5 ms·
My vagus nerves were constantly being compressed until roughly 4 months ago, when I had bilateral Eagle's syndrome surgeries - Eagle's syndrome a hardening, cal
by loceng 2y ago
My vagus nerves were constantly being compressed until roughly 4 months ago, when I had bilateral Eagle's syndrome surgeries - Eagle's syndrome a hardening, calcification-ossification of ligaments that connect from the styloid process and wrap around the neck connecting to front of throat; I had played American football for all of high school and most likely the cause from reptitive injuries/trauma to the tissues.
Well, this understanding, if true, could help explain why the severe-debilitating pain level I've had would very easily cause me to get completely lost in the pain - where I couldn't get my mind going, couldn't focus past the pain, would be lost and fully distracted by the pain if I didn't 1) keep my activity level as low as possible (even slight movement of my neck would strongly worsen the symptoms of Eagle's syndrome, particular to the right - a commonly described symptom that one side is much worse), and 2) if I had had any inflammatory foods during the prior 2-3 days or 5 days if dairy.
Now my struggle is, now that my nervous system isn't so interfered with with my vagus nerves' signaling no longer being interfered with - my nervous system is working far stronger now, so I feel the remaining few areas of pain far more strongly - and along with that emotionally the experience is far harder as well, far more aggravating; and I arguably no longer get as easily lost in the pain anymore, but now that I am more often connected to my mind, the remaining more strongly experienced pain is more constantly disruptive - whereby the disconnect otherwise was arguably a sort of coping mechanism; being lost in pain is not fun, but at least then routine could act as a functonal crutch.
The biggest problem now though is it is even more difficult to get my mind focused on a specific task that I need to get done, having had severe executive dysfunction that had slowly been improving over the years as I played whack-a-mole to knock out the next strongest sources of pain - but now trying to organize and get together what's needed to book next diagnostics for next likely needed treatments to get last 2-3 major-excruciating remaining pain sources has been so difficult now, the uphill battle has turned into a steep cliff; the biggest problem is I am in Canada, Ontario specifically, and the knowledge and competency-critical thinking here is absolutely abysmal - where I've had to spend likely now over $800,000 for medical treatments in the US over the last ~8 years, and now struggling to find competent dentists - made worse by a dentist 1+ year ago - lastly being bounced around I think to 5 different dentists now the past 3 months.
My story is more complex than this however. My issues with pain only started after "successful" LASIK eye surgery ~12 years ago caused my nervous system to get overwhelmed - causing central sensitization - was the tipping point or the "final straw that broke the camel's back." Prior to LASIK my mind could handle suppressing whatever underlying pain the injuries and nerve compressions I had; so there is definitely a factor of compounding and arguably amplification (along with hyperalgesia, a hyperesensitivity to pain) between different the eyes and the rest of the body-brain.
I'm at my wit's end, and as pain has localized, unmasking the remaining pain sources more strongly, it appears there's a possibility while LASIK may have been the impetus - it may have been the teeth damage-specific teeth pain but overall bite occlusion causing severe sensitization via disruption of my reflexes-autonomous nervous system, essentially TMJ-TMD but only problems runaway guarding-muscle spasming that's compressing nerves - and then perhaps TMJ-TMD guarding compounding with the Eagle's syndromes; and then perhaps also with the corneal damage that happens in 100% of LASIK surgeries, of which there is nothing more I can try to reduce that as a source of pain.
- evrimoztamur 2y agoI have a story about as long in text but not in duration. Nonetheless, I was unaware of a neck injury for about four years, then I got an MRI. Orthopedist suggested seeing a brain surgeon as soon as possible, and luckily the one I found suggested immediately that surgery for my young age was no option. I ended up getting corrective soles and a mouth guard, and with the mouth guard specifically, I immediately went from 100% to 30% pain, and still recovering. The nervous system and the interconnectedness of our bodies is impeccable. Throughout my recovery I learned so much about my own bodily systems. I recommend everybody, especially desk-jobbers, to see a qualified orthodontist for their chronic neck/shoulder/back pains. You will be surprised what you find out about the damage, and how fast recovery might come.
- devin 2y agoOrthodontist or orthopedist?
- chucksmash 2y agoIt reads like a typo, but given their pain was ameliorated by using a mouth guard, they meant what they said: orthodontist.
- yunohn 2y agoThis is very interesting, could you detail the connection between insoles and mouth guards to your neck/brain injury?
- evrimoztamur 2y agoI had two herniated disks (T2/4) and one with a small fracture (T3). Clenching my jaw at night was leading to my SCM being tightened and applying pressure to the herniations, which was then causing imbalances in my upper back (which lead to the body correcting posture all the way down to your feet in a zig-zag manner) and also from my shoulder down to the wrist. Mouth guard helps prevent too much pressure being applied to the neck, which gives pain relief all over. As for soles, I had one foot that was facing outward while walking, which was identified by a physio to be due to hamstring tightness. But why is the hamstring tight? Automatic posture correction by my body! Since getting mouth guards, I've also been enjoying shoes with wide toeboxes and no rise too, which helped me correct my gait and reduce the impact on my hip.