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RSI at the end of our rope

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Chronic Pain
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Posted 6/14/2018 8:15 PM (GMT 0)
My son in CA has hit bottom with a Repetitive Stress Injury that the Mayo clinic in AZ diagnosed as myofascial pain syndrome in January. (they can only treat the pain at this point and had no advice for us)
I am writing on his behalf since he cannot type easily.

He has suffered from pain in his forearms for 1 1/2 years. He is a technical writer and composes on the side so he really overused his hands we think.
He's tried acupuncture, contrast baths, hot wax therapy, physical therapy, rolfing. massage therapy, temperature Biofeedback- training from Kathy Becker, alexander technique specialist, join pain specialist, ergonomic specialist, a chiropractor and we are at a loss as what to do next.

He read Genius Foods by Max Lugavere and started supplements recently and that made him dizzy.

He is not a candidate for PRP injections.

The only exercises he has ordered are gentle sponge squeezing followed by massage with a lotion or cream.

He bought a voice recognition software Dragon Dictate Version 6.0 and Jobra Evolve 65 headset with microphone but his work requires graphs, etc. The pain is excruciating 24/7 and even with a lightened workload he still hurts.

He signed something early on at his work to receive the family act 12 wk leave, saying the work did not cause the injuries but being a professional writer we know they did contribute to it. He is also a composer so he knows he did some of the damage himself.

He has finally realized he needs to speak to a lawyer or someone before he contacts his HR about workman's comp. This is completely devastating him at 27. He is searching for a therapist after reading the Mind Body solution.

If anyone can comment on any of these areas (treatment or workman's comp) we are completely out of options.
Posted 6/14/2018 8:51 PM (GMT 0)
Hello & welcome to the forum. Very sorry to read about the situation your son has ended up with.

Worker's compensation laws are different in every state. Most attorneys that handle this type of a claim will offer a free consultation. You can also go online for your state & read about the rights of an employee that has a worker's compensation claim. This you should do regardless so your son can be informed.

Your son will also need medical documentation that his condition is a direct result of his work. It cannot be we think his work may have contributed. Would his treating physician say this is work related this late, probably not.

Take care.
Posted 6/14/2018 10:03 PM (GMT 0)
Arttlillygirl:
Many of us on this forum have had to confront life-altering conditions/diseases/injuries so we have ample empathy for both you and your son - any serious illness affects not only the person afflicted but also the entire family.

From your brief narrative I would think it would be an uphill climb to have your son’s wrist/forearm status ruled as a work based/caused injury subjective to workman’s comp benefits. Susie is wise in counseling you to spend time becoming informed of the process.

I have osteonecrosis of my femoral heads due to corticosteroid use. In looking for avenues of care, I became affiliated with a restorative medicine practice in Portland, Oregon called RestorePDX. This clinic and it’s medical director (Rahual Desai, MD) is world’s ahead of conventional medical providers. I would encourage you to Google “RestorePDX” and read about their cutting edge therapies. This clinic is not isolated in its frontier approaches to restoring joint and muscular kinesiology. There may be a similar restorative medicine provider in your local California community that could bring you a fresh perspective of your son’s debilitating situation.
Karen
Posted 6/14/2018 11:30 PM (GMT 0)
so I guess he should have attempted workmans comp sooner, he just never dreamed it would get this bad.

Post Edited (Arttillygirl) : 10/5/2018 4:36:39 PM (GMT-6)

Posted 6/15/2018 1:23 AM (GMT 0)
When a work related injury occurs, the employee has to notify the employer immediately there has been an injury, usually within 7 days. If it is a "repetitive trauma" there are specific requirements that has to be met including reporting the injury. Work related injuries are specific. If a person misses the dead line on reporting an injury the claim is denied. Again, he can consult with an atty probably free of charge but I would not have any expectation of the claim going through this late.

Bankruptcy can be expensive & there are different types of bankruptcy.
Posted 6/15/2018 3:14 AM (GMT 0)
Artillygirl:
From reading your posts, I sense that heightened emotional stress is also at play for both you and your son. Living with pain is stressful. But stress can also amplify pain.

There are physical therapists with advanced education and board certification in treating myofacial pain. Has your son worked with a physical therapist certified in myofacial pain and myofacial mobilization techniques? It would be worth finding a certified therapist for a consultation.

Myo Rehab is a company that has clinics that specialize in myofacial pain and its treatment. Myo Rehab clinics are located throughout the United States and are generally well regarded. You can research Myo Rehab to see where they have clinic locations.

To be honest, many people with myofacial pain must adopt a multi-faceted approach that incorporates: stress reduction and relaxation, getting adequate sleep/sleep hygiene, eating healthy food choices (ex. avoid nicotine and caffeine, avoid highly processed foods), incorporating regular exercise (walking, swimming), addressing specific stretching and tissue mobilization of the affected trigger point or tender muscle/soft tissue areas (ex. spray and stretch technique). Treating myofacial pain is a whole person approach.

It sounds as though your son needs a medical provider who can coordinate a treatment plan for your son and oversee its implementation so that small, successive gains can be achieved and your son in a better trajectory.
Karen
Posted 6/15/2018 6:43 PM (GMT 0)
Have had myofascial pain since i was a child , its chronic and can be very bad at times...

Between drs help and self help you should improve..i was worst in my thirties.

I cannot use a lot of pain meds, but topical pain relievers..help a lot!! The strongest one i have tried is soothenol x2... pricey but lasts a long time..
Posted 10/5/2018 10:35 PM (GMT 0)
My son has found a Dr. 6 hours away that seems to help. He is a physical therapist. He has Cigna Insurance and met his in network deductible and just met the out of network deductible that this Dr. is on. Now Cigna says 1500 is the maximum they will pay (his deductible amt.) so he cannot be reimbursed any more beyond that. Is that even possible?????!!
He is 27 so I know I cannot talk to them and he said he went high up but I think he must be mistaken!
They should reimburse him for future visits now correct?
Posted 10/6/2018 12:51 AM (GMT 0)
Your son needs to contact HR at his place of employment to verify this. He should have been given information about what coverage is available to him. Although CIGNA is a large company, coverage is not a type of blanket coverage. Each employer selects what they want to offer to their employees. His policy could have a limit on what they will reimburse when a patient goes out of network.


There are millions of people that say, I have health insurance but I cannot afford to use it. High deductibles & co-pays. I hope he was misinformed.
Posted 10/8/2018 3:56 AM (GMT 0)
Arttillygirl:
Stray dog’s suggestions are wise.

There is no single Cigna medical insurance plan nor common plan benefits. Each employer-sponsored medical insurance plan is unique in its contracted plan benefits and limitations, based on what the company has paid for and contracted for. Your son needs to review the specific policy provisions of his employer-provided Cigna health insurance plan. His company’s Human Reaource department will be able to advise and guide him in interpreting the details of the Cigna policy.

Employer-provided medical insurance plans often use/follow federal Medicare guidelines in dictating policy benefits and limitations/exclusions. Medicare does not provide unlimited rehabilitation services/visits. Medicare limits physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy outpatient visits per year. Even though your son has met his out-of-pocket deductible for this calendar year, he may be constrained by a specific number of outpatient physical therapy visits/sessions allowed.

It is good fodder for people to read the specific plan benefits of their medical insurance policy/plan before a major health issue presents itself. Look at what services/care the plan covers as well as defined exclusions and limitations.
Karen
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