Instead of the usual blog on real estate, I decided to blog about an issue that has been a problem for me and many others. This specific issue, neck and shoulder pain has been an ongoing problem for me for the past ten years. At first, the doctors were treating me for migraines using different medications and medical devices.
Last year I decided to go through with a Radiofrequency Ablation, a procedure that uses heat to disrupt the function of small nerves, called medial branch nerves. This is done so the nerves can no longer transmit pain from the arthritic facet joints. Unfortunately, there was no relief for my specific pain.
I’ve had CT scans, x-rays and have been prescribed ibuprofen for the resulting headaches. I thought maybe massage therapy was the answer. Although the massage always felt great at the time, it was only a temporary help. The headaches and pain continued and I was recommended to a doctor in Seattle, who also mentioned ibuprofen for relief only when needed. After being referred to a pain specialist in Bellingham, finally got the best news. I was told, this wasn’t a medical or surgical issue! He recommended stretching for five minutes every morning! I’d done yoga for years and then stopped, was walking almost every day, thinking that was enough.
Thanks to stretching daily with yoga and physical therapy, I’m finally figuring out how to stop the postures and tension patterns that helped create the pain. Although there are many different causes of neck and shoulder pain, it does seem to be getting more common. Most likely mine started with a job a few years back that had me on the computer for long periods of time, with the combination of poor posture.
The best recommendation I received was the great physical therapist. She has helped me figure out why my tension patterns have helped create the pain and what I can do to make it go away. Flexibility has been huge for me and also learning proper posture. Of course there is the other thing, stress management. Am working on worrying less and staying organized so that there is less stress. Don’t have to worry late into the night once I’ve organized all my to-do’s for the next day!
Some of the other causes besides posture, could be stress and tension, sleeping positions, hormonal changes and overexertion in physical activities. There can also be underlying medical conditions which I won’t get into, as I’m a realtor not a doctor.
With more of us sitting at desks and using computers for work, this has become a very common problem. Fortunately my pain is almost gone and so are the headaches. Yes, I get the occasional headache when my shoulders are held up to my ears with tension, LOL. Hopefully this will help anyone reading this, that suffers from the same pain. Happy to have finally found an answer after so many different doctors and recommendations of what to do or not do.
