Back pain

[sawguy21]

Karen has suffered with severe pain for many years. She had major back surgery some years ago which never really healed properly and has osteoarthritis coupled with type 2 diabetes. Some days she is a walking train wreck.
She went in this morning to a brand new top of the line clinic after an eight month wait. They injected cortisone into her lower back, the pain was absolutely excruciating which meant they hit the right spot but minutes later the medication kicked in.
She met me at the door in tears. Oh no, now what? She is completely pain free in her back for the first time in years.  8) She is now talking about doing a marathon. :D Yeah right. She may need to get one or two more depending how long the relief lasts but she is n a great mood now. Something to consider for some beat up sawyers and loggers.

[MHineman]

  My wife had terrible pain in one knee a few years ago.  She had cortisone injected and it only help for a short time.  A few months later she went to another doctor and he convinced her to try the cortisone again.
  That doctor hit the right place and she has not had a problem since.
  It seems that the issue is finding someone who can actually place the meds in the right place.  It is a little scary watching a needle go into a joint like that.

[Polly]

  you all will laugh at me but the formost and the best arthurtis medication you can buy is at wally-world  omega -3 fish oil pills  ;) ;)

[trapper]

you all will laugh at me but the formost and the best arthurtis medication you can buy is at wally-world  omega -3 fish oil pills  ;) ;)

I will not laugh. I use it myself.  It also took care of my dry eye problem.  My eye dr confirmed this when I told him that. 

[Ron Scott]

4 pain shots in the back and 2 in the left knee has greatly helped my pain problems at present avoiding surgery so far. Shots were done by a pain clinic doctor that the VA referred me to.

[bedway]

I have two ruptured disc and two bulging. They gave me the choice of surgery or therapy, of which i choose the latter. It helped, but the fact is when you have a bad back your likely going to have to learn to live with it. Constantly think before you do something on the best way to avoid stressing your back. An occasional heating pad and i sleep with a firm pillow between my knees every night.

[Cypressstump]

I have an active 84 year old Mom, that goes to the local gym 4-5 times a week. 4 years ago, she developed a very debilitating back injury/pain in the mid to lower back. After spending a few days in pain due to an overly hard head, she visited the doctor. It was discovered that she was doing an every other day of leg exercises, and one of them being leg presses at 160lbs.... ! ! After the doctor scolded her for those extreme  weights  ( along with myself and the rest of the kids), she decided on treatment. The Cortisone shots helped for a day or two. She being a retired nurse was against multiple shots and did not want surgery at her age, She's a tough old bird..... She found a doctor that suggested to her a nerve blocker injection. After 2 more weeks of pain, she relented and got the nerve block injection. The very next day, she felt zero pain. A month later, she was back to the gym still doing leg presses but at a far reduced weight. Today she gets around like she did before the injury.

[Polly]

 ::)i had a ruptured disc lower back itscyatic nerve that goes down your leg the dr operated and fixed it , acouple yrs later i ruptured same disc again , that time no feeling from waist down nothing worked ,dr op. fixed it again ,if he hadnt i would not be here ,my suggestion is find a neurologist  that wnows what he is doing , operate and get it over with ,no worse then going to the dentist , mine was over 25 yrs ago , i still have no back pain , alittle off in the head but ok otherwise 8) 8)

[mometal77]

I say Myoflex you can buy online in canada but look it up online for a free small tube.  I was also told bute or something of the same name used on horse calves for pain.  A friend who used to be a fire jumper said everyone pretty much uses it on crews and is funny how you can only get it through a vet.

[doctorb]

Myoflex is a salicylate (aspirin) based cream that is absorbed through the skin.  There are several different topical pain relieving creams on the market.  OTOH, "Bute" or butizolidin, is a strong anti-inflammatory drug that is widely known in horse circles and never used, at least in my experience, on humans any more.  The side effects made the medical community seek other such drugs.  I would try to stay away from the temptation of believing that someone is keeping an effective drug from you and that, if you can obtain it through other channels, it's OK to use.  We have many other anti- inflammatory drugs now that are equally effective and much better tolerated than "Bute".

[thecfarm]

Sawguy,Put that Doctor on your Christmas card list!!!!!

[Ron Scott]

My pain management doctor and regular doctor now recommend that I have a Rhizotomy or what they call a IDET done on my back. That is where they go in and cauterize the nerves going into the facets along the spine. Its suppose to be a longer lasting procedure than the pain shots.

Has anyone had this procedure done, and was it helpful in relief of the back pain?

[rjwoelk]

I understand from my cousin its good for 6 months, the first couple times are short but apparently the more times they do it the longer it takes for the nerve to grow back..

[doctorb]

Ron, while I do not perform the procedure or take care of chronic spine problems, many of my patients have had a rhizotomy.  In the right patient done correctly, it does provide longer lasting relief than just cortisone shots.  However, we are all different and the ability to successfully ablate the nerves is variable.  Therefore, the results of the procedure are also variable.  Good Luck.

[Straightgrain]

Sawguy21, great news she is feeling less pain. 8)

Cortisone shots helped me; the medical industry teaches that too many cortisone shots can break-down certain components of the joints, I was cut off on shoulder shots after 4 in each for bursitis. The 3 or 4 injections I've had in my spine helped me through the learning process (how to live with pain).

Topical "helpers" such as Arnica and Magnesium Oil really help me with the daily aches and pains  like what is caused by repetitive motion (as does the application of cold & heat). Learning to build-up the right set(s) of muscles can help equalize (center) the joints; reducing friction .

The overall reduction of inflammation in the body does wonders.

A cure for nerve damage is beguiling...  ???

[red]

Every Dr will tell you drink less coffee, quit smoking and Loose Weight
I try to walk one hour in morning and one hour at sunset
I have lost 20 pounds since last June another 10 pounds to GO

[Ron Scott]

I had the IDET (Rhizotomy) procedure done on my back in Traverse City this morning to help relieve the pain in my back. The nerves were cauterized in 3 areas on my right side, so hopefully I'll still make the pig roast on Saturday..

[doctorb]

Good! Ron, how do you feel?

[Ron Scott]

Not to bad, just a little sore. Time will tell I guess.

[beenthere]

Hope and pray it works out well for you.. so you can get to the PR and be comfortable while there.
Jeff may just put you in the pool and let you float there. ;)

[bedway]

A few days ago my friend loaned me his TENS 7000 unit and asked me to try it. He had been telling me for weeks how much it had helped him. Not really giving it much hope I tried it to just to please him. I put it on and sat in a chair for about an hour. I got up and was astonished I was virtually pain free. Im going to get my own unit real fast.

[Polly]

the absolute best medication for pain arthurtis and a dozen other conditions is omega 3 ask your dr to prescribe the max dosage is 4 grams  2 in morning 2 at nite why do i say this i am 77 yrs old spinal operation 2 times both knees compleatly replaced both hips and i shoulder omega 3 is absolutly only med. i take  8) 8) with the lords help i will survive