Relapse, Is it neck movements or Computer Use?
 

Hello All,

Its been 7 months for my PCS, I was off work since 1.5 month so that I can recover faster. I got much better with different therapies ie Vestibular therapy, Yoga, Breathing and Bowen therapy with in a month. As I was feeling better I increased my activities, unfortunately all my symptoms (headaches, dizziness and severe fatigue, light sensitivity ) are back since last week, these are as bad as initial couple of months of my injury. Following is the list of activities I did with in three weeks

1. Went for 3 day road trip which was little hectic
2. Did zumba exercise for 10 mins with little loud music
3. More computer use (3-4 hrs/day)
4. More house hold work to entertain visiting family

Can you please advice on which activity might have triggered it? Have you experience relapse with similar activities and how do we over come it? Is it because of neck movement or computer screen or more physical activity? Its so difficult to limit my self from almost any activity. Your advice is greatly appreciated.

Im going to guess 1&2 but to be honest any single one would do it.

I think the combination of a busy week did you in. Returning to activity requires strong discipline for moderation. The Zumba and road trip were likely the most challenging but housework can be intense, especially when under the pressure of company coming.

Learning to not combine activities may help. Remember that a return of symptoms may be delayed until the day after the activity

Thank you for your reply Mark and kevbo887.
I got one more relapse with in initial 3 months of my injury because of 5 mins of jumping jack. So road trip and Zumba might have added more weight apart from house hold work. Could it be signaling the neck issue? I generally have neck pain and do neck exercise every day. What else can I do to make my neck stronger?

In my experience, the most important part of rehabbing a neck is good posture, especially when resting or sleeping. Good therapy also helps.

Regular icing to reduce inflammation is also my standard.

Pinka, my head hurts just thinking about the jumping jacks!

We can start to feel a little better, go back to doing things and bam! we end up suffering, you've got to take things slowly, it's just the way it is unfortunately.

Try not to do too much in one day/week.

Mark's so right about the good posture for your neck.

Hello Mark, Do you have any useful link for the document which can give good idea about the neck posture and sleeping habits.

If neck is so sensitive, I am thinking of opting for NUCCA however my past experience of Chiro who call him self a specialist of upper cervical adjustments was not good, added more issues to my list. What is the difference between NUCCA and Chiro Neuro. Which one do you recommend? I have to think twice before opting for it as it is expensive and not covered under insurance.

Its so difficult not to do stuff, Its like taking one step forward and two step back. We look so normal. I work part time for initial 3 months and took 1.5 month off recently. It does not feel good to ask for more extension and was hoping to get back to work but this relapse put me back in my recovery.

I struggled with "looking normal" but not feeling or acting normal. When people asked how I was doing after my accident and I told them, the most common reply was, "Oh. That was ____ months ago and you're not better?" It is important to take care of yourself NOW. If that means taking some more time off, then ask! Rest is one of the most important factors for your recovery. My doctor sent me back to work 1/2 time two weeks after my accident. I could barely make it home for my afternoon nap I was so exhausted. I would work four hours, take a three hour nap, see my family, eat, then go to bed. It wasn't until the summer (I'm a teacher) that I made the most progress recovering. I went back to work because that is what the doctor said to do. Having a concussion meant I was not really able to understand the situation so I just did what I was told. Looking back, more time off would have been the better choice.

Good neck posture means straight neck position. No sleeping with your head tilted or twisted to the side or forward. Think of how you would be positioned on a backboard after an accident. If you sleep on your side, your head should be supported so it does not drop to the side. If you sleep on your back, very little pillow support is needed under your head. Maybe some side support so your head does not roll to the side.

It take some getting used to to sleep on your back without a pillow lifting your head up. When you are asleep, there are no muscles to support your neck. Poor posture can put a strain on the ligaments supporting the cervical joints and cause inflammation.