Victorianna's Diary

The deceitful web of addiction affects millions of people. This is just one story. It is unique because it is my story, but it is not unusual...


Part I
The Road To Detox

more

Suffering from Arthritis pain - Try Ultracet: minimum side effects, maximum relief !!

Arthritis is one of the most common afflictions found worldwide and generally affecting external body organs. NSAIDs have been traditionally used in Arthritis treatment but with major side effects. Tramadol (Ultracet) is the latest recommendation for treating Arthritis.

Arthritis is really painful so act before it becomes unbearable!! 

What is Arthritis (Joint inflammation)?
Arthritis or Joint Inflammation is irritation of bone joints (connection point of two bones) that cause aching in joints, bulging and restricts patient's movement. Generally predominant in women and elderly population, Arthritis can affect anyone and according to latest reports, there are supposedly more than 50 million Americans afflicted by this condition.

What actually happens in Arthritis?
Arthritis basically affects the cartilage present between two bones. Cartilage is the tissue present between all bone joints that helps bone movement. Cartilage also acts as shock absorbent between bones when the body is involved in functions that put pressure on it. Lack or reduction of normal amount of cartilage causes grinding of bones, which leads to aching, swelling and stiffness of joints.

What are the causes and symptoms of Arthritis?
Arthritis can be caused by a number of reasons like breaking of bone; Abrasion of joint due to age or sustained pressure, Bacterial/Viral Infection or even by Autoimmunity wherein the body's internal self defense mechanism thinks that the body part (cartilage) is an external invading body and starts attacking it.

Symptoms are similar to many other afflictions so a Physician would be the best authority on deciding if someone has Arthritis. Yet general symptoms are: aching joints, bulging of joints, inability of joint movement, skin reddening near joint, rigidity of joints (esp. in early part of the day) and feeling of warmth around joints. For in-depth examination, Physician may suggest X-ray, blood tests, joint fluid test etc to confirm the kind and severity of the Arthritis.

What are the various Arthritis treatments?
Some Arthritic conditions can be completely cured by medication but for others, containment is the only option for bringing in normalcy to patient's lifestyle. Physician will prescribe medication based on the type of Arthritis, severity of condition, age of patient and patient's lifestyle and occupation. Medication is generally accompanied by exercise and dietary/lifestyle advice. buy ultracet is a recommended medication for those suffering from arthritis to get quick pain relief.

Lesser Known Facts About Arthritis

• 1 in 5 adults living in the United States reports having doctor-diagnosed arthritis.


• Nearly 1 in 3 adults living in the United States has either doctor-diagnosed arthritis or chronic joint symptoms that have not been diagnosed by a doctor. This number is up from 1 in 6 adults in 1998, and the number continues to increase as the population increases.


• Arthritis is second only to heart disease as a cause of work disability.


• million physician visits and more than 500,000 hospitalizations are attributable to arthritis.


• Half of those Americans afflicted with arthritis do not think anything can be done to help them.


• Arthritis literally means inflammation of the joints. However, some forms of arthritis inflame more than just joints and some cause very little inflammation.


• Arthritis refers to a large group of diseases that affect areas in and around joints.


• Arthritis is the one of the most prevalent chronic (persistent and long-lasting) health conditions.


• The prevalence of arthritis increases with age.


• There are over 100 different types of arthritis, each differing widely in progression, cause, symptoms and method of treatment. The most common type of arthritis is osteoarthritis, affecting an estimated 21 million people.


• The cause of most types of arthritis is unknown.


• Arthritis is the leading cause of disability among Americans over age 15.


• Arthritis is one of the oldest diseases known to man and has been discovered in the remains of people who lived over 500,000 years ago.


• More women than men are afflicted with arthritis.


• All age groups are affected by arthritis, including about 300,000 children.


• Arthritis is diagnosed by the patient's medical history, a physical examination, blood and laboratory tests and/or X-rays.


• The most common form of arthritis in children is juvenile rheumatoid arthritis.


• Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis is one of the most common chronic childhood conditions and occurs nearly as often as insulin-dependent juvenile diabetes.


• Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis has two peaks of onset: between 1 and 3 years and between 8 and 12 years.


• Girls are twice as likely to develop juvenile rheumatoid arthritis as boys.


• The prognosis for those with juvenile arthritis is good. 75% of children with juvenile arthritis recover without significant joint damage.


• 8.4 million adults between the ages of 18 and 44 have arthritis.


• Arthritis costs the U.S. economy $86.2 billion per year.


• When both direct and indirect costs (such as lost wages) are combined, arthritis costs the U.S. economy more than $124 billion per year.


• More than half of those affected with arthritis are under age 65.


• Almost half of those afflicted with arthritis have one of the two most common types of arthritis, osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.


• Osteoarthritis, the most common form of arthritis, occurs when cartilage, a type of dense connective tissue that protects bones at joints, deteriorates and causes bone to rub against bone.


• Osteoarthritis is often called a "wear and tear" disorder.


• While Osteoarthritis cannot be cured, there are treatment forms that includes drugs and tailored programs of exercise. There are also numerous studies on the way to determine the of natural substances, such as Glucosamaine and Chondroitin, for the rebuilding of cartilage tissue.


• Injured joints are more likely to develop osteoarthritis than joints that have not been injured.


• Women of average height who are overweight and lose 10 pounds or more over 10 years can cut their risk of developing osteoarthritis by half.


• Young adults with knee injuries have 6 times the risk of developing osteoarthritis by age 65 than those without knee injuries.


• Young adults with hip injuries have 3 times the risk of developing osteoarthritis by age 65 than those without hip injuries.


• Even though one may have joint damage extensive enough to show up on X-ray, one still may not have symptoms.


• By age 65, more than half of the population has X-ray evidence of joint damage and osteoarthritis in at least one joint.


• Rheumatoid arthritis, the second most common form of arthritis, occurs when the body's immune system reacts against its own joint linings, causing painful inflammation.


• An estimated 0.3 to 1.5 percent of the U.S. population has rheumatoid arthritis.


• Most individuals with rheumatoid arthritis are between the ages of 20 and 40.


• Treatment for rheumatoid arthritis includes rest, drugs, exercise and joint replacement or surgical joint repair.


• In very severe cases, rheumatoid arthritis can be treated by injections of a gold compound.


• After 10 to 12 years with rheumatoid arthritis, less than 20% of patients are free of disability or deformity.


• Fewer than five percent of patients with rheumatoid arthritis are wheelchair bound or unable to take care of themselves.


• Ten percent of those with rheumatoid arthritis go into complete remission within the first year.


• Although arthritis is unlikely to be fatal, studies have shown that those with rheumatoid arthritis tend to die earlier, mostly due to increased susceptibility to infection.


• Gout is another common form of arthritis, where repeated flare-ups of painful swelling occur. The bunion joint, which connects the big toe to the foot, is usually affected first. Various drugs are used to treat gout.


• Septic arthritis, another fairly common form of arthritis, is caused when a joint is infected by bacteria. Early treatment with antibiotic drugs prevents crippling disability.


• Ankylosing spondylitis is a type of arthritis in which spinal joints become inflamed causing the patient to develop a hunched back.This disease attacks mostly young men and can be treated with drugs and physical therapy.


• Lupus, a form of arthritis that causes chronic inflammation of lungs and tissues, occurs mostly in women of childbearing age.


• Fibromyalgia is a disease in which muscles and attachment to bones are affected, causing severe pain. This disease affects mainly women.


• Fibromyalgia is sometimes mistaken for Lyme disease.


• People who are overweight or obese report more doctor-diagnosed arthritis.


• People who are more than ten pounds overweight have an elevated risk of developing arthritis, especially in weight-bearing joints such as the knees.


• Obesity aggravates the course of osteoarthritis, especially knee osteoarthritis.


• Many people with doctor-diagnosed arthritis report limitations in important activities such as walking, bending and climbing stairs.


• In 1998, the number of deaths due to arthritis and other related rheumatoid conditions was 9, 367.


• Three categories of arthritis alone account for 80% of all deaths due to arthritis.


• Rheumatoid arthritis, the most common chronic inflammatory arthritis, accounts for 22% of all deaths due to arthritis.


• Rheumatoid arthritis is often called the "great crippler."


• Rheumatoid arthritis is also among the most serious and disabling types of arthritis because it strikes multiple joints, follows an unpredictable course and has no known cure.


• Rheumatoid arthritis afflicts three times as many women as men.


• One of the most common symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis is fatigue.


• Rheumatoid arthritis affects mainly women in their forties, although anyone can be affected.


• Rheumatoid arthritis affects the same joints on both sides of the body.


• It is estimated that approximately 10 to 20% of patients with rheumatoid arthritis are expected to have a complete remission early in their disease or to follow a mild intermittent course which will require little medical attention.


• Nearly fifty percent of adults over the age of 65 report doctor-diagnosed arthritis


• Not all arthritis is persistent and lasting. Many are limited and of brief duration.


• Some arthritic conditions have a known cause or causes and can be cured if treated properly. Others have poorly understood causes and follow an unpredictable course.


• Most of the chronic forms of arthritis are likely to result form a complex interaction between genes and environment.


• Evidence suggests that microbial agents trigger certain types of arthritis in genetically predisposed people.


• Many patients with arthritis are successfully treated. Indeed, proper treatment can allow the majority of patients to function with little or no pain.

more

Means To Release From Your Ache

The complaint is getting the best of you and you are likely to have it defeated once and for all? At this rate using good remedy should be the sort of answer you require. But first before you get medicine, learn during what time the healing has to last. Medicaments should be exposed for continuous curing, in the rate if complaint release is necessary round the clock. While you get it trough the usual manner and receive it from the domestic chemist's with the help of your prescription, you could understand how much money it will come to you during the durable therapy, especially when you are making payment of your own. It is a rational solution would become to receive the Tramadol online, because you can decrease the price of the treatment materially, while receiving the class you wished. Web pharmacies allow you to Buy Tramadol and any else medicaments much more simply and cosily, which is why a lot of individuals select this way of buying the curing they like. You have an ability to get best remedy avoiding prescription for only some seconds, and even obtain a bonus for the amount you purchase (when you are ordering many items) and receive it conveyed very quickly straight to your place. This really seems a kind of great answer, especially you are not that sort of individuals that can allow themselves to test a chance on curing the complain.

Often, the drug is used for the medication of medium to hard pain, though there can exist else purposes depending from every specific accident. The medicine works better when used hourly, at the same every day, without loosing no doses or ignoring them knowingly. Opiate ache medication of this kind has a chance to set up addiction in some people, which is it is better to have the healing only for the term it is advised and constantly trace the dosage prescribed. In case you have ever addicted to opiate or alcohol, or have a kind of self-annihilation wishes, you may need to negotiate the applying of this remedy with qualified medical professional heretofore taking the eventual decision. Other medicinal qualifications that need be considered with a qualified health care professional heretofore you come to the treatment involve kidney trouble, liver complaint and stomach complaint, although any other conditions you are aware shall interrupt with the quality treatment would always be important to remember. It is advised for individuals after sixteen and should not be shared with the ones under said years.

more

My aching neck

A pain in the neck is a pain in the neck. And it's a pain that is hard to forget about whether you are awake or trying to sleep. Even the least amount of movement is painful. It can become a real problem when you have chronic neck pain.
What can you do about it?

         What causes neck pain?

Basically neck pain is caused by overuse and injury to the neck muscles

1. Cervical strain is caused by the strain of muscles of ligament of the cervical spine. Over stretching be may one of the causes. Car accidents and sports activities also contribute to cervical strain.
2. When the cartilage is worn out in the neck and there is degeneration of the cervical spine the condition is called Cervical spondylosis.
3. Facet joints are small joints that support the weight and stress in the neck. When these joints are inflamed it's called Cervical facet syndrome
4. Whiplash is one of the most common types of neck pain. This occurs when the spine is stretched.

Sleeping and neck pain

A few tips to help prevent neck pain while sleeping

• Your head should not be at an angle on the pillow. This will definitely strain your neck and make your neck stiff in the morning.


• Try to be consistent in how you position yourself at night. If you prop your head up with 2 pillows make sure to do that every night.


• If you wake up in the middle of the night and get up, make sure when you go to bed to go back to your familiar position


• If you need to use pillows to help with your positioning in bed


• Don't sleep on your stomach because of the strain that it puts on your back and stomach muscles.

Neck pain and Chiropractors

Millions of Americans find relief from neck pains and other pain in the body. One of the most common procedures that a chiropractor does is a neck adjustment (cervical manipulation). This procedure can reduce pain and almost immediately improve neck mobility. For more information about chiropractors go to The American Chiropractic Association.

Stress has an effect on Neck Pain

Stress can cause so many problems in life including neck pain. There are many ways to reduce emotional stress including progressive relaxation and abdominal breathing.

Check out my squidoo lens on Stress and How to deal with it.

Headaches and neck pain

Headaches can stem from neck pain. Usually poor posture or neck stress strains the nerve endings on muscles and joints causing the headache. Proper posture and a strong neck can help with the problem.

How to give your self a neck massage!

How to get rid of pain in neck

It really isn't that difficult to give your self a neck massage. Follow this link NECK MASSAGE

Traction

Traction, also known as traction of the spine, is a therapy that stretches the muscles and ligaments making a space between the vertebrae. This helps relieve the pain of pinched nerves. There are 2 types of traction: manual and mechanical. Manual, of course is done by a therapist while mechanical is done by weights and a harness.

What is whiplash?

Whiplash is an injury to the neck caused by sudden movement of the neck muscles. Some of the more common injuries associated with whiplash are: car accidents, bicycle accidents or from falling off a ladder.

What causes a stiff neck?

Waking up in the morning with a stiff neck is one sure fire way to ruin your day. You will spend the rest of the day trying to work the stiffness out only to get a headache for your troubles. You can certainly do without that pain in the neck. But what prevents a stiff neck?

Maybe we should ask what causes a stiff neck to find the prevention. Some of the main causes of a stiff neck are:

Sleeping on your stomach or sleeping with your head twisted will definitely strain those neck muscles by morning.

Solution: Always sleep on your back and make sure that you have a pillow that will support your neck.

Opening a window will cause not only a draft but also a cold and sore neck.

Solution: This is easy close the window or make sure that your neck is covered.

Sitting in front of a computer all day with your neck stuck in one position certainly won't help.

Solution: Always take a break on a regular basis while working on a computer.

You may not think that your posture is that bad, but if you slouch when you sit down or if you hang your head while you walk this may cause a stiff neck.

Solution: Check your posture in a mirror. Stand up straight and don't slouch.

Neck muscle spasms

If you have ever played football or any other contact sports you may have had neck muscle spasms. It is a cramp in your neck where your neck muscles can't contract. Besides sports, neck muscle spasms can be caused by poor posture, sleeping in an uncomfortable position or stress.

more

Are you being affected by pain owing to fibromyalgia, opiate withdrawal, restless leg syndrome and also other painful condition? Should you answered yes compared to that question, the drug Tramadol may provide the relief and luxury from pain there is been seeking. Tramadol is among the best anesthetics currently available, possesses helped many people exist pain free. It will also help in addition, you, and you can get Tramadol without prescription!

There's a chance you're questioning "where can one buy Tramadol"? One of the better processes for taking your medication is to accumulate Tramadol online. Most of the time buying Tramadol on the web is a less expensive choice than by way of a regular pharmacy, and add the actual to get Tramadol from the Internet, and you have a fantastic combination!

To be able to buy prescription Tramadol online, you might be quite happy concerning the tranquility of ordering. Everything you need is roofed with the tariff in the drug, including doctor consultation to ensure that the medical treatment is safe to be able to take. You'll find whenever that's convenient available for you, nite and day, and you'll buy discount Tramadol to avoid wasting much more money. Once you have placed your order, there are several strategies to shipping that could quickly put your medication to your doorstep. That will buy Tramadol Saturday delivery! Your package is mailed to you personally in plain white packaging meaning your confidentiality is actually guaranteed. There is no excuse for leaving your home and manage long waits along with the doctor's office or spend hours browsing the pharmacy.

There are numerous places best places to buy Tramadol. As i've already explained, if you want Tramadol use the internet a great affordable, easy supply of your medication. No doubt you are able to still go to your doctor so you can get Tramadol, why could you desire to if it's simple to accumulate Tramadol doc rather than set off? That could buy generic Tramadol, too!

Tramadol lets you treat moderate to severe pain. It truely works inside the actual body to alleviate pain, and acts similar to Morphine would. The medication binds to specific opioid pain receptors within you. Operate blocks the reuptake using the neuro chemicals norepinephrine and serotonin, it decreases this message producing quick remedy. Tramadol works efficiently to relive pain, and contains become by far the most trusted anaesthetic used today.

While side effects exist with Tramadol, the likeliness from your unwanted effects becoming severe are incredibly minimal. Common uncomfortable side effects of Tramadol included dry mouth, sweating, dizziness, headache, and constipation. The medicine is non-narcotic, so there's no probability of becoming endlaved through the drug or experiencing withdrawal symptoms. You can purchase Ultram Tramadol without worry!

I'm thinking of buying Tramadol online? Everybody is relived to determine that we now have a number of trusted pharmacies online offering Tramadol to decrease your pain. These web based pharmacists are licensed to apply and familiar with their field. If you decide on Tramadol no prescription, make no mistake knowing you are receiving the proper medication in the correct dosage. If you require Tramadol buy confidently from a trusted online pharmacy!

For moderate pain, buy Tramadol 50 mg. For considerably more severe pain, you may want to buy Tramadol 180 mg. Your physician may help select which dosage meets your preferences, to make modifications in the dose when needed. In the event you pick Tramadol 50mg and it's also not sufficiently strong, immediately permit doctor know to help you receive an surge inside the dosage. If your right dosage to your account has become known as, you may be happy about how many pain relief that is provided by Tramadol. If you buy drug Tramadol, you happen to be benefiting often. You can buy prescription Tramadol without fear that it'll not work. People all across the world purchased and trusted Tramadol for pain with spectacular results. You can purchase Tramadol now and find out why these everyone is don't dealing with pain, due to this phenomenal drug.

Read more: http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/tramadol-by-far-the-most-effective-and-useful-painkillers-4847578.html#ixzz1UbINX5xP
Under Creative Commons License: Attribution No Derivatives

more

A Terrifying Experience

When the fingers of my left hand began to go numb for long periods of time, I became frightened. After seeing my doctor and going through treatment, it became clear that I would need to undergo a Ulnar Nerve Release if I was to regain feeling in my fingers. This procedure is becoming more and more common, as people are suffering from all types of repetitive stress injuries

irst, Some Backstory

A little history to my story.

Having been born in the early 80s, I'm part of one of the last generations that remembers a time before technology took over our lives. There wasn't a computer in every home, very few had a cell phone (remember those? they looked like bricks!), and home video game systems were still pretty new.


But everything has changed rapidly. Now everyone has their own electronic leash, otherwise known as a cellphone. Computers are used for nearly every job out there and you most certainly have at least one for home-use. Video games have advanced beyond our wildest imaginations. Constant usage of these devices is creating an epidemic.


Not only are we reliant on technology but it is also harming us. Everyone knows about "carpal tunnel" and "repetitive stress injury". "Cell phone elbow" is another common one. I'm sure everyone who reads this knows at least one person affected. Maybe even you yourself have had problems.

 Trouble Ahead...

Heed the warning signs.

I've had a lot of jobs in the data entry field. This usually means a lot of time spent sitting at a computer, entering information. Which means a lot of typing. In some ways this is good, as it means I've got loads of experience and am proficient in typing (which means being fast with little-to-no errors.)


In the summer and fall of 2004, I was entering loads of information into a database. Six hours a day, five days a week. Sometimes I even worked Saturdays. It was a big job with a lot of responsibility.


I started to have problems with my left arm. My pinkie finger would feel numb sometimes, other times I would feel that "pins and needles" sensation like it had gone to "sleep". My elbow would sometimes ache. I had already been diagnosed with carpel tunnel syndrome but that mostly affected my right wrist. I found it weird that my left arm was hurting, mainly because I am right-handed. I mean, I can do lots of things with my left hand but it is not my dominant hand. So why was it hurting so much?


I saw my orthopedist and he sent me to have some tests performed. I had a nerve conduction study but the results didn't show any damage to my nerves and everything seemed to be functioning normally. It was decided I was probably just hurting from a repetitive stress injury due to so much computer work.


I ended up taking anti-inflammatory medication, has some physical therapy, and worked through the pain. Eventually my job came to an end and I moved on to something else. In time I completely forgot about it, as my arm no longer bothered me.

What is a Nerve Conduction Study?

A simple overview

A nerve conduction study (or NCS) is a common test that is used to evaluate the function of the motor and sensory nerves in the body, especially the ability of the nerves to conduct the electrical impulses.


Nerve conduction studies are used for determining and evaluating paresthesias (meaning numbness, tingling, burning) and/or weakness in the arms and/or legs of a patient. Common disorders that can be diagnosed by nerve conduction studies include:


peripheral neuropathy
carpal tunnel syndrome
ulnar neuropathy
Guillain-Barré syndrome
facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy
spinal disc herniation


The test includes motor and sensory NCS, which is performed by electrical stimulation of a peripheral nerve via electrodes placed on the patient's body. Each patch gives off a very mild electrical impulse, which stimulates the nerve, and the results are recorded. A F-Wave and H reflex study is also part of the test. A F-Wave study uses the supramaximal stimulation of a motor nerve to record the potential action from a muscle supplied by the nerve. A H-reflex study uses the stimulation of a nerve and records the reflex electrical discharge from a muscle into the limb.


Electromyography ("myography" means "an instrument for recording the contractions and relaxations of muscles") is often done at the same time as this test. An electromyography is when needles are placed into the muscles and a recording of the electrical signals is made. During the test you will actually hear the sounds of the electrical impulses, which is quite fascinating. Unfortunately, this part of the test can be painful and patients can experience muscle soreness.

Danger, Danger!

A close-call...

In 2005, the pain in my left arm flared up again. But I pointedly ignored it. I have a naturally high pain tolerance and tend to not heed warning signs my body gives me. I did some more data entry work but I tried to counter-act the pain with pain medication and using wrist braces my orthopedist gave me.


In 2006, my arm had had enough.


I was again doing data entry but found that even short periods of time on the computer caused my left pinkie and ring fingers to go completely numb. And soon the lower part of my left palm began to get "pins and needles". My left forearm would ache for hours; sometimes the pain felt like it was burning beneath my skin. My left wrist ached as if the joint was swollen up. My left elbow started to hurt all the time.


The day my left pinkie and ring finger went numb and stayed that way was the day I got frightened. My body was giving me signs I could no longer ignore.


I was terrified. Because I could not feel my fingers, I was afraid I would hurt them somehow but not know it. I scheduled an appointment with my orthopedist immediately.

September - November 2006

I can't go on in pain any longer.

My orthopedist took an x-ray of my left wrist. When I was 2, I broke my wrist and damaged the growth plate. As I grew older, and because the plate was damaged, I have a noticeable gap in the bones of my wrist. It has developed arthritis as well as carpal tunnel.


But that was not the cause of my pain. I was sent for a second nerve conduction study, and I requested that I have both arms studied in case my right arm also had problems. I actually saw the same doctor for the test but had no memory of the first one; this was a little awkward. But as the test progressed, it was clear that my left arm was having problems with the nerves and there was damage.


Having sticky electrodes placed on your skin is nothing much. They can make you want to itch and the stickiness stays after you remove them. Receiving electrical stimulation isn't painful, especially if you've ever had physical therapy. The hardest part was the electromyography. I don't have a fear of needles (I've got multiple tattoos and have had plenty of injections in my lifetime) but having needles, even small ones, stuck in your muscles hurts. For me this was the coolest part of the test. You get to hear the electrical impulses your body makes via your nerves to control movements and motor functions. There is something so fascinating about being able to hear something you normally never get to. (I asked if they would give me a recording of it but it didn't happen.)


The diagnosis was compression of the ulnar nerve of the left arm.


After my orthopedist received the results of the nerve conduction study, he prescribed me Tramadol for the pain. By that point, I was in constant pain to the point of being drained. While the Tramadol would relieve the pain, it also made me a zombie. I could barely function let alone get out of bed while I was taking it.


One of the hardest months of my life was November 2006. My maternal grandmother was moving from her home of 35+ years to her new condo. We had to pack all the contents of her old home, condense them down, and have movers truck them to her new home. And here I was, out of my mind from pain and the pain relievers that were supposed to be helping alleviate that pain.


I remember the day the movers came to pack the guest room bed I was sleeping in. I managed to drag myself out of it, gather my belongings and my suitcase, and dragged them into the alcove off my grandparents' bedroom. I went back to sleep and didn't wake up until the next morning. And that was because the pain in my arm was so terrible it woke me up.


The stress and anxiety I felt over my arm made my Costochondritis flare up. It also wreaked havoc with my anxiety disorder. When you live in chronic pain, you become depressed. Everything was set in a vicious circle and I was beginning to wonder if there was ever going to be light at the end of the tunnel.

more