Wow I am so happy to report she is doing great! I need your advice about one problem. For a month or so before we moved her into MC, she complained that her neck was hurting. If she turned her head to one side she had pain. We took her to Urgent Care and to see hr PC and both assumed (as did I) that the problem stemmed from how she would store all sorts of stuff behind her pillows when she was home alone. Purses, books, shoes etc. But since she hasn't been doing that in MC I don't know what to do. Can someone with Alzheimers go to a chiropractor? Could this be arthritis maybe? Is there relief that wouldn't require any sort of pain medication? What should i do or who should i talk to? Any advice will be greatly appreciated!
Also, a LO of mine who had arthritis found relief after stroke with acupuncture, which doesn't involve meds at all. Supposedly this treated the arthritis as well as the post-stroke issue. Apparently the needles are so tiny that people don't even feel it as the acupuncturist, who in this case was an M.D., inserts them. I'd check around and see if there's one who would come to the MC for your mom.
I agree that if she cooperates, to start with imaging first to get a better idea of what's going on. People with dementia have a much hard times expressing what and where (and why) they are having pain.
Your friend must have been in shock to have her sternum broken by the chiropractor.
It’s so sad to think about someone going to get relief and ending up with more discomfort.
Glad she's settling down in MC, that's good news!
But no her doctor didn't and urgent care did not take X-Rays.
I do exercises from Kaiser PT consult which has virtually cured this and given me much more mobility, but I would bet if you feel along her scapula, that muscle girdle shaped like a triangle covering her shoulder, spine, and long left side, you will even see muscles there are sore, and at the top of the shoulder.
I would recommend instead of chiropracter a good massage therapist who works with the elderly (we are fragile; we cannot take a whole lot of pressing, snapping, crackling or popping). I wish you good luck. At 81 I kind of think of this time as a whole WORLD of pain. Just a matter of where is it toDAY. I don't take any pain meds. A history of diverticulitis precludes my taking my beloved ibuprofen which literally got me through my nursing career. I am kind of used to the pain now and just kind of let it talk to me, and tell me what's up with the tensions in my body.
I am so glad of this update that things are going well.
Do look on youtube for some gentle exercises that don't stress things if doc says she can do them.
Thank you!