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Dear Mark


I have been popping in and out of the forum for sometime. I spend most of my time on SI joint forum due to the fact the problem I have involves both spine and SI joint. Not long ago I had a Diagnostic Musculoskeletal Ultrasonography of the lower back, which showed some very weak multifidus tendons L-3,L-5 along some SI ligaments. I know there isn't much I can do about the ligaments except Prolotherapy, but as to the mutifidus is there a Dr who believes in this Diagnostic Musculoskeletal Ultrasonography to the point he would do surgery or am I at a complete loss. I have tried Prolotherapy which seemed to help, but I believe the problem is far to gone for that.

I have little muscle contraction or control which causes my gate to change. I also had two previous surgeries a TLIF (L4-5) in 2004 and hardware removal in 2006. The first surgery was a complete success that was until a PT overstreched me , thus I felt something tear. It took me almost two yrs to convence my surgeon that it was muscle damage, so we decided to remove the hardware and again the pain was gone no more gate problems, complete muscle contraction and best of all I could stand up straight again. The mistake after the 2nd surgery was the Dr. said no back brace and thus over the following months things begain to worsen.My last visit he said that he believes is muscle but says there is nothing he could do and said I should get a pain pump. Which this is the response most Dr Have, because they are scared of my previous surgeries.

I have made some gains with prolotherapy, but I'm afraid that surgery is my only hope into regaining my life back.I think there is a such Dr out there it's just finding them. My biggest problem is the MRI and EMG show nothing the only thing that shows an anomaly is the Diagnostic Musculoskeletal Ultrasonography which most DR think is alternative thus not reliable!

Mark any help or any suggestions would be great. Best reagards,John.:)

John, I'm sorry for the delayed reply. I'm in the middle of a difficult trip... my wife had surgery last week and several clients have surgery today....

What gives me pause about the description of your status is that you are not talking about how they are ruling out problems with your spine at the operated levels and other levels as well. What's been done? Please describe your pain in more detail.

All the best,

Mark

Mark, sorry for the late response I wish your wife the best. You ask about the operated levels and really there isn't much to say, because there are no disc problems above and below the fusion no nerve damage anywhere and every doctor who has looked at the MRI says nothing's wrong. My problem is purely muscle or mechanical which has been said to me by two spine surgeons, the problem is no one is willing to help me!

The muscle problem is huge due to the fact I can't walk correct nor contract my lower back to be honest it burns when I do same goes for sitting feels like someone is stabbing me. It's even hard to swim correct which is the only exercise I can do. I really don't know how to explain it better than that, I wish I could. I myself can feel a big difference between the left and right side of my lower back, left side I can feel solid muscle and the right side feels like I have some missing or a hole of such. This problem causes my entire fascia to be tight and starts causing spasms.

I'm at my ends with this because no one thinks a muscle problem can cause such pain or disability! Most Dr's I have seen don't think tissue problems can be solved with surgery as far as I can tell. Everyone is focused on disc and nerve that serious muscle-skeletal problems like mine are pushed aside. I hope this better explains my position and I wish you and your wife the best and a quick recovery. Best regards,John.

prolo therapy or botox
 

I am new to this message board and have never been involved with one. I am just wondering if you have tried prolo therapy or botox for your problem? I have muscular imbalance in my upper back. I had botox injections in my stronger/ dominant side so that my weaker side could strengthen and it helped tremendously. After that I had prolo therapy to strengthen the muscle and ligaments. You can look prolo therapy up on line.

I have done both, botox is very expensive and only lasts a short time. Prolotherapy on the other hand has longer lasting effects that heal the damaged area, if someone has an tissue injury that's not to serious then prolo will help if not cure you. Botox is very dangerious if the Dr. doesn't know what kind to inject, many people have been killed by simple mistakes as were to inject and how much. What most people don'y know is botox is a toxin and should be delt with as such. I have done prolotherapy for a number of joint isssues with great success, but the tendons in my lower back are just not getting better.