Pain in the Neck

Thanks to all who have looked in from time to time, and apologies for having left my blog unattended for a while. Truth is that I've been physically out of commission (and condition) the past couple of weeks, beginning with the virus I mentioned earlier. Now with antibiotics, the initial problem seems to have been taken care of. I say "seems" because I've yet to check in with the ENT guy following the ten-day course of medication he prescribed. I see him Monday.

How does one describe pain? Not easy, is it? Sometimes I think that the worst kind of pain is the kind that takes over your nervous system, which no positional adjustment can alleviate. Low back pain, the proverbial 'pain in the neck', joint pain, muscle pain. I'm not talking just average, plain vanilla, once-in-a-while pain. I'm talking serious, sharp, piercing, constant, can't-hold-your-head-up-because-your-head-feels-like-a-ripe-watermelon-about-to-be-separated-from-the
thin-vine-that-is-your-neck kind of pain.

So, what did I do? I visited this acupuncturist. Young guy from China, has a small store-front office on a shopping street not to far from where I live. Had seen him before for back pain. Had gotten some relief. Getting in and out of the car took some careful maneuvering. Two sessions with him. Four needles on the back of each hand, another couple on the instep of each foot. Twenty minutes lie-down. Needed help to get on and off the exam table.

Relief was brief. Pain returned not long after I got home. At the second session he tried to stretch and twist my neck. Mistake. I ain't going back to him no more. Or at least I don't think I will.

Finally I called my ENT guy to see if I could resume a medication that had previously been prescribed for pain relief. Thing called gabapentin, used for control of seizures and nerve pain. It's working so far.

This is the longest session I've spent at this keyboard in over a week. Better not overdo it.

Will try and check in later.