Ouch!
Have you ever had a pinched nerve? I stretched the other day, just your average first-thing-in-the-morning stretch and something in my neck popped.
It felt like my neck and shoulder were in a vice. I’ve never experienced pain like it. My left hand even began to tingle.
It brought me to a dilemma that I’m sure nearly everyone in Waterloo Region has had in the last year. Am I in enough pain to see a doctor? The answer was yes. Aspirin was not cutting it and it was nearly impossible to get through a newscast without tears in my eyes.
However, what I couldn’t face was the 6 hour wait in the ER. Sure it’s not always that long, but with my luck I knew I’d be sitting there with nothing to ease my pain for hours and I just couldn’t face it.
So I did what doctors hate. I consulted Dr. Internet and diagnosed myself. Google revealed my only sure fire cure, was time. There would be little a doctor could do but prescribe stronger drugs. So I treated myself with combination of over the counter pain medications, warm baths and a heat wrap.
While I’m still in pain, I can stand it and it’s improving. But I have to say, it’s a sad state of affairs when I’ll trust my health to a computer rather than risk hours of agony waiting for the help of a professional.
Kate