Pain and treatment

[AggieDave 6]

I couldn't jump today. I woke up this morning at 4am with muscle spasms in my neck. Took advil, drank some water and went back to bed. Well, sleep obviously didn't really come easy, although I was able to get a little more shuteye before waking up at 6am with even more pain. Ended up havnig to take a vicodin left over from my surgery and ice my neck on and off for a good while before going to the DZ.

Of course I'm not going to jump after taking a vicodin, so instead of being able to jump today and make money, I helped students out with learning how to spot, how to setup landing patterns for the winds of the day and bummed around.

Anyways, in the past chiropracters have always been able to fix my problems like this. Like the time I got whiplash a bit over a year ago. A chiropracter fixed that up perfectly, BUT this problem (the spasms) have been happing for a little while now (a bit over a month) and my bone cracker hasn't been able to really fix it.

Morgan wants me to go to a "real" doctor, but I don't know what kind of Doc to see. What kind of doc tends to these sorts of things?

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[jumpinjackflash 0]

Dave,

I saw an Orthopedic surgeon in September. The ZPO I have about ripped my neck off with a hard opening.

Result? Compressed c3-c4, pinched nerve, muscle spasms, the whole nine yards.

Well, to make a long story short? He recommended cortisone injection to reduce the swelling of the compressed disk.

I balked, I didn't want to become a cortisone junkie and have to get those shots every couple months. A friends Ortho had recommended a simple traction device to him previously, he still had it, and I tried it.

It fits over the door jamb and does an incredible job of stretching the spine, for me it worked wonders.

I actually caught my freaking kitchen on fire because of the drug cocktails I was taking because of the intense pain...

I'm not good with dope, blew me away.

Cool thing was, the traction device, worked well. The pain went away, and I regained almost 100% feeling in my thumb (left hand) and no more shooting pain in my left leg...

Device is simple, counterweight is a water bag with measuring units on it for pounds, tied to a rope, goes through a couple pulleys and down to a head strap.

You sit in a chair every day for x amount of time (until you just can't take it any more) and, in a couple weeks (probably just depends on the extent of the injury) your feeling good.

Now, of course, I'm tossing out alot here, assuming this has anything to do with compression or a pinched nerve, but? What the hell.



Good Luck, I know the spasm shit is terribly painful, I didn't sleep for three freaking weeks,



Jack

It's a gas, gas, gas...

[ltdiver 3]

Cervical traction works well for some people. Glad it helped you out.

Dave, the recommendation for you to see an orthopedic doctor is the best line of attack. If this doctor feels you need more attention, he can direct you to a neurologist for further diagnosis and testing.

Physical therapy can assist you with getting 'back on your feet' and can set you up with a home traction unit if it's a good course of action for you. However, first ask your orthopedist. You -can- do yourself harm if it's not recommended for your condition.

ltdiver

Don't tell me the sky's the limit when there are footprints on the moon

[Muenkel 0]

Just curious, are you under excess stress lately? You could be clenching your shoulders in your sleep which could be the cause of all the muscle pain. Trust me, stress can beat the shit out of you.

If this is the case, a lot of stretching exercises along with relaxation exercises can do wonders.

I hope you get to the bottom of this. Good luck buddy.

_________________________________________
Chris

[AggieDave 6]

Quote

are you under excess stress lately

Me excess stress? Ha! I've been under a shitload of stress trying to figure out how to get all the pieces in my life to fall into place after Texas A&M decided to change my plans and tell me I can't come back after this semester.

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[BASE813 0]

I had some problems with my neck and upper back for a couple of years after a pretty brisk opening that gave me whiplash.

After seeing a Chiropractor it got sorted out by going to a sports physio massage woman. I went once a week to have some hefty deep massage with electric current manipulation and after a month or so of visits and exercises each day it sorted itself out.

[TheAnvil 0]

They finally found out you know Pop, eh?

Vinny the Anvil
Post Traumatic Didn't Make The Lakers Syndrome is REAL
JACKASS POWER!!!!!!

[TEB6363 0]

I saw my ortho/pain management specialist.. Had the MRI's done.. C3/4, C4/5 had a bulge... Shallow cortisone did not work..

After a referral to an anaesthesiologist, two cortisone shots into the disc... ALL BETTER!!!

Once the plane takes off, you're gonna have to land - Might as well jump out!!

[AggieDave 6]

UPDATE

Went and saw Doc Stewart at his office today. He's a jumper, one of my original JMs actually, and has been a chiropracter nearly as long as he's been a jumper (he taught Moses how to PLF). He took X-rays, poked around for a while and then gave me what has to be the best adjustment I've had in a LONG time.

The pain is gone. The muscles are still wigging out a little be now and then today, but that's to be expected after having been spasming for a few days. Doc also wrote down (in chirpractor shorthand on one of his in office forms/card) exactly what was wrong for me to give to a new chiropracter here in my town. He told me to tell who ever I go to to call him if they have questions, etc.

Its really nice having someone I trust 100% that knows exactly what he's doing and is very good at what he does. Twice now he's done that for me. Skydiving and now for my neck.

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[superwhuffo 0]

There is nothing like a good Chiropracter. I have had them do some great things for my back injury from long ago. I wish I could get my girlfriend to go see one. I could never get her to do a skydive because she was scarred she would get hurt, then she went fishing and compressed her vertebre when the boat hit a wave and she was sitting on the bow. She got thrown up into the air and "wham" she came back down on the bow and broke her back. Should have done that tandem skydive!
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We take risk not to escape life, but to keep life from escaping._______________________
It is noble to teach oneself; it is still nobler to teach others. Mark Twain

[antifnsocial 0]

I did a dive into a river off a ledge and did the same thing by hitting the water with my back. No fun at all. They operated and I have okay to skydive no problem now, that was when I was 18.

Please feel free to reply to my posts and pm's, but only if you're smart enough to understand what they really mean.

[superwhuffo 0]

Quote

I did a dive into a river off a ledge and did the same thing by hitting the water with my back. No fun at all. They operated and I have okay to skydive no problem now, that was when I was 18.

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I'm glad you are good to go for skydiving. Why so few jumps? I have been cliff diving all of my life (since I was 12), but I have about given it up since I started skydiving. In fact I have given up about everything else since I started skydiving.
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We take risk not to escape life, but to keep life from escaping._______________________
It is noble to teach oneself; it is still nobler to teach others. Mark Twain

[kbordson 8]

Hey Dave,
One thing you can consider if this happens again, might include a visit to a D.O. (Doctor of Osteopathy) who practices manipulation. D.O.'s are very similar to MD's here in the US, except we have further training in manual medicine (not just the "popping" but also muscle and fascial techniques). Many people don't know that there are differences in medicine and just assume that all doctors are MD's. If you have interest look into...
http://www.osteopathic.org/index.cfm?PageID=ost_main

The chiropractors actually developed as a limited school from the D.O. programs. According to what I was taught, one of the founders of chiropractic medicine went to a short introductory course given by A.T. Still, the founder of Osteopathy. He took what he learned there and just adapted some of it.
Anyway, I'm glad to hear that you're feeling better!
Karen

[antifnsocial 0]

Quote

Why so few jumps? I have been cliff diving all of my life (since I was 12), but I have about given it up since I started skydiving. In fact I have given up about everything else since I started skydiving.----------------

I am working on it, give me a break, it's cold as hell here!!

Please feel free to reply to my posts and pm's, but only if you're smart enough to understand what they really mean.

[Billy 0]

Glad to hear your better Dave...

And Karen thanks for that link,, been looking for one locally for an L5 disc problem... much appreciated!!

Natural Born FlyerZ.com

[FlyingJ 0]

Quote

Hey Dave,
One thing you can consider if this happens again, might include a visit to a D.O. (Doctor of Osteopathy) who practices manipulation. D.O.'s are very similar to MD's here in the US, except we have further training in manual medicine (not just the "popping" but also muscle and fascial techniques).

Can you tell how a D.O. operates in relation to someone practicing non-directional force technique? Is that what it's called? I'm not sure I have the phrasing of it correctly.

I've been plagued by back problems for most of my life, and my last big flare up was the result of a kayaking injury. At the time I went to see a chiropracter who practiced NDFT. She wasn't about snap crackle pop adjustments but figuring out what was out of whack and using massage and relaxation techniques to get to the root of the problem. She also did this thing where I laid on the table and she took looked at the lengths of my legs and based on tension causing one to be shorter than the other she worked muscles between my neck and lower back until one whole side of my body shifted down a considerable distance.

It took me trusting her when it seemed like nothing was happening but I stuck w/ it and after several visits things really settled into place. My back felt a lot better, and the difference in looking at the before and after x-rays and photos of my pelvis and hip region was wild. I had literally been walking around with so much tension in my neck and upper body that my entire pelvis/hip area was cocked up to one side for who knows how long.

Unfortunately she wasn't covered by my insurance so I couldn't make it long term treatment, and since I worked with her I've tried a few other docs but nobody that has ever had that kind of result.

Killing threads since 2004.