my back problems

[Agamemnon]

I don't know if this is the right place but since someone is using a home improvement thread to talk about a test they take to be able to sell securities, this is as good a place as any. (FYI, I passed the Series 7 in 1989 and worked as a institutional trader for 7+ years before jumping to the med/tech industry. the 7 is something you can easily study too hard for so relax and take it slowly)
Anyway, I'm going in for some MRI's on Monday. I have two issues with the back, one in the neck and one in the lower back. I'm going to list what's wrong and then ask some questions as to who others have done if they have had similar problems. I don't need doctors. I work with some very highly placed docs who have found me some world class neurologists and orthos. I'm just not totally diagnosed yet so there's nothing we can do. In addition, as much as I love doctors, they only know how to treat things medically and I am convinced that there are some alternatives sometimes, not some crystal rubbing hack making me hang out under a pyramid of twigs and lavender and definitely not some chiropractor who is more interested in getting me back in twice a week; alternatives like really strong herbs from Bolivia and little Asian guys who stick needles in my back and make me drift off in some haze only to come back as a spiritual, talking turtle who spreads advice in newspapers in Russia. Here's what happening to me. My neck - I have a soft tissue mass, most likely a calcium build up that is making my arms numb when I lay down flat to go to bed. Sleeping is a new adventure in hell. Waking up numerous times with throbbing, numb arms is nothing to wish on anyone. The hope is that this is exactly a calcium deposit and that it can be treated with a steroid that can dissolve it. Has anyone ever had this happen and had it treated like this? Is there anything aside from anti-inflammatory to treat the issue and muscle relaxers to help me sleep, that I can try out?

Next is the arthritic lower back that is showing a "narrowing of space between discs." This is the part that worries me. I climb; rock climb and alpining. It's the only way I can relax and the only way I can find sanity. If I have disc issues in my lower back I feel like I am facing a life of walkers, canes and drugs that will only serve to push my fiction writing career in another direction. I plan on seeing everyone from shaman to acupuncturists to witch-doctors before I let anyone cut me. Anyone have issues there and have other ways of getting through the days without drugs and inactivity?

This sounds like a I've just sent out invites to a pity-party for me. While I can't argue this too much, it truly isn't my intent. It's just that I'm new to this and am very worried about what lies in front of me. I like working on my house, climbing, walking the dog, etc. too much and I don't want this out of my life yet. So I'm searching anywhere and everywhere for solutions, alternatives, treatments, advice, etc.

 

[autohorn]

I know how you feel. Back problems have a funny way of really making you appreciate simple ordinary things you used to take for granted like mowing the lawn.

Surgery is not the end of the world. I went under the knife in May to have a herniated disk in my lower back repaired. The first 72 hours were miserable due to pain of the incision, but this healed up pretty quickly. I also couldn’t lift anything heavier than 10 lbs. for six weeks.

Since then I have had no pain at all in my legs and very little in my back. Sometimes my back hurts a little when I first wake up in the morning, but it goes away after I get up and move around a little bit. My lower back also gets a little stiff when I stand for a long time. Other than that my life is pretty much as it was before the surgery.

Is physical therapy an option for your lower back condition if you don’t want to get cut on? I know most disk herniations are managed with physical therapy rather than surgery. Mine was so severe I didn’t have a choice.

For your upper back problem- this is probably a long shot, but if the culprit is a calcium deposit I wonder if it would it be possible to deal with it with ultrasound? My next-door neighbor had a bad problem with kidney stones, which are also calcium deposits. His doctor was able to break them up with ultrasound instead of doing anything invasive. Perhaps they can do something similar for your back.

 

[Bevoette]

Have you tried heat and message threapy? I mean realy message.

I have a friend who was with the Brazo County Sheriff Dept. and she worked at the mens prision/jail and worked 12+ hour shifts on her feet and walked and sometimes struggled with the prisoners. She was having back issues, she started perscription IB then muscle relaxers at before bed but was tired of the druggie feeling when she woke up. She went to a message therapist.. Thing is her problem was not as severe as yours. She also used those "heat" pads that stick to you durring shifts. She no longer works there or on her feet for 12 hours so she's doing better.

I hope you can find some relief.