because I didn't want to just go on a whinge rampage. For the last two months my bottom right jaw has been killing me - aching, throbbing pain that gets so bad it keeps me up some nights.
I went to see my dentist and he took an x-ray but couldn't find anything. Surprise surprise. We tried a week of antibiotics to make sure it wasn't an infection, but no result there. It's amazing how you can WANT something specific to be wrong just so there is a way to fix it (well, hopefully). But when the pain can't be located, as such, it's like looking for a needle in an hay stack!
Next stop was to see the endodontist. I was referred by my parents neighbour - they had gone to dental school together. I find it helps to have some sort of background or introduction to new doctors so they don't look at your chart and listen to you and think you're just an hypochondriac. You'd be surprised how many daft doctors there are out there. Or perhaps you wouldn't be...
I went to the endodontist on Tuesday morning. He looked, banging, made me bite hard things, blew cold air, etc. And again, he couldn't figure it out. It wasn't a failed root canal, it wasn't another tooth needing a root canal. He thinks it's nerve-related, but not "that" nerve type of thing where he would know what to do to fix "that" nerve. He was very nice and not too patronising. He said he would talk to some colleagues to see if they came up with anything. It's Friday and I've still not heard from him, so I'm guessing no one was able to come up with an idea.
Yesterday I went for acupuncture though. I told my doctor what was going on with my jaw, as well as with my hip (it's been wonky and limpish for the last couple of weeks) and knees (they're swollen and not happy). I filled him in on the PT I had been doing and told him I thought my hips were unhappy b/c of the core exercises. He agreed that could be it, even though the PT lady (who was v. nice and good) didn't think it should be a result of that. But he's had two hip replacements and does all sorts of keep-fit things, and he said ever since his hip replacements he's not been able to do core work either as it irritates it. So, yes an answer, but still a new catch - 22 b/c how am I meant to strengthen my core if I can't do the exercises?
Regarding my jaw, he felt it and said - "it could be the muscle there". There's a muscle there, under my tongue, and no one else thought to mention that? This is why it's good to have all different types of people around you - everyone thinks differently. So he shows me his Trigger Point poster - I love this thing because it's like someone who didn't know me drew it and put big X's on all of the parts that hurt me, what a coincidence! :-) And sure enough, on the green part that is the disxxxxx whatever name I can't say muscle, there is a big X EXACTLY WHERE IT HURTS!!! Now mind, is this 100% the problem? Who knows. But at least it's some sort of start and we can try to fix it and see what happens. This time we did more needling on my legs and hips than my neck, but a little on my shoulder and in my tmj. He needled me under my jaw into that muscle and sure enough, there was a trigger point - and a slippery one at that, took a bit to get the needle in (not pleasant) but (touch wood) afterwards I did feel a bit better. He things the trigger point is from clenching my jaw, related to my tmj, which is related to stress, which I've been under because of the world and the pain I've been and not being able to sleep and there goes the never ending cycle. So, as with all acupuncture/dry needling, we will wait a bit and see what happens. I am trying to be hopeful but not overly so because, well, I know my body.
I did feel all over a lot better when I left his office last night though. A combination between him and the treatment me thinks!
So next appointment is 30 April, the day before I leave for England. Fingers crossed!!!
Showing posts with label trigger point release. Show all posts
Showing posts with label trigger point release. Show all posts
03 April, 2009
30 December, 2008
Slightly overdue
but it's been a v. busy few weeks.
I left off on my way to see Mark Seem. He was v. nice and patient and took the time to get my history, as well as review all the reports I brought with me. He has a lot of insight into hypermobility and told me some very interesting things about it. One being that the Dutch have a v. high rate because there was a lot of relationships with the Asians when they were a "superpower", and whilst the Asians hypermobility does not affect them in a negative way because they are shorter, when the genes were mixed with the taller Dutch, then it became a problem because size and proportions were all different. Perhaps I'm Dutch??? He also feels that my fibromyalgia is relatively mild and that the polyenthsopathy plays a much larger role. I was impressed he knew what enthosopathy was as most doctors ask me what it means. Poly=many and Enthesitis is an inflammation of the entheses, the location where a bone has an insertion to a tendon or a ligament. It is also called enthesopathy, or any pathologic condition involving the entheses. The entheses are any point of attachment of skeletal muscles to bone, where recurring stress or inflammatory autoimmune disease can cause inflammation or occasionally fibrosis and calcification. (Also see: http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/enthesitis ) He suggested because of the hypermobility and fibromyalgia we would work relatively slowly and not leave the needles in for more that 10-15 minutes. The idea was to not trigger my fibro. He used a combination of TCM needles as well as slightly longer needles for the dry needling/trigger point release. Afterwards I was v. tired and thankfully just went home and to bed. I felt a bit worse the first few days but then the pain in the neck and shoulder/upper back area became more localized, which I was told was a good thing.
Unfortunately he had to cancel the next weeks appointment as he was ill, and then last week scheduling didn't work because it was a short week. I went this morning for my second appointment. This time I definitely felt more when the needles were going in. It's hard to describe, originally I wouldn't have used the word painful, more like pressure and a pulling on the muscle - you can kind of feel the muscle "grip" the needle. This time he really got into some trigger points directly which is good, but it definitely felt more intense. He also put some needles in my hand and one in my right index finger. I accidentally moved the finger and that woke me up! It was in a v. sensitive place and even hurt when he took it out. After we finished with my back, he released two trigger points in my TMJ as it's been killing me lately. It still feels like there is a needle in there about an hour later, though not as intense. I was told to not chew or talk a lot. If it brings relief it will be worth it.
Yesterday I went to see a physiatrist as I am meant to get PT to strengthen my neck, but didn't trust anything that daft neurologist said. I went to see Dr. Panagos as Weill/Cornell. He and his resident were very nice and knowledgeable about my various conditions. They told me a horror story about a woman with EDS that can barely function after giving birth, and suggested that I don't do that. Lovely. Although we knew that already, especially as EDS is a 50/50 chance for the kid. I would hate to give this crap to someone else. The doctor said he's sorry there isn't much he can do but the goal is to get me to learn how to help myself, so I don't have to constantly go to PT and such. He wrote out a very thorough and specific prescription for neck PT, saying that I need strengthening but no stretching. I have to say it's so nice to meet doctors that know what is going on, not daft ones like Fatimi who dismiss everything you say and think they know more, when, in reality, they do not have any experience whatsoever. Even Dr. Panagos' resident knew a lot, she said she was surprised I wasn't a doctor. I think I should be given an honorary doctor's degree after all I've been through! Unfortunately our insurance is changing in the New Year, so I will wait to start PT then, so it's less of a hassle.
I think that's about it for now. Happy New Years!
I left off on my way to see Mark Seem. He was v. nice and patient and took the time to get my history, as well as review all the reports I brought with me. He has a lot of insight into hypermobility and told me some very interesting things about it. One being that the Dutch have a v. high rate because there was a lot of relationships with the Asians when they were a "superpower", and whilst the Asians hypermobility does not affect them in a negative way because they are shorter, when the genes were mixed with the taller Dutch, then it became a problem because size and proportions were all different. Perhaps I'm Dutch??? He also feels that my fibromyalgia is relatively mild and that the polyenthsopathy plays a much larger role. I was impressed he knew what enthosopathy was as most doctors ask me what it means. Poly=many and Enthesitis is an inflammation of the entheses, the location where a bone has an insertion to a tendon or a ligament. It is also called enthesopathy, or any pathologic condition involving the entheses. The entheses are any point of attachment of skeletal muscles to bone, where recurring stress or inflammatory autoimmune disease can cause inflammation or occasionally fibrosis and calcification. (Also see: http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/enthesitis ) He suggested because of the hypermobility and fibromyalgia we would work relatively slowly and not leave the needles in for more that 10-15 minutes. The idea was to not trigger my fibro. He used a combination of TCM needles as well as slightly longer needles for the dry needling/trigger point release. Afterwards I was v. tired and thankfully just went home and to bed. I felt a bit worse the first few days but then the pain in the neck and shoulder/upper back area became more localized, which I was told was a good thing.
Unfortunately he had to cancel the next weeks appointment as he was ill, and then last week scheduling didn't work because it was a short week. I went this morning for my second appointment. This time I definitely felt more when the needles were going in. It's hard to describe, originally I wouldn't have used the word painful, more like pressure and a pulling on the muscle - you can kind of feel the muscle "grip" the needle. This time he really got into some trigger points directly which is good, but it definitely felt more intense. He also put some needles in my hand and one in my right index finger. I accidentally moved the finger and that woke me up! It was in a v. sensitive place and even hurt when he took it out. After we finished with my back, he released two trigger points in my TMJ as it's been killing me lately. It still feels like there is a needle in there about an hour later, though not as intense. I was told to not chew or talk a lot. If it brings relief it will be worth it.
Yesterday I went to see a physiatrist as I am meant to get PT to strengthen my neck, but didn't trust anything that daft neurologist said. I went to see Dr. Panagos as Weill/Cornell. He and his resident were very nice and knowledgeable about my various conditions. They told me a horror story about a woman with EDS that can barely function after giving birth, and suggested that I don't do that. Lovely. Although we knew that already, especially as EDS is a 50/50 chance for the kid. I would hate to give this crap to someone else. The doctor said he's sorry there isn't much he can do but the goal is to get me to learn how to help myself, so I don't have to constantly go to PT and such. He wrote out a very thorough and specific prescription for neck PT, saying that I need strengthening but no stretching. I have to say it's so nice to meet doctors that know what is going on, not daft ones like Fatimi who dismiss everything you say and think they know more, when, in reality, they do not have any experience whatsoever. Even Dr. Panagos' resident knew a lot, she said she was surprised I wasn't a doctor. I think I should be given an honorary doctor's degree after all I've been through! Unfortunately our insurance is changing in the New Year, so I will wait to start PT then, so it's less of a hassle.
I think that's about it for now. Happy New Years!
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