In September 2013, I had a severe muscle spasm in my neck where almost fainted.

I began having pain sometime summer of 2008 as best I can remember. I did some yard work that required me to bend, pull, and yank small bushes (re-planting) and after that I started feeling some sensation in my back which felt like ants crawling at the right side of my spine going up and down. It would come and go…but in December 2008 I decided to see a chiropractor. It did not go away but somehow the pain did not worsen but if I do prolonged computer work or repetitive right arm movement, I would feel the pain.
So, from 2009 up to 2013, I have been to numerous clinics (Campbell clinic, Rheumatogist of Memphis, Semmes Murphey, Rehab etc. and MidSouth Orthopaedic Rehab (MOR)). I underwent an MRI each year for my cervical and thoracic spine and I was diagnosed with a bulging disc in my cervical spine and some arthritis in my thoracic spine.
At Campbell (yr 2010), I had to do 3 weeks of physical therapy including exercises
At MOR (yr 2011), I did specific exercises based on how my pain reacted.
At Semmes Murphey (yr 2012), I had a more therapy + exercises
At Rehab Etc. (yr 2013), I had physical therapy, primarily dry-needling…..(whew, that hurts!)…
In September 2013, I had a severe muscle spasm in my neck where almost fainted. I still managed to drive myself from work….I was crying and talking to my husband to meet with me so we could see a doctor. When we met somewhere along Wolf River blvd, I was caught in between decisions….either I go to MidSouth Orthopaedic Rehab and see Jason or go to the Methodist Emergency Room. If it wasn’t 5:30pm and the traffic wan’t so bad, I would have crossed over Wolf River Blvd. and gone to MOR. So I ended up in the ER and was given some pain medications. I went to see the doctor the next day and she recommended another PT facility BUT instead I went back to MOR. Why? Because IT WAS THE ONLY PT FACILITY THAT I NOW KNOW WOULD PROVIDE ME RELIEF.
On the first visit Jason evaluated me and felt that I should change the way I was sitting and begin doing one particular movement throughout the day. The movement was pretty uncomfortable but he explained what an acceptable pain was and differentiated that from what type of pain I shouldn’t cause or allow. He explained that some pain wasn’t only okay to produce but even necessary in order to really fix my problem and I have to admit it was kind of scary to move into the pain. The first few days were tough and I didn’t really get on board with the exercise like he wanted but after a few days I increased them to nearly what he recommended. About 12 days into physical therapy at MOR I reported my pain was ranging from 0 to 3 on the pain scale. I could see that the movements were relieving the pain when I would do them at work. For the first time in a long time I began to feel like I had control over my pain rather than it controlling me. Jason asked me after about 15 days into the treatment to estimate how much improvement I had experienced. I told him about 70-75%! Within another 2-3 weeks I was having only occasional pain that I could consistently relive with what I had learned from Jason.
It’s now been over a month since I completed therapy at MOR and I am doing very well. There are occasions of spasms BUT I am not that scared anymore because I was taught how to treat these symptoms before or during the spam.
I look back at all the things I received and all the money I spent which probably was over $2,500 including all tests and prior physical therapy and then how much I spent at Midsouth Orthopaedic Rehab and I’d say it’s a pretty good deal. That is, if you want to get to the bottom of why you’re hurting and learn what you can do to fix it and not just get something to cover up the pain temporarily.
To someone debating over whether or not to spend the money on physical therapy at MidSouth Orthopaedic Rehab, I’d say SPEND the money….IT’S WORTH EVERY PENNY!
–Joyce