DDD / Lumbar - Try Physical Therapy?

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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.