. It is another reason to try to get off of my painkillers as soon as I can. There are just so many good reasons to not be on them. But I digress.
Massage appointment is on Friday. We will see how it goes.
2008-09-29
Pile it on
So, my problems, lately, have been increasing. Not all back related.
First off, I've had tonsillitis for a month now. I've manage to suppress it rather efficiently with antibiotics, but it just keeps coming back. I'm about to start my third round of them tonight. We did do tests, so we know it's not strep or mono. Thank goodness for that.
I've also been having problems with my feet in the last week. My arches have been swollen and at times I can barely walk. I woke up with this problem on Thursday and it just hasn't gone away. It may or not be related to my back. I'm talking to my surgeon on Wednesday anyway, so I'll mention it to him. The health clinic is going to do tests for arthritis >.<
I also found out that I'm mildly anemic. Which just adds to the fun.
I found an internship where I sit, and went back to Piazza, where I stand. I'm going to be a pile of mush by the end of this semester. Or passed out on the street. Probably the second one.
First off, I've had tonsillitis for a month now. I've manage to suppress it rather efficiently with antibiotics, but it just keeps coming back. I'm about to start my third round of them tonight. We did do tests, so we know it's not strep or mono. Thank goodness for that.
I've also been having problems with my feet in the last week. My arches have been swollen and at times I can barely walk. I woke up with this problem on Thursday and it just hasn't gone away. It may or not be related to my back. I'm talking to my surgeon on Wednesday anyway, so I'll mention it to him. The health clinic is going to do tests for arthritis >.<
I also found out that I'm mildly anemic. Which just adds to the fun.
I found an internship where I sit, and went back to Piazza, where I stand. I'm going to be a pile of mush by the end of this semester. Or passed out on the street. Probably the second one.
2008-08-08
Solution, please.
A few things to say.
First of all, I managed to land myself a job at a local mexican place. It's a fast food job, meaning lots of standing and lots of moving. We all know what that means for my back.
So, knowing this, I took my hydrocodone in advance today. That got me through my shift, no problem. The problem happened tonight, when I decided not to take a second dose for when I went out to karaoke.
I was fine for the first couple hours. The pain came on slowly, almost so I began to ignore it. However, it has grown into a beast which I can hardly deal with. I barely kept my composure at the bar, and certainly lost it when I got to my car. The drive home was torturous, as well. Even sitting here is pretty bad.
I guess tonight is an example of exactly how bad this gets. Especially when I choose to bear the pain. I've said before how much I want a solution, and this just cements that so much more.
So now, once again, I wait. For relief, and maybe some pain-free sleep.
First of all, I managed to land myself a job at a local mexican place. It's a fast food job, meaning lots of standing and lots of moving. We all know what that means for my back.
So, knowing this, I took my hydrocodone in advance today. That got me through my shift, no problem. The problem happened tonight, when I decided not to take a second dose for when I went out to karaoke.
I was fine for the first couple hours. The pain came on slowly, almost so I began to ignore it. However, it has grown into a beast which I can hardly deal with. I barely kept my composure at the bar, and certainly lost it when I got to my car. The drive home was torturous, as well. Even sitting here is pretty bad.
I guess tonight is an example of exactly how bad this gets. Especially when I choose to bear the pain. I've said before how much I want a solution, and this just cements that so much more.
So now, once again, I wait. For relief, and maybe some pain-free sleep.
2008-07-28
Familiar Path
It's painfully obvious that I haven't updated in awhile. I really don't have that much to say.
It's been about a month or so since I finished my traction therapy. I can now tell that it hasn't really done much to help me out. I'm not terribly surprised, since traction is focused on the lumbar vertebra, which, I have stressed many times, is not the location of the majority of my pain. It seems that, once again, the red herring of my herniated disc ruled out the thoracic pain around my curve. They even said that "Sometimes the nerves that the disc pinches can cause pain in the upper back, too."
Do any of these people really listen to what I say?
To their credit, they gave me exercises to work on my mid-back. However, they're difficult to do on what I have at home, and my back hurts a lot worse after I do them. I've tried to keep up on them, I really have, but when I'm already in pain before I start, it makes the prospect of continuing to aggravate it less than appealing.
So, where am I now? Right back where I started. Taking painkillers and living every day in fear of hurting myself. Truly, that expensive and risky surgery is possibly the only solution, and that won't be possible again for at least a few years.
In the last few weeks, I've had to take my painkillers almost every time I've gone out. It only continues to get worse. I guess all I can do now is continue to live as best I can.
And wait.
It's been about a month or so since I finished my traction therapy. I can now tell that it hasn't really done much to help me out. I'm not terribly surprised, since traction is focused on the lumbar vertebra, which, I have stressed many times, is not the location of the majority of my pain. It seems that, once again, the red herring of my herniated disc ruled out the thoracic pain around my curve. They even said that "Sometimes the nerves that the disc pinches can cause pain in the upper back, too."
Do any of these people really listen to what I say?
To their credit, they gave me exercises to work on my mid-back. However, they're difficult to do on what I have at home, and my back hurts a lot worse after I do them. I've tried to keep up on them, I really have, but when I'm already in pain before I start, it makes the prospect of continuing to aggravate it less than appealing.
So, where am I now? Right back where I started. Taking painkillers and living every day in fear of hurting myself. Truly, that expensive and risky surgery is possibly the only solution, and that won't be possible again for at least a few years.
In the last few weeks, I've had to take my painkillers almost every time I've gone out. It only continues to get worse. I guess all I can do now is continue to live as best I can.
And wait.
2008-05-27
Big Traction and Intimidating Equipment
My day started just the way I suspected it would: in pain. I brought it on myself, since I decided to go knee boarding yesterday. I still believe it was completely worth it. Most of the pain has ended up in my arms, which doesn't surprise me in the least.
So, as I proceeded to get up and take some of the usual painkiller, I realized that there was a little pain in my back, but certainly not as bad as the aforementioned arm pain. And not as bad as a usual work day.
So, I had a pretty good idea where this place was that I was going when I left this morning, but apparently, not a good enough of an idea. In true Amy fashion, I managed to get myself lost. The problem was...I went way too far down Ridgeway. Figures. After a phone call to the office and some directions, I managed to find the place. And after I circled the building, I managed to find the entrance. And after I walked down the wrong hallway, I managed to find the right area. I was embarrassingly 15 minutes late for my appointment, but at least I won't get lost again.
They started off my therapy by laying on a heat pad, which felt amazing. The physical therapist came in and started asking me questions, then finally explained what traction really is. I'll get to that later.
They then took me to the traction machine. This is a rather intimidating-looking piece of equipment. They put two harnesses on me, one around my hips, and one that went the whole length of my back. I was then attached to the machine. This is where it all got kind of medieval. Traction works by stretching your back. Which means...the attach the harness to one end of the machine, which pulls with a certain weight. There are padded posts under your arms, which holds your upper body in place. You are then told to relax as the machine pulls for 60 seconds, then releases for about 40 seconds or so. Rinse and repeat.
All of this is well and good, except for the nerve in my lumbar region that got pinched somehow. The pain started about 10 minutes in, and by 15 minutes it was so excruciating that I couldn't take it anymore. They had to take me off of the machine. They think the cause was the lumbar cushion was inflated too much. In my next appointment tomorrow, they're going to lower the pull weight and deflate the cushion a little. I really hope it works.
All of this is for my lower back, which for some reason, they think they need to do this for. My herniated disk has always been a red herring of sorts: a lot of people focus on that and not the more painful scoliosis pain. I brought this up, and as I suspected, they were focusing more on this less painful area of my back.
My session finished with a 15 minute relaxation time on some cold packs and electrodes. It helped a little.
Tomorrow we are also going to start some exercises with a ball for my scoliosis pain, while continuing the traction for my lower spine. They are also going to continue the electrode therapy. We'll see if the traction goes any better tomorrow.
So, as I proceeded to get up and take some of the usual painkiller, I realized that there was a little pain in my back, but certainly not as bad as the aforementioned arm pain. And not as bad as a usual work day.
So, I had a pretty good idea where this place was that I was going when I left this morning, but apparently, not a good enough of an idea. In true Amy fashion, I managed to get myself lost. The problem was...I went way too far down Ridgeway. Figures. After a phone call to the office and some directions, I managed to find the place. And after I circled the building, I managed to find the entrance. And after I walked down the wrong hallway, I managed to find the right area. I was embarrassingly 15 minutes late for my appointment, but at least I won't get lost again.
They started off my therapy by laying on a heat pad, which felt amazing. The physical therapist came in and started asking me questions, then finally explained what traction really is. I'll get to that later.
They then took me to the traction machine. This is a rather intimidating-looking piece of equipment. They put two harnesses on me, one around my hips, and one that went the whole length of my back. I was then attached to the machine. This is where it all got kind of medieval. Traction works by stretching your back. Which means...the attach the harness to one end of the machine, which pulls with a certain weight. There are padded posts under your arms, which holds your upper body in place. You are then told to relax as the machine pulls for 60 seconds, then releases for about 40 seconds or so. Rinse and repeat.
All of this is well and good, except for the nerve in my lumbar region that got pinched somehow. The pain started about 10 minutes in, and by 15 minutes it was so excruciating that I couldn't take it anymore. They had to take me off of the machine. They think the cause was the lumbar cushion was inflated too much. In my next appointment tomorrow, they're going to lower the pull weight and deflate the cushion a little. I really hope it works.
All of this is for my lower back, which for some reason, they think they need to do this for. My herniated disk has always been a red herring of sorts: a lot of people focus on that and not the more painful scoliosis pain. I brought this up, and as I suspected, they were focusing more on this less painful area of my back.
My session finished with a 15 minute relaxation time on some cold packs and electrodes. It helped a little.
Tomorrow we are also going to start some exercises with a ball for my scoliosis pain, while continuing the traction for my lower spine. They are also going to continue the electrode therapy. We'll see if the traction goes any better tomorrow.
2008-05-23
A New Course
I decided to try other options than surgery. Now just isn't a good time anymore.
The surgeon prescribed a type of treatment called "big traction". I'm not really sure what it is. I have my first appointment at 10 on Tuesday, so I suppose I'll find out then.
The next option is cortisone shots. I guess these last for about 3 months. The downside is possible hormone imbalance. Fun stuff. I guess we'll have to see if it gets to that point.
I guess I'm going to try everything there is to try to relieve this pain. If these options don't work, then I will reconsider surgery. Although at this point, I'm not really sure when that would happen.
The surgeon prescribed a type of treatment called "big traction". I'm not really sure what it is. I have my first appointment at 10 on Tuesday, so I suppose I'll find out then.
The next option is cortisone shots. I guess these last for about 3 months. The downside is possible hormone imbalance. Fun stuff. I guess we'll have to see if it gets to that point.
I guess I'm going to try everything there is to try to relieve this pain. If these options don't work, then I will reconsider surgery. Although at this point, I'm not really sure when that would happen.
2008-05-21
Decision
Today is the day that I talk to my surgeon.
The surgery is scheduled for 2 and a half weeks away, but I haven't been able to do anything because I've been waiting for today. The office called me back last week and asked me to come in to talk to them. I guess they're worried that I don't understand what's going on.
I probably don't.
I don't know what to do anymore. There's reasons for and a against this thing, and I don't feel I can weigh the options until later today.
Stressful? Na, not at all...
The surgery is scheduled for 2 and a half weeks away, but I haven't been able to do anything because I've been waiting for today. The office called me back last week and asked me to come in to talk to them. I guess they're worried that I don't understand what's going on.
I probably don't.
I don't know what to do anymore. There's reasons for and a against this thing, and I don't feel I can weigh the options until later today.
Stressful? Na, not at all...
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