The truth is not very spectacular, it's just a pain to deal with *ironic smile* :)
Earlier this week I woke up with severe pain in my neck (yes this does sound really odd, but it's true), which has not ceased since then. Malays would call it "seliuh bantal"; which basically means you'd sprained your neck while sleeping on your pillow. In other words; sprain your neck in your sleep. The trouble about having a sprained neck with this Scoliosis of mine is that it causes a whole lot of other pains. Not only the neck region is throbbing (spasming), my upper curve (i.e. the upper spine.. recall that my spine has the S-curve) as well as the rib hump they'd removed and repaired in the spinal fusion back in 2002 are hurting as well.
And here I thought I'd taken all the precautions to avoid any spine-related injuries! I use proper support pillows, sleep in proper sleeping positions (never on my stomach, never in positions that do not align the spine properly) and on top of that, I exercise the back regularly and try to get sufficient rest every night for the sake of the spine. And still somehow during the early hours of that fated night, I managed to give my neck a really bad sprain.
I went to an acupuncturist in Taman Megah here in Petaling Jaya and Alhamdulillah, the neck can move during the day. But the nights are still utter agony. This being the worst sprain I've had so far, I suppose it'll take time to heal.
If you think I'm moaning about it, well maybe you're right. But the truth is I just want to write about this as a reminder to all of us with Scoliosis.
It's so important for us to take precautions to avoid injuries. To never take for granted about the littlest thing in life, like sleeping positions or daily activities (like lifting a heavy item) that can hurt the spine. Because any injuries, combined with this existing condition that we have (Scoliosis) can bring severe pain and discomfort in our daily lives.
So take care of yourselves, dear friends. Live life, live strong, but live it carefully. May God be with you!
10 comments:
I know exactly where you're coming from. I have scoliosis, too. I'll wake up and even though I thought I slept in a position that would not hurt my back, somehow I still feel pain and stiffness in various parts of my back and neck. I just recently started a blog about my struggles with scoliosis surgery. I've found you're blog very helpful! Here's the link to mine:
http://makingmyspinealign.blogspot.com/
Hi. I have scoliosis too. Have u tried wearing corset? I dont know about u but one thing for sure eversince I wore that corset I have never felt any back pain yet. Maybe you could give it a try too.
Hi there Nina..I have a very severe pain on the neck too especially on my left..sometimes I have to take pain killer before I go to sleep. I have thoracic lumbar scoliosis. Somehow, I believe yoga is a very good therapy for scoliosis and any other pains that are associated with it . However as a working mother I just don't have the time. And the pain is just there because there are too many things to do and to carry. Maybe we can have an online video or something to exercise...I truly support your blog!
you're right,
keep the irony smile and we are stronger than ever.
Hi,
My son just diagnosed with infantile scoliosis few days ago. He is 16 months old now. I knew that there is only a few options of pediatric orthopedist in Malaysia. I would like to seek for 2nd opinion. Do you have any recommendations besides HUKM? Which doctor are u referring to?
Thanks.
My son diagnosed with infantile scoliosis recently. He is 16 months old now. I knew there is limited options of doctor specialized in pediatric orthopedic in Malaysia.The doctor ask us to monitor for 6 months & we can't do anything now to help.So, I would like to seek for 2nd opinion. Do you have any recommendations besides HUKM? Which doctor?
It is truly very important to avoid injuries because once it happens it is a hard journey all together.But there are many medical benefits and better medication to help this situation too. Plastic Surgeons Atlanta
laura; thanks for sharing your experiences :D hope u dont mind me linking your blog to this blog!
mizz julie; thanks for the input :) i think for us scoliosis patients, its often the case of trial and error. for some they find that corsets and braces help with the pain, for some others unfortunately they don't help improve the pain. i personally find that after two surgeries the best medicine for my stiffness and backaches is regular exercise, but even then a lot of trial and errors come into play.. some exercises help, others dont, and some days when the pain kicks in you have to know when to take a break, and then there are other days when exercise would help ease the pain. glad to hear that the corset works for u! :)
lizbe; thank you for your supportive words! :) exercise to me is vital in managing my pain, and i'm glad to hear yoga helps u. yes life can be demanding and busy and most days we just learn to live with the pain because.. well, its just there everyday and have become part of our lives! if u have some good exercise videos to share with scoliosis patients, do let me know. i could upload it for u here if u dont mind. hey maybe one day we can make our own exercise videos too (who knows?!) do keep in touch. all the best to u, my fren!
EST; sorry for the late response to your inquiry! frankly i have very little experience and knowledge of infantile scoliosis. i remember back when i was a teenager, there were many infants, toddlers and children treated for scoliosis at University Hospital in PJ (now known as UMMC). i heard of many success stories where the curves were successfully kept under control or successfully surgically corrected. aside from HUKM and UMMC, I have little experience with other facilities, so I am not at liberty to say or give recommendations. i hope nothing but the best will come to you and your baby. pls keep in touch and keep us posted. I'm sure many mothers and fellow scoliosis patients would love to hear about your journey and help you through it as well.
atlanta plastic surgeon; thanks for the input
Hi,
You might find chiropractic adjustments useful for spine & joint pains. There are physiotherapy services available as well.
My grandma went to this centre called the Spine & Joint Specialists.
Perhaps you may want to check it out.
My therapist actually made my pain worse. :(
Me 2. :(
Post a Comment