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Thanks AliBoBali!
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Ali: Click on "Newest First."
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Before I forget, I learned about a resource I have never heard of. They are a resource of resources, connecting people that need assistance with unknown services. Website if thearc.org

If you have heard of this site, let me and others know what your experience has been.
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So it turns out that I have bilateral facet osteoarthritis in my neck. Oh joy, oh bliss! Not!

I had my physio therapy assessment yesterday and my first real physio today. I wasn't sure what to expect but it was passive stuff. I was hooked up to a couple of machines for a while and he did some manual stuff. But as far as actual participation on my part. That was minimal. I guess he's easing into it cause my neck is quite sore and the muscles are very inflamed.

Anyone have any physio experiences they'd like to share? Good or bad? Any thing I should look out for and be careful of? Feel free to share. It would be helpful. Thx
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Friend with Covid and bile blockage, is slowly getting better. It has been nearly four weeks now. He is an antivaxer (nothing derogatory there, just fact). I wonder if he wishes he had gotten the vax. But, I would never ask. His wife continues to be healthy, just worn out from worrying so about him.
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Glad, when you say "bile blockage" do you mean gallbladder problems? My husband had an emergency gallbladder removal surgery on Monday morning. He was never vaccinated and got covid earlier this spring with just flu-ish symptoms, then recovered. He did have 2 suspected gallbladder problems prior to his covid (most likely stones migrating, causing intense pain, but then passing successfully). This time the stone they removed was 1.3" in diameter so it wasn't going anywhere. I'm wondering if covid "ramped up" his gall bladder issues. He doesn't fit the profile of someone with this type of problem.
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Gershun: So sorry.
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Geaton, not a gall bladder problem. He had it removed about 6 months ago. But, he said since that surgery, the area did not feel right. He thought something must still be wrong.
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Gershun~
I'm so sorry youv'e got neck problems.
I have arthritis in my neck too.
Physical therapy helped me with mine for awhile.
The more they mess with your neck though,you really pay for it later.
I'd be fine and then get a neck rub and then I'd hurt all the next day.
I hope you find a way to get better & soon~
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Thx Lu!😊
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I'm sorry you have cervical arthritis Gershun 🙁 Being a nerd I've been googling and the web tells me that acupuncture can be very helpful, I know it did wonders for my mom's sciatica.
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Thank-you Willie. My sister mentioned that she tried acupuncture for her neck too. I may consider it if the other physio doesn't do the trick. It's still early days so I'm going to give it a chance, do the stretches he recommends and go from there.

I've done a lot of googling too and I definitely want to do all stuff that does not require trigger point injections/ surgery if I can possibly avoid it. I know there is no cure for this but it can be managed so I'm going to try really hard to manage it the correct way.
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Thank-you Llama too!
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Gershun: You're welcome.
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Gershun, I tried acupuncture for my back pain years ago. It did help a bit, but the ‘help’ only lasted a day or so. Too difficult and expensive for daily repeats.

I’ve never heard of physio for arthritis, and my experience with physio has been totally unhelpful – including ‘I’ve never seen one of these outside a text book’, when I’d given the details when I booked. They never say that they can’t help.

My personal choices are lying down (often flat without a pillow) on a hot water bottle, and codeine when I need to shift the pain (not enough to get addicted). Life changes, but you find ways to cope. Good luck!
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Margaret you are the third person on here who has told me physio did not help them. But I've only been once and I'm going to give it a good try. It may work for me. I hope it does. Trying to stay positive. Cause what other choice do I have.

I did ask for people's experiences, good or bad. Be careful what you ask for they say. Gulp..................

But thank-you just the same.
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Gershun, sorry to hear about the pain in your neck.

My experience has been the arthritis/inflammation irritated nerves, causing some muscles to stay 'on' & staying all tight. (Lower spine though not neck).

I had quite good, but short term success with 'dry needling' from the physio.
I had better & almost immediate success with acupuncture, but short term too. These were more treatments than cure. Still worth it!

Next came trying to build better muscles for better posture habits with the physio. I'm sure this did help over time.

Not pain free but I have a plan for flare ups now: heat, stretches, rest, rebuild.

Hope you get it sorted.
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Thx Beatty, I know they do offer dry needling and acupuncture at the physio place where I'm going. Right now he's recommended some neck stretches and I've been doing them. I already feel slight relief. Time will tell if it's a long term benefit. But I'll persevere until I find what works and what does not. The posture thing is a problem with me. I've always carried all my tension in my neck so learning to keep my shoulders down and relaxed is something I also need to work at.

Thx for the advice!
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Gershun - I think that the benefit of things like physio, acupuncture and any other alternative therapies depends a lot on your expectations, nothing is going to cure a chronic condition but even short term relief can be worth pursuing.
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Yes, I know Willie but I'm expecting a lot! LOL

No, but really I know what you are saying. I know
physio isn't going to cure anything but even if it
makes arthritis more tolerable I'll take that.
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Even newly built home prices are beginning to come down. Wonder how much profit is built into new homes?
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gershun -so glad you have a diagnosis and treatment. Sorry you have arthritis but better to know it and treat it. Being mindful of your neck tension and addressing that should help and should physio. I had it for my arm and shoulder and it made a big positive difference.

cw - Mother was a physiotherapist and PT is more than your attitude. For example tendons can be stretched and muscles strengthened to take the pressure off of joints. She had several bad disks but had such good posture and body muscle strength she never had back problems.

glad - good to hear some prices are dropping in some places. Not great if you are the seller though.
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Golden - what I was trying to say is that I think people who have unrealistic expectations are more apt to report that physio (or other therapies) were of no benefit, or no lasting benefit.
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cw -totally agree with that. There is no magic pill or whatever for most health issues. Improving takes hard work and usually doesn't get you back to where you were before.
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Gershun I also have bad arthritis, and I have found the diclofenac (sp) pill to be very helpful,, one of my friends got a script for it after I did and she loves it too. It is a pill form of Voltarin cream,, which was useless for me. I have been through alot of stuff,, none lasts forever but while it works it is better than nothing. I am also trying to avoid surgury.
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Oo Pam, just on my way to bed but saw your post -

Diclofenac is a very very effective anti-inflammatory but if you want to be able to continue using it be *meticulous* in following directions; and if you get even a hint of the side effects, especially bleeding or bruising, report it immediately. If you wanted to use it long term for arthritis, I think I'd actually take advice on that point specifically, e.g. should you take breaks, are there any other things you can do to protect yourself so that you can go on using it, that kind of question.

Its use in cattle in India almost wiped out the vulture population about twenty years ago before they figured out the connection - the vultures were eating carcases that still contained the drug.

On a more personal note, I was px'd it for RSI/carpel tunnel and it worked like a charm. Then less than a week later I had a bm of pure blood and decided I had better do my hand exercises and stop playing minesweeper instead.

It's bit too dam'ed effective, seems to be the thing...
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Countrymouse,, I have been taking it for a year now with no problems. I don;t take it every day, but I do take on work days. I talked to the pharmacist at work and she said I would be better off taking it every day but I dont.. LOL Good info to know however! Sorry you had such a bad reaction! It was prescibed for my arthritis,,
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Golden, thank-you and I agree about being mindful of my posture. I'm really trying with that. Sleeping is hard cause I'm a side sleeper. I've bought so many posture pillows over the years that were useless. Pam as for Diclofenac I've used it. I've used the gel only. It works a bit but it's not the be all and end all.

Thx again everyone for all of your responses. Sorry for monopolizing this thread with my arthritis saga.
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Gershun the cream was crap for me and my Mother,, But the pills are better for me I am also a side sleeper,, wish I was not
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gershun - my ex swore by Kalaya 6X and R says it is good. It's only available in Canada.
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