First post, advice needed!

[rbrown]

Saw the Chiro again today. Electro stim therapy, cold laser treatment. Adjustment wasnt much today cause I was pretty stiff and guarded. Havent had any bad spasms or pain this week except for a few little grabs today. I still have not heard from Mark. I have no idea what happened or is happening with my back. My Primary Dr is on vacation this week. I did request a referral to Dr. Costigan and a request for a weight bearing MRI. They said either my Primary has to request the MRI or the specialist. I dont know what will be approved if anything till my Dr is back. These last few months have really been terrible and confusing. I thought for sure surgury was imminent or at least facet injections. Is it possible that what ever was happening has resolved itself for now?? Will I ever know what the cause was/is?

[Maria]

Hold your last few thoughts there and do a wait and see if you're feeling better. I'd like to say things can resolve themselves and I think for some people they actually might. That wasn't my case although I went thru years of having flare ups and then periods in between without probs. When the flareups became more frequent and closer together or the period inbetween was indistinguishable then I had my first spine surgery.

Keep a positive outlook even though the spine stuff is driving you crazy because the good thing is you are at the point where you can get more information and there are options. While it may not seem like a good place to be believe me it is (at least in the spinal problem journey).

Keep us updated please if you're so inclined. Hope you'll find a really good spine doc to consult with! Maria

[rbrown]

Mark called me and we were able to chat a bit. I mailed him copies of my MRI and Xrays. Maybe he will see something and have some ideas of what might be going on. It seems that a discogram might be a logical test but who knows if I'll find someone that does them through our HMO. I'm still having the low back spasms on and off. Less than before but still there. I'm trying to stay out of bed as much as I can during the day, I'm sick of laying here! Last couple days ive been on my feet, sitting for short periods and streching and excercising to the extent I can. I havent been having much leg pain and am wondering if I just tore or stretched a muscle/muscles or ligament or tendon or something in my low back. Maybe someone can comment if its "normal" that a disk or nerve issue is causing the muscle spasms or is it more likely that its just a muscle issue? I know the spine doesnt follow a given set of rules but I'm hoping that its a muscle problem that will heal sooner than later. I dont want another surgery and cant find a Dr that cares to find the problem. I'm still seing the Chiropractor but the last couple visits he didnt really get any adjustments done cause my pain and back are guarding to much for him to get any movement. I am getting electronic stim and cold lazer therapy there so I assume that is better to have than not.

[Maria]

Can often happen when spine is guarding or protecting itself. Torn ligaments, tendons, muscles take a long time to heal. Maybe a strain.

Disc material leaking out on a nerve (as in bulging disc) can create muscle spasms and usually does..

Try getting an injection of Toradol 60mg IM (Nsaid) if no known allergy to medication and no probs with kidneys. This often helps with muscle spasms pretty quickly and can break up a cycle that might take weeks to otherwise alleviate.

I had electric stim therapy and cold laser and did well with it though that was long ago and took many sessions.

[rbrown]

Originally Posted by Maria

Can often happen when spine is guarding or protecting itself. Torn ligaments, tendons, muscles take a long time to heal. Maybe a strain.

Disc material leaking out on a nerve (as in bulging disc) can create muscle spasms and usually does..

Try getting an injection of Toradol 60mg IM (Nsaid) if no known allergy to medication and no probs with kidneys. This often helps with muscle spasms pretty quickly and can break up a cycle that might take weeks to otherwise alleviate.

I had electric stim therapy and cold laser and did well with it though that was long ago and took many sessions.

Does a bulged disc necessarily mean leaking disc material? If a disc is leaking will it stop leaking at some point? Would the Toradol injection still help even after ive been on two cycles of Prednisone? Can my primary Dr give me the Toradol or does that have to be a specialist?

[Maria]

Good reference is ChiroGeek's Home Page
You can get answer to many of your questions there.
Bulging discs when actively flared up are usually leaking some disc material. I have had flare ups for years with regard to leaking disc material from disc bulge. This is even after a discectomy at L4 and L5S1. Meaning the discs rebulged after surgery. I have not had fusion surgery or ADR. I think with either of these surgeries the complete disc is removed. While in theory this should mean no more pain from disc it doesn't mean there won't be pain from other sources.
I have had 2 spine surgeries and had 10 years worth of Epidural steroid injections and have taken a low dose opioid pain medicine now 1x/day for 12 years and Toradol injections help greatly to alleviate muscle spasms for me. it helped many people I know with back pain from spasms and most recently my ex has had an acute bout of back pain with spasms so I told him to go to Urgent Care and get an injection of Toradol and it helped him immediately. He still has some discomfort but he couldn't move at all hardly for the pain until he got the shot.
My primary care doc can give this injection, urgent care doctor, ER doctor, Pain Management doctor, etc. It is a Non steroidal anti-inflammatory medication. It may not be given if one is taking oral Nsaids on a daily basis, or one has an allergy to the medication or has problem with his or her kidney function.

[rbrown]

Maria?
Would it still make sense for the Toradol if two cycles of Prednisone havent taken the spasms away completely?