Hello,
I am new to this site and hope I can find some help and solice here. A little background. I was involved in 2 car accidents since 06/08/2008. In both instances I was rear ended, once by a distracted, speeding driver and the second by a drunk driver. Both cases are still pending adjudication by the courts. Anyway, I am about at my wits end. I have sever neck and back pain as a result of the accidents and am dependent on narcotic pain relievers. I was also diagnosed with PTSD since I don't want to driver anymore. Things I used to enjoy I couldn't care less about anymore. My family is tired of hearing me complain about my pain and it seem like my health care providers are oblivious to my concerns since they her them from their patients every day. I am hoping to gain some insight from fellow pain sufferers and hopefully get some advice on how to continue struggling on a daily basis with this affliction. I know I did not bring this upon myself but I feel like it is my fault and that no one wants to listen to me anymore. I want to get my life back but I feel that it is slowly slipping away from me. I fear that if I don't find someway to help myself get out of this viscious cycle of pain and depression that I will lose my family and friends. All because of the negligence of another person my life has been altered beyond my comprehension. Hopefully, someone can offer me some advice to help me resume the path to a somewhat normal life. I know this pain will never go away but I need to feel normal again. Right now I feel that I am a prisoner of pain and need to somehow break free. I'm sorrow for being long winded, so to speak, and I hope I did not bore anyone reading this. Thanks
Hi RighGman, I am so sorry for what you have been going through following two car accidents. Have you ever considered alternative treatments such as acupuncture or yoga? It's always important to check in with your doctor before starting any treatments or therapies. I had severe neck and head pain for several years and then I saw an Atlas Orthogonist (http://www.atlasorthogonality.com/) who completely alleviated all of my pain. I thought that this was going to be a lifelong condition, because I had tried just about everything else. Here is an excerpt from the site;
"Trauma in one form or another is the primary cause of misalignment. When the atlas vertebra is subjected to stresses and strains, it may be pushed out of proper alignment. Trauma may include car accidents (no matter how minor and regardless of immediate symptoms), slips and falls, blows to the head, or sports related injuries. Repetitive micro traumas, such as bad sleeping habits, poor posture, incorrect lifting and carrying can also cause misalignment.
The resulting misalignment may cause nerve pressure and inflammation causing a disruption of the normal functioning of the nervous system. This one dysfunction may play a role in a multitude of symptoms and pain in different areas of the body.
Besides directly impacting the neck, we can see other effects such as decreased curves in the neck, scoliosis, and changes in the alignment in the shoulders and pelvis. These changes in the alignment affect the structural integrity of the skeletal system. This in turn can result in a host of other symptoms and problems, especially headaches, neck, and facial pain."
I hope this helps a bit. Please know that I am here for you and here to help you in any way that I can. You are in my thoughts and prayers.