Like many of you, I find myself plagued with chronic pain. I suffered a head injury nearly a decade ago that left lasting effects, and until yesterday, I was convinced I would have to live with the painful aftermaths of that injury forever.
I spent the last eight years attributing bizzare and unpleasant side effects to the aforementioned head injury. My symptoms were first diagnosed as a damaged nerve. I never fully believed the diagnosis, as the offered treatments and medications gave me no relief. Over the years the various doctors I had seen had brushed it off as migraine disorder or a hormonal imbalance. No one I spoke to seemed to understand that the pain I was experiencing at the base of my skull was a dull, constant pressure, not a migraine. Worried this was more sinister than migraines, I underwent a CT scan, which showed no abnormalities. I was thankful for that news, but dismayed to still be without concrete answers or solutions to the dizziness, the headaches, and that dull consistent pressure that plagued me.
After the steroids, antidepressants, beta-blockers, and NSAIDS prescribed to me only made me feel worse, I decided to discontinue medications and just try to live with the chronic pain. I had spent thousands trying to solve the mystery of my torment, and I was fed up with having no answers and no relief.
Then I experienced a accident while camping a week ago: I tripped and slid down the rocky side of a hill. While I was mostly unscathed after the incident, a few days later I found myself with a debilitating pain in the joints of my right leg. I was unable to fully engage in any of my regular activities due to the agonizing ache I experienced in my hip, knee, and ankle with every step.
Because I had little faith that seeing my M.D. would leave me with anything but a prescription to temporarily relieve the pain, not cure it, I started looking for alternate solutions. Don’t think I hadn’t tried holistic treatments for my health issues; supplements, essential oils, specific and difficult yoga inversions; I had tried what I thought to be everything. Having recently moved to a bigger city, I was delighted to discover my options for healthcare were much more diverse . This is when I discovered the amazing niche of medicine that is osteopathy.
An osteopathic doctor can do everything a regular doctor can do and more. They can prescribe medications, use technology for diagnostics, they can perform surgery. What distinguishes an osteopathic doctor from your typical physician is that they take a broader approach to medicine. Osteopathic doctors are trained to use their hands to manipulate the joints and tissues in your body to correct any restrictions that may be caused by pressure in these areas. Many osteopathic doctors offer a more holistic approach to medicine, focusing on the mind, body, spirit, and nutrition to promote healing in their patients.
My experience with the osteopath was auspicious from the moment I walked in the door. The waiting room was calming with their beautiful fish tank, comfortable sofas, and cooly colored walls, none of the sterile fluorescent lighting and uncomfortable plastic chairs of my regular doctor’s office. The lady behind the desk was pleasant and delightful, and what was most surprising about my visit, is that my appointment started on time, which has never happened to me in my entire history as a medical patient. The doctor himself ushered me into the exam room. He had taken the time to read through my paperwork and was familiar with my history, which he discussed with what seemed like a genuine concern. In no time at all, the examination began. He quickly identified a tilt in my right hip joint, it appeared that my tumble had knocked my hip out of place, putting pressure on the nerves in my right leg. He performed a quick manipulation that delightfully popped what felt like all the joints of the bones from my spine to my knees, and I felt instant relief in my leg. From there, the examination for my head began with gentle massaging in the area of my discomfort. As the exam moved to my neck, he immediately identified a vertebra that was out of place. The doctor explained that this misaligned vertebra could be causing the dizziness and discomfort that I had been experiencing. He suggested that it could have been misplaced since the injury that occurred so long ago. Very gently, he popped the bone back into place. Instantly, amazingly, the pressure I had endured for years was gone.
Another pleasant surprise occured at check out. I was worried I would be faced with an exorbitant bill, as the office did not accept any insurances. However, my bill was just under a hundred dollars, which was a shocking contrast to the thousands I had paid out of pocket at previous doctors. As I left the office, feeling light and giddy with relief I had only dreamed about, I checked the time and realized I had only been in the office for 25 minutes. I was in awe that such a swift appointment could be so beneficial.
Today, I feel healthy for the first time in a long time. The pain that has tormented me all week in my right leg joints is dissipating and dissolving with every passing moment. And even more miraculously, the pressure and discomfort that had been haunting me for nearly a decade, is completely gone. I wanted to share this story with those of you who may be carrying a constant pain, I know how debilitating and distressing chronic unease can be. I hope that whatever ails you is as easily fixed as my situation. I urge anyone of you who has access to an osteopathic doctor to see them immediately; it could change your life. In less than 24 hours, it has already changed mine.