Lying on one side too much.

So I woke up the other day in excruciating pain: I couldnā€™t move my fingers without a seriously sharp pain in my wrist.

Itā€™s been up and down ever since.

I thought Iā€™d got something wrong with my wrist and Iā€™d over done typing or something.

But of course, I remembered when something similar had happened before: itā€™s a pinched nerve and I think Iā€™ve almost isolated it - my shoulder.

As soon as I get out of bed (still in excruciating pain on occasion) I do some stretching, do some arm rotations on both sides and would you know it: the pain and wrist stiffness disappears.

A reminder on how connected the body is.

I think I know how I got here: the tinnitus and the slightly dulled hearing I have on one side encourages me to lie on the bad side. It feels more comfortable somehow. But I believe over time this has caused my shoulder to ā€˜freezeā€™ and this is pinching nerves.

So I suggest if you find yourself doing this, try to avoid it.

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I donā€™t know if they have Rolfing massage in the UK, but I found that amazingly helpful in the same situation. (Except I did it kayaking.)

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Yes massage might help! Iā€™ll investigate.

Also I should get back to the long walks I used to do.

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I do the opposite I lie on my good side but last year I am like screw it and sleep on whatever side. The inclined sleeping takes a toll. Might I recommend a long hugging pillow and it helps a lot. I am sure amazon has it.

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Yep. The human bodyā€™s a wonderful thing so perfectly in tune and balanced. The slightest thing can knock it off kilter like too much lying on one side. I did a good line in bed sores that way and boy it soon ruins your haircut. Goes all flat the one side. Spoils all the hairdressers efforts. I found I really have to retrain myself to even it out to sleeping 50/50 each side. Took a month and more and I ended up having to retrain it again and again following each acute attack at one point, i had muscle pain and in the wrist too at one time. (Gotta log off now, off line rest of day - 8 hours minimum complete power.services cut scheduled here all day today. Donā€™t have a Smart phone). Helen

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It took a while, but I have had to train myself to sleep only on my back! I have a scoliosis on my right side which often makes it impossible to lie on that hip because the pain is too much, and I found that when the vertigo thing is around, lying on the left side seemed to bring it all on. Now I only move onto my side for short periods and have a very firm pillow for that which makes sure my neck/back are in alighnment - and then a huggy pillow to keep the ā€˜upā€™ side arm levelā€¦and often another between my knees!!! Quite a performance, so donā€™t often do it!!! Getting old plus the whole ā€˜earā€™ thing is not for sissies!

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Ugh, poor you Beth! As if you didnā€™t have enough to deal with!

Yep I had to do that one too. Soon discovered when you cannot sleep on your bad side, my right side, because of MAV, itā€™s not the best idea in the world to fall down and smash your left shoulder which is what I did in December 2016. Back was then the only option. Took about five pillows til I was firmly wedged in. I can still command my body to sleep on my back but itā€™s not my natural first choice. Amazing what can be learnt. Helen

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