Health Problems From PSTD?

[James B.]

Chronic Myofascial Pain - Tendonitis - Arthritis

I self-medicated with sports. Many years of overuse. Guess that's how I burned-off the adrenaline, got dopamine and endorphin. Post neurosurgery lumbar, am dealing with some pretty major pain from myofascial adhesions (Myofascial Pain Syndrome - probably). It's pretty wicked - the sciatica cramps fused the muscles in my quads. Have acute stabbing pain at the flex point left hip/leg. Nerve weirdness, reporting in the calf and foot. And an odd intermittent pain in the left knee cap that feel like someone's trying to drive a putty knife under my kneecap - no kidding. It comes and goes, I yell. I limp. In addition, the wasted and imbalanced left leg muscles don't support me. So I have acute tendonitis in the groin tendon; pretty sore and very tender. Don't ask me how I'm going to fix it. That puzzle is currently "under evaluation. :dontknow:

Before I can get any deep tissue massage or Rolfing, I have to get on the foam rollers. Lay face down, and roll the affected areas, breaking up the fused muscles. It's burly - I yell - it hurts like shit, but in a "therapeutic" way. Got three foam rollers, 6" thick. One's 36" one's 18" long and the other is a half-round. They're great for self massage. Am working on setting up a device for re-building the inductors of both legs, and the backs of the quads too, here at home. Just not into gym/gym memberships anymore. Sucks to not really be able to walk much. May take a year to get it under control.

The remaining arthritis in my knees and hands/wrists seems stable - and am trying some (herbal) stuff for home/DIY treatment - who knows? Overall, considering what I did to my body in the gym and in the field for 35 years, am lucky. Only one surgery, the neurosurgery in June, it turned out awesome - very pleased about that, very hopeful. My lumbar spine is better than ever - enhanced with 2 titanium "pivots". I can feel 'em a little, but overall the structural integrity of my lumbar is greatly improved. Still I know my days of cutting loose out-doors are pretty much over, but would really like to get the left leg (mainly) working so I could do a little hiking. That's my goal.

Aside from that I seem to be in amazingly good health, very lucky! Just "crippled". :doh:

 

[Deleted member 5760]

Actually James B - your comment about needing to burn adrenalin is probably right.

An interesting thing my T said to me during our first session when she was explaining PTSD in a scientific way (showing diagrams of the brain, etc etc) - I'm not too sure how much you've been taught but probably more than me. I've only just started treatment. But basically she explained that 'survival mode' is split into 3 systems - the threat system, the attachment system, and the defence system. The defence system being the one associated with dissociative episodes. Basically - the way she explained it to me is - when someone is pumped full of adrenalin because of the 'survival switch' it becomes overwhelming. To the point where you might unconsciously want/need to dissociate in defence.

She said - 'people do this in different ways - some drink, some take drugs, some even become gym junkies'. And you are saying that it was no longer about 'I'd like to stay fit'. That it really had become quite an unhealthy addiction and a way to 'dissociate'. I guess she's right - that people deal with things in different ways.

So there ya go eh.

 

[James B.]

Thanks for the informative post, superjen.

Yes, burning the adrenaline off seemed to be a need, and the way you describe it, as a kind of dissociative thing makes sense for sure. Gym junkies, "adrenaline" junkies (risk/high-level sports "addicts") basically. It's true and in the 80's there were lots of other "self-medicators" around in the climbing community - some in less pain than I, and some who were clearly hurting more. Interestingly, where I first read of this (involuntary) need to process or "burn-off" adrenaline was on a quit smoking site called whyquit.The author's contention was that, since adrenaline increases (for some) a lot when people quit smoking - the typical reaction is for the person suffering from nicotine withdrawal to "pick a fight" to burn-off/process the adrenaline. It's a big contention, and not a very pretty one, but it clicked it my brain and reminded me of a lot of stuff. So yes, I think adrenaline [Epinephrine] can "make a demand" - it is a major-league fight/flight chemical, very primitive and very powerful; it is both hormone and neurotransmitter.

So, to the topic of health problems from PTSD. In my case the need to burn the adrenaline (and dissociate etc.) led to a long term self-injurious pattern; out of touch with my body, pushing (way) past the pain threshold and in denial for an amazingly long time. Overuse, lack of downtime for muscle recovery, and then the inevitable decline from sustained (obsessive use) wear and tear. Arthritis. I will add this though; this also happens to a lot of people who (have to) use their bodies for employment related (physical) work, as well.

Thanks again for the info superjen - am pretty blurry on a lot of this stuff like the "threat/attachment/defence" systems.

 

[Marine]

I think there are other conditions that arise from PTSD.

As a Veteran, I know that many doctors at the Department of Veterans Affairs have debated and researched a wide variety of links with PTSD.

I know they mentioned, depression, blood pressure, panic attacks, memory loss, insomnia, possibly of IBS, even GERD.

Each person is different, they may have one or the other or all. There's more, but PTSD can make other conditions worse as well.