Help please

gunsandbanjos

I know I'm not allowed to ask for medical advice, but I need some help, just some experience/recommendations really.

Some of you may know my daughter has very severe scoliosis (9/10 in terms of severity according to surgeon).

She's had a very sore neck since yesterday afternoon, she has pretty much lain on the sofa/floor all day.

I've given her ibuprofen, paracetamol & codeine to no avail, I went out and bought a heat pack. Nothing is working, I tried tiger balm and she hated it, I've offered her a bath or shower but she doesn't want to move:(

She has no instrumentation in her back anymore or I'd have taken her to hospital for X-ray in case something had shifted.

If she's still in pain tomorrow I will phone her surgeon, but I'm wondering if anyone has any ideas of how to make her comfortable?

enjoyyourshoes

Hi

contact NHS on telephone number 111 , they are open 25 X 7 and you will get t speak on the phone to a clinician, they will provide advice with the following outcomes:

self treatment
visit a clinic / hospital that is open within your vicinity
or
emergency

Poppie68

I have severe neck problems and take a cocktail of drugs which don't always help but sometimes I find a correctly positioned pillow helps...I have to mess around with it for a while to get it right but do find it helps..

gunsandbanjos

Poppie68 wrote: »

I have severe neck problems and take a cocktail of drugs which don't always help but sometimes I find a correctly positioned pillow helps...I have to mess around with it for a while to get it right but do find it helps..

Thanks, I've built her a 'nest' on the floor, with doubled over duvet underneath and lots of pillows she can lie on.

Errata

gunsandbanjos wrote: »

If she's still in pain tomorrow I will phone her surgeon, but I'm wondering if anyone has any ideas of how to make her comfortable?

Might be an idea to have a Plan B in case the surgeon is unavailable, and poss a Plan C if you're as risk averse as I am. Best wishes to her and hope she has a reasonably comfy night.

gunsandbanjos

Errata wrote: »

Might be an idea to have a Plan B in case the surgeon is unavailable, and poss a Plan C if you're as risk averse as I am. Best wishes to her and hope she has a reasonably comfy night.

Thanks, I know he operates on a Monday but I've got his secretary's number too and the spinal liaison nurses number.

Have considered A&E but I can't think what they'll do other than give her painkillers, and it would mean me getting her into the car and sitting in A&E for a few hours which won't do her any good.

Pyxis

Have you tried an ice pack?
Try a bag of frozen peas, wrapped in a tea cloth, if you don't have a flexible ice pack. Leave it on for about 15-20 minutes then return it without the cloth to the freezer for 20mins, then reapply, in the cloth. You can do this as often as you like. You may need two packs so that you can alternate them.

Ice packs frequently work better than heat, so worth a try.

bloolagoon

Have you tried out of hours GP?

Also consider ringing an ambulance as they can give pain relief on route or even in home prior to moving.

Meantime would she tolerate a massage? Lavender and a massage may help the anxiety if it's not painful to touch

gunsandbanjos

bloolagoon wrote: »

Have you tried out of hours GP?

Also consider ringing an ambulance as they can give pain relief on route or even in home prior to moving.

Meantime would she tolerate a massage? Lavender and a massage may help the anxiety if it's not painful to touch

Not tried GP (not sure what they would tell me that I don't know already), and not sure it warrants an ambulance - not yet anyway. I'm playing it by ear.

I thought a gentle massage might help but she won't let me as it's sore to the touch.

gunsandbanjos

Pyxis wrote: »

Have you tried an ice pack?
Try a bag of frozen peas, wrapped in a tea cloth, if you don't have a flexible ice pack. Leave it on for about 15-20 minutes then return it without the cloth to the freezer for 20mins, then reapply, in the cloth. You can do this as often as you like. You may need two packs so that you can alternate them.

Ice packs frequently work better than heat, so worth a try.

Will give it a go if she can't sleep, she's just gone to bed but if she struggles I'll give the ice pack a go. We have been using heat this afternoon but nothing is helping her.

She's got a very high pain threshold but she is really out of sorts today, very unlike her.

System

My youngest daughter also has scoliosis, (75 degree thoracic curve) and was fused in May this year.
Pre op she didn't have any discomfort at all. Post op we used microwaveable heat pads, plus a heated sheepskin pad that I bought from Lidl's, used lots of extra pillows for positioning and, taking advice from a Facebook scoliosis support group for parents, a good thick memory foam mattress topper.
We have been lucky with her post op period regards pain and movement, and now she is fully back to normal and you would never know she has had any difficulty.
I have a prvious neck injury and unfortunately anti-inflammatories make me ill, so I normally use a combination of heat pads and some stretching exercises the physio gave me, they can be a bit uncomfortable but it's worth it for the relief of the constant discomfort .
It can be worth alternating heat and ice packs, I also often gave my daughter a head and shoulder massage, as she didn't like getting her back touched.

Linda x