Any alternative medicine ideas for long term back pain?

Question

Hello, I have tried chronic pain clinics, some strong meds, accupuncture, exercise, etc and still have lumbar spine back pain that greatly limits my function. I have bulging discs in L4 and L5 with spinal stenosis. Has anyone had any luck with anything alternative? Your honest replies greatly appreciated, THANKS :)

Answer 1

Hi

Sorry to hear that you are in so much pain.

Have you tried Aromatherapy, Swedish Body Massage, Reflexology, Indian Head Massage? All these can bring about some pain relief, albeit on a short-term basis, and are therapeutic and very relaxing.

Make sure that you find a good, professional therapist though, one who has professional qualifications and insurance.

Hope you feel better soon, even if only for a little while.

Take care of yourself.

Blessings x

Answer 2

Actually modern medicine is the alternative that has become mainstream which subverts the real medicine... Hipocrates said let medicine be your food and food your medicine.... That is the true way which they have turned into just an alternative because they can't get rich with it

Answer 3

Hello
I have problems with my back, and can sure be a big problem at times. I decided to try a braclet, not the magnet type. These can be purchased at a jewlery store. It is an optec braclet. You try it for one month and you should see some results. I feel so much better and even my hips are feeling better. I also have fibromylgia and it is even helping with that. You may find a difference.
from twinsweetpea

Answer 4

Chiropractic treatments have helped more than any other. I went the first time at age 11, after three months in traction, which did nothing. After the chiropractic treatment, I was playing with the dog that day. I'm 60 now, and I still go periodically. I have taken yoga, and if you do it very gently, it can be a great benefit because it will improve your posture and strengthen abdominal muscles. When I've periodically had severe nerve pain, acupuncture helped the most.
One of my neighbors recently had cold laser treatments from a pain specialist. He now swears by that.

Answer 5

It's sorta a case by case thing, but the place to start at would be a chiropractor.
Go see them, see what they can do.
If that does not work, try to see if you can locate a really skilled/well known Chiropractor.
If that fails, try to find an osteopath who really knows their stuff.
If that fails you essentially have two options.
#1 Be on lots of pain killers for a long long time.
#2 Go study with a Chinese/Taoist master guy that can teach you a spinal chi gung form.

The Taoist guy I know has a lot of students who have come to him after getting completely ripped apart in some sort of accident (or had something like sculliosis), and basically got their back working again, although it took a lot of work on their part for the problems to repair themselves (as opposed to him just tapping them with his finger and it going away).

So, that would be the order of approaches I'd go in.
I can't really comment on pain killer usage, since I don't know the specifics of your case. Damage to the spine is a really complex issues that rarely if ever stays the same in each case, so given the information I got, that would be the most sucessful path to follow.

I know some "skilled" body work people in the bay area (USA), so if that's close by you, I can recommend you to them. If you want any further information (like say how to get ahold of the Taoist teacher), message me and I'll try to get back to you.

Other random points;
I have heard drinking papaya juice helps.
Try to do your best to avoid getting a spinal fusion. They mess you up in a lot of ways.

Answer 6

First line of defense would be chiropractic. Find one trained in the Palmer method. If he can't help, try another.

I was in 20 or so car accidents and was also run over by a car while walking. had a severely herniated disc in my back 4 times. The pain shot down to my knee and sometimes to my ankle. I would scream in bed with pain if I moved an inch. It took me 10 minutes to walk to the next room to go to the bathroom. I could not take a bath cause I could not lift my leg high enough to clear the bathtub. I used a TENS unit constantly for pain. I had to use a wheelchair for any distance over 100 feet for a year--all after being run over by this car.

A neurologist said I needed immediate surgery as my disk was so bulging. I said I do not want that (as I had several risk factors for bad results)..I am going to try conservative treatment with my chiropractor (because I knew he fixed me before). The neurologist got very angry. I( yelled after me as I started leaving "I guarantee you will be back in a week..you will not be able to stand the pain."

The chiropractor took about a year and a half but he got me so much better. I will never be normal due to all the traumas to my back but I can walk about 45 minutes although it does hurt me to stand still for long. I no longer use a wheelchair or a tens unit. I do not have pain that often even though my insurance HMO changed and they did not pay for chiropractic and I could not go for 2 years (I was going weekly). There just started paying for one visit per month, so I am going back.

Please be aware that it takes a while for the help of chiropractors o kick in..I think some people feel the chiropractor is ripping them off and get scared of this and quit too soon. As the chiropractor puts the disk back in the right place, generally it snaps back tot he wrong place very quickly requiring another visit as the muscles get stretched and used to the wrong place. Each time he readjusts you, the muscles get stronger and stay in the right place longer..eventually they are in the right place most of the time and you are better. Some people require maintenance visits and some do not.

A government study showed that chiropractic was the treatment that helped the most for low back pain. Exercise was second. Drugs and doctors were far down the list. They became angry the AMA and stopped the next study which was on the neck and headaches as chiropractic also does better there than they do.

Also I recommend hot and cold showers on the spot. Do the water as hot as you can stand it and as cold as you can take it. Do hot for one minute then switch to ice cold for one minute..do seven hots and seven colds alternating. also hot and cold packs help.

Try Dr.Schulze's deep tissue repair oil. Get it here.

I once read miner's with aching knees had luck with a mixture of (real) essential oil of wintergreen (get online or at a health food store), aspirin, and rubbing alcohol that they mixed and applied to their knees. Adding peppermint essential oil to it would not be a bad idea as menthol is often in these heating balms. Capsicum cream is also used like things like tiger balm. the combination may help of the above suggestions.

If I had to pick one..it would be chiropractivc follwed by hot and cold showers or hydrotherapy.

Answer 7

Strengthen your abdominal muscles, which are used to support your back. Practice good posture.

I have a rotated pelvis, myofacial pain, plus I'm pregnant, and yoga is the only thing that eases my back pain.

Have you been to a chiropractor or physical therapy?

Answer 8

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Answer 9

Have you tried magnets? I've got a magnetic back pad that works wonders! Let me know if you'd like more info!

Answer 10

There is probably not much more that you can do.Acupuncture or physiotherapy. Hot water bags . My mum had spinal stenosis.