Degenerative Disc Disease

It is often joked about in the medical community that the only other thing that is certain is adults grow older besides death and taxes is degenerative disc disease. However, this syndrome is no joking matter. It is often, literally a pain in the neck.

What is the cause of this syndrome? Simply put, the wear and tear of life causes this. The discs act like cushions between the vertebrae. Per Web MD:

The changes in the discs can result in back or neck pain as well as:

• Osteoarthritis, the breakdown of the tissue (cartilage) that protects and cushions joints.
• Herniated disc, an abnormal bulge or breaking open of a spinal disc.
• Spinal stenosis, the narrowing of the spinal canal, the open space in the spine that holds the spinal cord.

These conditions may put pressure on the spinal cord and nerves, leading to pain and possibly affecting nerve function.

As we get older, the discs just like the shock absorbers in your car the discs are less flexible because there is less fluid in your discs. Loss of this fluid makes the disc smaller. The disc are more prone to breaking open and the jellylike inside material maybe forced out between cracks (herniation). The spaces between the vertebrae become smaller and the spinal nerve roots may become compromised, resulting in pain and affecting nerve function.

Some people experience no pain when a disc herniates. Others are not so lucky and severe pain that limits their activities. When pain occurs affected disc in the neck area may result in neck or arm pain, while an affected disc in the lower back may result in pain in the back, buttocks, or leg. The pain often gets worse with movements such as bending over, reaching up, or twisting or at the end of the day. Usual treatment is medication, ice or heat (which ever feels better, pain meds (as directed by physician). Physical therapy and exercises for strengthening and stretching the back are often recommended, and in some cases surgery may be recommended. Surgery for degenerative disc disease usually involves removing the damaged disc. In some cases, the bone is then permanently joined (fused) to protect the spinal cord. Also, artificial discs are sometimes used to replace the disc that is removed.

Degenerative Disc Disease is a recognized disability by the Social Security Administration; however, it is hard to prove. Make certain your physician, preferably your orthopedist is following you, records your strength of each limb on each visit, your level of pain, and has the medical documentation and tests to back up statements such as narrowing of vertebral spaces.

Eventually, I hope to write about some hints on applying for Social Security and not getting scammed when you do. That will be for another time.

Migraines

I continue to try to spread the word about how dangerous migraines can be. They aren't just another headache that can be taken lightly. They can cause strokes; they can kill. If you have migraines you need to talk to your doctor. If your doctor doesn't seem to know these things educate yourself and find a provider that takes them for the serious condition that they are. If you don't you may end up with loss of memory function, like me, or worse.

According to E-Medicine "Migraine variant (MV) or migraine equivalent is the term applied to migraine, which exhibits itself in a form other than head pain. MV is characterized by paroxysmal episodes of prolonged visual auras; atypical sensory, motor, or visual aura; confusion; dysarthria; focal neurologic deficits; or gastrointestinal manifestations or other constitutional symptoms with or without a headache". And a migraine with an aura usually lasts up to 30 minutes. "In rare cases, the aura could be prolonged, lasting up to 60 minutes, raising concerns of possible stroke".

Complicated Migraines are a horse or should I say migraine of a different color. The same article in E-Medicine describes all the various types of complicated migraines. "Complications of migraine include chronic migraine, status migrainosus, persistent aura without infarction (stroke), migrainous infarction, and migraine-triggered seizure. Complicated migraines are rare, accounting for less than 1% of total patients with migraine. " However, according to Dr Todd Troost not all migrainous infarctions show on an MRI. This page in his web site deals directly with migrainous infarctions and prolonged migraines with auras: http://www.imigraine.net/migraine/prolonged.html

His web site is excellent and has proved invaluable to my physician care team. I hope you will find it helpful as well as any additional sites I may add on this topic.

I know not everyone has a medical background so if there is a term that I wrote about that you don't understand, please let me know and I'll attempt to explain it for you.

Here is a list of some helpful websites. The one in blue you can link from. I'm not sure how I manged to get it this way. Enjoy that one, because a computer guru I am not!

http://www.imigraine.net/migraine/prolonged.html

http://www.emedicine.com/neuro/TOPIC219.HTM

http://www.merckmedicus.com/pp/us/hcp/diseasemodules/migraine/default.jsp

http://ihs-classification.org/en/

http://www.americanheadachesociety.org/

http://www.healthcentral.com/migraine/types-of-headaches-38571-5.html


If you find any other great sites on this topic please leave them in a comment so others can utilize those sites as well. Thanks

Eating Disorders

In my opinion, the Renfrew Centers are the best eating disorder clinics in the USA. The Renfrew clinic was also the first inpatient residential eating disorder treatment facility. Now they have eight different sites and work with many insurance providers. They specialize in the treatment of "anorexia, bulimia and binge eating disorder, our innovative programs emphasize the value and healing potential of healthy relationships". Their newest programs include those for people experiencing eating disorders in mid-life. They have a list of resources on their site that would prove invaluable to anyone with an eating disorder or the loved of anyone with an eating disorder. For more information on please call The Renfrew Center at 1-800-RENFREW

Here are a few more links you might appreciate:

Something Fishy

WIRED Foundation

Eating Disorder Referral and Information Center

MyED Help

National Eating Disorders Association

Suicide by Knife and Fork

When I was younger, I was abused by my great grandfather. I had gone to my grandmother and with my childish vocabulary & tried to verbalize what had happened to me. She told me that she didn't believe he had "hurt me" and if he did I deserved it. Then she told me here, "have a cookie, you'll feel better". And thus an eating disorder was born.

I'll never know if my grandmother understood what had been trying to tell her or not. Perhaps she was in denial because she had been abused by her own father or her children had been. Maybe she couldn't face what was done to me and felt guilty. Maybe she figured I was young enough that I wouldn't understand what had just happened to me or that I wouldn't remember as an adult. I'll never know. As a teen for several years, I was bulimic (its almost Halloween so I figured time to let this skeleton out of the closet). When I delving into these issues several years ago with my therapist, I wrote the following poem.

Slow suicide

By knife and fork
Slow suicide
No way to express
the distress
So instead
I anesthetize
Numbing down
The pain
From which I hide,
as I swallow
It all
Tears often only fall
On the inside

If you double click the painting, it will enlarge so that you can better read the poetry that I superimposed over it.

Edited to explain how to view the painting better.

Salutations

Greetings and salutations. Welcome to Flying Phalanges and the sister site of www.artfulabilities.blogspot.com. Over the years as a former dietitian and nurse I have collected numerous articles to help those in emotional, physical, fiscal crises as well as info on abortion, pregnancy loss and early childhood death and physical, emotional and sexual abuse. I'm also a bit of a pack rat so most of this info. on my nearly filled hard drive with all sorts of info. on these subjects. So I will cut and past lots of goodies here as I have time and energy.

It is difficult for me to write as I have had 2 strokes from migraines. I'm also a bit of a perfectionist so friends and family will be looking over what I have to say and correcting, shall we say "the error of my ways". As I said previously, much of what is put here will be cut and pasted from my pack rat days. Once again, welcome!!!

Artisttia