Comments on: What can I do for relentless back pain?

By: kevin001

kevin001 — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 08:44:55 +0000

Nice, thanks for share! lower leg pain causes

By: mom

mom — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 21:42:43 +0000

My daughter is a light weight rower – she has been rowing for 5 years and recently has developed severe back pain . The school Dr had a spect scan done and no fracture showed up. He has said that an injection will NOT help since there is No specific spot of the pain - she needs to rest for a month... there in lies the problem.. she has worked like a dog for the opening of the crew racing season and she is upset. Over the counter drugs do not seem to be alleviating the pain and she wll start therapy on Monday. Do you have the magic answer, or can you suggest specific things she could do to get pain free sooner. Thank you

By: Holly

Holly — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 02:00:05 +0000

You wrote you had "pain injections." I am wondering what you meant: epidural steriod injections; facet joint injections; discography; select nerve root blocks or something else? Was your procedure done under x-ray guidance? Was your it done by a Fellowship-trained physician who has spent one full year learning about back and neck procedures? If you answer NO to the last two questions, then I am not surprised that you had no success with the type of "pan injection" you underwent.
Back and neck pain patients seek conservative management should seek treatment and diagnosois from fellowship trained (ACGME Accredited Fellowship in Interventional Spine and Pain Management) doctors. If anyone wants to sick needles in you without first looking at your MRI, run for the hills. They are a lot of "spine specialists" who learn their skills by taking a weekend course. I am not kidding.
Every patient must realize he or she is a consumer. Many folks research their cars and TV shows more than they do their medical care.

By: Kathi

Kathi — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 20:24:56 +0000

I suffered the same from a back surgery 4.5 years ago and have been dealing with this issue with medication and lumbar sympathetic blocks. My condition was diagnosed as RSD or CRPS (Reflex sympathetic dystrophy or Chronic regional pain syndrome.) I too could not live with the pain any more. I had a spinal stimulator put into my back last march. It has saved my life. I do not wake up every morning in pain. I can work full time again and enjoy life. I fould a doctor at Rush (chicago's) pain center who was performing these implants. Not all pain doctors know of this option.

By: moses smith DC

moses smith DC — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 18:02:31 +0000

Go to a chiropractor. In my clinic, I regularly treat similar conditions with good success.

By: Bonnie Minsky MA, MPH, CNS, LDN

Bonnie Minsky MA, MPH, CNS, LDN — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 15:23:12 +0000

Hi Jerry.

In your case, you may be too far gone for dietary changes to make a difference. However, I have seen many clients with chronic back pain see a degree of relief when they discover and eliminate foods that create inflammation.

By: Mike Johnson

Mike Johnson — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 19:21:26 +0000

I have a sciatic nerve problem which is producing a great deal of main in my heel when I walk. I have been told that The DRX9000 for decompression could help this problem. do you have an opinion?

By: OtterMama

OtterMama — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 17:33:39 +0000

It's amazing how modern medicine has yet to solve your health problem. Have you considered Chiropractic care? We attend one, and absolutley love it. They work with your body, helping it to heal from the inside out. Adjustments and excercises help to realign the spine to it's proper curvature. This reduces strain on the spinal cord that results from inproper alignment. They can also address dietary and toxicity issues that may further aggravate your problem. Something to look into!

By: mnm, FL

mnm, FL — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 03:09:55 +0000

I work for a spinal pain management group and these specialists are entirely focused on patients with your same situation. The pain pumps and nerve stimulators are so successful for so many of our patients that we are having trouble keeping the scheduling on par with the demand. But we are taking our time since spinal pain is something that needs a whole patient review and care. Be sure to find the right doctor and that he/she and his/her staff is thorough and knowledgeable when helping you. Good Luck!

By: Richard L. DonTigny, PT

Richard L. DonTigny, PT — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 23:47:46 +0000

By way of a brief introduction, I am a retired physical therapist who has spent over 40 years researching the dynamics of the pelvis and their relationship to low back pain.

I have recently published an integrated interdisciplinary analysis of pelvic dynamics to include the anatomy, structure, movement, function, kinesiology, biomechanics and biotensegrity. (1-2007) This analysis has led me to find and describe one basic dysfunction that appears to be the mechanism of idiopathic low back pain syndrome (ILBPS).
Presently interrater reliability of most of the tests presently used to diagnose LBP average a low 25%. In other words the practitioner who uses these tests will be compelled to miss the diagnosis about 75% of the time. I have developed a simple method of assessment that will give an accurate diagnosis in about five minutes. An equally simple manual treatment can have at least 85-90% of all patients with low back pain free of pain within about 20 minutes. Recurrence is corrected and prevented by appropriate corrective exercises. The same corrections will work in essentially all cases of ILBPS.

I have published and lectured extensively and now have put much of this information on-line at http://www.thelowback.com. as a public service. Please follow precisely.
Google me at DonTigny+RL

1. DonTigny RL: A detailed and critical biomechanical analysis of the sacroiliac joints and relevant kinesiology: the implications for lumbopelvic function and dysfunction. In Vleeming A, Mooney V, Stoeckart R (eds): Movement, Stability & Lumbopelvic Pain: Integration of research and therapy. Churchill Livingston Elsevier, Edinburgh, 2007, pp 265-278