Bad Back

[tswiczko]

Re: Bad Back

Sorry Bout you situation.
I have been there.
You could say I have been pretty rough on my body over the years with more than 20 breaks, probably twice that many sprains, strains, torn ligaments, etc.

I have had 4 ortho surgeries, 2 on my spine (leaving 10 screws, a plate and 2 dynesys systems and 5 fusions to stabilize compression fractures) from a bad car wreck.

To make a long story short, whether back surgery is what you need is a decision you and the surgeon are going to have to make. Sometimes a second opinion isn't enough. I had been to 2 PT's 2 doctors and an ER. The doc in the ER said since my air bag didn't deploy and I had no shoulder strap mark he didn't fee it necessary to do an X-ray, and to follow up with my primary care provider in 10 days. I did so. He sent me to a PT, they made me worse, tried another PT and couldn't walk after the first session.

Went to a neurologist and he was the first person to send me for an X-ray they wouldn't let me off the X-ray table. They came in and strapped me to a backboard/ I had fractures in C-6 and C-7 as well as 3 crushed discs with less than 1mm between the vertebrae. I was in surgery in less than 12 hours.

Get a second opinion from a good doc. you owe yourself that.

And the laser surgery sounds interesting, however your problem is a disc that is collapsing. clearing the bulge out is only a temporary fix the disc will continue to deteriorate if there is no physical therapy to strengthen the muscles that support the spine. With what happened with me I don't think I would have been a candidate for laser surgery. But I feel a lot better than I did before the surgeries.

Best of luck with your condition.. If it wasn't from a traumatic incident like mine I would definitely try PT first as well as strengthening the abdominal muscles. I don't know what kind of shape you are in but losing a little helped me a lot also.

 

[sublauxation]

Re: Bad Back

Piece....I hope I haven't stepped on your toes, I like working with PT's so I've enjoyed reading your posts and agree 100%, I've been trying to fit this in between appts today so what I've seen and written has been choppy so I look forward to rereading it all tonight. I really dislike unneeded or prematurely done disc surgery because like you said, once it's done it's done, and I hate seeing the failures. I've seen a variation of the pelvic correction but I'm going to steal your pic if you don't mind. If you ever move to MN let me know, it's nice to have a good PT to send people to. My goal is to eventually convince the VA to hire me at a livable salary since TriCare doesn't cover chiro tx for vets.

A person could stretch until the end of time there are so many, and many ways of doing the same one. I'd do everything Piece posted and in addition I really like the pelvic tilts in the morning, (done slowly and deliberately, too much arch can sometimes cause spasms). They work well as a preventive measure too. To extend on that and similar to those Piece posted above, when laying on your back with knees bent after the pelvic rocking, I like to bring one knee up towards my chest for 20-30 seconds, then across towards the opposite shoulder for another 20-30 (very gently), and then do the other leg. Then, if it still hurts, hit the snooze alarm and do it again. My max to date was repeating this 4 times before I could get out of bed.....and that's what I get for acting like a monkey and slipping off the garage roof.

 

[Piece715]

Re: Bad Back

You haven't stepped on any toes sublaux... I have enjoyed the days convo! Feel free to use whatever you like as I have enjoyed reading ur posts as well.
I was not taught the Don Tigny technique in school and didn't hear of it until i came to the VA. We have a PT that has been here for ~30years and specializes in SI. He take any problem and relate it back to SI... not my thing but to each is own. We do have great success with it. Basically i have patients bridge twice for proper pelvic alignment. Then passively move BLE into extension with slight traction. You eyeball the medial maleoli and ASIS and other anatomical landmarks to find whether there is a LLD. IF a LLD is noticed i have the patient perform the half bridging SI self correction with the LONG LE (long LE should be leg bent in self correction pic). After one rep i passively straighten legs with traction again. If the LONG LE has shortened this indicates a SI joint dysfunction rather than and actual LLD. On first session SI self correction should be performed alternating until no more shortening is noticed and landmarks are aligned. Now if the landmarks never align during session this could indicated actual LLD. BUT i always treat it as a SI joint dysfunction first. If when the patient returns in a week or two they still demonstrate LLD despite performance of SI self correction and HEP of pelvic girdle stretching then i move to heel lifts on a build up of tolerance level. Issuing of a SI belt helps at times but i get mixed reviews from the patients that wear them.. But im all about the "its worth a try" technique

 

[eurolarva]

Re: Bad Back

you could always sell the boat.

sorry, hope you feel better sooner rather than later.

I hope that is a joke. Now I have the super secret walleye spot that people are begging me to take them to. Nice thing is they are young so they can trailer and untrailer my boat. Fishing does not bother my back working on concrete 9 hours a day does. Not excited about how I am going to feel when the epidural wears off. I did 6 sessions with PT and they gave me the gentle stretches which I do and see them doing little or nothing for the pain. I ice down at night with little effect as well. Monday I am going to get a referral to a surgeon and at least hear what he has to say.

 

[sublauxation]

Re: Bad Back

Whatever comes of it, I hope all goes well. Not to be depressing, but an important thing to remember is once something is broken, nothing can make it new again. Some form of rehab from now to the end of time makes a huge difference. Arthritis and degenerative changes are an ongoing and progressive process, and slowing that process is important for everybody. You don't need any overly complex or fancy routine, stretching, walking, icing if you twist wrong all pay huge dividends to keep things at bay and will keep you on the water to the end.

 

[CobiaXL]

Re: Bad Back

I hope that is a joke. Now I have the super secret walleye spot that people are begging me to take them to.

Its not so super secret anymore

 

[rbh]

Re: Bad Back

So this morning laid on my back on the floor and arched it, put my hand together below my spine right at my waist, dropped my back down on my hands and POP.
pain under my knees went away (for now anyways???????)

 

[puddle jumper]

Re: Bad Back

Now rob you have to get off the floor. Sorry I could not resist.

 

[mommicked]

Re: Bad Back

I had a herniated/bulging disc on top of my pelvis, same agonizing pain in the cheek and down the back of my left leg,causing muscle cramps and trouble w my job land surveying. An orthopedic recomendend fusing the lower vert. to the pelvis but said he did not like to do that to a man my age,39 +/- and i agreed! After about 18 mo.of various treatment/therapy/ and (chiro. that helped alot), I recieved 3 of 5 prescribed epidural steriod injections, I think 3 or 5 days apart.I had great relief and little problems after the 3rd and the doc cancelled the rest. ive been pretty good for 5 yrs or so. But I only had 1 bad disc. I hope you get better as I've felt your pain. I became quite depressed by the constant pain and cramping in my back,glute,and back of my thigh. When I originally went to the doc. I thought it was a hip problem as it felt like a piece of gravel was in the joint when i walked. Good luck w your back whatever you decide to do. I do hope you get relief soon.

 

[Grand Larsony]

Re: Bad Back

My experience: Two herniated discs (L4-L5 area) plus two more bulging. That was 5 years ago and I've been on Lyrica (75mg morning and night) and Percoset (as needed) since. The drugs definitely helped. Did not consider surgery as I've been able to function well enough.

Last month I ran out of the pills (all of them) while awaiting my prescription refill. Went 5 days without them, and had no side effects. Actually felt better than I had in years.

A month later I'm feeling 95% and no drugs. I was told early on that most back pain will just go away after 3 years (average), so I guess I just took a little longer.

Had tried PT, Acupuncture, ultrasound, cortizone, etc. Everything... but NONE OF IT HELPED. Just took time. Be patient.

 

[JB]

Re: Bad Back

Give PT a try, eurolarva. It is amazing how much of your pain could be the result of guarding and new injury caused by guarding.

I had a different kind of spinal injury (cervical radiculopathy) caused by bone spur growth on C-2 that pinched the nerve to my left arm when I tilted my head up and to the right. The actual injury only caused tingling and temporary numbness in that arm, but guarding caused excruciating pain.

#2 daughter, long time PT, intervened when I was actually in hospital prepping for expensive surgery that was going to fuse C-2 and C-3.

First she gave me a stimulator to wear that masked the pain and allowed the guarding-caused muscle injury to heal, then identified the posture that caused the tingling and taught me how to avoid it.

Fifteen years later I am still pain free and know how to avoid guarding when I get the tingling.

Yes, I know that there are great differences between my injury and yours, but guarding is a much greater danger with lumbar injuries than cervical and can cause much greater pain (if that is even possible).

Keep this in mind. When an injury is assessed by any specialist the recommended repair or therapy that will be recommended will be from that specialist's specialty. You need several opinions.

 

[slyhatch]

Re: Bad Back

eurolarva
Really depends on what activity level you have to live with .If you have a physical job with lots of bending or lifting you might consider surgury for a more longer lasting effect to the pain.I peronally have had two back fusion surguries and am pain free in my back.Bad news is my first surgury failed sometime in the 20 years between surguries causing damage to my nerves which led to lose of use of my left foot,I now ware a brace to walk. I had to give up river dancing but now the second surgury helped me to lead a farely normal activity level,I am now 62 years old,fall on a regular basis but I can still go fishing.
Sly

 

[eastont]

Re: Bad Back

I had an MRI done and find I have two bulging discs and two herniated discs. I have been looking into laser spinal repair but have found this to be done only in a few cities in the US and I also find my insurance will not cover this procedure because it is out of network. The procedure is around $20 K and it is a week visit to one of the the cities that does the procedure so a week plus airfare is around another $2K. Anybody here have this procedure done to their back? I have lower back problem around the L4 L5 area and have issues down my left leg. I would prefer to do something non evasive like laser surgery instead of full back surgery. I am curious if anyone has had laser spine surgery done and if you feel it was the correct decision.

DO NOT HAVE IT DONE !!!
I have a similar problem and the laser surgery has only a 20-30% chance of success. There are many places in Florida that do it. I sent all my x-rays/MRI's?CT Scans etc and they all said the same thing....not a problem. Then my pain doctor here gave me the names of about 10 of his patients that had it done, and they either were worse or had no long term relief.

Just my 2 cents