Back pain help

[Malruhn]

Hello

I came across this forum while researching back pain.

About 4 months ago I started getting lower back pain followed by complete numbness down one leg. It got to the point where I could not sit down at all. I went to the doctors who put me on the NHS physio waiting list, but as I could not continue like that luckily my grandparents paid for me to go to private physio who said I had sciatica.

After a few sessions there was an improvement, but now I am still getting numbness in my leg, I cannot walk properly, coughing and sneezing causes immense pain and it is gettign ridiculous.

It doesn't seem to be getting any better. My research leads to be believe that one of my discs must be prolapsed.

What can be done about it? Surely an operation would sort it out?

I am only 21 and I cannot do the normal things I used to do; play football, exercise, even walking.

Now that it is October I can go to the NHS physio so I can get another opinion.

Any help or advice would be appreciated.

 

[Elly]

It does sound like you have a disk injury and they should have tested your reflexes, muscle power and the area for numbess.

Something called piriformis syndrome is another possibility, that may be secondary to a disk injury or sacro-iliac joint problem.

There are other possibilities, but most likely is a disk.

Very few disk injuries actually need surgery. I suggest that you see what the NHS physio says & does. If still no joy, then I would suggest that you see an osteopath, as at the very least they should be doing the tests above with the symptoms that you have.

Andrew.

 

[MiSS iNDEPENDANT bro]

Hi Andy,

I see my osteopath every 3 months or so and he has saved my loads of pain over the years.

Definately go and see one, they are well worth the money.

Russell

 

[Kenny (:]

Hi Russ - it's nice to know that there are more out there that give more than just lip service to the idea of preventative or maintenance health care and don't live a world where they think something is either 'broken' or 'fixed'.

It seems to be a product of the culture that we live in that many only come for treatment when they are in agony and then expect a quick fix, miraculous 'cure'. And it's not unusual for that to happen only after years of mainstream medical 'care' of just treating the symptoms with pain killers for what is often a simple mechanical problem.

Andrew.

 

[Beckiie]

Been to a private hospital and they are going to scan me tomorrow.

They say it is probably a prolapsed disc.

Operation costs £7k. I will be in hospital for five days and unable to do anything for a few months after. Just what I need in my final year of University.

 

[Pompal 09.]

Hi Andy,

You have my sympathies, I've had back pain for years now, as a result of working with small children for a long time. I would suggest postponing surgerty for as long as possible, as you really do not want to start messing with your back, especially at your age.

Anyway, I have found several alternative therapies that have helped me, and just thought I'd pass them on. Yes, they cost money, which puts most people off, but I consider it money well spent if it means I am mobile and not in pain. Kinesiology and massage have helped the most, as well as exercise and a positive attitude.

Good luck, and I hope you find help very soon.

Best wishes
Lois

 

[Abiamijoumbelo]

Thanks.

I want to get rid of the problem though, not just do things to pretend it isn't there.

I don't want to be on painkillers, or have to visit people to relieve the pain.

I want to get back to playing football again as I was before. And I am also in the last year of my degree, which has cost my parents a fortune that they don't have, and all the time I am unable to be there it is really costing me.

I still don't see how any decision can be made until they get the results of the scan. Surely if there is a disc on the nerve, it needs to be removed from the nerve somehow?

 

[?Lil.Miss.Odd.Bodd ?]

Hello Andy_seagull
I totally agree with LJHUK you should not have this operation as the consequences can be disastrous. It is your decision but from experience back operations are not THE solution to get rid of back pain. You should have a go with acupunture and tuina massage before you make your desision.
Best of luck
Bokken

 

[Monti]

Consequences being the chances that something may go wrong? It is very unlikely isn't it, although there are always risks with operations near the spine.

I can't continue in the pain I am in now; I just want to get it over with and go back to the normal life I had before.

It is starting to get depressing.

 

[ocularnervosa]

Anyone know anything about the procedure for the injection which is another cure for this?

 

[vdeiauqmiwkiqpefh]

Hi Andy,

I once read in an acupuncture book that sciatica falls into two categories: the one that is easy to sort out (with acupuncture) and the ones that take a very long time. Acupuncture is usually very goo dfor pain relife. In China they even do some operations without anesthetics, just acupuncture.
Often things can go back into place with just a little help. It does not always have to be as drastic as surgery. So before going for an operation, I would definitly give ostheopathy/acupuncture/Shiatsu a good try.

Artemis

 

[Pooja]

Hi Andy. I don't usually like to say too much when Andrew has spoken about osteopathy as it would appear biased but it really seems that you aren't taking on board the information that is being given to you.

At the risk of embarasssing Andrew (another reason I don't usually post) I can only tell you that I have worked with him for over a year now and seen the results that can be achieved with a good osteopath.

If you could see the people that crawl into our Centre who have been told that nothing can be done and that they have to get on with it and then seen them walk out again afterwards then you wouldn't even think twice about seeking other help.

Osteopathy isn't about keeping the problem at bay, it is about getting to the root of the problem and sorting it.

It never ceases to amaze me that people even bother to go to the doctor with a bad back. Doctor's can do nothing for you in this respect except give you painkillers and maybe put you on a waiting list to see a back specialist etc.

To see an osteopath will set you back about £40 for the first visit and less after that. Most people only need about three treatments, though many use it as a preventative measure.

What have you got to lose? An operation is very serious and yes, it is possible that it won't work, may make things worse. Any operation has risks attached.

I hope for your sake you will take the good advice that is being offered. I can only say again that it works in most cases.

 

[ATV HOPEFUL I]

Bearing in mind that this is a health forum & that many of the members here practice one form of complementary medicine or another, then the following probably wasn't the most diplomatic thing to say.



If this was suggesting that no one other than a medical doctor or a surgeon could do anything about your problem, other than help you pretend it's not there, then the answer is probably - Yes.

Whilst we welcome the open mind or even sceptical, those with more rigid belief systems are only likely to sobotage they're recovery unless they have the only treatment that they believe is going to work. Trouble is, is that if it doesn't work, then they are a bit stuffed! And there's little going back after serious surgery.

When it comes to people & they're bodies, then it's rare that is is a simple matter of something 'broken' or 'fixed' and as for 'cure', then the only curing that goes on is by the person themselves. Other can assist in the process, but no-one can cure you!

As I've already said - it does sound like a disk prolapse and it may be one that surgery is justified, which is not the same as being necessary. And as I also said there are very few that actually need surgery.

Without knowning if you have had your areas of numbness mapped out, your reflexes checked or the muscle strength tested in your legs (which the GP aught to have done), then it's impossible to say more other than talk hypothetically.

Over 90% have a disk injury of one sort or another - I suspect that we'd need a few more surgeons if they all needed surgery. All but a few settle within a couple of months with osteopathic treatment and those that require further referral are referred as appropriate. Generally speaking neurologists have a better reputation than orthopods for this sort of work, but like most things it's down to the individual concerned.

Re. The diagnosis of the private physio that you saw - sciatica. All sciatica means is that you have pain along the sciatic Nerve in the back of your thigh. Not a diagnosis at all, because you probably already knew that you had pain in your thigh.

Re.



I agree that no decision on suregery should be made until you get the outcome of the scans. Do bear in mind though that no one is wothout bias and an NHS surgeon may have a different opinion on the 'need' for surgery than a private one. Also, if it is needed, then you should be able to have it done on the NHS.

The part of the disc that usually prolapses is the soft, gel like nucleous, so no not necessarily. This gel causes inflammation in the local area and on the nerve root, which tells the brain that you have pain down your leg. The numbess, if it's been tested & severity gauged, then this could be caused be compression of the nerve root, but this again may only be due to the gel. Hopefully the scan will be clear enough to differentiate. If it is just the nucleous that is causing the pain & numbness, then the body re-digests this over time and if you stay mobile & with the right treatment, then you shouldn't end up with nerve root tethering.

If it's a cortizone injection you're enquiring about, then no it's not going to do anything to the disk, but may ease some of the pain from the related 'locked' facet joints. Think I've done that one elsewhere.

Have you read some of the other threads on this Forum about disk injuries & back problems?

I Attached this Thread to the top of the Forum for reasons of not having to go over the same stuff. - http://www.healthypages.net/forum/tm.asp?m=104

Andrew.

 

[mewsabsevekib]

Hi,

The medical profession is unfortunately not moving fast enough with current medical advances, be it complementary or otherwise.

You really have to ask yourself the question:
If I had someone paying me billions to sell their machines, drugs and equipment, and someone who was trying to do what I think means me losing my clients, which one would I choose?

And the question:
If I were to use these billions, what sales representatives would I choose, those that can be brainwashed into believing the drugs (often harmful) and the machines/equipment (often harmful) are good, or someone who can think for themselves and rebel against me?

Another question that I know the answer to all too well:
If someone wanted to do research that could put the drug and machine suppliers out of business and as I see it, putting me out of work, shall I support their research for the wellbeing of the people?

Sorry to be so cynical.

 

[whormaDoowl]

Dear Andy

I understand that you are sick and tired and want a solution, but I think these people are making good points. Surgery is one of a number of things you can try. I haven't tried osteopathy although it has helped my father greatly with a disc problem, but McTimoney and regular chiropractic have helped me when I have been in such pain I could barely walk into the practitioner's room. No, I wasn't fixed in one treatment, it took a course of them but I am so glad I did it.

 

[www.tarotpack.com]

greetings all.

I too suffer back problems untill i discovered that if I lie on the floor and lift my buttocks off the floor and hold for 3 seconds say, about ten times, my back muscles would tense and reajust on relaxing. this I have kept doing ever since.
I would like to stress that this is ONLY regarding back muscle pain. As muscle and nerves get tangled up, the tension through exercise frees the traped nerve and so relieves the pain.
best whishes to all.