Shoulder/neck discussion...problem started 6/29/12
It's because I'm such a nice guy. I feel it's the right thing to do...turn to look at and greet each person as they get on the bus. Seems like a simple thing, right? Painless, easy, no charge for the extra courtesy??
About half way thru my shift I noticed some pain in my right shoulder and neck, so I took some Advil and looked forward to getting busy with my theracane when I got home.
Now you know what a thera cane is. Don't you love learning things by reading my ramblings? About $30, by the way. The theracane inserted much like that picture shows generally releases what's wrong, thusly allowing me to carry on as normal. It didn't work this time. OH well, not to worry, sometimes that happens. Over the weekend it got worse, and I should have found a good massage person, but I didn't. Tuesday I called a chiropractor dude I have known for a number of years and actually trust....
There's 2 types of crackropractors in this world, those that are interested in helping people feel better and those that are interested in making a lot of money. IF you go to a crackropractor suffering from some sort of pain, and they make you fill out a bunch of papers, make you submit to a bunch of Xrays, and won't treat you the first visit, you've found the latter sort of bastard. Other cues: you arrive and there's LONG lines of people, there's several treatment rooms all in a row, there's a chiro asst that comes around to talk to you, the chiro always does 4-5 "adjustments", you have to go in for a "report of findings" and get fed a long line of bs which amounts to this: "for me to save your life, you have to come in 3x/week for the rest of your life, which will cost ______ much" the chiro won't say how much, it'll just point to the number on the page, because the person in the next "room" (which has no doors, ceiling or complete walls) may be paying more or less.
Another sign you've found a scammer chiro is that once you're in, it only spends a few seconds with you, and does a lot of huffing and puffing. If you find one of these bastards, run, run for your life. And for your bank account...and they will take your credit card.
The chiro you want is a one person office. No xrays, no scam, no rof, same day treatment, and usually can get you in the same day as you call. They'll only adjust what needs adjusting, and may not accept credit cards.
Maybe you're thinking...."but but but without an xray, how will they know what is wrong?". I'll answer that with this: have you ever been to the doc's office for blood tests? Those people can feel your vein and stab that sucker with a tiny needle. Your bones are much bigger and easier to feel than that. I can't really think of a good reason for a chiro to have an xray. Ultrasound, maybe, to see if there is soft tissue damage.
One more thing: if they say they need to treat your neck because it's too straight, but don't talk about your worksite.....they're scamming you.
Jim did some testing to determine a few things, had me lie down on the table thingy, he took my head and neck in his hands, and gave it a mighty twist. Poppoppop. Lie there a minute, and he does it again. That should help. But it didn't.
I suffer thru Wednesday, I've got a cramp/spasm in the side of my neck which is triggering a nerve that goes into my shoulder, arm and hand. When that sucker fires...it hurts like hell! Unless I'm able to get my left hand up and give that damn neck a good squeeze. Which what I had to do all of Friday night and Saturday morning. Constantly reaching up to squeeze didn't allow much sleep. Went to see a doctor Saturday morning...
Great nurse...except she used the small/regular cuff to take my blood pressure. That is never accurate, and I'm sure it was elevated due to the amount of irritation that was going on in my neck.
BUT. I did't see a doctor. I saw a nurse practioner. (spell check does not like that word) She was great, too. A real trip. Young, cute, pregnant, I didn't mind seeing her at all. She did waste some of my money by making me go for xrays, but she also Rx'd some pills to help the spasms go away and one for the pinched irritated annoyed nerve.
I don't know what the difference is between an LNP and a MD, because the LNP's seem to know as much as any doctor I've seen, plus they have a personality. She sent in an order to get scheduled with the PT dept. Desk is closed, they'll call me with the time.
I hope you're enjoying this, imagining me sitting in my chair, not sleeping, squeezing my neck so that my arm doesn't hurt. How I managed to work 4 days last week I do not know.
So, PT called me, first available is Aug 6. HA. Val called the doctor lady, she called PT and said: "listen, you fuckers. my name tag says LNP, but I'm as good as any other blonde doctor person, so schedule that poor fat bastard for tomorrow, or else!" That must be what she said, because I was to go in on Tuesday morning as an "extra", which meant I'd sit around until someone had time to see me. Little did I know it'd be with some "physical medicine doctor". He was ok, though, and did some testing and a little poking. Yep, pinched nerve, you need pt, so go out to the desk and make an appt. I'm thinking: that was a waste of my time.
So back out I go to schedule, and wouldn't you know it? They have a PT available at 1030. A mere hour away! yay!
About 10:50, I went up to the desk and ask. Oh, she's just running a little late, should be any minute now.
Friends...this is not a good sign. BTW, her name was "Lola", which was shortened from Omolola. Yes, friends, she had an accent, I had a rather difficult time understanding her as she lectured me for a long time about posture. Then she left for 5 minutes to "put her next client on a machine". She then demonstrated some stretches and talked for a while about traction, but didn't have time to put one on me. She did have me lie down on the table so she could feel around a bit, and I have no doubt that if she'd make hands on her primary focus and forget the machines and stretches that no one does she'd be more successful. This too was a tremendous waste of my time.
Saw something a little bit funny while she was gone for that 5 or 15 minutes...a guy that was missing some of his leg had crutched his way in and was waiting while I was waiting. Now, while she was gone, the door was left open, so I looked out into the gym area, this big guy had on a prosthesis leg thingy, and was crutching his way back and forth while a little guy using a cane was chasing him, telling him: heel to toe, both feet...follow the line....etc. The funny part is that this little guy with the cane always had his hand up near the bigger guy's back where there was a belt around him. I can understand all of that...but what I don't understand is how this little guy (with a CANE) was going to catch and stop a bigger guy from falling???
BTW, as soon as I heard that my PT's name was "Lola", I couldn't get that 60's/70's song out of my head. I think it's by the Kinks.
I then went to the twin cities, Bloomington, to be specific, to see Keith at Body Work Physical Therapy. Anyone in or near the Minneapolis/StPaul area that needs to see a PT? These are the people to see. Even if you have to drive a distance...these people use myofascial release and craniosacral therapy to treat people, and it works. Talking about posture and doing stretches doesn't work. Hands on therapy, finding the source of the pain works.
BTW, FWIW, I do know how to practice myofascial release.
How do I know it works? Last night after this treatment, I was able to type that bloggy post, this morning I was able to shower and then do some laundry and wash some dishes...translation? I was able to work about an hour, using the right arm as normal w/o having to clamp my left hand to my neck to stop the spasm.
How do I know it works? I've used MFR to treat quite a few people that tried other methods to kill pain without results. A nurse that had a spinal tap was in serious pain, yet after my treatment was pain free. A client had pain in her hip for quite some time before seeing me, is still pain free 4 years later. A colleague went to a chiro, the ER for drugs suffered for days before coming to see me. And all she had done was empty the dishwasher...she was pain free after my treatment.
Why did I wait so long before I got help? I tried to get in with a couple of MFR therapists that I know, but they were either out of town or booked. I didn't want to drive an hour to see another one that I know. Driving hurts, remember? I have an appt with one tomorrow, Thursday. I think I'll take the motorcycle up there, just to see how it goes.
We've got a weekend trip planned with the bikes...need to be well.....
It's because I'm such a nice guy. I feel it's the right thing to do...turn to look at and greet each person as they get on the bus. Seems like a simple thing, right? Painless, easy, no charge for the extra courtesy??
About half way thru my shift I noticed some pain in my right shoulder and neck, so I took some Advil and looked forward to getting busy with my theracane when I got home.
There's 2 types of crackropractors in this world, those that are interested in helping people feel better and those that are interested in making a lot of money. IF you go to a crackropractor suffering from some sort of pain, and they make you fill out a bunch of papers, make you submit to a bunch of Xrays, and won't treat you the first visit, you've found the latter sort of bastard. Other cues: you arrive and there's LONG lines of people, there's several treatment rooms all in a row, there's a chiro asst that comes around to talk to you, the chiro always does 4-5 "adjustments", you have to go in for a "report of findings" and get fed a long line of bs which amounts to this: "for me to save your life, you have to come in 3x/week for the rest of your life, which will cost ______ much" the chiro won't say how much, it'll just point to the number on the page, because the person in the next "room" (which has no doors, ceiling or complete walls) may be paying more or less.
Another sign you've found a scammer chiro is that once you're in, it only spends a few seconds with you, and does a lot of huffing and puffing. If you find one of these bastards, run, run for your life. And for your bank account...and they will take your credit card.
The chiro you want is a one person office. No xrays, no scam, no rof, same day treatment, and usually can get you in the same day as you call. They'll only adjust what needs adjusting, and may not accept credit cards.
Maybe you're thinking...."but but but without an xray, how will they know what is wrong?". I'll answer that with this: have you ever been to the doc's office for blood tests? Those people can feel your vein and stab that sucker with a tiny needle. Your bones are much bigger and easier to feel than that. I can't really think of a good reason for a chiro to have an xray. Ultrasound, maybe, to see if there is soft tissue damage.
One more thing: if they say they need to treat your neck because it's too straight, but don't talk about your worksite.....they're scamming you.
Jim did some testing to determine a few things, had me lie down on the table thingy, he took my head and neck in his hands, and gave it a mighty twist. Poppoppop. Lie there a minute, and he does it again. That should help. But it didn't.
I suffer thru Wednesday, I've got a cramp/spasm in the side of my neck which is triggering a nerve that goes into my shoulder, arm and hand. When that sucker fires...it hurts like hell! Unless I'm able to get my left hand up and give that damn neck a good squeeze. Which what I had to do all of Friday night and Saturday morning. Constantly reaching up to squeeze didn't allow much sleep. Went to see a doctor Saturday morning...
Great nurse...except she used the small/regular cuff to take my blood pressure. That is never accurate, and I'm sure it was elevated due to the amount of irritation that was going on in my neck.
BUT. I did't see a doctor. I saw a nurse practioner. (spell check does not like that word) She was great, too. A real trip. Young, cute, pregnant, I didn't mind seeing her at all. She did waste some of my money by making me go for xrays, but she also Rx'd some pills to help the spasms go away and one for the pinched irritated annoyed nerve.
I don't know what the difference is between an LNP and a MD, because the LNP's seem to know as much as any doctor I've seen, plus they have a personality. She sent in an order to get scheduled with the PT dept. Desk is closed, they'll call me with the time.
I hope you're enjoying this, imagining me sitting in my chair, not sleeping, squeezing my neck so that my arm doesn't hurt. How I managed to work 4 days last week I do not know.
So, PT called me, first available is Aug 6. HA. Val called the doctor lady, she called PT and said: "listen, you fuckers. my name tag says LNP, but I'm as good as any other blonde doctor person, so schedule that poor fat bastard for tomorrow, or else!" That must be what she said, because I was to go in on Tuesday morning as an "extra", which meant I'd sit around until someone had time to see me. Little did I know it'd be with some "physical medicine doctor". He was ok, though, and did some testing and a little poking. Yep, pinched nerve, you need pt, so go out to the desk and make an appt. I'm thinking: that was a waste of my time.
So back out I go to schedule, and wouldn't you know it? They have a PT available at 1030. A mere hour away! yay!
About 10:50, I went up to the desk and ask. Oh, she's just running a little late, should be any minute now.
Friends...this is not a good sign. BTW, her name was "Lola", which was shortened from Omolola. Yes, friends, she had an accent, I had a rather difficult time understanding her as she lectured me for a long time about posture. Then she left for 5 minutes to "put her next client on a machine". She then demonstrated some stretches and talked for a while about traction, but didn't have time to put one on me. She did have me lie down on the table so she could feel around a bit, and I have no doubt that if she'd make hands on her primary focus and forget the machines and stretches that no one does she'd be more successful. This too was a tremendous waste of my time.
Saw something a little bit funny while she was gone for that 5 or 15 minutes...a guy that was missing some of his leg had crutched his way in and was waiting while I was waiting. Now, while she was gone, the door was left open, so I looked out into the gym area, this big guy had on a prosthesis leg thingy, and was crutching his way back and forth while a little guy using a cane was chasing him, telling him: heel to toe, both feet...follow the line....etc. The funny part is that this little guy with the cane always had his hand up near the bigger guy's back where there was a belt around him. I can understand all of that...but what I don't understand is how this little guy (with a CANE) was going to catch and stop a bigger guy from falling???
BTW, as soon as I heard that my PT's name was "Lola", I couldn't get that 60's/70's song out of my head. I think it's by the Kinks.
I then went to the twin cities, Bloomington, to be specific, to see Keith at Body Work Physical Therapy. Anyone in or near the Minneapolis/StPaul area that needs to see a PT? These are the people to see. Even if you have to drive a distance...these people use myofascial release and craniosacral therapy to treat people, and it works. Talking about posture and doing stretches doesn't work. Hands on therapy, finding the source of the pain works.
BTW, FWIW, I do know how to practice myofascial release.
How do I know it works? Last night after this treatment, I was able to type that bloggy post, this morning I was able to shower and then do some laundry and wash some dishes...translation? I was able to work about an hour, using the right arm as normal w/o having to clamp my left hand to my neck to stop the spasm.
How do I know it works? I've used MFR to treat quite a few people that tried other methods to kill pain without results. A nurse that had a spinal tap was in serious pain, yet after my treatment was pain free. A client had pain in her hip for quite some time before seeing me, is still pain free 4 years later. A colleague went to a chiro, the ER for drugs suffered for days before coming to see me. And all she had done was empty the dishwasher...she was pain free after my treatment.
Why did I wait so long before I got help? I tried to get in with a couple of MFR therapists that I know, but they were either out of town or booked. I didn't want to drive an hour to see another one that I know. Driving hurts, remember? I have an appt with one tomorrow, Thursday. I think I'll take the motorcycle up there, just to see how it goes.
We've got a weekend trip planned with the bikes...need to be well.....
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