Cause of a backache - back from the dr.

[maplesky7]

Mornin Kat,
Well... you've got some answers and now can proceed with treatments. It's no fun the way our bodies persist on aching... I'm totally with ya on that one. I'm on the waiting list for physical therapy and meds for my pangs in my neck/shoulder--tingling down my right arm, electrical pain down my left arm, and lower back, left hip (which she says could be bursitis), and my right knee. But my neck is burning and is soo stiff... no x-rays or scans--- I may have to persist as well. These pain meds don't touch it but a fraction. I hugs you in your misery.

love,
gretch

 

[EweSheep]

Quote:
I don't know what a TENS unit is.

They put electrodes on both sides of my spine from the base up to about mid back. Then they connected them to a machine with two dials. One dial adjusted the strength of the current, the other the frequency of the current. I lay on my back on a moist heating pad while the machine sent current to my back for about 15-20 minutes. Then the made changes to the dial and it was another 15-20 minutes of that treatment.

From your description, that's a TENS unit.

Yes THAT is a TENS unit. Great thing to have but too bad my insurance will not pay for it. Medicare would not cover the equipment because they did not think it was deemed to be medically necessary. However they will PAY for PT that includes the TENS unit treatments. Go figure! Had it since during the labor of my DD and then had to go for an emergency C section. It hit my scatic nerve from back to buttocks and tailbone on the right side BAD. Still dealing with it daily for six years now.

Hope you will feel much better despite of the treatments. My Mom and a friend had their lower back surgery and it helped out some but it does not cure it completely.

Can bad backs be genetics? Or is it our livestyles that make us have weaker backs?

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
Mornin' Gretchen!
Yep, gonna go through with it, PT I mean. I didn't ask or want pain meds. from the doc. Sitting on a heating pad does just as much good for me and with the antibiotics already tearing up my stomach, I didn't need to add pain meds. to the mix.

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
I vote for lifestyles. No one else in my family has back problems. I was born with a deformed spine, almost a closed form of spinal bifida (sp?). My lower spine did not form properly. Wasn't s'pose to live ten minutes, yet here I am 47 years later......