Yesterday I had my first aquatic physical therapy session. I have to admit, I was scared to death. Scared to ride in the car. Scared to be on my feet. Scared to be moving. Unsure if this was going to be something where they would be strapping weights to my legs and doing who knows what. Some days it seems I can be on my feet for 45 minutes and be ok. Others, if I'm on my feet even 10 minutes I have a severe backlash. This past week, I woke up in pain when the weather changed. The unpredictability of this is what terrifies me. Was this going to help me or kill me?
The purpose for my therapy isn't for aerobic or strength training. It's actually pretty simple. Just move! The physical therapist told me, "Don't over do it, don't push too hard. Listen to what your body tells you. If it hurts, take a break." I found I got a lot more relief in the deep end of the pool because it took pressure off of my body. I did simple exercises like slowly moving my legs in a bicycle motion. For some reason, no matter what I did, my lumbar area hurt. But, I was still moving.
The water gave me goosebumps and when I got out of the pool...KABLAM! Instant pain! I felt like I was being squished by gravity! I went straight to the hot tub, which helped my body warm back up and relieved things. When my body is cold, the pain is worse. When it's warm, it feels better. I left hurting in my lower back and my right leg developed that familiar nerve pain. It worsened as the afternoon went on. I want to be active and do SOMETHING. I guess the jury is still out on whether or not it is going to worsen my pain or not. But, it did feel good to be out of the house and actually moving. . . even if it was slower than a sloth. And, at this point, I'm up for whatever works. Lots of TC patients have had beneficial results from aqua therapy, so I'm giving it a try!
Nothing makes the pain completely go away for an extended period of time. But, in my attempts to alleviate my pain through traditional methods, I have found a few things that help. All of these things can be purchased through amazon, but can also be found in local stores.
I'd like to state that NO companies have contacted me or asked me to review their products. I am not being paid or given free stuff.
1. TENS unit. I place my TENS unit on my sacrum for about 15 minutes. Sometimes I put the electrode patch on my lumbar area and piriformis muscle since that is where a lot of my muscle pain occurs. I've been told by Dr. Feigenbaum, the Tarlov Cyst Foundation and the Pain Management doctor, that TCs can compress the nerves that activate the piriformis when it's not supposed to. Hence, the nasty knot in my butt. The TENS unit provides some temporary relief. Sometimes I have muscle spasms and it also helps with those.
2. Two Old Goats Lotion. Yeah, I know. How could a lotion really help that much? I've tried prescription lidocain creams, etc. and for some reason, nothing helps like this stuff. It is loaded with essential oils and I can notice a decrease in my pain level shortly after applying it. FOR REAL!
3. Ice on my sacrum. I hate ice. I hate cold. But, the cold on the sacrum reduces the inflammation of the nerves and surrounding areas. I put a thin washcloth or paper towel directly on my skin and put the ice pack directly over that. Hold in place with underwear and pants for 15-20 minutes and lean back so it doesn't move. Or, lay down on it.
4. Heating pad on my lumbar area. I usually like to do this simultaneously with the ice, since it balances out the freezing cold that I hate.
5. Tushy Cushy for sacral and coccyx pain. I have the memory foam version. Since there is quite a bit of pain with sitting, this helps relieve some of the pressure. The nice little hole allows and opening for your tailbone to sit on. I will admit, it doesn't help me all the time all day long, but my butt thanks me when I use it rather than when I don't! It's advertised to relieve lower back pain and sciatica, but . . .hey, whatever works, right?
6. Natural Calm. This stuff is amazing. I've taken many forms of magnesium before, but none have been as effective as this. Magnesium is great for supporting muscles and nerves. The magnesium balances out your calcium level, which results in . . . calm! I can tell an immediate result in my relaxation level and stress. On to the stinky part about whey this stuff is great . . .One of the symptoms many TC sufferers have is constipation. I told you it was stinky! This is caused not only by the cysts but is also a side effect of some medications. Since I've started this stuff . . . NO problems! Everything came out great, if you know what I mean. Also, I spoke to several doctors and you cannot hurt yourself by taking too much magnesium ORALLY. Anything that your body doesn't need, it pees right now. However, if you do try this stuff, follow the directions. Build up slowly. If you take too much, you WILL have the hershey squirts. Of course, I wouldn't know anything about that first hand. I'd never do something like that!
7. Essential Oils. A few TC cysters gave me some tips on the benefits of essential oils and I have found that they do help with my pain. Anything from nerve pain, muscle pain, tension, stress and insomnia. I am in the process of learning more about EOs and have ordered several books. I do not want to endorse any particular brands, but I will say that all oils are not created equal and you DO need to do your research to find reputable brands. These aren't usually found in your local store. Word of caution: Just because anything says, "Certified Therapeutic Grade" or "100% pure," does not mean so. As a matter of fact, research for yourself. There is no such thing as an official therapeutic grade certification. These aren't regulated by the FDA. I have also learned through my research that you must be cautious. Safety first! More doesn't always mean better. Many of our modern day medications are made using the chemicals from these natural sources. After speaking to a few medical professionals and, of course, researching, it is not recommended that you ingest oils unless under the guidance of a certified aromatherapist or physician who is familiar with how they may interact with your current medication. But, essential oils have been used for thousands of years and ... I'm all about whatever works! (Within reason of course.) My current favorite oils of the moment for pain are a mix of Helichrysum and Copaiba which I apply topically. I also diffuse several oils. But, I'm just beginning to build my stock-pile and am still experimenting with new oils and combinations and have a lot of reading to do. After I've read through my books, I'll update you on what I learn and recommend anything I think is a good source of information.
So, I'd love to hear from you! What have you found that helps your symptoms or pain?
The purpose for my therapy isn't for aerobic or strength training. It's actually pretty simple. Just move! The physical therapist told me, "Don't over do it, don't push too hard. Listen to what your body tells you. If it hurts, take a break." I found I got a lot more relief in the deep end of the pool because it took pressure off of my body. I did simple exercises like slowly moving my legs in a bicycle motion. For some reason, no matter what I did, my lumbar area hurt. But, I was still moving.
The water gave me goosebumps and when I got out of the pool...KABLAM! Instant pain! I felt like I was being squished by gravity! I went straight to the hot tub, which helped my body warm back up and relieved things. When my body is cold, the pain is worse. When it's warm, it feels better. I left hurting in my lower back and my right leg developed that familiar nerve pain. It worsened as the afternoon went on. I want to be active and do SOMETHING. I guess the jury is still out on whether or not it is going to worsen my pain or not. But, it did feel good to be out of the house and actually moving. . . even if it was slower than a sloth. And, at this point, I'm up for whatever works. Lots of TC patients have had beneficial results from aqua therapy, so I'm giving it a try!
Nothing makes the pain completely go away for an extended period of time. But, in my attempts to alleviate my pain through traditional methods, I have found a few things that help. All of these things can be purchased through amazon, but can also be found in local stores.
I'd like to state that NO companies have contacted me or asked me to review their products. I am not being paid or given free stuff.
 |
| My Arsenal |
1. TENS unit. I place my TENS unit on my sacrum for about 15 minutes. Sometimes I put the electrode patch on my lumbar area and piriformis muscle since that is where a lot of my muscle pain occurs. I've been told by Dr. Feigenbaum, the Tarlov Cyst Foundation and the Pain Management doctor, that TCs can compress the nerves that activate the piriformis when it's not supposed to. Hence, the nasty knot in my butt. The TENS unit provides some temporary relief. Sometimes I have muscle spasms and it also helps with those.
2. Two Old Goats Lotion. Yeah, I know. How could a lotion really help that much? I've tried prescription lidocain creams, etc. and for some reason, nothing helps like this stuff. It is loaded with essential oils and I can notice a decrease in my pain level shortly after applying it. FOR REAL!
3. Ice on my sacrum. I hate ice. I hate cold. But, the cold on the sacrum reduces the inflammation of the nerves and surrounding areas. I put a thin washcloth or paper towel directly on my skin and put the ice pack directly over that. Hold in place with underwear and pants for 15-20 minutes and lean back so it doesn't move. Or, lay down on it.
4. Heating pad on my lumbar area. I usually like to do this simultaneously with the ice, since it balances out the freezing cold that I hate.
5. Tushy Cushy for sacral and coccyx pain. I have the memory foam version. Since there is quite a bit of pain with sitting, this helps relieve some of the pressure. The nice little hole allows and opening for your tailbone to sit on. I will admit, it doesn't help me all the time all day long, but my butt thanks me when I use it rather than when I don't! It's advertised to relieve lower back pain and sciatica, but . . .hey, whatever works, right?
6. Natural Calm. This stuff is amazing. I've taken many forms of magnesium before, but none have been as effective as this. Magnesium is great for supporting muscles and nerves. The magnesium balances out your calcium level, which results in . . . calm! I can tell an immediate result in my relaxation level and stress. On to the stinky part about whey this stuff is great . . .One of the symptoms many TC sufferers have is constipation. I told you it was stinky! This is caused not only by the cysts but is also a side effect of some medications. Since I've started this stuff . . . NO problems! Everything came out great, if you know what I mean. Also, I spoke to several doctors and you cannot hurt yourself by taking too much magnesium ORALLY. Anything that your body doesn't need, it pees right now. However, if you do try this stuff, follow the directions. Build up slowly. If you take too much, you WILL have the hershey squirts. Of course, I wouldn't know anything about that first hand. I'd never do something like that!
7. Essential Oils. A few TC cysters gave me some tips on the benefits of essential oils and I have found that they do help with my pain. Anything from nerve pain, muscle pain, tension, stress and insomnia. I am in the process of learning more about EOs and have ordered several books. I do not want to endorse any particular brands, but I will say that all oils are not created equal and you DO need to do your research to find reputable brands. These aren't usually found in your local store. Word of caution: Just because anything says, "Certified Therapeutic Grade" or "100% pure," does not mean so. As a matter of fact, research for yourself. There is no such thing as an official therapeutic grade certification. These aren't regulated by the FDA. I have also learned through my research that you must be cautious. Safety first! More doesn't always mean better. Many of our modern day medications are made using the chemicals from these natural sources. After speaking to a few medical professionals and, of course, researching, it is not recommended that you ingest oils unless under the guidance of a certified aromatherapist or physician who is familiar with how they may interact with your current medication. But, essential oils have been used for thousands of years and ... I'm all about whatever works! (Within reason of course.) My current favorite oils of the moment for pain are a mix of Helichrysum and Copaiba which I apply topically. I also diffuse several oils. But, I'm just beginning to build my stock-pile and am still experimenting with new oils and combinations and have a lot of reading to do. After I've read through my books, I'll update you on what I learn and recommend anything I think is a good source of information.
So, I'd love to hear from you! What have you found that helps your symptoms or pain?
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