Arthritis and My Path to Hope
On January 16, 2006, I took my twin daughters, Lyndsey and Erika shopping for their birthday presents. After our shopping spree, we went to get food for their special dinner. Unfortunately, we never reached the store. While I was waiting for the stoplight to change, my daughters and I were hit in the rear end of my van. Guardian angels worked over time that day because Lyndsey and Erika were not injured. I began to feel the affects of the accident and was taken to the hospital as a precaution. At the hospital, tests were ordered for every body part. After being poked and prodded, I was told there were no serious problems but I did receive some unexpected news. I have severe osteoarthritis in my neck. “Not much you can do”, they said. I was not satisfied with that answer. I made an appointment to see my family physician, Dr. Joseph Cavallaro. Dr. Cavallaro, a.k.a. Dr. Joe and I discussed how I could live with my diagnosis. “There is something you can do”, he said.
To alleviate the pain caused by the accident and to reduce the swelling from the osteoarthritis, Dr. Joe prescribed massage and physical therapy. A few weeks of massage, ultrasound and moderate exercises, my neck felt great. I was able to shift my head without wincing from the pain.
In April 2006, I was discharged from physical therapy. I continue to see Dr. Joe so he and I can work together to manage my osteoarthritis.
With the loving support from my wonderful family and help from a caring physician, I am a 34-year-old young woman living and enjoying life despite my diagnosis.
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2 Comments
Write a Comment»My wife found out this year that she had the same thing. It was causing numbness and pain in her left arm because a nerve was being touched. Her doctor put her on some machine that pulls her neck, gently of course, for two sessions. Other than massage and taking ibuprofen whenever the pain returns, usually after working too many hours, there’s nothing more she can do. She’s 46.
Thanks RT. I have the same problem as your wife. In addition to my arthritis, I battle nerve pain from a herniated disk. The docs had suggested epidural injections. After researching and soul searching, I decided against the shots. Pain management for me has included massage too!