Snap, crackle and pop is the best medicine !

It may have been noticed that I have been absent from my blog for a fair while.

This is because I have been unable to type properly - some may think it a good thing.

Unfortunately, a week ago last Sunday, I woke up in a crumpled heap (which I can absolutely confirm was not alcohol induced) and found myself unable to move my left arm very much at all.

I had spent the previous two days out campaigning and had felt that I had perhaps pulled a muscle in my arm as it had started to ache.

By Sunday morning, the pain was excruciating and I was taking double doses of Nurofen Plus.
Convinced that I must have somehow incurred an injury which had possibly chipped or broken a bone I presented myself at my local A & E where I received an X ray which revealed that there were no breaks at all.

The doctor on duty was bewildered by the amount of pain I seemd to be enduring given no hard evidence of anything seriously wrong.

He told me to represent myself in four days time if the pain had not gone away.

Needless to say by Monday morning I was tearing my hair out and had already become adicted to wonderful Nurofen Plus which was the only thing which would quell the agony.

In desperation my father made contact with the local undertaker - OK I will rephrase - He happened to remember that the local undertaker had recently engaged the services of an osteopath !

I booked an appointment for Wednesday and in short, these people are miracle makers.
After an hour of pummeling, scrunching and manipulation I had almost total pain relief and partial use back in my left arm.

A second visit has meant that my arm is almost back to normal although it feels as heavy as lead and I am not supposed to drive for a fortnight.

The diagnosis was brachial neuralgia which apparently can be more painful than an actual break. Whatever, I never want to visit that feeling again.

I think that osteopaths are much underated. Clearly they have a much greater handle on the goings on of the spine and all its attachments than most GP's.

I have to admit I was in so much pain that the thought of letting anyone near me filled me with dread, however I am a convert.

If anyone experiences anything similar I would recommend going to an osteopath.

Make sure that they are listed in the phone book under British Council of Osteopaths first and if possible, find someone that can be recommended by a friend or someone whose opinion you rate.

I am not completely out of the woods yet and definitely, my spine needs some more ironing out, but I am out of pain and I can't believe it.

Five days ago I seriously thought I was going to have to carry my left arm around with me like a folded up deckchair for the rest of my life.