Interrupting the cycle of symptoms with a new protocol to ease flare-ups
Preventive measures at the first sign of symptoms kept them from escalating
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One of the hardest parts about having occipital neuralgia and myofascial pain syndrome alongside hypoparathyroidism is trying to balance the symptoms. For instance, if my calcium level dips too low, it can cause my muscles to tighten and spasm, which in turn causes more pressure on my already injured nerves. If my occipital neuralgia flares, the sudden pain can cause anxiety and rapid breathing, which can lower my calcium level, making my symptoms worse. It’s a vicious cycle, but I’m learning ways to interrupt it.
After my last flare, which occurred the night I was attending one of my favorite Broadway musicals, I spoke to my medical team about steps I could take at the first sign of symptoms to keep them from escalating. I got my chance to try out the protocol much sooner than expected.
As I was sitting at my desk working on a new column, the muscles in my shoulder and upper back started to tighten. Pinpricks of heat climbed up my neck and wrapped around my head. A dull throbbing on my left side extended from my shoulder to the base of my skull, only to sharpen into a stabbing pain.
These were the warning signs of an occipital neuralgia flare-up.
To be fair to my body, it’d been a heavy few weeks. From a new knee injury and an unexpected medical bill, to grieving the loss of something long-loved and trying to meet a late writing deadline, I’d been stressed and not sleeping well. All this tension had culminated in a dip in my calcium level. While I was able to correct my level quickly, I was still struggling with muscle tightness.
Thankfully, I had made a list of what to do in this exact situation.
The road to recovery
My first step was a gentle workout for five minutes, followed by stretching my arms and shoulders. Then, I used my traction pillow — an inflatable pillow that helped stretch my neck — while microwaving my heating pads. Once I finished my traction, I wrapped the pads around my shoulders, neck, and head.
Next, I ate a light snack of peanut butter and gluten-free crackers so I could take some ibuprofen. The pills don’t do much for the nerve pain, but they do help with the muscle pain and inflammation. After the heating pads, I did more gentle stretching.
My newest step was to slip a soft brace around my neck. As directed by my physical medicine and rehabilitation doctor, I fastened the brace in the front, allowing the wider edge of the brace to cradle the back of my head. I’d been instructed to use the neck brace only in very specific conditions, since using one long term can weaken the muscles in the neck.
Finally, I took one of my emergency anti-anxiety medications, which helped ease some of the tension and allowed my muscles to relax. Within an hour, the initial smoldering didn’t flare into an inferno. When I felt confident enough to remove the neck brace, I took a hot shower and did some additional stretches while my skin and muscles were still warm. After a quick nap, I resumed wearing the neck brace for the rest of the evening.
By the following day, most of my pain had subsided and I had only residual vertigo. My last flare lasted five days, and this one lasted only about 12 hours. I was so grateful that with my new protocol I was able to keep my symptoms to a minimum.
Sometimes the road to recovery from the occipital neuralgia and myofascial pain syndrome while balancing hypoparathyroidism feels endless. Looking back at my previous columns, it’s easy to get lost in how long I was suffering before I got my diagnoses. However, it’s also easy to see how much I’ve improved over the last few months. I don’t always get the balancing act right, but thankfully, I know what to do now if things start to topple.
Note: Hypoparathyroidism News is a strictly 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 another 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 Hypoparathyroidism News or its parent company, Bionews, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to hypoparathyroidism.
Sherry Weydert
Thank you for sharing. Ive learned theough trial and error