How CAM techniques brought me back to my feet

I am a strong believer of the effectiveness in the use of some (not all) complementary or alternative medicine (CAM) and techniques in the treatment of body ailments especially those involving pain in various parts of the body as well as chronic diseases which most a times defy modern medical treatment or simply, those which are yet to have a cure discovered for them.

What made me believe in CAM?

After I finished college where I did graphic design, my first gigs were sourced from freelancing sites which was introduced to me by my friend. This was about 7 years ago. The whole idea of working online was really getting into my nerves and I loved it.

Being a good artist in my field, I soon became a darling in it and I easily picked up within a few weeks of my introduction. I started getting more gigs and thus I was most of my times preoccupied on my PC working for different clients. I believe in perfection and being a designer who really wanted to create a reputable portfolio, I ended up working late into the night and more hours during the day.

The idea of working online and brought to me the best opportunity which I believed was a good start in my career. Little did I know that I was also getting my feet into shit. Barely a year into this whole new working platform, my right shoulder started to develop some pain.

The mystery

First it started like normal pain due to exhaustion by swiftly yielded to a more agonizing and excruciating pain which was really affecting my work schedule. The pain grew intense each day, hence I always felt tired and worn-out and I started working less hours. By this time I had sought the help of a health care provider but who gave me drugs and also enlisted me into a therapeutic program where I would exercise my hand each day.

But this didn’t work for me. They had attributed the pain from my work schedule and also advised me against driving (something I never did because I didn’t even have a driving license). Anyway, the program worked for some time and was really a good thing for me. Also the pain was no more.

Sad happening

One day while vacuuming my house, I tripped accidentally and down I fell, landing on the floor with the same shoulder. This became a new start for another hell of a period which lasted about a year and half- I was lucky that I had already appreciated CAM techniques; otherwise I believe I could have taken forever to heal.

I went back to the physician who had introduced me to the therapies which had prior made me feel better. They got me under the same program but this time it didn’t work. Instead the pain started to spread to the upper part of my back and neck. I knew that something had to be done quickly.

However the physician thought otherwise. They were positive that the therapies and exercises would work just as they had done previously. All that was needed was time. 14 weeks of following their instructions and medication, but nothing positive was coming through.

I started complaining because I was getting more depressed as the conditions became worse. That’s when they suggested that I see an osteopath doctor and arranged the meeting.

Free at last.

The osteopath found out that my body had been weakened and the pain was continuing to be severe because the tendons and ligament of the shoulder muscle had been damaged and needed to be stretched and twisted so that they could be relieved the tension that had build up.

Three weeks of doing this and some therapeutic exercises as well as a change in lifestyle, I started feeling better. 3 months later I was myself again. That’s the power I believe that CAM possesses.