Why does my back have to hurt?

Question

I'm so tired of this..I have two protruding disks pinching my spinal cord and my life is being deprived. Everything I want to do or used to enjoy doing is now a huge struggle and sends shooting pains through my lower back and right leg. I want to be happy again. i want to be able to sit on the couch and be comfortable. I want to cuddle with my boyfriend and not feel my leg tingling and throbbing. I want this pain to go away. I want people to understand the pain and talk to me. I feel alone. I feel like this issue is changing me.. transforming me into a hateful negative person. Physical Therapy is getting worse.. Is Surgery the answer?

Answer 1

There are many things that might make someone a good (or at least a possible) candidate for surgery including:

1. Emergent cases such as in those who have cauda equine syndrome characterized by inability to uninate and inability to control your bowels

2. Those with constant symptoms (meaning there is never a a time symptoms are not felt. Constant does NOT mean simply : "I feel it everytime I move", or "everytime I sit", etc) that always radiates to the foot

3. Those who fail to demonstrate "centralization" with a confirmed mechanical diagnosis of irreducible derragement as described under Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy guidelines.

4. Those with signficant widespread neurological symptoms

5. Those with significant focal weakness (such as foot drop).

Conversely, those who have intermittent pain or pain that sometimes localizes to the spine with only intermittent pain to the leg demonstrate good potential to heal conservatively. Those who are satisfied with their job, avoid smoking and have an internal local of control are all that much better off with conservative care.

The fact that you are worsening, however, is a potential indicator that you may need further care. You may need either a different approach to physical therapy (I highly suggest you see a PT who is certified in mechanical diagnosis and therapy...they can tell you if you have a good potential to heal...go to: http://www.mckenziemdt.org)...or you may need to follow up with a neurosurgeon.

Just like medicine, it's wise to get a second opinion in physical therapy if your current PT is not helping. Just because one method is not helping does not mean another will not.

Good luck

Answer 2

Only those that suffer like you can answer that one. I have osteo-arthritis in the severe degenerative stages. I have 32 wires and 32 screws in my spine, twelve cadaver bones and my own hip bones holding me together, along with two cages in my lower spine. None of it is working. I finally went to a neurologist, he put in a Medtronic spinal stimulator, I can control the feeling into my lower half. It's like being reborn again. After fourteen years of suffering I'm alive.
It's not perfect, it's about 70% I went from six vicodin and day to one, sometimes two, I went off all other drugs.

See your neurologist, preferably from a pain clinic and see what they tell you. Eletronics are replacing drugs by leaps and jumps, it's the new idea and, it workd.

It's not going to heal me, I know that, it's to late but, it does give me a better chance at life without pain, I know it's there.

Answer 3

well I feel for you hun, but you need to go to a specialist that deals with spinal problems, you may have to have surgery to aleviate the pain, they can do laproscopic surgery for your problem now. So talk to your dr.