|
|
Regular
Posts: 90
| I'm not sure exactly how I did it, but I have been diagnosed with a pinched nerve in my neck. The pain starts at the base of my neck and radiates down between my shoulder-blade and spine, and around my deltoids to my shoulder. The greatest pain is in my shoulder, and because of the spasming in the deltoid, I am unable to lift my arm above my head. My thumb on the offedning side is tingling and slightly numb.
I have been struggling with this for 10 days now and have made moderate progress with the pain, but not much with the mobility of my shoulder and arm. I have seen the chiropractor, a physician and a massage therapist. No progress was made until two days ago when the physician prescribed a an oral steroid treatment which seems to have calmed the spasms, but has been very slow in restoring full range of motion and sensation in my shoulder.
I have not been able to practice Bikram for 10 days, and am growing very frustrated with my lack of activity.
Has anyone experienced a similar injury? I am doing everything I am supposed to do to help the healing process, but I am worried that something more severe than a pinched nerve is at the root of the issue. How did you handle the frustration? How long did it take for you to return to yoga?
Thanks. |
|
| |
|
| I had a pinched nerve, on and off, for several weeks back in my kickboxing/pre-yoga days. Basically the prescribed treatment was a posture overhaul for me, which led to me discovering pilates and eventually yoga. Pain in the neck eventually left, though I still do technically have cervical osteoarthritis (not sure if it's related, but still, thought I'd mention it). I still have days where if I'm not mindful of my posture, my right index finger will tingle and even go numb for several hours. Needless to say, I try to always watch my posture. How did you handle the frustration? How long did it take for you to return to yoga? Thanks. Um, how do I break this to you.... handling the frustration IS the Yoga. Acceptance-asana is what you should be practicing now, in that your body is telling you what you had been doing previously wasn't good for it. I was devastated when I finally realized I had to quit kickboxing, aside from all the physical injury I was causing myself (shoulder impingement, pulled hamstrings, pinched nerve in the neck, and very likely the SI instability I live with today). Yoga talks about non-attachment, and I believe that also includes not being attached to your particular style of asana practice. It's a huge lesson to swallow, believe me, I know.  So the simple answer would be just to find something else, some other sort of movement that you enjoy in the meantime while your body rests and heals. I eventually found that first in racewalking, and then eventually made my way back to running. But honestly, it's not about the movement. It's about your state of mind. Getting back to the Yoga will remove the frustration, not the other way around. |
|
| |
|
Regular
Posts: 90
| I don't think that the yoga led to my injury in any way. I have never felt any sort of structural pain doing yoga, save for the simple resistance in normal practice.
Are you suggesting that, rather than wait for the pain to disappear, that I try to get back to class and accept my limited movement and accomodate it, getting the benefits that that provides?
My most significant hurdle with Bikram has been refraining from judgement about my practice and just letting that practice lead me, so this would make some sense.
Thanks for your response. |
|
| |
|
| Hi carlx -- I didn't mean to assume or assert that you were doing something "wrong" during your practice, sorry if it came across that way. I was only describing how my similar injury came about due to lack of awareness to proper form and function. Are you suggesting that, rather than wait for the pain to disappear, that I try to get back to class and accept my limited movement and accomodate it, getting the benefits that that provides? Indeed I am, though you've phrased so much better than I did! 
My most significant hurdle with Bikram has been refraining from judgement about my practice and just letting that practice lead me, so this would make some sense.
Thanks for your response. You're very welcome. I hope you recover quickly from your injury! |
|
| |
|
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 399
Location: Oregon | I agree with OM that dealing with the frustration is the Yoga. I also agree that finding another physical activity is important. You might try swimming? I've done that with my back injury before. I've also taken some different Yoga classes than Bikrams while nursing and injury. Both have actually helped me when I've returned to Bikrams. Not so much to pace myself, but to be more mindful of my injury, and to not press.
Also, breath into the area that is spasming. You might just try this in a home practice. Be mindful of that area, take a few moments and try to isolate that area, even if it's not spasming at the moment. See what happens. I can relax my lower back sometimes with this method, when I feel it tightening up. |
|
| |
|
Regular
Posts: 90
| It's just incredibly frustrating. It's been 10 days and I don't feel much structural improvement. The pain has subsided some, but my range of motion is as bad as it was a week ago. |
|
| |
|
| I would suggest staying away from Bikram until your shoulder heals. Gentle stretching helps the healing process, but Bikram is (in my opinion) too intense for an injury and the instructors generally tell the students to work through the pain. Your injury could take weeks or even months to heal, so I would find a different yoga practice to do in the meantime. Iyengar yoga might be a good temporary solution and will do wonders for your alignment when you go back to Bikram or another more vigorous style. You can use this "vacation" to work on other aspects of your practice. |
|
| |
|
Regular
Posts: 90
| I think I am going to steer clear of any acitivity until it heals fully. It has started spasming pretty severely again today. This marks 10 days of constant pain. I'm at a loss as to what to do...chiropractic hasn't solved the issue, massage provides only temporary relief and drugs just mask the discomfort. I'm at my wits end. It feels like it will never heal.
I just hate the feeling of being forced into inactivity. I feel lazy, immobile and chaotic.
Thanks for your advice, all.
Edited by carlx 2007-08-23 3:26 PM
|
|
| |
|
| I've have had similar experience. But not with pinched nerve. I think it was more of pulling shoulder blade muscles and surrounding muscle area. I've also lost much of my use on the left arm and back region, couldn't even do the first pranayama. It was frustrating at times but on other hand I've learned to be extra mindful about my asana practice.
Others; doctor, massage thearapist and couple yoga instructors all told me to continue on with practice but with ease. Aware of how much you can do and what modifications can be made. Also know if you should apply heat or ice to the injury would be helpful, in my case it was ice(which i found out AFTER i've applied heat).
I'm still somewhat recovering from the injury, but i think the problem is my tight shoulders and backs to begin with. |
|
| |
|
Regular
Posts: 90
| The heat seems to ease the pain. Is that making it worse though? Should I be icing? |
|
| |
|
| Ice relieves the swelling from inflamation. Heat relaxes the muscles. If the inpinged nerve is due to inflamation, then ice will help. Since when you have an injury, the muscles around that injury often tense up to immobilize that area until it heals, these tightened muscles can inpinge a nerve. In this case, heat will relax the muscles and that will relieve the pain. Sometimes, alternating between heat and ice works. Try all alternatives as none of them will injure you further and they could relieve the pain. Remember that gentle movement helps healing. |
|
| |
Injury Frustration
