The Next Steps

(https://steemitimages.com/DQmNoafnuinQbGeLT9wrmCkUbrwt9fLHFZSkjZwCSLZe8nm/exercise-3026935_640.jpg)

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This is a continuation of Part One. Read it [here.](https://steemit.com/life/@queenvick/our-journey-with-a-neck-injury-pt-1-the-beginning)

In the fall of 2016 after having tried various medications, chiropractic treatments, physical therapy, and nerve blocks, @millennialnow was introduced to a pain psychologist. A pain psychologist can help people who live with chronic pain cope with various psychological issues that can be caused by or enhanced by chronic pain, such as guilt, anxiety, or depression. This was news to us but it was definitely welcome news. Ultimately, millennialnow's interactions with the pain psychologist were brief; yet, he played a very vital role in our search to heal the injured neck. It was through the pain psychologist that millennialnow was introduced to a new physical therapist. We were told this physical therapist had experience dealing with complicated head/neck injuries such as millennialnow's and could possibly provide much needed rehabilitation. The timing of everything was so perfect and such a blessing. Millennialnow called her to set up an appointment on what was her very last day at the local YMCA. She had been transferred to a hospital downtown. Eventually, he was able to start seeing her twice a week. We ushered in the new year with new hope for the future. This physical therapist proved to be exactly what we were searching for. Injured and weak neck muscles needed to be strengthened and healed. From the end of 2016 through the first few months of 2017, we saw significant improvement in not only his pain and symptoms but also his overall mood. There was hope now where there had been none before. Unfortunately, his progress was stalled in April 2017 when a cyst in his upper back grew inflamed and infected. Therapy would have to wait until the cyst was removed. The cyst, which was too large to be removed under local anesthesia in the surgeon's office, came out at the end of April. Millennialnow was left with a large, open surgical wound that would halt therapy until July. In July, he returned to therapy to only to learn that his therapist was going into private partnership with a former student. In August, both she and he made the transition to the new location. This was good news for his treatment. Moving to private practice would allow his therapist greater freedom in treating him. It also meant that she would be able to use the all-important dry needling technique on his neck. He describes dry needling much better than I do, but essentially, his therapist will insert a needle into his neck, which, either on its own or with the help of electrical pulsation, will stimulate his muscles. This method helps significantly reduce millennialnow's migraine symptoms and pain. It is not a cure-all but has greatly helped. *** To get caught up on our journey to the up to the present, look for part three soon.