Microphone Stands Are Not Only For Singers
By Jeanie Hanley, MD
Like you, I have and employ all the usual, wonderful life-saving devices, machines, and medicines. Every item I use is critical for my health. I know this because I’ve tried to go without or use less of each of them at some point or another, only to find out that, “oops!” I really do need that medicine or the Vest or whatever at that dose, frequency, etc. So, aside from the usual then, what is there? Answer: the unusual. For me, that is a microphone stand. I know what you’re thinking. What is she talking about? Does she know what this newsletter is all about? Or, is she secretly thinking about auditioning for “America’s Got Talent”?
As it so happens, “America’s Got Talent” will have to wait a little longer for the CF Crooner. And just in case you’re wondering, I’m in fact using the microphone stand to hold up the nebulizer cup as I write this article, inhaling one of my many medications, with the VEST pounding and the compressor humming away. Perhaps I should explain how I got here.
About one year ago, my neck started bothering me. I seriously did not think twice about it. Honestly, what is one more small pain in the neck for those of us with CF? About two months ago, that pain became very severe across the back of my lower neck and radiated to my shoulder blade and left arm. Being a physician, I immediately checked my pulse, breathing, blood pressure, and oxygen saturation via pulse oximeter. Okay, at least I wasn’t having a heart attack! And my lungs appeared to be working as well as could be expected.
I figured it was just stress and thought very, very deeply about who was a real pain in the neck and therefore, could be responsible for this. Hmmm, whom could I blame? After several moments, I could not come up with a good candidate, so I performed a few yogic maneuvers and stretches, and then tried very hard to ignore the pain once again. This time, however, it was not so easy. After having several sleepless nights resulting from a lack of a comfortable position due to the stabbing pains now in the neck, shoulder and back, I went to see a neurologist.
I was sure it was either cervical spondylosis or herniated nucleus pulposus or radiculopathy or a cerebral malignancy (arthritis of the neck, slipped disc, pinched nerve, brain cancer, respectively). Ok, ok, I didn’t really think I had cancer but I was also desperate to find the source of my problem. Since my favorite neurologist was on sabbatical, I was left at the mercy of referrals. A colleague recommended a neurologist who, not surprisingly, did not know much about CF in adults, but he also didn’t seem to want to learn about it, especially the part about many of us having a very high pain tolerance. When we say something hurts, it must be very severe!
On the day of the office visit, I arrived very tired due to the sleeplessness and pain during the night and, as so often happens when you finally get to the doctor, the neck pain had inexplicably subsided considerably that morning. After describing and emphasizing how severe the pain had been in my extremely fatigued voice and body during the exam, the neurologist concluded that whatever it was, it was mild and suggested that I should try some massage or physical therapy or “other hocus pocus therapies like that.” Wh-what? The last bit of strength I could muster was used to accomplish three things: First, to respond to his sardonic comment with, “Since when are these modalities hocus-pocus?”, second, to procure an MRI order for what I believed was causing the pain (my uncooperative cervical spine) and third, to leave that office as fast as I could.
During the two weeks that I waited for the MRI and its results, John, my husband — an engineer (two for one!), got involved. Sometimes I jokingly call him “Dr. John” because of his intuitive ability to objectively figure out what’s going on when others cannot. After hearing about this pain once again, while periodically checking in to watch my one-hour of respiratory treatments with four medicines, John suggested that possibly it was muscle strain from the many, many hours of treatments themselves. As I tried to juggle the nebulizer cup in one hand and reading, writing or typing with the other, John pointed out that I was tilting my neck, preferring the right side and, guess what?, straining the left side of my neck and shoulder in the process! Brilliant!
Now that we were fairly confident that the pain in my neck was due to muscle strain and not a person, place or neurologist, my husband suddenly disappeared and then reappeared like Superman (he said he would prefer an Ironman reference here) with a microphone stand. This particular microphone stand can be equipped with a spring clamp for receiving a mike. In the mike’s place the PARI nebulizer cup fits well and securely within the spring clamp. At first we tried a small microphone stand that could be placed on the table. While that worked and reduced the strain on my body considerably, a longer floor stand worked even better because of its greater flexibility in adjustment and positioning.
Having the nebulizer cup held by the stand has resulted in a relaxed jaw, unstrained neck, and straighter back while nebulizing. Both hands are now free to relax, write, type or hold a book. Since the stand is adjustable to height and horizontal length, you can position it for maximum comfort. I have found that using it also reminds me to sit up straight. We often don’t realize how much of an orthopedic surgeon’s nightmare we might be if we continue to use poor posture while performing our hours of treatments.
Within days of using this “new device” which we like to call the “contraption” (with or without a Spanish accent), the pain had subsided considerably. As I often do, I didn’t use the microphone stand one day to see if it really, really was the reason for improvement. And as often consequently occurs, I paid for that poor decision with the pain’s return. After receiving the results from the neurologist, it came as no surprise when the MRI, EMG (electromyogram) and NCV (nerve conduction velocity) were all normal! Diagnosis: muscle strain. Brilliant, indeed.
I believe that as we age the poor posture that we may have exhibited from earlier years can catch up to us leading to more muscle strain and orthopedic issues. As anyone ages, new aches and pains often appear but because of our many hours of respiratory treatments, we, as CF patients, are particularly susceptible to experiencing other aches and pains unique to frequent, prolonged nebulizer use. A little self-observation and intervention (sit up straighter; find ways to relax your jaw, neck and shoulder; take yoga, stretch) can potentially go a long way in preventing these aches and pains that may crop up later.
Fortunately, the pain I was experiencing is now barely noticeable. I only feel a little occasional twinge that reminds me to continue using the nebulizer-on-the-mike-stand device (i.e., contraption) and to definitely make appointments soon for some of that “hocus-pocus” massage and physical therapy. And now that I have my own mike stand, maybe I will soon be ready for that talent show…
Jeanie is a Director of USACFA and a physician with CF. She lives with her husband and three teenagers in Los Angeles. Her email is: jhanley@usacfa.org
