Yesterday, the 13th of December, I had my first appointment for transcranial neurostimulation, a promising therapy for dealing - and hopefully fixing - fibromyalgia. I’ve written previously about this therapy here and here.
The wife and I drove 200kms to the medical centre, the only one in Portugal with a unit dedicated exclusively to this syndrome, located in Covilhã, a city in the country’s interior region. The trip was exhausting; I had to sit for 2 hours and a few minutes, and my body complained a lot.
After arriving, on time, I had to wait almost an extra hour for the appointment after the check-in. I understand the delay, however. The doctor seemed very thorough, so, naturally, each meeting might take more time. Even though I don’t particularly appreciate waiting, and my body grumbles a lot about it, I prefer thoroughness.
We talked about my symptoms, the syndrome, and many related topics during the appointment. The first step in the therapy was transcranial neurostimulation. Then, the doctor injected me a pain reliever (I think it was one, but my memory might be failing me) in several places of my body, even the head and neck. He told me it was weak, but it didn’t have known side effects and that some patients had reported benefits up to 15 days.
The last step was applying four tiny needles (I think they were needles, but, again, my memory might not be serving me right) in my right ear. According to the doctor, it helps with the electrical current conductivity in the body, so it can produce a positive effect in the brain region that isn’t acting as a filter for the pain signals.
When it was over, I started feeling something similar to a tingling, but I couldn’t describe it. I told the doctor that, and he said it was normal. As I was leaving the building, the feeling intensified a bit, and then I knew what it was: a slight relaxation feeling, something I hadn’t experienced for at least a year!
That feeling lasted for part of the 200km ride back home. Yet, as I wrote in the first paragraphs, sitting through a 200km ride takes a toll, and the pain started increasing.
What’s funny is, as I’m writing this laying on my bed, I’m feeling that tingly sensation again and a bit relaxed. It’s not much yet, but damn, I missed feeling like this! I might even have a good night sleep!
I’m very hopeful about this treatment, and I already have the next appointment booked. Fingers crossed. 🤞
