Well that was pathetic, I only made it three days before failing. I think that was my longest streak on PokemonGo too, plus that was how many days I lasted doing yoga every morning when I signed up for Daily Burn. I think it’s safe to say I have commitment issues ha!
The Saturday after Thanksgiving my back went out. I was in a car accident in 2012 and since this was pre-ACA I didn’t have health insurance, so I never went and saw a doctor. I also turned down an ambulance on scene because I knew I wouldn’t be able to pay the bill. Because of those decisions my back will flare up from time to time and hurt for a few days, but it didn’t really start getting bad until about a year ago; before that it might hurt for a day or two and mostly just uncomfortable. Now it will last for a week or longer and be absolutely excruciating.
The last time it flared up was in August, about two weeks after I moved back in with the parents. I went to a massage therapist, swam in the ocean for about an hour, then went on a bike ride. The next day I was back to normal. People really do underestimate the healing power of the ocean. My theory (please keep in mind, I’m not a scientist, this is just my opinion) is that floating in the water helps take gravity and pressure off my spine. Salt water has more buoyancy than fresh water, so you can float with more support. Sitting and standing contributes to the pain because it puts all the pressure on the base of your spine, whereas floating in the ocean helps take that stress off my body. (Again, I’m not a scientist or a medical professional, this is just my theory and opinion!)
But since it’s December and the water is COLD I can’t go float around right now. And that really sucks. I don’t like using painkillers or other types of pharmaceuticals; I’m not a chemist, I don’t have the training or schooling to understand how all those ingredients work and how they will interact with each other. I also drink, and there are a lot of things you’re not supposed to take with alcohol, so I’m not going to push my luck with that.
Here is what I do feel comfortable doing:
Massage Therapy: Every month I see my therapist and work on my back. She’s awesome, she’s really strong and really gets in there and works everything out. I ended up double booking my November appointment with paddle board yoga and cancelling my massage. Within a week I was in pain. Never again will I skip an appointment. I was able to get in about a week later, but with a different therapist and it just wasn’t the same, she didn’t get in there as aggressively. For anybody in the San Diego area who may need a good massage therapist, I highly recommend Jen at Healing Arts Massage and Wellness Center in Pacific Beach.
Skullcap: This is an herb I got at a little shop in Ocean Beach called Bountiful Herbs. It’s great for nerve pain; it can help soothe muscle tension, relieve anxiety, and calm spasms. I make it as a tea a few times a day and it has definitely helped. Plus it’s cold out right now and tea is always nice when it’s chilly!
Breathing: I do some breathing exercises and light stretching throughout the day. Sitting really bothers me and standing for long periods can get painful. I can feel muscles in my back, especially between my shoulder blades, tighten up so I’ll just stop whatever I’m doing and do my stretches. I did some digging on the old Google and found multiple pages/sources stating that breathing can be a big help with pain. While it doesn’t necessarily fix the cause of pain, it can help release other muscles that have tightened up.
Some things I want to try:
Float Therapy: While at the herb shop I picked up a flyer for a float therapy place in OB called Reset and they do sensory deprivation therapy. Now, as someone who watched Stranger Things, this kind of freaks me out lol! Plus I have a fear of dark pools, so the idea of being in water in total darkness is unnerving. But it also seems like the closest I can get to floating in the ocean this time of year, so I called to see what they’re all about. The guy I talked to told me it’s actually really beneficial for pain relief since they use medical grade Epsom salt and the water is body temperature. The flyer is advertising $50 for 90 min. Still thinking about that one, maybe I’ll ask for an early Solstice present.
Yoga: I would love to start doing yoga on a regular basis again. I’m a chubby girl, I love beer and pizza, and I’m comfortable with myself, but I think strengthening my core muscles will help support my back better. But this comes down to money, yoga gyms (are they called gyms? studios? I’m not sure) are expensive and I can’t afford that until I get a full time job.
Medical Marijuana: I would like to get my card, but as California just legalized recreational marijuana I’m going to see how this one plays out. I also get migraines and chronic tension headaches, I’ve been told marijuana is really helpful for that too. Plus being unemployed right now, I can’t justify the money.
If anybody has any other suggestions for pain relief please feel free to share!
This Is Not A City Park 