DDD / Lumbar - Try Physical Therapy?

[stars]

Thanks Maria.
That is very helpful.

I have PT scheduled next for monday. A co-worker of mine referred me to his PT at the Spine&Neuro center who also happens to be the director of PT. He said he was the "best". I took a chance and emailed the director, and I am scheduled to work with him. My chiro specifically told me not to "twist" and avoid touching my toes in my pilates and yoga classes. So, I will be careful at PT. I am just really scared it will start to flare up again.

I am a graphic designer so I sit all day. My employer purchased me a really nice chair with memory foam and a cut out at the place where my sacrum hits. It is so much better than my other chair. I have a sit down/stand up desk on the way. I guess I am lucky because they didn't have to do that. (My production has been down since my flare up).

I will start PT on Monday against my chiropractor's suggestion. I will stop any exercise that aggravates it (although it might be too late). I suppose there is always ESI if I go down in flames from it.

Re: ESI
I WILL get one next time. I was regretful I did not do it this time. I have just been really scared since all this is being thrown at me so quickly. I have not had ample time to do research. I do feel grateful that Mark has started this site so we all have a place to go for help. I wanted to post immediately since all of you have way more experience than me. I really welcome opinions and information from those who have gone down this path.

Thanks again Maria. I will let you all know how it is going.

[Maria]

Stand at your desk? If so get a mat that absorbs shock like hair stylists have at their station and have a chair so you can sit if needed though can stand and move around a bit. I did that the last 5 years I worked as an "advice nurse/telephone triage" with a modified work station. Maybe wear shock absorbing and supportive shoes as well. I have not been able to ait for long periods even after 2 discectomies (L5S1 and L4) so the standing station helped greatly. I didn't start getting ESIs until after I retired on perm disability tho I wish I had.

Good luck with your PT consult and all

[Jim M2]

hi Stars

Needing to stand at your desk sounds like classic DDD. One of your pain generators is the disc? right? This was my situation at L5S1 before ADR and currently it is my situation with L45. Leg pain has been a lesser issue for me. For this reason I never found injections to be helpful. I found that some of the more effective core exercises aggravated my central back pain at the DDD level. I think the PT does help one manage pain a bit. I'm curious to see how your outcome from PT. Good luck.

[stars]

Hi Jim,
No one told me I have DDD. But I guess that is what it is since my L5S1 disc was black on the MRI? I am seeing another Dr. next week (non-surgical). I will ask her to give me some terms for my condition and stuff I need to know. This is all so overwhelming.

Yes, the disc is the pain. It is not ever numbing my legs or anything. When it gets bad my back and butt get kind of numb. It gets really really painful and swollen. I think my pain was a 7/10. I would rather give birth again than go through that! I think i should have tried the ESI but instead I just got laser treatments done at the chiro and they helped me out a TON. After 6 treatments my pain was almost gone! Then i started moving stuff in my garage, picked up my kid and wham! square one! I did this 3 times! I am a complete fool! I just didn't know that I had this type of condition because i was always seeing the chiro, not the dr. The chiro is the one who helps me tons! But also, I didn't know my disc was blown ya know? so I just though i was out of shape or just had a bulge... and that there was nothing wrong in my spine. Then i got the MRI and saw 3 Drs. wow. reality check.

Anyway...I am on week 6 of this flare up. Chiro told me to do some exercises and walking this weekend. He is not going to be happy when I tell him I am doing the PT. But I think i have to at least try it? right? We will see how it goes.

I am excited about the PT. I've been so down and depressed since I found out "something is wrong with me" that i "can't fix". So, I'm pretty tired of crying at my desk. ya know? time to deal with it and make some abs of steel! and try to protect my spine the best I can!

Is that silly? I mean, when i got adjusted today my chiro said feel that? it was when i was on my stomach and I was lifting my leg straight and up towards the ceiling...and it sort of shifted. Chiro said "that needs to be tightened up". (But he doesn't want me to go to the PT because i will have another flare up??) My gut tells me he actually cares and is empathetic and wants me to be better! But you never know what everyone's intentions are! I wish people had to wear "integrity" rings that changed color so I could know. ha!

I keep having to look up all these acronyms. So you had ADR, I will probably privately message you about this.

My L5S1 hurts! But i took less pain meds today and I am feeling a little better. My pain is 3/10. I'm on 5 mg hydrocodone (just to work).

PT scheduled for NOV 11. I will keep posting on this thread to let everyone know my progress.

I hope it will be positive.

[Jim M2]

Stars,
A couple of things. My memory is terrible but I think I remember Chirogeek telling us crack the back therapy was not for DDD. I had a chiropractor who I thought hastened the onset of high level pain. I'm glad your chiro is giving you some relief.

I had L5S1 ADR in 2003. It got rid of my disc pain for sure but I had other complications. Namely my facets were painful. I was never able to get to the bottom of what went wrong. There are many successful ADR implants. I was not one of them because of the facet problem.

Jim

[Maria]

You may want to get an injection of Toradol 60mg Intramuscularly when you have an acute flare up to see if that alleviates the muscle spasms associated with a disc flare up. If it does you will cut your pain down markedly and rest period as well. You can get this injection at Urgent Care, Pain Management, Ortho, or regular Primary Care doctor's office. It's often used for people that come in complaining of neck and back pain and spasms. One must have good kidney function for this medication. It's a non steroidal anti-inflammatory medication and while it comes in other forms like oral and a nasal spray called Sprix the injection is the absolute most effective and won't upset your Gastrointestinal system.

Your Chiro might not want you to go to PT because if someone else can help you feel better maybe you'll stop seeing the chiro? Also doctors of osteopathic medicine (D.O.) are often very good at treating back pain with manipulation and one does not have to get high velocity or crunching done which I'm sure your chiro isn't doing to you either with your injury.

A 3 out of 10 sounds like progress and hopefully the pain will continue to be alleviated. With a really bad L5S1 and your history of flare up I imagine it will kick up again though. Many tools in the arsenal to treat back pain are worthy of a try and hopefully one can get some good relief without surgery and/or know when the time is right for that move.

take care~ Maria

[Maria]

Just wondering how you're doing and hoping much better! Maria

[stars]

Jim - I'm sorry your pain became another kind of pain. It sucks so bad. I can't imagine having something like this for years, much less a decade.

Maria - You hit the nail on the head re: chiro. He does alleviate my pain, but I had no one making me do exercises correctly. My $$$ has been sucked out by the chiro. I am skinny but not in good shape AT ALL. In fact, i would say I'm borderline anorexic. I know my body. I know that I have not worked out in a year due to work and stress, etc. When i don't work out I lose muscle tone. To me, this is the whole reason this crept up so fast on me. I was weak, and I kept trying to do it all. Lift kid, move stuff, etc. So, I am glad i let it surface at 33. Now, I just have to get really strong and hope you all +Drs will guide me.

PT is helping me a TON. Thanks for all your advice. I was off this site for a few days. I really REALLY appreciate it. I didn't know who to talk to. I was feeling sooooo depressed.


Week 1:
Evaluation: Pain is in the center. Not going down my legs. (Stated my hips were weak as well as my core).
1- Presses (similar to Cobra in yoga). I started slow and moved up to 10/hour while i was at work. Pain went down from a 4/5 to a 2/3. Hooray! Pain also moved.
2- Traction
3- Stem / heat

Week 2:
1- Presses
2- checked out to see if my SI joint might be an issue (1 out of 5 hurt..so he said it prob wasn't that).
3 - Pushed around on my vertebra and sacrum.
4 - Pressed on sacrum while i did my presses. (He said my sacrum is tilted...so he's trying to nudge is back).
5 - He added pelvic floor exercises as well as core.
A. Pelvic Tilts B. Bridging C. NS w Ball Adduction D. NS with Theraband Abduction


I am to do those 4 exercises a few times a day. I already feel better. I was able to pick up my kid a few times this past weekend.

Currently, My pain is a 1/2.