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[countrybumpkin]

I have had quite a few mri's of all of my spine, I think I am up to number 14 so far   the last lumbar one was 2 years ago.  I have just had a repeat one of my neck and it was this scan and the position they put me in that caused the problems I have now   My neck scan just showed a worsening of the prolapse and arthritis and I would imagine that if they scan my lumbar spine it will just show a worsening of the herniations. 
I have had endless osteo and chiro over the years and none of them have ever helped.  A friend is having Bowen therapy at moment for a frozen shoulder so am toying with trying that but you end up spending huge amounts of money often with no improvement.
I am also toying with idea of asking for pain clinic referral but have been before and all that was on offer were very invasive treatments that freaked me out ( I am a total wuss). 
Just rambling to myself here

[meno lesley]

Hi

Have great empathy with how you feel. Have 3 discs at lower back that come out with great regulatory. 4 years ago ended up in hospital with all 3 out. Like you have had several mris and have now been offered injections into spine but know 2 people that this hasn't worked on and one of them is now worse. I have trouble with my feet that I think is attributed to the back problem.

You could give Bowen a try it is non invasive and might help a bit.

Lesley x

[oldsheep]

just a thought -have you got an NHS pain clinic near you? A friend of mine has terrible nerve and muscle pain and sciatica from an accident she had. She got referred there and then on to a neurosurgeon, who ended up giving her pregabalin. It works far better than diazepam on severe pain apparently.
Only problem is that it's expensive.

[countrybumpkin]

I've been offered gabapentin or pregabalin by my GP so I know that I can have it if I want but the side effects can be awful so am reluctant to take it as it has to be constant and its not something you can take as you need. 

As I have said I am a total wuss with drugs, comes from working in the medical world in the past - I know too much

I can at least get from sitting to standing up now although movement and walking is still painful so hopefully as in the past things will slowly improve as long as I am a good girl and behave like a lady of leisure who has servants for her very need

[CLKD]

Chiro and osteo will only ease syptoms, they WILL NOT get rid of the problem.  Surgery is often the only way to relieve symptoms, by removing one of the discs, allowing 'room' for the others to settle or fusion.  It's because we evolved upright which puts pressure on the spine from the head downwards - watching the chimps, they rarely stand upright ;-). 

An X-ray should show the condition of the discs, it shouldn't be necessary to repeat MRIs .......... that is for diagnostic purposes whereas X-rays of lumbar spine and pelvis can chart degeneration ......... pain management is difficult because we move around even when alseep and as for sneezing  ...........

[ellie]

Sorry but surgery doesn't always help either.....two years ago I had  decompression surgery  and Lamanecty surgery.......it helped for a while but then went as bad as ever....I had a further MRI scan last year and the surgeon said it was too dangerous to do any further operations.....I was offered an internal morphine pump or an internal devise that sends eletrical pulses directly to the spine.   I declined both.
  I have just had six steroid injections and they have helped slightly.

[CLKD]

Why didn't the surgeries work?  Steroids can help for many painful areas. 

[ellie]

Somtimes I get better pain relief from them.....I have injections every six months, done under X-ray...they are  hit and miss and not without risk, as they can thin your bones....and I get weight gain...
   They have helped the stenosis in my calfs, so worth having done....

[CLKD]

   do you need to take more calcium to counteract the bone thinning?

[ellie]

Yes, I do have oustiopenia (spelling?) , so I know the risks I take with steriods....it's a case of balancing the pain......

[countrybumpkin]

I don't have any bone changes to my lumbar spine so x rays are not of any help as they don't show soft tissue or nerves which the mri does so this is why in my case the mri shows up any worsening of my discs and if there is any nerve impingement.  They are purely diagnostic but they are useful for finding out if a disc has burst rather than just a worsening of the herniations.

I personally feel surgery is a last resort due to the risks. In the case of my neck even the neurosurgeons say we don't operate unless they really really have to as any tiny mistake can be catastrophic.  It is always a huge balancing act as to at what point is it worth taking the risk??

I have same problem over my eyes as I am partially sighted and was born with severe sight problems.  They can operate on my eyes but there is a 50/50 chance they will blind me. Again my retinal surgeon says he won't operate until he fels I have nothing to lose in other words I am almost blind anyway.

HOpe everyones pain is endurable today

[Suzi Q]

Thanks everyone. I am already using the ice.  I found that applying heat before trying to stand up helped a bit with the muscle spasm.
I am a bit improved today in that the extreme muscle spasm that was stopping me from being able to straighten up from sitting position is much less. It not only affects the area thats "gone" but all my back so I feel as if I can't breathe as well!!
Got my diazepam today, its only 2mg tablets but better than nothing
I have at long last got a nhs physio appt next week, waited 4 months for it Just hope that they don't make me worse rather than helping.

HUGE HGSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Double check Ive the same as you am in chronic back pain but its mostly managable
2 weeks ago I bent to shave my legs and BAM
I have been going to a CHiro and Physio for over 30 yrs im now 60 in June this isnt what I Envisioned would happen constant pain mostly bearable since Feb 2012  I was dumped in sea
NOW I use heat not cold been tnhis way for 5 years or more in Ozz anyway 
IN OZZ  Ice is for bangs bruises etc
BUT for mus stuff its heat 15 mins on 15 mins off I found it so much better than ICE
IM off to the Chiro again tomorrow and he said put some heat on your back in the car before you get here as 2 weeks ago when I went I was so spasam that he couldnt do much
So go online have a look see if its the same in UK because ICE USED to be the standard here