From debilitating daily pain to basically pain free - sleep position change
I've been battling this excruciating horrible disease since 2021., and today I consider myself 90% healed and I can't believe the solution (for my situation) was so stupidly simple. if this helps just one person and saves it from the misery I went through I would be so happy.
- and 2022. were the years I was living in constant, chronic, some days debilitating pain it was horrible I was still functioning but it took over at least 50% of my daily thoughts and mind space.
During that time I did spine and brain MRI, tons of bloodwork, even some obscure tests like antiganglioside antibodies and everything came back normal. which just made everything worse tbh. I felt insane, and my pain was worse every day.
I tried everything, mild exercise, HIIT exercise, yoga, brisk walking, slow walking and NOTHING SEEMED TO HELP! I literally thought I was going insane.
I just accepted I will live with this pain for the rest of my life. then I got pregnant and soon my symptoms slowly subsided and then went away completely! I was so happy but also so confused, so many pregnant ladies complained about sciatica meanwhile my chronic sciatica was almost gone??!
once I gave birth the symptoms slowly started creeping back in, I was miserable again how will I battle this chronic pain again with a small baby and barely any sleep.
new round of tests - again lumbosacral MRI and X rays of the pelvis - all came back normal!
FINALLY, after almost 5 years of feeling completely lost and confused and angry something in my brain clicked and I realised it was my sleeping on the stomach that was causing all the freaking symptoms! pregnancy making things better also explained by the sleeping pose change.
I know it sounds so stupid but I've been stomach sleeper my whole life and even If I tried side sleeping position I would just turn to stomach during the night in my sleep.
this time I decided I will give it a proper go, side sleeping pillow and a pillow between my legs, and I've been sleeping like that for the past 6 months and the change in my symptoms just makes me want to cry. it was so simple but I just couldn't see the forest from the tree.
TLDR: I changed sleeping position from stomach to side! didn't believe it could have such an impact- it did!