Chatty Catch Up (COVID, School, Keeping Busy, and Health Update)!

 I've been really busy with work this week and getting ready to go on vacation next week, so we're doing a quick, chatty blog post today with no real rhyme or reason, but sometimes those are the best ones :)

I first just have to say that summer is going by SO FAST! I feel like I just got out of school, which was at the beginning of May, and now I'm starting to prepare to go back to school. Although I am very excited to go back to school with hopefully fewer COVID restrictions than last year, of course, I will follow anything they ask us to do if it means I get to go to class in person. Luckily I go to a small school, so it is a little bit easier to manage and mitigate the spread of the disease. My school is also requiring the vaccine for everyone unless they have a medical or religious exemption. I know that is a controversial topic, but I honestly appreciate it being immunocompromised. How is your school/work handling the vaccine? If you are immunocompromised, are you happy with their decision?

That brings me to my next point. It's now being speculated that the CDC is going to recommend we start wearing masks again even if we are vaccinated. I honestly don't know how I feel about this, but I always want to be as safe as possible, so I'm just going to follow whatever the experts say to do. 

Switching gears, I've been thinking a lot about the fall semester and how much I've agreed to take on and it is honestly very daunting. I'm in four clubs at school and I have a leadership role in all of them. I'm starting my volunteer work as a peer health educator which I'm very excited about. I get to move in early and start all the training for that in only a few weeks! I'm hoping to get my job back this semester as well. I have student employment as a receptionist, but I wasn't able to work all of last year because my office wasn't able to physically distance. Then finally, I agreed to stay on with my internship this fall! While this is many things I've agreed to do on top of school work, I love all of them and can't imagine giving any of them up, so we're just going to make it work. 

I find that keeping myself busy is actually a very effective form of pain management and I've used it since I was diagnosed with endometriosis at the beginning of high school. It sounds so weird and I don't know if anyone else is the same way, but I feel like I feel worse when I'm just sitting around doing nothing. I think it's because I can actually focus on my body and not just ignore the pain since I'm so busy. 

I've still been working hard at pelvic floor physical therapy this summer while I'm home. I have all my PT tasks I have to do every day written on my to-do list so I can make sure I'm getting them done. (Side note, I seriously cannot live without a to-do list now. It's kind of a problem but a good problem). Just like in the winter, I'm hoping to make even more progress before going back to school. I said this on my Instagram, but I finally brought up my tailbone pain to my primary care doctor and she referred me to an orthopedist! I'm in the process of having all my medical notes sent over from my pelvic floor physical therapist and my chiropractor, then I'll be all set for my appointment toward the middle of next month. I'm feeling hopeful because I will probably be able to get an x-ray and MRI so we can pinpoint the issue.

I think I've talked long enough and you've all gotten the rundown on my life as of right now, so thank you for reading if you've made it to this point, and feel free to DM me if we want to chat about anything!

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WHAT IS CUPPING THERAPY?

 

Many of you have heard me talk about cupping therapy (or cupping) here and on my Instagram, but I've learned that most people don't know what it is. I was first introduced to cupping when Michael Phelps made it popular by putting his circular bruises on display at the Olympics. 

Cupping is a form of alternative medicine that has become popular over the last few years. I started using this method in pelvic floor physical therapy over the winter to help with inflammation and pain management in my back and tailbone. Still, people use it for many different reasons. So you can get a better understanding of cupping, and why it's helpful, I'm going to bring you through the basics.

WHAT IS CUPPING THERAPY?

Cupping therapy is an ancient form of alternative medicine that originated in China.

HOW DOES CUPPING WORK?

A therapist will put special cups on specified spots and create a suction to the skin and leave them there for however long they deem necessary. 

WHY DO PEOPLE USE CUPPING THERAPY?

There are many different reasons why people use cupping therapy, including:

• Pain
• Inflammation
• Blood flow
• Relaxation and well-being
• Muscle tightness

It has been compared to a deep tissue massage.

DOES IT HURT?

I decided to include this question because looking at pictures of cupping can be pretty offputting, so I wanted to share my experience. There are many different suction levels, so you must communicate with your therapist about what is too much, too little, and just right suction for you. However, if you are really trying to get the full effects of the cups, you can put them on a little tighter, and it will hurt at first, but after 30-60 seconds, the pain will go away. I haven't gotten up to the level of bruising you see on Michael Phelps; in fact, I've only ever had bruising one time because everybody is different and can only tolerate so much. But the goal is to add a little more suction each time so you can make progress.

WHAT DOES RESEARCH SHOW?

While there needs to be more and better research done on cupping, it has been known to help those with:

• Blood disorders 
• Rheumatic diseases
• Fertility
• Skin problems 
• High blood pressure
• Migraines
• Anxiety and depression
• Bronchial congestion
• Varicose veins 
• Overall muscle relaxation

Cupping therapy definitely isn't for everybody, but if you are looking for another method of pain management, I certainly recommend it! I always leave my appointments feeling so relaxed and in a lot less pain. But remember to always drink a lot of water after because it's sucking a lot of toxins out of your body. 

Source: https://www.webmd.com/balance/guide/cupping-therapy

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WORKING 9-5 WITH CHRONIC PAIN

 

Working 9 to 5 is something brand new to me that I started last week. I'm working two jobs this summer so obviously, I've had to learn how to manage this. Working 9 to 5 for the first time is challenging for everyone, but then you add in having to deal with chronic pain and it makes adjusting to this new schedule a lot harder. I want to preface this by saying that I love both of my jobs and I can't wait for the rest of the summer because I'm so lucky to be in both positions! However, sitting at my desk for hours on end isn't the best for my pelvic floor region. 

My whole life up to this point I've imagined myself as having a desk/office job in the future because due to my chronic pain, being on the move isn't my favorite thing. Now that I'm sitting at a desk in my bedroom for many hours a day, I might need to reevaluate that vision for myself. I think my ideal situation is where I can sit when I want to and move around when I want to because my body needs both of those things to keep everything in check. Although sitting at a desk isn't the most comfortable thing in the world, I've discovered a few things that have helped me make the best of the situation. 

The first is a laptop stand. This allows you to prop up your laptop so it's at eye level and you aren't breaking your back hunching over it all day. I got mine at the beginning of last semester and I think it's one of my favorite purchases ever. I'm still sitting in front of the computer for the same amount of time, but my back and neck feel SO much better. 

The second tool that has been so incredibly helpful to me for years is blue light glasses. These block out the harmful blue light coming from your computer or other electronic devices and makes having to stare at them all day way easier on the eyes. I used to get headaches all the time from blue light, but I don't anymore because of these glasses!

The third thing is a seat cushion. As I've mentioned here a few times, I've had an injured tailbone for about a year now, so seat cushions are an essential part of my everyday life. I use one on my desk chair at home and school, as well as one in my car. Even if you don't have tailbone or back issues, a seat cushion can still be really helpful for all-around comfort. 

And finally, the items I have purchased most recently, a mouse and mousepad. Not just any mousepad though, one with wrist support so you don't do any damage while using your mouse all day. This is the first time I've actually used a mouse with a laptop, but it's been so helpful because it allows me to sit up straight in my chair and not have to hunch over the mousepad built into my laptop. 

I'm really curious, so let me know on here or over on my Instagram, but how do you work while also dealing with chronic pain? I'm open to any and all suggestions!

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