Help please - in pain and pregnant

carrera317 · January 2014

Hi ladies. I am hoping you can help me find some options. I was in a car accident years ago and hurt my neck badly. The pain for it cycles and is pretty predictable. I usually have radiofrequency lesioning (essentially they zap some nerves) about every 6 months. I'm not due for it until March and can't have it done if I'm Pregnant. My last pregnancy I did fine pain wise. Well, fast forward to yesterday and I wake up in excruciating pain. I can't look down or left. Tylenol does nothing. No massage therapist will touch me because I'm 7 weeks pregnant. I saw my acupuncturist yesterday who helped some last night but it's worse this am. I've been told that I shouldn't heat because I'm pregnant. Ive thought of seeing a chiro but I have a disc with some herniation so i don't thinks it's my smartest idea. I feel so stuck! Any thoughts?! Sorry for the long post.

kaf7 · January 2014

I think you just can't heat your abdomen. You should be fine to heat your neck. And at least in my community you can get pregnancy massages. Can you find someone who is willing to just help with your neck? And maybe call your RE or OB to ask their recommendations about pain control and chiropractic? Sorry you're in such distress.

CallMeAl · January 2014

I have a friend who had been in a car accident with neck injury about a year before pregnancy. She used physical therapy and lidocaine latches to manage her pain. Are either of those options for you?

singingirl96 · January 2014

You can use heat on your neck, you just can't heat your belly. But you probably should ice it, not heat it.

Chiropractic is just fine. I went to a chiro all during my last pregnancy since I had horrible back / rib pain.

carrera317 · January 2014

@kaf7 thanks. I'm going to go get a thermacare patch. My acupuncturist is super conservative and has me all freaked out about heat. I need something though.
@CallMeAl I've done about 5 years of PT so I'm pretty strong and balanced but went the route of rfls because I wanted to avoid long term medication because of my profession (I'm a hospital pharmacist). Lidocaine might be an option though. Did your friend use it during her pregnancy? There doesn't seem to be a lot of information about use in pregnancy with it. It does cross the placenta though. Thanks for the ideas!

Dragonfly1226 · January 2014

Hon can definitely put heat anywhere but your belly. Also, check out a good chiropractor. I don't know if it will help but you should talk to your OB. There are pain medications that you are allowed to take during pregnancy. I hope the pain gets better soon!

luvboston · January 2014

You can def heat your neck. You should go see a physical medicine doctor and be hooked up with pt immed. You can get patches with safe meds in them. Icy hot is safe.

carrera317 · January 2014

Thanks ladies. I saw a physiatrist for a long time. My normal pain doc is on vaca. I dug out my old TENS unit last night and am using heat patches today. I think I am improving. It scared me as my pain is usually so well controlled and this came out of no where (although my son did have a trip to the ER on Tuesday for some stitches on his forehead). Not my typical stress reaction but who knows. I appreciate your input so much. Made me feel better using heat. My clinic was no help and I'm not yet released to an OB. Fingers crossed it keeps improving and doesn't come back!

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