Pain relief - Scoliosis Video Transcripts
Video 1 Transcript
After three major spinal fusion surgeries due to scoliosis, I'm fused T1 to S1 with two screws into each hip. So almost my entire spine is fused except for my cervical area, which I also have issues in my neck as well. What I would say has helped me tremendously with managing my chronic pain other than pain management is finding a well-qualified medical massage therapist. I cannot recommend massage therapy enough. You know, someone with years of experience, training, and preferably someone that has experience with spinal fusion or scoliosis if possible. It truly helps get to the source of our pain and it has definitely helped me tremendously.
Video 2 Transcript
Now pain relief is a difficult one. I take amitriptyline, naproxen, and I take hemp seed capsules, and also I take codeine to top up. These are all very well for knocking me out, but at the end of the day if I have a flare-up through the night, especially the tearing sensation you get when you sleep on the wrong side, it really doesn't touch the pain. So to deal with the pain, you have to work yourself around it. It's hard to say when you get a flare-up or it's like sometimes you're just sitting in a chair then before you know it your leg's gone or your back's gone. The pain is just dealing with it and working your life around it.
Video 3 Transcript
Pain relief. Now that is a big one. What I've learned on my scoliosis journey is that you have to have a bunch of things in your toolbox. You have to have a pain management toolbox. That means that you go see a massage therapist one day, you might go and get a steroid shot, you take pills. I take hydroponin when needed. I'd rather not, but I tell you that pain, that pain is real. So you've got to have whatever it takes. I also do a lot of energy healing, like Reiki and integrated energy therapy. And that has truly, truly helped me. So keep your options open. There could be so many different things that will help you with your pain. But I've also learned the emotions that you have around your scoliosis and how you feel about it can absolutely affect your pain levels. So really look into that. Get some mental health help.
Video 4 Transcript
Some of the other therapies that have greatly helped me with managing my chronic pain, along with the medical massage therapy, is also utilizing dry needling, cupping, myofascial release therapy. You know, the main thing with the massage therapy is deep tissue and trigger point therapy really seems to help get to the source of our muscular skeletal pain and get some of those muscles to calm down and work out some of those knots and painful areas. You know, again, this all goes back to the training and experience of the therapist. I cannot express enough how important it is to be sure that they have the training and the experience they need to be working with you. And if you do get a massage, be sure to drink lots of water.
