Ellen Jacobson has been an arthritis sufferer for years and it made her wonder how her children remembered their childhood, and more specifically, their mother. “My second oldest daughter said she remembers lots of laughing and singing, so I must have been able to maintain well enough in front of the kids,” said Ellen, 74. She raised four children all while suffering through aches and pains associated with osteoarthritis and scoliosis. The pain became chronic by the late 1980’s and in 1996 she made the decision to have a spinal fusion. She developed arachnoiditis as a complication of the procedure.
Arachnoiditis is a debilitating condition which causes the patient to experience strong stinging, burning pain and neurological problems. This condition is caused by the inflammation of the arachnoid lining, one of the three linings surrounding the brain and spinal cord. The inflammation also irritates, scars, and causes binding of the nerve roots and blood vessels. Arachnoiditis may result from a number of factors: an infection from bacteria or viruses, an irritation from chemicals, as a result of a direct injury to the spine, or complication from spinal surgery. This was the cause in Ellen’s case. “I was told there was a one-percent chance I could end up with chronic pain as a result of the spinal fusion I had in 1996, and unfortunately, I fell into the one percent,” said Ellen. “These conditions are incurable. What can be done is to try to ease the symptoms. That's what happens at the TC Pain Clinic.”
At the beginning, her chronic pain had been primarily in her low back. Then it began to spread throughout her spine, her joints and even her jaw. Ellen had been told this was classic joint pain arthritis. She hoped the spinal fusion would have eased some of the back pain. And for two years, she did feel good until the pain returned.
“This really got me down, knowing it was medically caused,” said Ellen. “The more I thought about it, the angrier I got.” Ellen said she felt a very negative attitude towards life creeping in and she turned to Twin Cities Pain Clinic Pain Psychologist Peg Maude-Griffin for help. “When I talked with her, I felt as though I was talking to a neighbor I had known all my life. I believed she genuinely cared,” said Ellen.
Dr. Maude-Griffin recommended reading materials and started her on a meditation program. “She helped me find tools I didn’t know I possessed. I could feel my morale improving and even my husband said he sees the difference and can tell I’m in a better place,” said Ellen.
 For chronic pain conditions, a recommended approach which yields good results in patients includes physical therapy in Minnesota, pain psychology MN and medication management. "Chronic pain is not always curable, but it is always manageable,” said Dr. Maude-Griffin. “Pain management therapy begins by teaching specific skills people can use to minimize their symptoms. But ideally, therapy transcends skills and behaviors to help people change their beliefs about their pain and their lives. We want people to get back to the life they have put on hold waiting for the pain to go away. We help them accept pain, avoid getting bogged down by painful thoughts, and start to move in a direction that is determined by what they really value, not by the experience of pain,” said Dr. Maude-Griffin.
Once the pain psychologist helped Ellen reframe her thinking, she was able to start a regimen of physical therapy and home exercises combined with pain medication. “My plan of care has been top notch,” said Ellen. “My nurse practitioner, Nancy Cleveland, overlooks my prescriptions and she has been so kind and caring. And my physical therapist, Maureen Henderson, keeps telling me I’m doing so well. I’m sitting, standing and walking with less pain.” When Ellen came to Twin Cities Pain Clinic in April, she could not walk one city block. Today she can walk two blocks and increases her distance a little each time. For additional exercise, Ellen walks in a heated pool in her housing complex.
Since Ellen retired from her work as a receptionist for a computer service company, she has wanted to return to her favorite hobby of sewing quilts. She started a king-sized quilt ten years ago, but had to set the project aside because it was too painful to sit and bend over her sewing machine. “I have just started working on it again. I believe this time, I can eventually finish it,” Ellen said contentedly. |
Many medications for pain, insomnia, and other conditions have a strong effect on the body. Side effects like drowsiness, dizziness and confusion are not uncommon – and it’s important to take special precautions if you know you’ll be driving.
The most important precaution to take when driving while taking medication is to assume that any medication you are taking could impair your driving. This means that you carefully consider your medications and follow these safety tips no matter what.
- Ask your doctor and/or pharmacist about any potential side effects that the medication might have. Also, be sure to ask about drug interactions with any other medications you’re taking to see if the combination could impair your driving.
- Whenever you begin a new medication or change your dose of an old medication, avoid driving for two to three days. This will help you assess how the medication affects you.
- Do not drive if you’re feeling drowsy, foggy, confused, disoriented or impaired in any other way.
- Form a safety net of “backup drivers.” If your medication is affecting you, ask your spouse, neighbors, family and friends in advance if they would be willing to give you a ride should you need to run an errand. Know your family’s schedule and who will be available to drive. Having a system of willing drivers organized in advance lessens the likelihood that you will be tempted to “dash off” on a quick errand by yourself even if you aren’t completely fit to drive.
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