Thermal Bath 2: Széchenyi

The plan was to go to one of the few baths on the Pest side, and one of the largest in Europe, as well as one of the newest in Hungary, being "only" just over 100 years old, although it has been added to several times since it was built in 1913. It is situated in the expanse of City Park, which is able to contain its 18 pools and 10 saunas and steam rooms. Named after a politician, statesman, theorist and writer, who presumably bathed as well, Széchenyi baths are truly spectacular.

Or at least, I think they are. I don't know exactly because on my way towards City Park I stumbled upon a large Christmas market with wonderful crafts and foods, mulled wine and the best grog I've ever had (with freshly muddled ginger and a slice of lime). It was cold and the coin toss between warm lights and hot drinks won out over bathing in the outdoors.

Next time, Széchenyi, you are mine!

Thermal Bath 1: Rudas

Day 1 of 4: Rudas Thermal Bath
Under Gellert Hill lies the Rudas thermal bath, first built in 1550, during the time of the Turkish occupation. This old part has an octagonal pool under a traditional dome.

At the end of the 19th century, a therapeutic swimming facility and a sauna was added. There is also a newer 'wellness section', with a pool fed by the water spring Juventus, a cold water immersion pool, an outdoor rooftop pool and a hot water pool.

the spread of Rudas bath,
with the rooftop pool on the left
and the original Turkish pool roof on the right

small rooftop pool under the dome

Now let's get one thing straight. Neither I nor my spine do cold water plunge pools (i.e., anything under 20 degrees C) so just cross that off your list of expectations.  I can be persuaded to sit in an outdoor pool, but not in the dark of a winter day on the roof of a riverside building.

The waters have been touted as "slightly radioactive" and I refuse to inquire further as to what exactly that means. Its minerals include sulphate, calcium, magnesium, bicarbonate and fluoride ion, and this is apparently good for vertebral disks, lack on calcium in the bones and the usual joint challenges.  Bring it, Rudas.

First is negotiating the costs and mechanics of taking the waters. It's possible to rent a bath sheet, which is really a single bed sheet. One is required to wear a bathing cap, men too! and it's not a bad idea to have flip flops. When you pay, you receive a plastic wrist apparatus, which looks like a child's play watch with no water face. This is to be held next to an entrance gate, where a light turns from red to green to let you through. It also activates the lock on a locker in the co-ed change room, which has little closets for changing modestly.

the old changing cabins

Then along and up stairs to a lovely swimming pool, but I was not here to swim. I carried on to the wellness centre, a modern room, with two big pools of the same temperature for some reason, spontaneous jets and spouts, and soft lighting. At one end was the cold plunge pool and a skoocum hot pool. Clean, roomy, bright. Windows look out onto the street which had the added bonus of appearing a big smug to the wrapped up commuters on the bus as it stopped at the red light.  A restaurant and rooftop pool were up a spiral stairway, perhaps a stairway to Heaven but I was not ready to make that journey yet.

A delightful experience all in all, although the strangest thing happened once dressed. It must be the particular mix of minerals in the baths that caused it. My right big toe, which had been broken when I was about 12 years old, was painful right along the break line for quite a while afterwards.  I wonder if others who have suffered breaks in places that are possible to heal properly have felt the same line of pain.  I may have to investigate further.

Waterbabying in Buda

I almost got to waterbaby in Pest as well but got a bit sidetracked by a Christmas market and a big glass of mulled wine.

Yes, I have decided that waterbaby can be a verb.

I waterbaby
You waterbaby
He/She waterbabies
We waterbaby, etc.

Verbs generally denote action of course, and setting out to explore the therapeutic value of thermal baths in Hungary's largest city, in winter, requires effort being made: physically and intellectually if not linguistically.

As everyone's favourite information source, Wikipedia, indicates: "A thermal bath is a warm body of water. It is often referred to as a spa, which is traditionally used to mean a place where the water is believed to have special health-giving properties." The therapy part comes from spending time in thermal baths as part of one's regular medical and wellness practice, and doctors in Hungary often prescribe spa water treatments to their patients, young and old.

Budapest is not the only place in Hungary with thermal baths, but there are a lot of them dotted along the Danube dividing Buda and Pest. Most of these are along the Buda shore, which makes sense as the limestone rises up in hills and benchs, so that layers of hot mineral waters lie in layers of rock. The friends, Romans and countrymen settled in the area in part because of these hot springs, and there are still ruins from this period to be found here.

The new era was not so new to us, but some of the baths that were built during this time are incredibly still in use despite their centuries, when the Ottoman Empire stretched up this far north.  Their 16th century oval roofs and octagonal pools are striking and recognizable to anyone who has spent time in Turkey. The next great era of thermal baths was the late 19th century, with grand palace-like halls over and around enormous pools, indoors and outdoors, for the hordes.

For me, it was an opportunity to: a) explore a key part of Hungary's cultural practice; b) get warm in a frosty cold Budapest in winter; and c) see whether or not there was anything in the claims of medicinal value placed on the waters for degenerative bone conditions and chronic joint inflammations, among other things.  My curvy little spine was in for a treat!

4 days: 1 spa a day; among several to choose from.

Roadtripping

The prospect of spending hours at a time in a car is unsettling for those of us with tricky backs.  So in advance of a roadtrip, some preparation is in order:

1. A good back cushion.  I have a great little self-inflating cushion that can be placed in just the right spot of the back that needs it.  It rolls up into a thin tube so is great for travelling.  I bought it at "Relax the Back" and comes in several colours.  I prefer the orange because it is less likely to be unnoticed and thus lost.  Mind you, I did lose one, on a West Jet flight.  But only one, and that's in several years.

2. Water.  Water lubricates and cleanses, as well as hydrates, so I always keep a full bottle at hand in my car's cup holder.  The key is to remember to take sips regularly.  Take a sip every 25km or after each tune or whenever you see a yellow car.  Whatever works.

3. Comfortable shoes.  What?  Why do you need comfortable shoes driving a car you ask?  Even when sitting and pressing on a gas pedal (I answer) having a supported, level foot is optimal as opposed to heels or flat sandals or flips flops.  Toe spacers optional.

4. A rest plan.  I intend to take a break from driving at least every two hours.  And not to just go and have a coffee in a cafe, but to walk around or lie down in the grass.  The best is to lie down and rest your legs, from the knees down, on a bench or even on the front seat of your car. This will take the pressure off your spine and allow gravity to give your disks a little space.

5. Distraction. But only the right kind of course! No texting or checking facebook or rifling in bags on the floor or anything else that takes your focus away from the action of being a responsible driver.  But a bit of emotional distraction is good. If you have a driving companion the obvious one would be a lovely conversation.  If you are alone, or your driving companion isn't much of a talker, I like having tunes on in the car, and a variety of tunes: pop, rock, classical, instrumental, choral, jazz, and swing, but that's just me. Whatever floats your boat is the business I say. Talking books can be good too. Whatever will add to the enjoyment of the drive and provide a distraction from the mundane aspects of driving, especially when stuck in traffic and moving at a snail's pace. That only makes you more aware of any stiffness or pain.  I especially like to sing the good bits really loud and freak out my neighbours in the HOV lane.  Well, that might amuse and distract them too.  You're welcome.

Medication Machete

I hate taking drugs.  Especially if they cause brain or body changes.  Of course if the alternative is pain, real pain, then bring them on!  Particularly nerve pain, a nasty little machination between brain and nerve that cannot be escaped no matter what you do.  Not even sleep, because sleep is notoriously difficult when experiencing nerve pain.

But the one cool thing about nerve medication is that it is designed to break up that little negative conversation, so that although the nerve is still being trapped and agitated, the brain no longer considers it news. Ho hum it says, I've heard it all before, no biggie.  And then, the theory goes, it should be possible to slowly extricate yourself from the nerve drugs.

As I have been dealing with a cocktail of three different medications with the resulting weight gain, mental fog and shaky hands, I was more than ready last October to begin that slow decline to drug free existence again.  And less financial cost to be honest as well!

Under my doctor's regular assessment I began with Nortriptyline, the one with the most pronounced physical and mental effects. Down to a half dose, then a quarter, then, 6 months later, gone completely.  Next, it was Lyrica's turn.  Even though there is now a generic and so much less expensive alternative Pregabalin, it is still a drug so out it goes. Down to a half dose, then a quarter and now an eighth and so far so good.  No nerve pain twinges. No loss of sleep. No anxiety or depression.  Everything is happy, happy.

But I have learned to be a good patient and that means being patient.  I will live with the eighth dose for another month or so, then drop it entirely, if all goes well, by October, one year since this whole drug decline started.  Look out Cymbalta, your days are numbered!

Getting my cuff rotated

The rotator cuff is a group of muscles and tendons that surround the shoulder joint. Ok, because you asked, the four muscles involved are called: supraspinatus, infraspinatus, subscapularis, and teres minor (why is it the last one of a series is always named something that looks completely different than the others?)

The rotator cuff muscles work as a unit. They help to stabilise the shoulder joint and also help with shoulder joint movement. These things seem to come in packages of four, as there are also four tendons of the rotator cuff muscles that join together to form one larger tendon, called the rotator cuff tendon (not a very imaginative name if you ask me). This tendon attaches to the head of the bony surface at the top of the upper arm bone, which is called quite sarcastically the humerus. The rotator cuff tendon passes through a space underneath the acromion of the scapula, called the subacromial space (oh come on, was it trainee day at the naming department????).

The main symptoms of rotator cuff injury are sudden pain and painful movement of the shoulder. Pain is worst when you use your arm for activities above your shoulder level. That makes sense to me as getting clothes on and off and blow drying my hair is torture. Pain may also affect sleep, especially  when you sleep on the injured side. Thankfully I sleep on the other side (thanks to left hip bursitis), and my pain is along the bottom of my upper arm. Um, you know where I mean!

Rotator cuff injuries occur most often in those who repeatedly perform overhead motions in their jobs or sports. Examples include painters, carpenters, and people who play baseball or tennis. It can also develop after lifting or pulling something awkwardly, or reaching to get something heavy off a top shelf. Using your arm to break a fall or falling on your arm can do it.  Some people develop bone spurs, an overgrowth of bone, on the top of the shoulder blade that protrudes over the rotator cuff.  Repetitive stress of any kind can cause inflammation and eventual tearing. that doesn't sound to good, and it's not, as it can cause irritation and damage.

The risk of rotator cuff injury also increases with age. 

It's common to recover from a rotator cuff injury with physical therapy exercises that improve flexibility and strength of the muscles surrounding the shoulder joint. Most people exercise the front muscles of the chest, shoulder and upper arm, but it is equally important to strengthen the muscles in the back of the shoulder and around the shoulder blade to optimize shoulder muscle balance.  Severe rotator cuff injuries, involving complete tears of the muscle or tendon, may require surgical repair. Other treatments include: rest, heat or cold depending on stiffness (heat) or inflammation (cold), medicines (ibuprophen for example), ultrasound, massage, and acupuncture.  Cortisone injection is another option, but that's a pretty last resort, before surgery.

 

The problem is the potential for what's called frozen shoulder syndrome, when shoulder movements become painful, stiff and reduced, sometimes completely 'frozen', perhaps due to scar tissue formed in the shoulder.  It most commonly occurs in people aged between 40 and 65 years. It is more common in women. It is more common than average in people who have diabetes and some other conditions, including overactive thyroid disease.  Check, check, no (thankfully). Although either shoulder can be affected it is most commonly the non-dominant shoulder - that is, the left shoulder in a right-handed person.  Interesting.  I wonder if it's because the muscles in the non-dominant shoulder might be a bit weaker and thus more easily injured. One thing it is not is connected in any way with arthritis and no other joints are affected.  Without treatment, symptoms usually go away, but this may take up to 2-3 years!  Yikes, I can't wait that long!

So I am visiting a physiotherapist who performs massage, acupuncture and ultrasound as needed.  I have a few exercises that get tweaked every two weeks or so, and I ice the shoulder after I exercise.  I also take ibuprophen when it is sore, but not on an empty stomach as ibuprophen can cause stomach pain in some people.  I am also having to modify my pilates and yoga classes so that I don't overdo arm and shoulder work, and I have left off swimming for the time being, focussing on walking and biking instead.  It's a slow, painful, frustrating business, but I am seeing modest improvement.

When One Door Closes.....

......you sometimes get smacked in the face.

Just when my hip bursitis was beginning to calm down, I got an ache in my upper left arm.  Putting clothes on over my head was so painful I was wearing everything I had with buttons and zips. That's when I realized I'm not really a cardigan kind of girl.  I only had one shirt and 2 sweaters, and it is winter, so I got pretty bored of my wardrobe before I decided to do something about it.

Hello doctor.  Hello physiotherapist.  Yes, I thought I'd seen the last of you, too.  No offence.  Non taken.

Looks like I did something to my rotator cuff.  And a funny thing about that is - well not really so funny - but I can do practically none of my scoliosis exercises with a rotator cuff injury.  I can't hang, or stretch with my arms overhead, even hanging down.  I can't pull with my arms out, and I certainly can't stretch pecs. 

So I get a new selection of exercises designed to strengthen the upper part my shoulder blades.  Seems my lower blades are extremely strong, from all the hanging and pressing, etc. Interesting. so yet again my scoliosis is impacting on my health and fitness. I can actually feel my back curve is going back to where it was, my hump is a bit larger and when I lie on the ground with my knees bent, I can't feel the floor with one side of my lower back. I never thought I was making much progress with my exercises, but now I know I was.  And I hope it won't take too long to get back there!

Christmas has not helped.  I feel like a fat pig, not having walked much, pilates and yoga classes shut down for a few weeks over the holiday, no swimming because my days and nights are filled with other things. And I am eating, eating, eating.  I wasn't too bad up until Christmas but I have experienced virtually no self-discipline since.  So as soon as my Dad's 80th birthday celebrations are over and my sister leaves town taking all my left-over chocolate and cheezies with her, my life will get back on track.  And hopefully by then, this rotator cuff thing with be better and I can hang again.