If you've read my story before, you know my path into pain medicine started with a bobsledding injury to my back. But this blog isn't about that one. It's about something that happened this summer, and what it taught me all over again about patience.
Out of nowhere
This summer, out of the blue, I started having what I thought was upper back pain. It turned out to be coming from my neck: a bulging disc was pinching a nerve. I still don't know why it happened or where it came from.
Within a short time, I'd lost the use of my left arm. The nerve pain was intense, and I lost strength, grip and the ability to lift. It was awful.
When I needed the conventional system
This is a situation where I absolutely needed conventional medicine. I had an urgent MRI, which I'm very thankful for, so we could understand what was going on. I also needed several medications just to cope with the pain.
I want to be honest about this, because I think it matters. Many of the therapies we use in our clinic can help in acute situations, but a lot of them work best once you're moving into the recovery phase. My pain needed to settle first.
What I did once the pain settled
As the pain improved and I came off the medications, I built in the tools I use with my own patients:
- Ozone therapy. For a disc issue, this is my go-to.
- Prolotherapy, in combination. I didn't start it right away, because I was in too much pain. Once things settled, it became part of the plan.
- Nutrition and nerve support. I increased my omega-3s and added curcumin for inflammation and nerve support. I also considered alpha-lipoic acid, which is often used for nerve health.
- Physio. I tell every patient that injection therapies work better in a collaborative environment. I like to see people working with a physio or chiropractor alongside their injections, and I followed my own advice.
Over time, my strength has been coming back. It's not at 100% yet, but it's getting there.
Ignoring pain doesn't make it go away
One thing I've learned, and see constantly in practice, is that ignoring pain doesn't make it go away or get better on its own.
I also think we hugely underestimate the role of diet. When we're in pain and not feeling great, we don't always make the best food choices. It's easy to reach for whatever is fast and convenient, and that usually isn't what's most healthy.
As a general rule that most people can follow, I recommend a whole foods approach with very little sugar and refined carbs. High sugar intake drives inflammation, and inflammation can make pain a lot worse. When you're hurting is exactly when your food choices matter most.
Leaning on my team
What kept me going? Honestly, as a business owner, I can't just stop. And this is where having an amazing team made all the difference.
Many of you know ReeAnn, our patient care coordinator. She held down the fort and kept the clinic running smoothly so I had time to rest and recover, and I'm so thankful. You're only as strong as your team, and we're building such a strong one here at BioRevive.
When I got impatient
I'll admit it: I've had moments of thinking it isn't working fast enough. Recently I was seeing my family doctor for something completely different and got a little upset. I'd hoped my arm would be stronger by now.
My goal is to ski with my kids this winter. Right now, if I fell one way, I don't think I could push myself up with my left arm.
He reminded me of something I needed to hear. Back in July, it looked like I might need surgery. If he had told me then that by October I'd be pain-free and just working on strength and function, I would have been overjoyed.
Perspective matters. It's easy to measure where you are against where you want to be, and forget how far you've come. That's one reason I'm adding more standard questionnaires into my practice, so my patients and I can check in on pain and function over time and actually see progress.
What I tell my patients about timelines
After an injury, how quickly you recover depends on what the injury is and how long it's been there. Realistically, we don't see things turn around after a single treatment.
With prolotherapy specifically, here's what I tell my patients:
- We start with a series of three treatments, spaced about 3 to 4 weeks apart. As you feel better, we space them further apart.
- Each treatment builds on the last. Prolotherapy re-starts your body's healing response. Once that response has had time to work, the next treatment starts it again on a stronger base.
- Results often show up by treatment two or three. That's why it can feel like nothing is happening at first.
- Three isn't always the finish line. Some people continue with treatments every 6 to 12 weeks for a while to keep things functioning and feeling good. After that, we tailor the plan to you.
You can read more about why I use it in Why I Use Prolotherapy for Chronic Pain, and how stress can slow healing in How Stress and Pain Feed Each Other.
The bottom line
Recovery is rarely a straight line, and it's almost never as fast as we want it to be. Get the right help early, give your body the conditions it needs to heal, lean on your people, and check in on how far you've come, not just how far you have to go.
I'm still working toward that ski day. If you're working toward your own version of it, I'd love to help. As a naturopathic doctor, I see patients for pain and injury recovery in Calgary at BioRevive and in Fernie at Fernie Chiropractic. Learn more about regenerative injection therapies, or here's how to book with me.
This post shares my personal experience and is for general education only. It isn't a substitute for personalized medical advice. If you have sudden weakness, numbness or severe pain, please seek medical care right away.
