This is my online journal of the struggle
to overcome neck pain which developed into a herniated disc between C5-C6 and ultimately neck surgery. I have no medical
qualifications or expertise. My intent is to personally track my own journey and in so doing, to share it with
others who are at some point in their own neck pain journey. Perhaps you will learn from my experience, or will
be able to add a comment that will in turn help others.
If you are reading this, then you probably already have
or know someone close to you who has neck or back pain. I wish you well. For me, this has definitely turned into
a marathon and not a sprint, which I originally was hoping for. Good Luck to you.
REGRESSION AND PROGRESSION. It is all to easy to fall out of the routine of best exercise practices. Summer hit, school was out,
all the routines were gone. We went away for two weeks, summer camp took over, and I stopped exercising at the YMCA.
I also got out of the habit of walking our dog regularly. By the time school was back in session, I realized how uncomfortable
my shoulders and neck had become. I had also put on some weight while on vacation and it hadn't shifted!
The beginning of September we refocused. I committed
to taking the dog on longer and more frequent walks and working out at the gym with my son including walking round the inside
track 1.5 - 2 miles. The combination very slowly helped me lose some weight. It also gave me the opportunity to
talk with our son. It was usually a canvassing campaign for an Xbox 360 for his upcoming birthday. Nonetheless,
it was a conversation we otherwise wouldn't have had.
I had been struggling with my neck at work, especially when focused on certain assignments that required
more concentration and a tendency to lean forward. It got so bad I felt a severe pain in the middle of my left shoulder
by the end of the day on several occasions, and this led to a grinding and tightening of my neck; symptoms I try to avoid.
I thought that sitting vertically straight was the answer, but on a hunch I decided to remove my back support from the chair,
which meant that I was literally slouching backwards. To my amazement, a shift in the center of gravity gave me NO SHOULDER
PAIN, even when I felt stressed! A simple change in the angle of my sitting posture completely improved my comfort level!
So a recommitment to
exercising and a change in posture has helped immensely, even though I may look like a slouch!
Helpful resources on back and neck
pain information and solutions
Neck Pain Story Store View and read the reviews of the products I used to alleviate my neck pain.
www.cure-back-pain.org Honest & Understandable Info on Back Pain Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis and Treatments.
www.arc4life.com Neck Pain Relief Products Arc4life is all about natural pain
relief through neck pillows and neck traction systems designed for improving your posture and giving you better sleep. Read
our testimonials about our neck pillow.
http://www.ReJuveness.com Scar Management solutions. It worked for me - even my doctors were impressed!
Fiona Thompson
Taken 1 year after surgery
The Author of this Blog
Here I am 1 year after surgery, in the Fall of 2009.
Happy days; a far cry from my pain one year earlier. Below you can view a closeup of my scar.
My scar 1 year after surgery
Click on photo for enlargement
My scar after neck pain surgery. Dr. Albert explained to me that access is much simpler going through
the front of the neck and eliminates cutting through any muscle which would extend recovery time. In fact, he told me
that it is possible to use a finger and push through the neck to the back of the neck or spine. Read my Blog entry about how I prevented any ugly scarring on my neck using ReJuveness silicone and scar cream. It really works!
