Posted 4/8/2016 11:54 PM (GMT 0)
I have been given the exact same diagnosis as you in the opening message of this thread. The problem was so bad for me that I became nauseous if I sat at my computer. I used a number of things to help me deal with this situation, but I am happy to tell you, there IS something you can do!
Firstly, I had to deal with the pain. If I didn't do that, my work and life were going to be terrible. I started out by taking 800 mg of ibuprophin 3 to 4 times a day. The goal here is that you need to have a LONG stretch of not feeling pain from this condition. You should not wait for the pain to begin before taking more medicine. Start off by finding a dosage level that STOPS your pain for a few hours. I went from 200 to 1200 mg at different times. I found the lowest possible dose that would work, and for me that was 800. To me the goal is get it as low as possible, and where you have a predictable time frame.
The second part of the time frame you need to know is how long the medicine takes to go to work. I found mine was about 20 minutes. Once you identify the duration that the medicine works (Time it, write down when you took it, when it worked, and when the ache comes back.) Once you know the interval, try to get at least a week or two where you never let the pain return. You take the dose INSIDE the time, so you never feel the pain.
Now some of you are going to start talking about liver issues. Here is the deal, cut down or eliminate your drinking if you do, and be aware of foods or other medicines that might affect your liver. During this week or two, you should work hard to avoid anything that will cause issues there.
Part two of the pain management: Get a TENS device. You can get a cheaper one at the drug store, or get your Dr. to prescribe one to you. The electrical current is safe, and it actually interrupts the pain signals when you get it right! The one the DR gives you will be much more complicated to use, but it can REALLY do a great job. Unfortunately you really need to understand how to use it. When you put the electrode tabs on flabby skin, it will be prickly and burn, and very uncomfortable. When you put it on a muscle, it will really work the muscle. Most people between their shoulder blades don't have a lot of flab or muscle, so there, it may seem like it does nothing until you jack the power way up.
I would move the pads around for different times.
1. I put one pad on each side of my spine at roughly the top points of my shoulder blades just to eliminate the pain.
2. I put one pad on the left side of my spine, the side the bulges faced, and one on my triceps, behind my elbow. This was to strengthen the muscles that were getting weak in my left arm.
3. I would put both pads on my left arm, bicep and tricep, again to strengthen, but also for that ache that moves down your arm.
4. I would move the pads up and down on each side of my spine, a few minutes low, a few minutes medium, and a few minutes higher up.
When you start this program you also want to know two things from your doctor. 1. Which side do your disks bulge out? 2. What angle do they bulge? So think of it this way, if they are bulging out in a direction that is basically like an arrow going out towards your shoulder blade, but slightly back, you kneed to know.
The reason you want to know is this:
You need to begin to arch your back in the direction of the bulges! Once you start doing this, (but ONLY when you are in that pain free zone) you will actually find that it feels good to lean into the bulges. In fact, (and I learned this watching a weight lifter's video on Youtube), the bulges will go back in!
The disk is made of a gel like substance, and pressure in a given direction will actually reshape them. I will lay on the edge of an ottoman or the bed to let my head hang back in the direction of the bulge, then clinch the muscles that pull my head and neck further in that same direction. The muscle work is the key in my opinion. Just letting it hang there isn't enough pressure, you have to actively work the muscle to make it shape the disks.
As for the outcomes: Tingling in the fingers gone. My muscle tone in my arm is back, and I only have a minor ache now. I still use the TENS device to offset the pain, but I go days now without major pain.