Back Injury Experiences

[Pele]

So, I injured my back at the beginning of the year (god knows what I did, it just started hurting). An MRI shows that I have herniated two discs, and despite religiously going to Physical Therapy, I am still having pain.

The fun part is that my doctor doesn't want me on long term meds, and has stopped filling my perscription, leaving me unable to sleep some nights, and in agony at my work desk.

I'm thinking this is going to be a permenant injury now since everything I've read says that this needs to heal in 4 months or not at all, and am feeling pretty low. Does anyone have any advice on how to manage the pain without meds? How to live with this?

Any personal experiences to share? It helps knowing I'm not alone.

 

[Trefoil]

Have your doctor send you to a pain specialist. Have you seen a surgeon? If the pain is caused by the herniated disc infringing on the nerve, that can be fixed (once only). Its miraculous.

 

[Pele]

Have your doctor send you to a pain specialist. Have you seen a surgeon? If the pain is caused by the herniated disc infringing on the nerve, that can be fixed (once only). Its miraculous.

Thanks for the reply! My doc hasn't mentioned a pain specialist. I actually didn't know they existed. I have seen a spine specialist when I originally got the injury, and have another appt on the 29th. I'm leery of surgery because everyone who I've talked to about it acts like it's only to be considered as a very very last resort because of the risks. That makes me nervous. I don't want to trade paralysis for pain.

 

[oldrooster]

Quote:
they are hard to find because of the people trying to misuse them for drugs... but there are some out there and some people find some help with chioropracters and accupunctureists. (sorry about the spelling) but that comes with mixed results...

 

[Pele]

Well I have an appointment today with a pain specialist. My physical therapist is sending all my treatment history to them, and I have an MRI that clearly shows the injury, so hopefully they will take me seriously. That's what's so depressing and physcologically hard about this injury... everyone looks down on me, and eyes me like I'm just a junkie lying through my teeth. It's so discouraging. How can I prove that I stare at the ceiling at night instead of sleeping because it hurts so badly? ugh,

 

[dawg53]

Try a chiropractor, you'll be glad you did.

 

[Suzierd]

My daughter deals with a lot of back pain and sees a pain specialist they Re getting ready to kill the nerves in her back by injections. They ran a trial first by numbing the nerves to make sure it would work, because it doesn't work for everyone and she will have to repeat the procedure it can last six months to many years. Something to consider. I would try the chiropractor first. Best of luck.

 

[Pele]

Thanks for the input everyone. I saw the pain specialist and they've scheduled me for a spinal injection. We'll see how it goes, since I hate needles with a passion.

I'm not considering a chiropractor because there is nothing wrong with my skeletal system or alignment. Also, they can actually worsen the injury by shifting bone against the injured cartilage, causing further inflammation and spinal cord compression.

We'll see how the injection goes. My physical therapist has high hopes for the progress we can make when I get the pain under control.

 

[Nuttyfrom6kids]

Thanks for the input everyone. I saw the pain specialist and they've scheduled me for a spinal injection. We'll see how it goes, since I hate needles with a passion.

I'm not considering a chiropractor because there is nothing wrong with my skeletal system or alignment. Also, they can actually worsen the injury by shifting bone against the injured cartilage, causing further inflammation and spinal cord compression.

We'll see how the injection goes. My physical therapist has high hopes for the progress we can make when I get the pain under control.

I have numerous herniated disc in my back and neck agree with you on the chiropractor when you have herniated disc you should never let them do an adjustment on you and you need to be careful about therapy too cause some exercises can just aggravate it. Surgery should be a last resort as a nurse I have dealt with many pts. who say they were worse after the surgery. The pain management sounds to be best for you I have found that when in bed at night prop pillows under your knees so your legs are bent it relieves the pressure caused by the legs pulling on your back plus use either heat or cold whichever works for you.

 

[calicokat]

DH suffers with back pain and finds the spinal injections to be quite helpful. He can get months of relief from one. Hope it works for you too, back pain is really awful! [[[hugs]]]