A Glimmer of Hope! An Update.

I have been putting off this post all day, because I'm so cynical and unbelieving when I get good news about my nerves. 

The last news I gave was that I'm now being treated in a clinic in Spokane, called Spine Team Spokane. They specialize in non-surgical therapies for spines, backs, nerves, bones, muscles, etc. They go over your MRIs (I've had 3) and diagnose your symptoms using your MRIs and your input and an exam that includes a lot of physical testing.  They not only have a medical doctor running the clinic, all of the doctors (there are 3) and the Physician Assistant, are Board Certified, and each has many years experience. 

 Their Physical Therapists are 'McKenzie'

certified, and in the case of my PT,  he is a McKenzie Diplomat (highest you can go). McKenzie trained PTs are highly regarded and trained to get results - go to the Spine Team website and you can look up 'Treatment', then 'Physical Therapy': SpineTeamSpokane

Anyway, I was diagnosed by Spine Team with several problems, each will be dealt with separately, but none of them require surgery, and I have no bulging discs, or nerves being pressed by bulging discs, according to them and the Doctor's reports that came with the MRIs - BY THE WAY, which I never saw, (I saw someone else's) or had the reports read to me. In fact, the MRIs I saw after mine were taken, were very different from the MRIs I saw - by accident -  at the other place 5 months later. Since I've stopped the decompressions, tractions and in general the bone treatments, the pain has reduced, and with the new PT and some injections in my shoulders (my upper body diagnosis), I have a 70% reduction in pain. 

In a nut shell, and because I can't remember medical names, I can say basically,  I have been diagnosed with shoulder(s) muscles that are injured and impinging on my nerves which effect my arms and hands, upper legs, ears, mouth, eyes, etc.  This very symptomatic soft tissue injury makes a lot more sense considering my garden accident. 

My lower legs in the hip area have caused symptoms in my lower back, feet (numbness that is worse the longer I stand) and sciatica on both sides for years -  I have finally been told after all these years, that the main nerve does not got through it's proper area and is chronically swollen. No wonder chiropractic never worked on my lower back!

I also have a treatable form of vertigo (ugh!) and Trigger Finger! What a mess I am.

What this means is that I'm still very symptomatic but the shoulder/back related pain is better and some of the symptoms are coming and going, instead of everything getting worse,

 or staying bad.

But today, the really good news that I'm having trouble allowing myself to get excited about, is that when I had my right shoulder injected today (to make the inflammation go down so I could tolerate physical therapy better), it was done - as the left shoulder was done a couple weeks ago - using a sonogram so the injection area  could be better seen and would be more accurate;  this time I saw and the PA could see an inflamed area near the shoulder area that wasn't normal. When he injected the area and dug (!) around - my fingers, elbow, neck, lips - in short, my symptom areas were buzzing and/or had pins and needles. 

I am going to get back to normal, and I'll get a new limo too!

I felt like maybe they were right and I really am not crazy! WELL, I won't go that far… I have exercises and other work to do, but I was so relieved to see that inflammation!

More as I PROGRESS!

xox