Since I broke my arm in February the healing has progressed nicely, but by August I did not yet have 100% range of motion in the shoulder. Since my thumb still causes me great pain three years after that ebike accident, I decided I should be more careful this time and do the physical therapy program advised by my doctor.
I am supposed to go to the hospital every day for ten days for treatment. Treatment is in two stages. First, a heat pad that emits pulses is put on the shoulder, for half an hour. I am laying down, and it is the one time in my busy day when I can truly relax.
Next I go to another room where they hook me up to a machine that gives electrical shocks to my shoulder, again in pulses. After three treatments I could swing my arm overhead. I kept going back for more. I think I just like this chance to take an afternoon nap. Each treatment costs about $5 US.
Around treatment no. 6 I again raised with the therapist the pain in my thumb. Previously he said there was nothing to be done. This time I said I thought maybe acupuncture could help. Instead, when we got to the electric pulse machine, he swaddled my thumb joint in warm wired cloth and set up a pulse rhythm there, too.
I have only two more treatments to go. Clearly, I have been so busy that I have not done these sessions in consecutive days. I skip a day, maybe two. Not by choice, but I've been frantically busy. Still, I can feel improvement in the joint.
If the doctor recommends a series of treatments for the thumb, maybe they could be administered sitting up. I would tell him it is best administered lying down. Let the naps continue!
I am supposed to go to the hospital every day for ten days for treatment. Treatment is in two stages. First, a heat pad that emits pulses is put on the shoulder, for half an hour. I am laying down, and it is the one time in my busy day when I can truly relax.
Next I go to another room where they hook me up to a machine that gives electrical shocks to my shoulder, again in pulses. After three treatments I could swing my arm overhead. I kept going back for more. I think I just like this chance to take an afternoon nap. Each treatment costs about $5 US.
Around treatment no. 6 I again raised with the therapist the pain in my thumb. Previously he said there was nothing to be done. This time I said I thought maybe acupuncture could help. Instead, when we got to the electric pulse machine, he swaddled my thumb joint in warm wired cloth and set up a pulse rhythm there, too.
I have only two more treatments to go. Clearly, I have been so busy that I have not done these sessions in consecutive days. I skip a day, maybe two. Not by choice, but I've been frantically busy. Still, I can feel improvement in the joint.
If the doctor recommends a series of treatments for the thumb, maybe they could be administered sitting up. I would tell him it is best administered lying down. Let the naps continue!
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