When I suddenly developed shoulder and back pain and a numb left wrist diagnosed as the consequence of a bone spur pressing on a spinal nerve, our family doctor (reluctantly) referred me to the the Manhattan Center for Pain Management: http://www.wehealny.org/services/pain/services.html
I was assigned to an anesthesiologist who prescribed a heavy pain medication that left me is a daze with which I tried to cope with pots of coffee.
Pain was not new to me. I had suffered it as a 4-year-old with a diagnosis of rheumatic fever which made one’s legs ache. This being prior to anti-biotics (I am 77), I was totally restricted in activity and carried each warm day out to cot where my English nurse variously taught me to count (beyond 100) and to read.
My later visits to the pain center were depressing with an army of elders kept waiting for hours past appointment times — I caught my doctor one day slipping away and we had a 15 second appointment. I was called in periodically for appointments which I began to assume were to collect my medical insurance. Finally I quit them and turned pain management over to my excellent family doctor who recommended cutting way back on the pain medication. I am now trying to cut it out entirely. It among other things seems to cause stomach pain.
The bottom line here is that I have decided that I would rather live with some bearable pain than walking around in a daze. As I type now the pain in my left wrist (in a splint to prevent excessive bending where arthritis has attacked a high school wrist injury) is bearable.
As we age probably few of us will escape some sorts of pain. I am extremely careful to avoid falls.
Would be curious to know how others are coping? I should mention that a nightly sleeping pill seems to quell the pain to allow me to sleep.
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“A war is just if there is no alternative, and the resort to arms is legitimate if they represent your last hope.” (Livy cited by Machiavelli)
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Ed Kent [blind copies]
5 users commented in " Pain "
Follow-up comment rss or Leave a TrackbackHow to deal with constant pain depends on the type of pain. Neuropathic pain requires special neuropathic meds and the dosage and frequency need to be tailored just for your situation. I have neuro pain and have found some things that help me. Number one is getting plenty of rest, eating as healthy a diet as possible, and getting consistent non-load-bearing exercise. I feel better if I avoid foods high in fats, sugars, and salts and eat some lean protein and lots of fruits and veggies. I use a recumbent bike for 15 minutes daily and work in the garden as much as my pain allows. For years I’ve had a daily banana for the potassium and I just started taking fish oil for nerve help. For me, warmth to hurting areas helps, so I take a hot bath with eposom salts. And I do some simple yoga. Most of all, stay active and busy and take care to avoid falls. Oh, and I try not to sleep during the day so I can sleep at night. Try yoga breathing and relaxation techniques to help you get to sleep at night. The main deterrant to sleeping is when your mind is still going 50 mph and these techniques will help slow it down. I wish you luck!
Aligoo
thanks for your post. I will try the fish oil for my nerves as they are still healing. I am on 0 meds now after surgery last year. I had 2 discs replaced in my neck. (worst case ever seen with a bone fracture fooating around too). I Never resorted to narcotics except for the times I had to go to ER for severe uncontrolable pain. (and at one point my heart was so out of control I had to have emergency surgery) I found a Neurosurgeon that received awards in nerve research. He said my nerves would heal 1mm per day after the surgery. I too know that eating healthy makes Huge difference in how we feel. I am off blood pressure pills, heart pills, folic acid pill, vitamen b12 ect ect ect my dr said alllll those issues were cause from my nerves in my neck. now I feel great!
You need a new pain clinic.
A local injection might help (ganglion block)
and some seizure medicines help neuropathic pain (the burning pain from injury of a nerve). They have to be started at a tiny dose and slowly increased if they make you sleepy.
Finally, surgery sometimes helps, but usually as a last resort. Depends on the MRI’s…
we always had problems in the IHS getting funds for the surgery, but often worked with pain docs at the University of Minnesota to get relief for our patients.
Confession. With the bad weather of the past 5 days in NYC (which increases pain), I finally broke down and took half a pain pill. Ed
Nothing wrong with that, Ed! They are there for you to use responsibly, and you are the only one that will know when you need one (or a half). It’s when people take them blindly when they are not needed or take them too often that trouble starts.
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