Trying to Increase Range of Motion in Neck
I've been allowed to have the neck collar off for awhile now, since my appointment on the tenth of March. I was warned that it would be slow going and that I might have it off for a few hours and then want it back on.
I tried the first couple of days to go cold turkey in the daytime and just wear it at night. Pain convinced me pretty quickly that this was a bad idea. After a little over six weeks in the collar my neck muscles weren't happy.
So I wore it for a couple of days to calm things down and tried again for periods of time. That's worked a bit better for me. For some reason turning my head left hurts more than turning it to the right.
I'm dying to drive but I know that whipping my head around quickly is NOT going to work and there are times you must do this. It reminds me of what driving was like after my heart surgery--I didn't have power steering and left turns hurt my healing breast bone like mad. I would plan out routes to avoid left turns as much as possible. :)
I haven't thought seriously about sitting at my desk because I know my neck needs to be more healed before I can do that. On my love seat I have something to support my neck while I am on my laptop.
I know I'll get there. It's difficult to be patient because this neck problem has gobbled up a year of my life in terms of what I can and can't do and I don't want to give it another second.
The scar isn't so bad. I look at it and think: "This is a symbol of not being in horrible pain any more."
It's a fair trade.
I tried the first couple of days to go cold turkey in the daytime and just wear it at night. Pain convinced me pretty quickly that this was a bad idea. After a little over six weeks in the collar my neck muscles weren't happy.
So I wore it for a couple of days to calm things down and tried again for periods of time. That's worked a bit better for me. For some reason turning my head left hurts more than turning it to the right.
I'm dying to drive but I know that whipping my head around quickly is NOT going to work and there are times you must do this. It reminds me of what driving was like after my heart surgery--I didn't have power steering and left turns hurt my healing breast bone like mad. I would plan out routes to avoid left turns as much as possible. :)
I haven't thought seriously about sitting at my desk because I know my neck needs to be more healed before I can do that. On my love seat I have something to support my neck while I am on my laptop.
I know I'll get there. It's difficult to be patient because this neck problem has gobbled up a year of my life in terms of what I can and can't do and I don't want to give it another second.
The scar isn't so bad. I look at it and think: "This is a symbol of not being in horrible pain any more."
It's a fair trade.