Cure for lower back pain takes 10mins of low invasive treatment.

Mbaker

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I suffered for decades with lower back pain when playing football. When I got with my girlfriend now wife, she identiied that I had a muscle imbalance - too many sit ups and no back extensions (would have been better off doing nothing).

My symptoms were a tightening of the lower back muscles when playing football, which meant having to stop for 30 seconds and then being able to go again; if I walked the dog it was agony when she tugged a little.

I eventually listened to my wife and exercised my back muscles. Diabetes meant I exercised more which ironically has resolved my back condition. If I could go back, I would have exercised opposing muscle groups and or taken up Yoga or Pilates.
 
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lucylocket61

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My husband back pain is caused by being born with a slightly twisted spine. The only thing which has worked for his is radio fequency denervation this year. It will hopefully work for about a year, then he is back to constant pain.
 
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ickihun

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I suffered for decades with lower back pain when playing football. When I got with my girlfriend now wife, she identiied that I had a muscle imbalance - too many sit ups and no back extensions (would have been better off doing nothing).

My symptoms were a tightening of the lower back muscles when playing football, which meant having to stop for 30 seconds and then being able to go again; if I walked the dog it was agony when she tugged a little.

I eventually listened to my wife and exercised my back muscles. Diabetes meant I exercised more which ironically has resolved my back condition. If I could go back, I would have exercised opposing muscle groups and or taken up Yoga or Pilates.
Mine not muscular. Bulging disc lying on sciatic nerve. Cannot afford acupuncture or similar to relieve. Numb and dropped toe giving none painful blisters. Seeing yearly check-up late Jaunuary/early February so will ask for footcare support.
Having physio, on-going to strengthen muscles too. Numbness is off and on.
 
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Mep

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Mine not muscular. Bulging disc lying on sciatic nerve. Cannot afford acupuncture or similar to relieve. Numb and dropped toe giving none painful blisters. Seeing yearly check-up late Jaunuary/early February so will ask for footcare support.
Having physio, on-going to strengthen muscles too. Numbness is off and on.

I'm the same as you @ickihun - I have 3 bulging discs in my lower back. The L5/S1 is leaning on my sciatic nerve sheath though and it's a central bulge so I get pain down both legs. It's worse on my left though. I get the numbness on and off as well. I get a lot of heel pain in my left foot and sometimes my right foot. I'm still getting physio treatment for my car accidents as this only started after my 2nd car accident last November. This medical procedure looks better than the surgery option though.
 
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ickihun

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I'm the same as you @ickihun - I have 3 bulging discs in my lower back. The L5/S1 is leaning on my sciatic nerve sheath though and it's a central bulge so I get pain down both legs. It's worse on my left though. I get the numbness on and off as well. I get a lot of heel pain in my left foot and sometimes my right foot. I'm still getting physio treatment for my car accidents as this only started after my 2nd car accident last November. This medical procedure looks better than the surgery option though.
You take care of yourself. Was due to walk in snow this afternoon but hubby has jumped in to save my day. Phew!!!

I'm excited about this treatment. I want it now.
I'm fighting with myself as to whether I should nag my gp for that kind of help. He really needs his appointments for ill people so I'll wait til after xmas.
I'm still using tramadol. From 6-8tablets everyday. That is where the heavy water tummy has developed from. I will tell gp when I see him next. I'm hoping to join tier4 for bariatric surgery in January. I've just started to lose again after 8wks of stabilizing. 4st off on lowcarb, so far.
Weight loss hasn't improved my back problem but given me back more painfree moments on tramadol.
 
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Bluetit1802

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I had a bulging disc pressing on the sciatic nerve. It disabled me to the extent I couldn't work, and on my bad days I couldn't sit for more than a couple of minutes, and couldn't walk more than a few yards. Some nights in bed the sciatic pain in my leg was so intense I screamed to my husband to cut my leg off. When the flare ups were really bad I had to eat my meals kneeling on the floor. (The dogs loved that!). The pain wasn't really in my back it was all down the sciatic nerve. I had all the primary treatments - tablets, physiotherapy, cortisone injections right into the spinal cord. Brief relief only. Eventually I was given the operation to remove the disc. When they opened me up they discovered the disc had ruptured and lots of the bits were clinging to the nerve. They managed to remove them all including what was left of the disc. From the moment I woke up from the operation to this day (over 30 years later) I have been pain free with no after effects or back issues at all.
 
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ickihun

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I had a bulging disc pressing on the sciatic nerve. It disabled me to the extent I couldn't work, and on my bad days I couldn't sit for more than a couple of minutes, and couldn't walk more than a few yards. Some nights in bed the sciatic pain in my leg was so intense I screamed to my husband to cut my leg off. When the flare ups were really bad I had to eat my meals kneeling on the floor. (The dogs loved that!). The pain wasn't really in my back it was all down the sciatic nerve. I had all the primary treatments - tablets, physiotherapy, cortisone injections right into the spinal cord. Brief relief only. Eventually I was given the operation to remove the disc. When they opened me up they discovered the disc had ruptured and lots of the bits were clinging to the nerve. They managed to remove them all including what was left of the disc. From the moment I woke up from the operation to this day (over 30 years later) I have been pain free with no after effects or back issues at all.
That was me before tramadol. It gave me my life back!!!!
 
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Alexandra100

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I suffered for decades with lower back pain when playing football. When I got with my girlfriend now wife, she identiied that I had a muscle imbalance - too many sit ups and no back extensions (would have been better off doing nothing).

My symptoms were a tightening of the lower back muscles when playing football, which meant having to stop for 30 seconds and then being able to go again; if I walked the dog it was agony when she tugged a little.

I eventually listened to my wife and exercised my back muscles. Diabetes meant I exercised more which ironically has resolved my back condition. If I could go back, I would have exercised opposing muscle groups and or taken up Yoga or Pilates.
And who recently went in for a 100 pressups a day or similar challenge? Further strengthening those "mirror muscles" down the front? How about balancing that now with a 100 pullups a day one to strengthen your back? (Just saying!)
 

Brunneria

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Well, I am going to offer a different view.
I think this article is rather misleading.
It mentions 'lower back pain' as being very widespread and affecting huge numbers of people.
Then it goes on to sing the praises of a specific treatment for a specific issue.

Fine, if you have been diagnosed with that particular issue, then this could be WONDERFUL for you.
But implying that vast numbers of ppl 'with lower back pain' will be helped by this specific treatment is bad journalism.

(in my case, I have lower back pain from an unstable sacroileac joint. So while I am delighted for anyone who will benefit from this new treatment, it won't be me)

There are many, many reasons why ppl get lower back pain, from fallen arches, to bad posture, to muscle strain, to spinal curvature, and so on... I'm guessing they won't be helped either.

I was also pretty horrified by the video interview. obviously someone who thinks they know about back pain, and obviously someone who hands out terrible advice to people like me on a daily basis. Take pain killers. If it is hurting less, don't bother your doc. Rely on pain killers.

My doc never even examined me when I turned up in his surgery with a new and v painful lower back.
'Rest it and take anti-inflammatories' he said.
Two years later, after chronic pain off and on for the whole of that time, I went to a chiropractor. Who actually examined me.
'You have a displaced sacroiliac joint. I can put it straight back into place (he did. It took 5 minutes), but it has been out for so long, it is now unstable and you may have problems further down the line.'
And I do.
I now displace it sitting in a chair and bending to pick something of the floor, or twisting to open a low kitchen cupboard. I can't carry a shopping bag on one side, I have to weight myself equally with a bag in each hand, or - you've guessed it - it pops out of place as I walk from the shop to the car. I am in pain on most chairs.
I am also able to click it back into place, myself, sitting on a dining chair and twisting.
The pain is chronic, with occasional agony.
Great fun.
And each time it goes out of place it reinforces the instability.

Exercise is great for it. But it has to be EXACTLY the right exercises, done with infinitesimal escalations, over time, or I do more harm than good.

Moral of the story: Don't wait and hope it will get better. Don't rely on painkillers until it seems to go away. Go to someone who cares enough to give you a proper diagnosis. And please recognise that leaving something until it is chronic is NOT always the best option.
 
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Mep

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Well, I am going to offer a different view.
I think this article is rather misleading.
It mentions 'lower back pain' as being very widespread and affecting huge numbers of people.
Then it goes on to sing the praises of a specific treatment for a specific issue.

Fine, if you have been diagnosed with that particular issue, then this could be WONDERFUL for you.
But implying that vast numbers of ppl 'with lower back pain' will be helped by this specific treatment is bad journalism.

(in my case, I have lower back pain from an unstable sacroileac joint. So while I am delighted for anyone who will benefit from this new treatment, it won't be me)

There are many, many reasons why ppl get lower back pain, from fallen arches, to bad posture, to muscle strain, to spinal curvature, and so on... I'm guessing they won't be helped either.

I was also pretty horrified by the video interview. obviously someone who thinks they know about back pain, and obviously someone who hands out terrible advice to people like me on a daily basis. Take pain killers. If it is hurting less, don't bother your doc. Rely on pain killers.

My doc never even examined me when I turned up in his surgery with a new and v painful lower back.
'Rest it and take anti-inflammatories' he said.
Two years later, after chronic pain off and on for the whole of that time, I went to a chiropractor. Who actually examined me.
'You have a displaced sacroiliac joint. I can put it straight back into place (he did. It took 5 minutes), but it has been out for so long, it is now unstable and you may have problems further down the line.'
And I do.
I now displace it sitting in a chair and bending to pick something of the floor, or twisting to open a low kitchen cupboard. I can't carry a shopping bag on one side, I have to weight myself equally with a bag in each hand, or - you've guessed it - it pops out of place as I walk from the shop to the car. I am in pain on most chairs.
I am also able to click it back into place, myself, sitting on a dining chair and twisting.
The pain is chronic, with occasional agony.
Great fun.
And each time it goes out of place it reinforces the instability.

Exercise is great for it. But it has to be EXACTLY the right exercises, done with infinitesimal escalations, over time, or I do more harm than good.

Moral of the story: Don't wait and hope it will get better. Don't rely on painkillers until it seems to go away. Go to someone who cares enough to give you a proper diagnosis. And please recognise that leaving something until it is chronic is NOT always the best option.

Yes, you're right there. It's specific to disc problems this article so of no help to other conditions. I'm sorry to hear you get so much pain with your sacroiliac joint. It must be equally annoying too when it keeps popping out. Chiropractors are a great help. I went to one for a while years back and apparently my spine is quite crooked according to him. By the time he finished with me it was even more crooked... so not sure that was a good sign. I stopped seeing him. I also have a chiro in my family though and they all know each other here. For me I had car accidents and I started complaining about my lower back and shoulder after my 2nd accident as both were very painful. It felt like I'd done something to both of them. Just walking it was feeling like my back was going to lock up. After some insisting and months and months later the scans were done and turns out I do have injuries.... the bulging discs and the bursitis with impingement. At the moment I'm not getting much better with either of them. The cortisone injection in the shoulder wears off quick so I'm not sure it will be a good idea for my back problem. This procedure looks like a great idea though. Sorry if I'm rambling... exhausted.
 

Mep

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You take care of yourself. Was due to walk in snow this afternoon but hubby has jumped in to save my day. Phew!!!

I'm excited about this treatment. I want it now.
I'm fighting with myself as to whether I should nag my gp for that kind of help. He really needs his appointments for ill people so I'll wait til after xmas.
I'm still using tramadol. From 6-8tablets everyday. That is where the heavy water tummy has developed from. I will tell gp when I see him next. I'm hoping to join tier4 for bariatric surgery in January. I've just started to lose again after 8wks of stabilizing. 4st off on lowcarb, so far.
Weight loss hasn't improved my back problem but given me back more painfree moments on tramadol.

You take care of yourself too. I'm glad to hear hubby saved your day.

It may be a good idea next time you see your doc to mention it to him. I'm not sure if you're like me, as I see my doc every 2-3 weeks on average, it gets ridiculous. If there's something I want to discuss in more detail I make a mention of it and say I'll like to discuss it in next appointment... as don't want my doc going over time. That way it gives him a chance to do any research, etc. for himself beforehand.
 

ickihun

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You take care of yourself too. I'm glad to hear hubby saved your day.

It may be a good idea next time you see your doc to mention it to him. I'm not sure if you're like me, as I see my doc every 2-3 weeks on average, it gets ridiculous. If there's something I want to discuss in more detail I make a mention of it and say I'll like to discuss it in next appointment... as don't want my doc going over time. That way it gives him a chance to do any research, etc. for himself beforehand.
I like that. I think I'll try it too. I have a good gp. I'm only bothering him for anything urgent at mo as the winter health complications for others in his practice too. I'm mindful of but not to my detriment.
Like you I'm sure I'll need to see him over the winter. I'll mention it like that at end of that consultation. I know only in it's testing and placebo testing report so far but I'm definitely interested. In fact it has lifted my spirits. I've lost another 1kg this week. Hoping a changer for me. A good psychologist appointment through week too. It was exhausting but very very helpful. She will sign me up for bariatric surgery if I can confirm my way forward is in the right direction.
 
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Mbaker

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And who recently went in for a 100 pressups a day or similar challenge? Further strengthening those "mirror muscles" down the front? How about balancing that now with a 100 pullups a day one to strengthen your back? (Just saying!)
Good point. My only mitigation is that the pushups were in addition to my regular balanced training. I have kept the pushups going but sometimes just 60 as a finisher in a row.
 

ickihun

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Awful, isn't it! :arghh: But Tramadol only numbs the pain. It doesn't cure it. The operation cured mine.
For sure.
I know your operation is done very very rarely now. I don't know why, as it gives people their life back.
Seems like the nhs has gone onto more keyhole surgery these days. My bariatric op should be keyhole too. A much quicker recover time. How long were you in hospital? You werent diabetic then, were you?
 

Bluetit1802

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For sure.
I know your operation is done very very rarely now. I don't know why, as it gives people their life back.
Seems like the nhs has gone onto more keyhole surgery these days. My bariatric op should be keyhole too. A much quicker recover time. How long were you in hospital? You werent diabetic then, were you?

No I wasn't diabetic. It was in 1985 and was a rare operation in those days, but became more common later. It was deemed dangerous due to the closeness to the spinal cord and of course there was no technology to help the surgeon in those days. I imagine that today it is far less dangerous. I doubt keyhole had been invented back then. The operation took 6 hours because the disc had burst and spread all the bits round the nerve. I should have been in hospital 10 days, which was the normal time after all major ops then. (indeed 10 days was the normal time for births that were perfectly normal ones. We weren't even allowed to wash our hair or have a bath for 4 days!) I discharged myself earlier than the 10 days as I was walking about on day 1, swimming in the hydrotherapy pool on day 2, all my obs were normal very quickly, I was painfree and only on antibiotic tablets, and I wanted to go home!
 

Alexandra100

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Good point. My only mitigation is that the pushups were in addition to my regular balanced training. I have kept the pushups going but sometimes just 60 as a finisher in a row.
So how about some extra back training to balance the extra front training?
 

ickihun

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Well, I am going to offer a different view.
I think this article is rather misleading.
It mentions 'lower back pain' as being very widespread and affecting huge numbers of people.
Then it goes on to sing the praises of a specific treatment for a specific issue.

Fine, if you have been diagnosed with that particular issue, then this could be WONDERFUL for you.
But implying that vast numbers of ppl 'with lower back pain' will be helped by this specific treatment is bad journalism.

(in my case, I have lower back pain from an unstable sacroileac joint. So while I am delighted for anyone who will benefit from this new treatment, it won't be me)

There are many, many reasons why ppl get lower back pain, from fallen arches, to bad posture, to muscle strain, to spinal curvature, and so on... I'm guessing they won't be helped either.

I was also pretty horrified by the video interview. obviously someone who thinks they know about back pain, and obviously someone who hands out terrible advice to people like me on a daily basis. Take pain killers. If it is hurting less, don't bother your doc. Rely on pain killers.

My doc never even examined me when I turned up in his surgery with a new and v painful lower back.
'Rest it and take anti-inflammatories' he said.
Two years later, after chronic pain off and on for the whole of that time, I went to a chiropractor. Who actually examined me.
'You have a displaced sacroiliac joint. I can put it straight back into place (he did. It took 5 minutes), but it has been out for so long, it is now unstable and you may have problems further down the line.'
And I do.
I now displace it sitting in a chair and bending to pick something of the floor, or twisting to open a low kitchen cupboard. I can't carry a shopping bag on one side, I have to weight myself equally with a bag in each hand, or - you've guessed it - it pops out of place as I walk from the shop to the car. I am in pain on most chairs.
I am also able to click it back into place, myself, sitting on a dining chair and twisting.
The pain is chronic, with occasional agony.
Great fun.
And each time it goes out of place it reinforces the instability.

Exercise is great for it. But it has to be EXACTLY the right exercises, done with infinitesimal escalations, over time, or I do more harm than good.

Moral of the story: Don't wait and hope it will get better. Don't rely on painkillers until it seems to go away. Go to someone who cares enough to give you a proper diagnosis. And please recognise that leaving something until it is chronic is NOT always the best option.
I remember when I first made a thread after gp told me it was my sacroiliac joint. Physio said no. Definitely bulging disc.
Do you get scatica and numbness too? Its affected my right foot to the degree of I don't feel blisters forming. Toe has dropped and rubbing on the next one along.
Thankfully I have my yearly foot check on 28th. Earlier this year which is a godsend.
I just cannot afford private care. I've stopped r-ala due to lack of funds too. Hoping after xmas i'll have spare cash to resume r-ala again. Doubt it thou as we are needing paints and wear and tear replacement items for the home.
My back has been managed by nhs care as I cannot afford any other. If still no real help by 2025 I will be able to use one of my 4 pensions to fully resolve or pay for skin removal from bariatric op. For now. Nhs only :(
You are right thou about not putting up with insuffient care. I really cannot fault my diabetes care which at times has to come first. Or third, in our hoùse.
Any chance of an op to give your unstable joint the support it needs? Does the nhs just brush you off with painkillers too?
I hope you're at a good place with your joint at mo. Does anti-inflammatory relieve your pain suffiently? I know I was taking naproxen which was reported in the press as unsuitable for 65yr olds (like my mum) and over due to raised blood pressure. Cardiologist at a&e took me off them. One of my blood test came back with very little inflammation. Even though I had a case of asthma and was diagnosed after a breathing test.
So far I've had no illness like last winter where I couldnt breath now I'm on inhalers. I'm led to believe my asthma is caused by acid reflux and swelling from tramadol around my stomach. Maybe?
 

Mbaker

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So how about some extra back training to balance the extra front training?
My go to exercise is a compound dumbbell squat (that does lower back as well as glutes etc), to standing bicep curl, to shoulder press, I do this slowly on the up and down movement for around 6 reps and then faster for 4 reps - really concentrating on form. I have done around 8 sets today. Once my extensor is mended I can't wait to get in heavy dead lifting... just done my 9th dumbbell set.
 
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