Tuesday 7 September 2010

81. Bouncy Ball Therapy


Unfortunately not a space hopper, just a regular gym ball :(

Finally I have a physio who really knows what is going on inside my body and has identified and recreated that tingling, numbing and insane stabbing pain I get in my elbows these days. Although she doesn't want to say the words "yes, this is a complication from your surgery", it is. She says the neck and back problems are from carrying my injury too long and sitting still too long. Obviously, the only reason I have been careful and taking it easy like everyone keeps drumming into me these past 18 months has been detrimental to my physical condition. I have been active, more active than most would like but have also had injuries from just doing things or overdoing things. Like carrying my laptop in my rucksack for 2 months, it screwed my neck. Moving a too-heavy-for-me bag of plaster finally tweaked it into lock up mode back in November 2009 but I think it was culmination of things and not just one injury, which is also the opinion of my physio.

Positive Recovery

So, this is a positive step, one towards a pain free world? Having a constant niggle in my neck is driving me nuts. It prevents me from doing so much stuff I could sit down and cry about it all but I can't, I just pop some painkillers and try and do my stretches and hope that it will fade over time.

Coping mechanism

I have a red bouncy gym ball that I use stretch out deep in my back. I have to stand in front of it with my wrists sideways on the ball and roll the ball up the wall, lifting my chest as I go. It may sound like bliss, and it is, for the relief that it gives me, but I now have to hassle my poor husband to massage my neck everyday. Over the day my neck muscles tense, more so because of the pain and so, if I don't manage it, I get sickening headaches and ludicrous tiredness. So boring.


Why do I hurt?


My physio says it is neurophysiological complication, trapped or restricted nerve movement through my neck and effecting my shoulders, elbows and hands. Problems with C1-C7 on the chart below, T1 and T2 problems seem to have relaxed now (middle back pain). She thinks the lack of movement has caused over-stiffness and naturally we will carry an injury but the last physio thought I might have a slipped disc so for the last 10 months I have been extra careful and made my situation worse. An MRI showed normal nerves thankfully but I still suffer and although my movement is better than back in November/December last year, I feels like it has just stalled now. I have good an bad days. Typing doesn't do me any favours at all and I suffer a lot after any reasonable typing session (like a blog post) and have to stretch out.



Neurophysiology: Hand and Elbow - Nerve Entrapment info


I hope this will finally sort things out, hydrotherapy in the pool with the hospital next week for a 6 week period of twice a week. Quite looking forward to it. I should stop there, my body is telling me to stop before I get all hunched up like Quasimodo on drugs again ;)

3 comments:

Janine said...

I hope this is the answer for you and your pain gets under control!

Southern assessors said...

Very enthusiastic to know how bouncy ball therapy will function :O

breast reconstruction surgery Los Angeles said...

Good that your doctor has been able to spell it out that is the reason why you are feeling the pain and the hurt.Once that is spelt out you can soon find the solution too.

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