Chronically candid: growing through pain
Hi all!
It's been a little bit but some things have changed. Actually, something has gotten worse. I hate to start this post off in a negative light but there ya go. Life is like that sometimes. Almost a year ago, I went to a chiropractor. While there, I was told I had occipital neuralgia. Essentially it is a nerve condition caused by a group of muscles constricting and squeezing the occipital nerve that runs through them. It's caused by an injury (in my case it was most likely a car accident). It's not just pain though: it's stabbing, electric shock, throbbing pain. It causes moderate nausea, numbness and tingling in my hands and arms, cold spells, back aches, flashes of light and floaters across my eyes, and fatigue. It's pretty awful. There's no sugar coating it. Since March, it has gotten progressively worse. However, I've found some things recently that have been helping:
SPRUCE CBD TINCTURE- I was pretty hesitant at first to try this, mostly because I was afraid of it giving me a high. I've read that people with anxiety can have worse symptoms. However, this oil has so little THC in it that it doesn't do anything more than help me relax a little. It really helps with the pain levels.
PILLOW CUBE- I've tried a million and one pillows over the years. Different fills, textures, and heights. However, I think I've FINALLY found the winner! This pillow is shaped like a cube hence the name lol. It allows side sleepers to line their shoulder and neck up properly to the pillow. It allows you to sleep comfortably without having your neck rest too low or high. And it's so squishy while being firm enough to provide adequate support.
MENTHOL/PEPPERMINT- oils, cream, and gels with this ingredient help take the edge off the pain by producing a cooling effect. When the pain is really bad, I find straight peppermint oil because it's the most potent.
REDUCING CAFFEINE INTAKE- I recently realized via my mom's intelligent deduction that caffeine makes my pain worse. One of the things that causes flares is stress and caffeine definitely adds to that stress (for me at least.) So it's time to bid my beloved iced coffee adieu for now.
STAYING HYDRATED- this one is simple. Water=happy hydrated Mariah. Our bodies need quite a lot of water to function properly. Adding fruit or drinking seltzer helps keep water intake fun.
SLEEP- this one is tricky for me. I have to stay on a schedule and minimize naps. This is because for me, if I lay in one position for too long or sleep wrong, it can bring on a flare or make pain I already have worse. Sometimes the best thing for me is to make myself get up, even if i'm just lounging in my pajamas with the heating pad on the couch.
PRAYER- I've been praying for months for this to go away. I appreciate the diagnosis because for years I thought I had migraines. However, I still don't understand why I have this. It makes life more difficult. But it's teaching me how to be a stronger person. And most importantly, I'm learning to rely on God because he's the only One I can fully and truly rely on. I may not understand why I'm going through this but I know that God has a plan for my life and this is part of it.
In conclusion, yes, this is hard to cope with. I often question why especially in moments of intense pain. However, i'm learning: about Jesus, about myself, about life. Sometimes, God uses the heartache and pain of this world to teach us the most important lessons.
Love and Hugs,
Mariah xoxo
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