Posted by Monetta Roberts on November 24, 2004 at 06:43:37:
In Reply to: Help! posted by Annette Porter-Ham on November 23, 2004 at 07:08:20:
Annette;
Oy! I feel your pain too, though maybe not to the extent that you do. I've had chronic low back pain for years that I've always blamed on racewalking--I actually have a huge knot in the front of my right psoas that you can feel, and in addition to that pulling on my pelvis and spine, I'm certain something else is medically determinably wrong with my lower spine.
However, I don't WANT it diagnosed---I don't want to know what it is, because it doesn't matter to me what it is, I personally would never consider spinal surgery. Which is not to say that you shouldn't. It's just that it seems like most spine surgeries fail, although I do know, or know of, less than a handful of people whose conditions were improved through surgery. The others' advice to get another opinion is something that I agree you should do, without fail, post haste.
Even though you are in acute pain right now, if you are able to get you back calmed down a bit, I will tell you something that gives me great relief (but please, keep in mind that your problem sounds more severe than mine): I've found, through trial and error, that when I consistently practice yoga, EVERY day, my spine feels like a normal human one. One video I have that is particularly helpful is one for flexibility and I stick mostly to the backbends half of the tape. Granted, while doing the backbends, it hurts like heck and I can't even halfway do some of the (not tricky dance) moves; but even though it hurts, it truly feels like everything is getting mushed back into the spinal column where it all belongs. And once I've finished, it feels better soon. I've had some good (and some not all that good) results from chiropractic care, but even the best results with that have always been short lived for me. The relief I get through yoga lasts as long as I remember to do it every day. For me, when my back is bad, it seems like ALL the muscles in my back get recruited and end up hurting--it's enough to drive a girl crazy.
Another thing that helps me a lot is to sleep with a pillow under or between my knees, and another good sized pillow under my waist--whether I'm on my back or on my side. I got that tip from a physical therapist who said that helps prevent your spine from sagging and thereby promoting any bulging tendancies your discs may have. (Heaven forbid I ever wind up waking flat on my belly---I can barely manage to turn over.) The same PT said that even though it may feel better to stretch by leaning forward, it's actually better, spinewise, to lean backwards: again, that helps mush things back where they belong. He also showed me a poor man's traction trick---find some *stable* surface (kitchen counter, table, fence, etc.) that's about waist high, give or take: with arms as straight down as possible, place your palms on the surface and lift you body weight off the ground. Again, it hurts my lower back a bit, but in a good way. (It's really hard on my puny wrists.)
You say some of your pain feels electric, which you know means there's nerve involvement. You're going to have to find a way to get things calmed down, but if I were you, I would save surgery for an absolute last ditch effort, after everything else had failed.
My last thought is that I can't say enough good things about my massage therapist, Karin Armstrong (cell 554-7120). She's incredible smart about the body, is highly skilled, and, in short, has on numerous occasions worked miracles on this tired, worn out body.
Good luck, let us know what helps you.
Monetta