Saturday, February 5, 2011

The Pain in The Neck

The trouble with living with Scoliosis is that oftentimes you think you've grown to the physical discomfort and pain that comes with having Scoliosis. Then sometimes life throws you a curve ball which tests your limitations, patience and faith.

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!