Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Pain - what to do?

Collapse
X
Collapse
 
  • Page of 2
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts
Previous 1 2 template Next
  • #1

    Pain - what to do?

    Background - Diagnosed in 1981 with a s-curve. Very progressive. Wore a Milwalkee brace from 1981-1986. I had back surgery in 1989....spinal fusion with Harrington rods and bone from my hip.

    Now at 35 I am in worse pain than ever. I am waiting for another dr. appt which is August 15th. I went back in Dec and had an MRI, Myleogram and they didn't see anything abnormal (for my back anyway). The pain subsided so I let it slide. Now, it is back with a vengence. My hips are in pain. The lower part of my back and tailbone feel like they are burning. My back feels like it just buckles sometimes. My right hip, leg and foot go numb ( like prickles). The pain from sitting all day at a desk is not bearable.

    While I wait for my appt what can I do for the pain??????
    Background - Diagnosed in 1981 with a s-curve. Very progressive. Wore a Milwalkee brace from 1981-1986. I had back surgery in 1989....spinal fusion with Harrington rods and bone from my hip.
    Tags: None
  • #2
    maybe this will help

    Some people get temporary relief by using heat (to relax muscles) or ice (to decrease swelling and "numb" the involved area). Sometimes wearing a TENS unit helps block nerve pain (that requires a prescription and a trip to P.T.). Some people take prescription drugs such as Neurotin or Lyrica to decrease the intensity of nerve pain. If the disc at an un-fused area is causing symptoms, some people benefit from traction (P.T.) or epidural steroid injections to that level (usually done by an anaesthestiologist). Speaking of traction, it's summer here in Michigan and lots of people find relief by wearing a floatation vest or holding onto a couple of "noodles" and floating in the deep end of a pool (legs hanging down to create traction).
    Last edited by gardenjen; 07-20-2006, 04:12 PM. Reason: spelling...I must have been in a hurry!

    Comment

    • #3
      ...continued

      Me again. Sorry, I forgot to mention that those things can be prescribed by a family doctor if you have a long wait to see an orthopedist.
      Thinking of you,
      -Jen.

      Comment

      • #4
        for mocity

        See an adult scoliosis specialist with experience dealing with prior fusions. Anyone else is a waste of time, money and pain.
        Original scoliosis surgery 1956 T-4 to L-2 ~100 degree thoracic (triple)curves at age 14. NO hardware-lost correction.
        Anterior/posterior revision T-4 to Sacrum in 2002, age 60, by Dr. Boachie-Adjei @Hospital for Special Surgery, NY = 50% correction

        Comment

        • #5
          pain - what to do

          Well sweety it sounds like you have started along the road I have travelled for the past 9 years. The reason the MRI and Myelogram showed nothing is that with the rods in your back it distorts the Xrays and that makes it very, very hard for doctors to work out what actually is going on.
          A lot of the time years after Harrington rod surgery there will be deterioration of the spine below the rods as that lower part has to do all the work, as we have had our spines fused in the upper part of our backs. So all the walking twising and turning etc is done mainly by the few vertebrae that isnt fused.

          It isnt all bad though so please dont get upset. I am still managing to get on with life and I had my operation back in 1966 with the Harrington rods. It will be trial and error really. Just see what helps and what doesnt as some wonderful things have been suggested here.
          I wish you all the luck in the world and would like to know how you are progressing.


          .
          All the best Macky
          Last edited by macky; 07-21-2006, 04:07 AM.
          Operation 1966, Fused from T4 to L3, had Harrington rods inserted. Originally had an 85 degree Thoracic curve with lumbar scoliosis as well but had a good correction.
          Perfectly normal life till 1997 but now in a lot of pain daily. Consider myself very fortunate though.

          Comment

          • #6
            Thanks for all your posts. I am so tired and frustrated with the pain. I guess over the next months I will be on some sort of path to get it figured out.

            Thanks again for all your thoughsts
            Background - Diagnosed in 1981 with a s-curve. Very progressive. Wore a Milwalkee brace from 1981-1986. I had back surgery in 1989....spinal fusion with Harrington rods and bone from my hip.

            Comment

            • #7
              Has anyone done traction? One of my doctors was going to send me to a PT for that, but he was worried as to effect on the rods or fusion since he doesn't know anything about the rods or scoliosis. Up to now, the PT has tried, cold packs, hot packs, TENS, ultrasound, and cortisone injections, but I get relief only while it is being done and then I'm back to my old, creaky, and painful self. I think I am driving the PT crazy, sometimes I feel like I want to tell her a feel so much better so that she won't feel so bad that she can't help me.
              Oh well! Hope everyone starts to feel better soon!!

              Comment

              • #8
                pain and what to do

                Honestly I cant see what good traction would be. I dont think it would be any good at all to be completely honest with you.
                Our backs are fused so what would be the benefit. I know what you mean with the PT ,actually that made me laugh, but honestly has to be the best policy there,
                Have you been to an orthopaedic surgeon?? Or are you talking about your family doctor, general practitioner?
                I have tried all of the things you have tried and actually the tens machine made me feel like I had an electric shock going up my rod. That happen to any of you guys??


                Macky
                Last edited by macky; 07-22-2006, 02:22 AM. Reason: spelling
                Operation 1966, Fused from T4 to L3, had Harrington rods inserted. Originally had an 85 degree Thoracic curve with lumbar scoliosis as well but had a good correction.
                Perfectly normal life till 1997 but now in a lot of pain daily. Consider myself very fortunate though.

                Comment

                • #9
                  gardenjen

                  I'm the P.T. (and mom of a 22 year old daughter with scoliosis) who made the suggestions above. Nothing helps everyone, but some things help some people. I suggested trying traction for un-fused levels. Some adults with scoliosis have histories of short fusions or no fusions and stiffness over time. One of my patients liked traction well enough - seemed to decrease pain from a pinched nerve in her lumbar spine - that she bought a Saunders Home Traction unit on e-bay. Some of those upside-down yoga poses, hanging in deep H20 with a floatation device, etc., basically do those things. Other people have pain because they move too much at an unfused level. Of course, the answer to that is not traction, but "stabilizing" (pilates-type ex, supportive garments, extended fusions, etc.), not making it move more. Sometimes temporary relief is better than no relief as long as you can eventually get it at home.

                  Comment

                  • #10
                    Originally posted by macky

                    I have tried all of the things you have tried and actually the tens machine made me feel like I had an electric shock going up my rod. That happen to any of you guys??


                    Macky
                    Yes, it happened to me as well.
                    35 y/old female from Montreal, Canada
                    Diagnosed with scoliosis(double major) at age 12, wore Boston brace 4 years at least 23 hours a day-curve progressed
                    Surgery age 26 for 60 degree curve in Oct. 1997 by Dr.Max Aebi-fused T5 to L2
                    Surgery age 28 for a hook removal in Feb. 1999 by Dr.Max Aebi-pain free for 5 years
                    Surgery age 34 in Dec.2005 for broken rod replacement, bigger screws and crosslinks added and pseudarthrosis(non union) by Dr. Jean Ouellet

                    Comment

                    • #11
                      pain-what to do

                      Totally agree with you gardenjen you just put it so much better than I did.

                      I know when I was doing hydrotherapy the unfused bottom part of my back felt absolutely fantastic when I put my arms in one of those tyres and then let my body just hang in the water it seemed to stretch the bottom of my spine and honestly it really was absolute bliss, so you are right ,as you stated that, that was a form of traction.

                      That was all that really helped with the PT except for the loverly loverly heat pad that they put on my back and that used to nearly make me go to sleep. Actually I bought a water bed because of all of the above and much against most doctors recommendations that you need a firm mattress I found my water bed just so comfortable as the bits that still stick out in my back actually can sink into the water bed and the warmth helps me get a good nights sleep.

                      I really love these comments and they can help people so very much and it really helps me to find out that I am not the only one getting electric shocks from my tens machine sweetness, had a good giggle at that as well.
                      Just read your medical history sweetness ,gee you have had a bad go of it havent you. I ought not to complain. xx


                      love to all of you you are a great bunch of people
                      Macky
                      Last edited by macky; 07-22-2006, 10:44 PM. Reason: added more
                      Operation 1966, Fused from T4 to L3, had Harrington rods inserted. Originally had an 85 degree Thoracic curve with lumbar scoliosis as well but had a good correction.
                      Perfectly normal life till 1997 but now in a lot of pain daily. Consider myself very fortunate though.

                      Comment

                      • #12
                        I was thinking traction for the unfused parts. Above my fusion, MRI shows absolutely no water or any space on any of the discs in my cervical spine. Some days I feel like just holding up my head is hard. I was hoping the traction would get this pressure off the nerves. Same story below the fusion in the lumbar spine, but the cervical pain causes so much headaches that I am more focused on controlling the cervical pain now. I think we can all agree that a whole spine transplant would be fabulous.

                        Comment

                        • #13
                          pain- what to do

                          I am not a PT but I reckon hydro therapy could probably help you. That is excercising in a heated pool very ,very gently and also putting your arms thru a tyre and just letting the rest of your body hang, while still in the water, and that really does sort of stretch your unfused spine and it really feels fantastic and helped me heaps.

                          I think you may have mis understood my last post about the water, no one has water in their back, sorry if I wasnt clear, I do ramble on a bit sometimes. Have they tried massage with your physio therapist on your cervical spine?
                          I do feel sorry for you as headaches are horrid. Have a talk to your doctor or your PT I reckon anyway good luck sweety.

                          Macky
                          Operation 1966, Fused from T4 to L3, had Harrington rods inserted. Originally had an 85 degree Thoracic curve with lumbar scoliosis as well but had a good correction.
                          Perfectly normal life till 1997 but now in a lot of pain daily. Consider myself very fortunate though.

                          Comment

                          • #14
                            The water I was talking about is the water that is in our discs. All discs have water in the nucleus populsus of the discs, giving it the circle like appearance on MRIs. Once the water or gel like substance breaks there is straight pressure on the nerves. All of the water content in the nucleus populsus of my cervical discs are completely gone, so my discs appear on my MRIs as straight black lines.

                            Comment

                            • #15
                              pain and what to do

                              I didnt know that, thanks for telling me. That really must be terrible.Sometimes my pain is sort of like when we are in the dentists and they strike a nerve.

                              I really wish I could think of something to try and help you MGM Grand but I cant. Loved your line about a complete spinal transplant that I could cope with very nicely!!

                              My thoughts are with you as I just feel for people in pain all the time ,as I have been for ages and to hear of other people as well it really makes me so sad.

                              Macky
                              Operation 1966, Fused from T4 to L3, had Harrington rods inserted. Originally had an 85 degree Thoracic curve with lumbar scoliosis as well but had a good correction.
                              Perfectly normal life till 1997 but now in a lot of pain daily. Consider myself very fortunate though.

                              Comment

                              Previous 1 2 template Next
                              Working...
                              X