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[Rowan]

At the moment I give up CLKD and I know how Kerrie is feeling. It seems to me that back pain is very poorly managed on the NHS and it is something that can easily take away quality of life.

I know if I went private I would probably have had it sorted out by now but I can't afford, its only OH who is has BUPA. 

[kerrieann]

silver lady, i think we are in a similar position in that neither of us know what is causing the problems, it sounds ridiculous in this day and age doesn't it.

clkd the pain is there all the time so i generally just potter around the house and garden sitting as and when, i gave up walking the dog and when other half takes him twice a day i really gets me down cause i am stuck in the house but if i go then my hips seem to freeze up and it will make the pain worse.

I go to the supermarket about 3 times a week and just about manage walking round there but haven't walked around town for ages 

Not sure which post i asked this question on, but should i be taking pain relief every 4 hours to get it in my system ? i generally take something when it hurts alot then try to cope without.  kerrie

[CLKD]

How about trying pain relief every 4 hours for 5-6 days?  Some over the counter meds have relaxants in too but can't remember which one  but a Pharmacist could give advice.  It may ease symptoms to have a maintenance dose and if you were able to move 'better' you might find it helps overall.

I hate that old woman walk first thing in the morning  ........ out of bed bent over, then take a while to straighten up 

[kerrieann]

well  i got a call today from the surgery to say that what had happened was my gp wrote to the consultant who specializes in arm and shoulder problems and asked him to see me, but in the same letter he asked for me to be seen re my back and hips and apparently this part was ignored as that is not his field  i would have thought that someone with some common sense would have contacted my gp and told him he need to refer me to another consultant re back  or is common sense not used these days ?
The receptionist then tried to get me to come next week and tell the gp what she had told me, i kept my calm and asked if there was any need for me to come and tell him when he was in the next room to her and that i would be wasting an appointment which someone else may need, she agreed with me so now i will wait for them to let me know if he has referred me to a back consultant    perhaps he will send me to an eye specialist next and ask him to look at my back 

[Rowan]

Kerrie keeping my fingers crossed for you.

I have given up for the moment with NHS and am going back to complementary treatment, have an appointment on Monday.

[CLKD]

I was over hearing a lady this morning in our Surgery trying to make an appt for 4-5 week's time, because our GP had told her to do so: apparently 'the book doesn't go that far' 

[kerrieann]

sometimes if i didn't laugh i'd cry 

[Firewalker50]

Hi Kerrieann

I have had back pain problems for years.

In the past five years, I got to the point I could hardly walk 500 yards with the back and hip pain.  I could not turn over in bed with the pain in my hips and thighs.

I was referred to a specialist, had blood tests and MRI.  I was also diagnosed as having degenerative lower spine.   I was offered injections into my spine, and amitriptylene (sp). 

I decided to try other things first.

I have had a combination of physiotherapy with acupuncture; chiropractic; and myofascial massage.   I found the chiropractic and myofascial massage great.   I had a physiotherapist who specialised in myofascial massage.  I now have a therapeutic massage by a local person.   I understand that when our back is out or weaker, that the muscles can adjust and numb fingers can start with a lower back problem.

I do not have a strong back - but I know I need to do special core exercises to improve that.  I also understand that muscles adapt to our body being misaligned and it can manifest itself long term in other areas.

I understand that some people prefer osteopath to chiropractic and I have used both, as well as physiotherapists.

For me, regular adjustments and the deep tissue massage have been fantastic.
I do know that it is ongoing maintenance though. 

PS:  I can walk for miles now and would be able to walk longer if I was fitter :-).

Fx

[kerrieann]

firewalker,  this sounds exactly like me i have given up trying to walk for more than 15 mins as my hips feel like they are locking up and then i will suffer for days  if i potter around the house and garden its not too bad but anything more and i am in pain.
My problem seems very much as yours ie degeneration in lower spine so where do i start ? i was seeing a chiropractor and after about 8 sessions it helped a little but i still felt the same if i walked far so i gave up what do you recommend ?
Basically i just want to be able to walk as normal again, last year on a weeks holiday i was walking 10 mins then having to sit for 10 mins, not good. I don't want to live on painkillers as they make me tired and spaced out so probably don't want to do much anyway, that's no life.  kerrie

[Rowan]

I think I would find it a lot easier if I could get a diagnosis and at least I would know what I was dealing with as nothing showed in my Xray. I  think I need an MRI to see what is going on, I thought seeing a specialist would decide this, but it looks as if I won't get that far.

Mine problems only on one side and at the bottom of my spine, my Xray results-

" Normal appearance to the vertebral bodies. Alignment and vertebral body height is maintained throughout"

Can anyone tell me if I had degeneration of the lower spine would it show on the Xray and would I have been told ? perhaps CLKD would know.

I still think its my sacro liiac joint, and is treated on the NHS with an injection.

[kerrieann]

They have told me that my x ray showed degeneration of lower spine, if it helps   kerrie

[Rowan]

Thank you Kerrie that does help  though they did not Xray my hip at least I don't think they did, just the lumber region.

I did show the results to the useless osteopath ( I asked for a copy from my surgery) he looked at it and said ( In other words there is nothing wrong with you) I have kicked him into  touch

[CLKD]

Numb fingers are unlikely to be affected by lower lumbar degeneration.  From what I remember  finger problems stem from the cervical spine ......... or trapped nerve behind the elbow or carpal tunnel disease. 

Massage gives a feeling of well being.  If one can relax then the symptoms will be less.  I wish I could relax like a cat is able to 

Managing pain is important.  If I am going to do something strenuous then I take Nurofen within an hour of the activity.  If I get pain after I take it immediately.  Walking eases any low back pain .......

X-ray will show evidence of degeneration in the bones.  It won't show muscular problems though.  Ask what was requested on the X-ray form?  Usually lower back X-ray will include hips and pelvis.  Hips being the large round joint within the socket, pelvis the bit the waist sits upon.  Remember too that supportive footwear is important and that the spine will compensate if areas are stiff and/or painful, therefore putting stress on muscles we don't realise we own 

Go the Library and have a look for the Dorling Kindersley anatomy book - I refer to our very large copy often!

[kerrieann]

silverlady, when i was sent for x rays they did my back and then i had to lie on my sides so they could do the hips and pelvis,  i was told that my hips and pelvis were ok but i had degeneration of lower spine.
It seem odd to me that most of my pain is in the hips when walking, so it must be referred pain, I think 

[leony]

It probably is referred pain kerrieann as i have already said i have a curved spine and pelvis which i never knew about until last year my right leg is now shorter than my left and i walk wonky. Its very painful if i walk any distance and they say i am to old to do anything about it ( the joys of getting old and decrepit). They have now sent me to see a pain shrink can't spell the other word and he has helped me the most just by listening as i got so depressed by it all now on ADs and HRT.