Pain Rub with Arnica, Hearing Loss and Tree Lopping

[Guest guest]

I did a big no-no the other day. I have an orange tree in my back yard. There

are too many oranges on it.

1. I have no time or energy to get out there and pick oranges

2. The resident possum in my yard just sucks all the edible

fruit out and leaves mostly peels hanging on the tree, so I don't bother

reaching around to pick empty fruit.

So, one of the branches had too many unripe oranges on it. The branch was too

heavy and was starting to split the tree apart.

Note, even the possum won't eat them until they're ripe.

In order for the heavy branch not to kill the tree, I had to do something about

it.

I got out there with some long-handled loppers, figuring that the long handles

would at least give me some leverage, despite that they are heavier than pruning

shears. I started lopping, and I felt a burn, like my shoulders and arms were

getting tired.

It wasn't pain, just felt like old times, like a good workout in the making. I

was thinking (or maybe convincing myself) the whole time about how this is what

I need, a workout. I need to get out and use those muscles, get stronger, etc.

Well, well, well, I'm not so bright at times, it seems. I did get the branch

lopped off in a gazillion pieces, which was the only way I was going to be able

to lift it with all it's unripe oranges, maybe 30 of them, into the trash can.

3 hours later, I was sitting inside with my night snack wondering, " What is

giving me this horrible headache? What did I eat? "

There I was, running through my food list for the day as my shoulders, neck, jaw

and head went off to live in pain-ville.

I had already taken my quota of meds for the night. So, I added on some

Aspirin, and I took some Nexrutine (herb for pain relief).

I was still freaking out and starting to get very anxious about the increasing

pain. So, then I grabbed for this lotion called, " The Rub (with Arnica). "

Usually it works well for sprains, strains, spasms, etc.

I lathered it on thick this time! Making sure not to miss any spots. Since I

have chiari, I put extra around the base of my head and around the sides of my

neck all the way up to my ears.

I started to feel better, then my right ear went silent. I could not hear in my

right ear.

For those who are swimmers, it sounded like I was under water. I

was trying to decide whether it was the lopping, and the muscle spasms, or the

overload on pain medication (my RX, the aspirin, and the Nexrutine), or the

Arnica Rub.

I went to bed thinking unless the RX I take is toxic to my ears (I forget the

term for that) I should be OK. I thought the rub would wear off, because it said

you can use it 2-3x a day. It's homoepathic so I didn't think it was dangerous.

Well, unless the large amount I used was the problem?

I thought for a few minutes that maybe the aspirin caused it, because aspirin

has the reputation of causing ringing in the ears, and this was an ear

dysfunction.

Good news is, I woke with no extra shoulder or neck pain (just the usual). The

whatever it was wore off, and I could hear again this morning!

Thank goodness that whatever was wrong is now un-wrong. And, as foolish as it

was for me to try such a big project on my own, I am pleased that it is done and

over with. I was able to clear out the broken branch, and debris.

It will be a couple week rest for me now. I have no intention of flaring

anything up again. That horrible, nauseating, head, neck, shoulder, jaw pain,

was just a reminder of me and my escapades of trying to do too much.

Has anyone ever tried The Rub with Arnica? Or Nexrutine? Any experience with

those? Or with Aspirin and temporary hearing-loss?

Jade