To manage SMA pain, I had to force myself to slow down
When my body is hurting, I need to give myself a break
“It’s just a flesh wound.”
The black knight utters this famous line in “Monty Python and the Holy Grail” after losing both arms in battle. He then continues to fight in a slapstick manner and taunt his opponent as blood gushes out of his sides. Ah, I love British humor.
This scene came to mind recently as I contemplated how I manage my pain issues. For the past two weeks, I’ve been dealing with intense pain in the top part of my left shoulder. It makes transferring in and out of my wheelchair especially difficult as the hurting increases when I move.
I didn’t fall or do anything in particular to cause this issue. I’m just a 30-year-old with SMA and my body likes to hurt without provocation. Assuming it was a pulled muscle, I took Advil and tried to give it a few days to heal. With my history of broken bones and injuries, I have a high threshold for pain.
A week went by, and the pain only intensified. Even then I was hesitant to get checked out because I wasn’t sure if doctors could do anything. I tried to tough it out, emulating the black knight’s stubbornness.
Eventually, transferring became too excruciating and I knew I had to do something. I called my primary doctor’s office, but he didn’t have any immediate availability. My mom and I then ventured to the emergency room on a Thursday morning, hoping for some sort of diagnosis and relief.
Despite my history of terribly prolonged ER visits, this one was much shorter. After the team checked my vitals and did an electrocardiogram, I went in for X-rays. Thankfully I was able to remain in my chair the entire time, thus reducing the amount of movement I had to endure.
Once the test results came back, the physician told me I had inflammation in my joint that was causing the pain. I felt relieved that I didn’t break or dislocate anything. Still, I was frustrated that it would take time for the spot to heal. The physician gave me some pain medication and recommended I use ice packs at home, but there was little else I could do for immediate relief.
So I rested. I canceled several plans and appointments in the past couple weeks and have spent the majority of my time at home. Often I’m inclined to push myself and ignore physical ailments, but in this situation, I knew I needed to stop. Beyond transfers, it also causes me pain if I’m driving my chair too fast or over a bumpy surface. Staying put is what I needed.
Alas, hiccups like this are part of the SMA package. Sometimes I just need a reminder to be less like the black knight in Monty Python and give my body a break.
Note: SMA News Today is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The opinions expressed in this column are not those of SMA News Today or its parent company, Bionews, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to spinal muscular atrophy.
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