Many of my friends and family have heard more than they care to about my chronic pain problem. Because I’m trying my hardest to focus on positive things right now, I don’t want to devote a lot of space in this blog to this tiresome topic; however, if someone else out there is suffering from a similar problem, I encourage you to take your own recovery into your hands. Two years of suffering has taught me some hard lessons.
If there are doctors out there who will be as proactive about your recovery as you would hope, I haven’t met them.
Don’t get me wrong. I’m sure they’re fine people, doing their best to help out more patients than they can actually keep track of. Unfortunately, the conditions under which most doctors have to work doesn’t permit them to spend much time with individual patients. So, unless you ask the hard questions and force them to examine odd sympoms and do extra research–or require them to refer you to someone with specialized knowledge, it’s quite likely that they’ll toss a couple of prescriptions for drugs and physical therapy at you and consider the problem solved.
When I finally decided to get serious about my own recovery, I visited a specialist doctor who did what the multitudes of others I’d seen hadn’t been able to: He diagnosed my condition…or at least he came up with a working theory. I’m suffering from what’s known as Thoracic Outlet Syndrome (TOS).
To treat this condition, he recommended I undergo additional physical therapy and possibly subject myself to shots of botulism in the affected areas, which would temporarily paralyze the problematic muscles. In theory, this would afford me six months of relatively pain-free existence during which I could work on posture and excercises.
The idea of paralysis freaked me out, so I opted to forgo the shots. I’m glad I did, too. Since then, I’ve read horror stories about the damage such shots could cause. The doctor didn’t mention any of these problems. Even if the risks are low, I’d want to know what they are!
Anyway, I visited the physical therapist he recommended. The therapist gave me a lecture on anatomy, suggested I do one stretch to improve my neck’s range of motion and said I’d be better in three weeks’ time if I kept up with his program. He then dismissed me.
Needless to say, I’m not going back for the six or seven remaining sessions I’m supposed to have with him! I do believe my recovery will depend on a stretching routine and am willing to put the necessary effort into it. I do NOT believe the PT gave me a sufficiently thorough routine to make much of a difference. I decided to research self-care for TOS on the internet and I came across a very helpful website. I am now in my second week of following the TOS Self-Care Program, which involves relaxation and self-awareness excercises, regular stretching and drinking plenty of water. This kind of thorough plan of action is what I had been hoping for from my doctors and therapists. While I still have severe symptoms, it’s enabling me to manage the pain. I’ve actually managed to go without pain meds!
Grappling with this problem for so long made me incredibly depressed. I asked my doctor for a referral to a therapist, someone with whom I could work through my frustration and regain a more positive outlook. I specifically said I did not want to take anti-depressants. My primary care physician listened very sympathetically and had the receptionist arrange an appointment with someone she thought could help me. This person turned out to be a psychiatrist NOT a psychologist, and her first order of business was loading me up with a anti-depressants. I now have enough drugs in my home to open up my own pharmacy.
Apparently, talking has become an outmoded form of therapy in both the physical and mental health realms.
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