Hi, it's a pleasure to have Lydia here today. Thank you for coming. >> Of course. >> So tell us a little bit about your pain condition. Where does it occur and how often does it occur? >> So with with me the pain that I was really, truly experiencing was intense, like a migraine pain. It was kind of in the front of like, my eyes. And, just a constant sharp, dull headache almost every day for the last two to three years, constantly. And then what I didn't realize was eventually I noticed that it was tightness in the back of my neck, and then also, you know, tightness within my jaw. But because and having it for so long all I thought was it's a migraine. And I just need to take some Tylenol and, and go to bed. And it happened let's see, this was last year. I actually had to take a leave of absence from, from my place of employment because I was constantly experiencing, you know weeklong straight migraines with you know, intense nausea and sometimes, you know, becoming physically ill. And my life was completely put on hold. I couldn't interact with my husband. I couldn't interact at work. And so, I took a leave of absence, was going through all these different treatments, seeing all these different doctors, neurologist after neurologist. And finally, someone had suggested to me that maybe it was my jaw, or my teeth, and I, through my contacts, found out about your clinic and what you do here. And when I came here, like I remember the first time you were talking about the trigger point injections, and like actually showing me where the tension in the back of my neck was causing my eye problems. And I originally, I thought, I thought my eyes, there was like something wrong with my eyes, like, and so it was definitely something where I was like going to see, get my eyes checked. Like, what's wrong with my eyes? And no, it actually was the tension in the back of my neck. >> So how did it start originally? What factors brought it on? >> You know, I think, because it was such a constant problem for so long, I think, it probably started, you know, as tightness in like, just my upper shoulders, you know. Definitely scrunching over, everybody did, we're always working on the computers, scrunched over. Carrying heavy bags on my, on my shoulders. And it was always just really tight up in here. And I thought okay, I'm just, that's just how I am. I just need to like, relax, get a massage or something. And then what, through the treatment with you, I realized that the tightness in here was causing problems with my jaw. And that I was clenching and that, that was causing my triggers for my migraines and why it was, why the pain was happening, you know. All the time, I was, you know, in meetings, like, having a meeting, like, no one could see my face, because I was, like, constantly, like, trying to, like, relieve my pain. And I mean, it was probably, you know, three years, I would say was, was kind of when it started. >> So, how does it interfere with your life, and what things has it stopped you from doing? >> I would say it had a tremendous impact on my life. I, I had to take a leave of absence, extended leave of absence from my job. And there are times where I, because I would be, you know, just trying to cope, where I would be sleeping all day and that's not a life for anybody. It had impacts on my relationships with my co-workers where you know, I couldn't, didn't really feel like I could be engaged in the work because I wasn't ever there, because every other day I was out with a migraine. And then also, it really impacted my relationship with my husband. for, you know, the longest time. Like, he didn't know what to do, and so he was kind of looking to me to be, tell him, like, what do you need me to do? How, you know, and I was, like, well, I'm so desperate. I can't make myself feel better. I don't know what to tell you what I need. And I think that that has definitely has been a learning process, just kind of like a growing process for my personal as well as my, our, my relationship with him. So. >> So what do you do now to manage the pain? What are the self-management strategies you've learned? >> I definitely make sure that I take time out not only to do the, the stretches and the physical therapy that I've, I've learned within your clinic. But also the trigger point injections, which have been huge. I mean, now I'm so a, much more aware of where the pain is coming from because I've been doing, you know, the stretches. Doing the trigger point injections, making sure that I'm getting in to do those. But then also just doing a self-check, and make sure how's my posture when I'm at work? Not spending too much time leaning over, forward and crunched up against the computer and making sure I'm getting exercise, getting out. If I can't get out that day, like just get out and take the dog for a walk. I mean, simple things like that, you don't realize, you say, oh I don't have, I don't have the time for a 30 minute walk, but, you feel so much better if you don't do it. Or when you do do it, then it's like you, I mean there's no way that you can't just take that time, and just spend that time. And you just need that mental time too. And then also working with, with the physical therapist here, and making sure I'm doing the stretches, and the posture checks, and just being more self-aware of, how I'm, like if I'm clenching. Now I can tell when I'm clenching, like I can feel it instantly. So I just like, relax, especially when I'm driving, because that's stressful, so. >> Yeah, now you have a little device here too. Tell me a little bit about how you use that. >> [LAUGH] Yeah, so one of the things that you have brought to my attention is this little, it's called The Nobble. Nobble II. And what I would find is, I would spend so much time trying to self-massage the back of my head with my fingers, that my fingers will, like, get so tired. So then you brought this to me and it's basically you just use it as a massage tool, and sometimes I will just sit in the car and I will massage my temple, or I will massage the back of my head and it just helps me relax too. When I find that I am like, so tensed up and stressed, and it's just like one of those things that, it's so simple and it's such a little thing but. It's nice to just have that, it's like almost like a little pacifier sometimes, just like I can use my Nobble, and I'm working and using it, so that's one of the things. And then for sure just making sure that, I'm taking the, the breaks where I feel like I'm anxious, then I take the you know, doing the breathing exercises. You know, the other day I felt like okay, I'm a little overwhelmed, talking about it with you and the officers like okay, make sure you do, you're doing your breathing exercises. >> So, what advice do you have for other people to help them prevent chronic pain? >> Take care of yourself. Make yourself a priority. Don't let it get out of control. I let it get out of control. I didn't make myself a priority. I let everything else kind of become my main concern. And it got to the point where I couldn't even go to work, I couldn't, I couldn't even function, I would sleep throughout the day. Make yourself a priority, number one. Number two, just be aware of how you're feeling, like in your gut, you kind of know what's good for you and what isn't. If you're saying to yourself that oh, I, you know, I really need to just kind of like, take some time out to just do some stretches, like, go do the stretches. You're going to be so much better off afterwards. >> That's true. >> And you're not going to make the other people around you as miserable if you're grumpy. So but just make yourself a priority, number one. And don't let it get out of hand, like. >> Yeah. >> Address it. Take the time. And everyone says like oh, I don't have time, you know, I got to, I can't take time for this doctor's appointment. Well, make time because it's not worth living in such agony and such pain so. [BLANK_AUDIO]
