neck update

[jchrisobrien]

The last few days, the pain has been coming back.  The doctor said that the herniated disc would eventually get absorbed back into the body, until then he could proscrible an anti-inflammatory for ten days.  If the pain doesn't go away, I can try a (somewhat risky) cortazone shot.  PT for the neck starts next week.  Dancing and poi are allowed, along with running on the elliptical.  Liftig is allowed, as long as my back is supported (bench presses, flyes, curls, etc).  That part is good.

The bad part is I'm in the worst pain of the past few months.  All I could do this morning was close my eyes and try not to yell or punch anything.  I took some vicodin and the anti-inflammatory, and I think they are helping but that just means my pain is more of a 6 and not an 8.  What a stupid scale, by the way.  And for all the concern my doctor's have about "getting me off the vicodin", I can't say it's a particularly good pain reliever.  I don't know what all the fuss is aboot.

Comments

[synaesthesia.livejournal.com]

The few times I've been confronted by that stupid pain scale, I generally look at whomever asked me and stare at them blankly. How the hell do you quantify pain? I have a hard enough time calling it "pain" in the first place, but that's my own weirdness.

I'm glad you're allowed to do the things you enjoy! I wish you weren't in such pain. :/

[talesinsdaughtr.livejournal.com]

I agree on the pain scale. I'm not sure why that gets used at all, since most medical professionals I know readily admit that what counts as a '1' for one person is completely different for another. When my PT-ist asks me that I honestly cannot answer.

There's a post in here some where about trying to quantify emotions or sensations, or other things can't really be expressed in a way that some one who is not you can fully comprehend to other human beings.

[synaesthesia.livejournal.com]

There's a post in here some where about trying to quantify emotions or sensations, or other things can't really be expressed in a way that some one who is not you can fully comprehend to other human beings.

Exactly!

[silas7.livejournal.com]

I have a hard time thinking of any pain as above a five. What's a ten? "Eaten by fire ants?" "sticking my palm on a hot stove?" "getting hit by a car?" Asking what type of pain would be helpful (squeezing? pins and needles? throbbing?)

The anti-inflammatory seems to be helping a bit. I have to take it multiple times a day, I'll see how things feel after dinner (and the rest of my doses).