Migraine, Auras, Anxiety, Depersonalization,Vision, Parasite, Ibs… please help?
Im 26 and have seemed healthy my whole life until recently. 6 months ago I was lifting a treadmill and felt a slight pop in my back. I began seeing stars and lost peripheral vision. Threw up for an hour and went to the emergeny room. They said my back might hurt next day, it did and i couldnt walk for a month and bascially figured out that I had a aura migraine. I’ve had slight weird symptoms since then like quick short brain rushes, and one week thought my phone was vibrating in my pocket but wasnt. I had my second migraine about 4 weeks ago but I woke up to it at 9am and wasnt as severe, i slept it off but felt hungover for 2 days. Then 2 weeks ago I went wakeboarding and wrecked alot and noticed I had alot of lake water in my nasal cavity and it had that bad lake smell that night. Felt drowned and definiately drank some.. Next day I seemed fine but was super sore all over. That night I had an aura so i popped 6 advil real quick and then the migraine came and it was somewhat bearable. I went to bed and the next day I woke up and I didnt feel right. This went on for two weeks, My vision seemed off almost like I was hungover or stoned or have a spot on my eye, or feeling like i was in a dream, I felt dizzy and vertigo but my hand eye coordination was fine so maybe its more like lightheadedness. The only thing closely describes it is an anxiety disorder called depresonalization. I kept thinking I’d wake up and it would go away but it didnt. I slept all week 14 hours a day and was still exhausted. I got blood tests and everything came back perfect, standard eye test came fine but i felt dizzy. I had an MRI on my brain and that came back fine too. Chiropractor said I have a very stiff and straight twisted neck and it looks like a herniated disc in lower back on the xrays. I play every sport though and my back hasnt all bothered me that bad. Ive gotten 2 adjustments since and starting to wonder if I even need to be going there cause i dont really have that bad of pain. I got a massage as well and she said I was unbelieveably tight. I noticed that it could be anxiety because I started spinning in the room when i saw xrays and had a panic attack, which has never ever happenend to me before. I also had clay colored bowel movements for a week and now its pure green and small bowel movements. I decided that since my mri and blood test came back super healthy that I have to have an anxiety disorder. I always have thought to have ADHD and my head talks to itself but I have always just felt pretty chill and used to it. Ive smoked weed for 6 years and never had anxiety problems except for the sometime paranoia after a smoke. Ive always been kinda hyper, funny, and pretty happy. I just got out of a 2 year relationship and have been sad at times, but never ever thought that anxiety was there or that I was sad more than the ordinary. I had rouger break ups when I was younger that I learned from..I never even thought anxiety even made physical problems as debilitating as vertigo or making me as sick as ive been if thats really what i have. I was reading so much symptoms on the internet I think I drove myself to panic attacks and anxiety, but i think its natural to start to flip out or have anxiety when your eyes dont work and you feel like you might die or your vision will never change. Because the first few days after that migraine I didnt have anxiety, just dizziness and weird feeling. Also around town people have been getting insane ragweed allergies, people who have never had them, I have a terrible nose and mri showed minor deviated septum. Ive always had bad colds in winter and allergies all summer. I decided to get sudafed, eye drops, chiropractic adjustments, massages and concentrate on thinking positive and laying on the floor and breathing well when I felt more dizzy. I stopped weed and alchol to try to take away anything that has an effect on anxiety. I felt the visual problems go away a little bit after 2 days of that but had alot more panic attacks. My mom gave me an adderrall to try from one of her friends cause it couldnt hurt to see what happens… I went to a festival after that and had a few beers and felt good then anxious then good then anxious. I met up with a friend later and went out and got wasted and for once actually felt like I was feeling kinda normal. I had brown stool finally last night after drinking and woke up hungover today but I feel like alot of my visual stuff and panic is gone.. I was even able to go to work today first time in 2 weeks. I decided my green stool is very unexplainable so I looked for answers today and read about having human parasites. I ingested a ton of lake water when I was wakeboarding and I found that some lake water parasites have caused people insane anxiety and vertigo ajnd neck stiffness and confusion. I have almost every single symptom of a parasite except diarrehea. That could also explain why after 2 1/2 weeks I
I had a fracture of my L4L5 when it healed I had sciatica but nothing like now. one day I twisted and felt the huge pain and then there were no more sciatica problems. Fast forward 2 years and I pulled a muscle a week ago at work my back feels good now but I have the WORST pain I have ever felt in the right rear cheek down the back of the right thigh and into the calf. I get 3 hours into sleep and bam I wake up in horrible pain so bad that I toss and turn for an hour or more unable to get comfortable. I’m going to see a chiropractor Monday but I need any advice on how to get through the weekend. I’ve tried Icy hot, muscle relaxers, Ibprophen. Any advice from personal experience would be greatly appreciated
I have had back problems for about a year now, and recently the pain has transferred into my calf and I’ve experienced numbness in my foot, so I presumably have sciatica due to a spine misalignment. I’ve been to my chiropractor a few times now, and the pain is preventing me from doing just about anything. I just don’t know what to do. I’m taking tylenol, but it doesn’t seem to help. I’ve also been losing sleep because I have to get up in the middle of the night to walk around for an hour, and then I have to get up really early because I just can’t sleep with the pain. It is really awful and I could really use some advice. Thanks.
I have suffered from a pretty bad herniated disc in my lower back for the past 3 years. I am 48 now. Over this time, I have had various injection procedures, that have produced little relief, unfortunately. My doctor doesn’t think my condition warrants a ’strong’ painkiller and he is so afraid of me getting addicted (I have no evidence of addiction in my medical history), that the only drug he has agreed to prescribe for me is one called Voltaren XR, which helps somewhat, but I wish I could have something stronger because I personally think it warrants it. I’m going to see him again soon and talk to him again about it, but I am not too hopeful. Anyway, this condition has limited me somewhat in my daily activities over this time. However, lately, like in the last week or so, I have noticed my back pain has dramatically increased for some unknown reason, and along with it, very persistent painful headaches. Usually, when I have had a headache in the past, some aspirin would take care of it. But since the onset of this increased back pain, aspirin does little if anything to ease the headache pain. I haven’t tried any of those so-called ‘extra strength’ headache remedies yet. I am 99% convinced my headache pain is due to the increased back pain, as the headaches began at exactly the same time as the increased back pain. All I have been able to do is stretch, and lie on a heating pad to gain some relief, but it is very annoying, as the headaches just persist for hours and hours. The headaches are more bothersome actually than the back pain, although that also is noticeably worse. Why all of a sudden my back pain is worse and these headaches, I don’t know. I don’t recall having strained my back lately or anything. The seasons are changing from winter to spring…maybe that might have something to do with it. But I am really at a loss to explain it. I was thinking of maybe trying one of those OTC back pain products like Doan’s Pills, but I really don’t know if they are effective. If you’ve used one of these products and found relief let me know, as I don’t want to waste money on something that won’t help. And also something for the headaches…I could try those extra strength products, but again, who knows. Again, if you could recommend a good product or products to try for back/headache pain resulting from this condition, please let me know. I don’t know where I am going with this back condition. I am considering chiropractic…what have I got to lose. Surgery has been mentioned, but I know with surgery it’s a gamble, sometimes you get better, sometimes you actually might get worse. It is very frustrating. And then you see all these so called ‘gimmicks’ advertised everywhere for back pain because it is so common, you really don’t know what works and what doesn’t.. I don’t want to do any more injections, I’m fed up with them. If you have any other general thoughts or suggestions, please share them with me, as I am starting to feel a bit desperate. Thanks.
In pain about 4 years now.
Started in upper back region: In the mid-trapezius region.
It was very specific to that point. But I was also having moderate neck discomfort.
Gradually over 4 years it has spread to:
- Neck pain on left side
- tension headaches on left side
- Eye discomfort and pressure – on left side
- Film forming on eye (maybe pterygium) – on left side
- Symptoms that mimic sinusitis & facial pain – on left side
(have had tests & xrays, no sinusitis)
- Constant back pain and muscle tension radiating from the point I described above – on left side
And now more recently
- Symptoms of sciatica, in hip/butt, starting to radiate down – on left side
Could it be sciatica since it started in upper back? Or is it something else that is also now affecting sciatic nerve.
Chiropractor has not been able to help. Dentist says it is not tooth-related.
Ice helps temporarily. Ibuprofen slightly & temporarily helps pain but not tension, tightness, burning.
I began a walking regimen, about a mile a day for a few weeks and the symptoms got worse.
Don’t know what it could be & not sure of what doctor or treatment to try next.
I have a back injury related to an elevator accident. I have a herniated disc in L5 S1. It’s worker’s comp related & they did NOT approve epidural injections that my pain management doc suggested nor did they approve physical therapy.
I decided to get a lawyer involved and have the shots anyways despite pros/cons & since workers comp takes too long to approve anything. Its now been a year and nothings done. They gave me a choice of doctors (by the time they approve stuff, I will already have had the shots).
Which speciality is best (I chose relevant ones on their list) ? Keep in mind that I will already have had shots and that they "randomly" select THREE docs in that specialty so I cant go to my "own."
(1) Orthopaedic Surgery
(2) Pain Management – Anesthesiology
(3) Pain Management – Pain Medicine
(4) Physical Medicine & Rehab
(5) Acupuncture
(6) Chiropractic – Orthopaedic
(7) Chiropractic – Sports Medicine
(8) Chiropractic – Rehab
I have a small herniation between L5 and L6 that my chiropractor showed me from a series of MRI films I gave him. I get excruciating pain down the left side of my hips and leg–it feels like sciatica because the disc is pinching those nerves.
I have good days and bad days, but every day I feel pain. I used to take mediction quite heavily but now only take Ibuprophen and occasionally a narcotic pain med if it’s *really* bad.
But it’s been over a year now since I first started getting this pain and it shows no sign of improving, even with lower back exercises to help strenghen the muscles. What else can I try?
It’s been almost a year since my left testicle has become rather sensitive to the touch. I remember it started after using improper form while lifting weights. I went to the doctor and he checked it out and said that I didn’t have a hernia. The sensitivity would not subside so he sent me to have an ultrasound done on my testicles. The results were negative and they said everything looked normal. Then, a few months ago I went jogging (after a long period of being very idle) and the next day I felt this horrible stretching/burning sensation in my leg/butt whenever I sat down. The doc said it is probably sciatica and put me on a muscle relaxer and a NSAID. The stretching/burning has basically gone away (though I still feel a light stretching sensation sometimes) but the sensitivity in my left testicle has not. Can sciatica cause testicle pain? Also, do you know if a chiropractor can help? I’ve heard and read so many bad things about chiropractors but I’m sick of the sensitivity.
In response to Tom: I also had a blood test done and it revealed that I have thalassemia but nothing that could be causing the sensitivity.
In respsonse to Tom: I’m only 21 so I don’t think its prostate related.
PAIN MGT. 18mos ago an mri revealed L5/S1 herniation, oxycodone, 2yr later, mri reveals 7 new herniations!?
hello, 2yr ago i sought medical help for extreme backpain, an mri revealed 2 herniated discs L5/S1. the pain was bad, and intermittently extreme. i was given percocet 10mgs x 4 daily, and attended pain mgt where i had 5 epideral injections a year, chiropractic care, physical therapy, dmx 5000 table treatments etc. i completed all therapies, and nothing seemd to work, in fact, the more i stayed inactive, the worse it got. now i started exercising, lost weight as the doc told me it would help my injury etc. well, i started having extreme pain when waking up, stiffness in hands, arms, and back, and even shooting pain in my arms, hands radiating from my neck down. i when the pain mgt. doctor who hears whiney people that say thier in pain all day, ( hes 83yrs old, tells me this) and i advised him that i have new symptoms, ie. shooting pain in arms, hands, extreme stiffness when waking up. the pain meds i was barely work, but im not complaining as everyone in his office wants pain meds etc. i asked the dude if he could figure out why i have these crazy symptoms, he speculated cervical herniations, and he was right! 3 cervical herniations, 2 Thoracic herniations, 2 lumbar, and a new diagnosis of extreme arthritis, im only in my 30s! im like what the hell happened in the last 18 mos to 2yrs from when i had 2 herniated discs to a handful now? las month/prior to the new mri findings, i asked for some different meds or an increase as im on 15mgs of oxycodone 6x daily. this stuff is not too be confused with oxycontin ER, oxycodone is just percocet with no tylenol, they do not score oxycontin tabs in 15mgs anyway. but im really having major pain issues, and he just recieved my mri yesterday, does anyone have experience in pain management or back injuries, pain meds, breakthrough pain. Im wondering how i should approach this new diagnosis where i went from 2 herniations too 7 herniations! and a new diagnosis of arthritis. i want to ask for an increase in meds, and a referral for accupuncture. ive thought about going to a hormone optimization clinic where growth hormone/testosterone can be utilized too increase synovial fluid in the joints and strengthen the joints.
i have to see the doc soon, what kind of meds should i try? hes offered methadone, morphine, fentanyl patches, oxycontin, im wondering if theres anyway around the pain meds? or if i do have to continue on them, what do i say? im sure the new mri’s tell the story, i shouldnt have too say anything? if 7 herniated discs a really serious situation? along with the diagnosis of degeneratvie disc disorder, but how did this happen in 2yrs? 2 discs to 7 herniated!t thanks guys!!!
i need three people to give there opinion i did not write the article i need three people opinion about what they have readed about the article
What Is Scoliosis?
Scoliosis is a term doctors use to describe a lateral curve of the spine. Depending on the etiology (cause) of the scoliosis, there may be one or more curves involved.
Types of Scoliosis
There are two types of scoliosis: structural and functional. A structural scoliosis can be caused by disease, bony or muscular deformities, congenital deformities (those that are present at birth) or improper healing from injury or surgery. A functional scoliosis can occur as a result of injury, muscle spasm, spinal mal-alignment, or the body trying to compensate for spinal problems, such as a herniated disc. Individuals with these conditions tend to "create" a scoliosis as they are leaning to one side trying to find a position in which to relieve their pain.
The curvature of a scoliosis can be mobile, or in more serious cases, can be fixed (unable to move). Cases of immobility are typically the result of injury or a disease, such as polio, that can result in multiple spinal bones fusing together.
The most common type of scoliosis is idiopathic scoliosis. This is what doctors look for when they perform spinal screenings on school-age children. The term idiopathic means "of unknown cause." It begins as a functional scoliosis, but can become structural over time if it is not managed by a health care professional such as an orthopedist or a chiropractor. It is very important to catch scoliosis in childhood before it progresses as it can significantly worsen as the spine develops and the child grows.
More About Idiopathic Scoliosis
Between 60 and 80 percent of cases of idiopathic scoliosis occur in school-age girls, and are usually detected between the ages of 9 and 14. The condition may first be suspected when one shoulder appears higher than the other, when clothes do not hang straight, or when one hip seems more prominent. An initial complaint may be fatigue in the low or mid back after prolonged standing or sitting. Note that pain is a manifestation as time passes, as the ligaments of the spine endure prolonged strain.
Of the 4 percent of children with detectable scoliosis, half will require treatment or continuing medical observation; the other half can be screened in school and simply monitored for significant progression.
What Is the Outcome?
The outcome depends on the site and severity of the curve and the age of onset of symptoms. Complications are related to the type of curve present. The greater the curve, the greater the likelihood of progression after skeletal maturity. A prompt referral to a chiropractor or an orthopedist is recommended in order to institute treatment to correct the deformity or to prevent further deformity.
What Is the Treatment for Scoliosis?
Chiropractic treatment for scoliosis utilizes specific adjustments to the involved areas of the spine. This is combined with therapies such as electrical muscle stimulation, ultrasound, or intersegmental traction, and postural exercise. The progression of the curve in the spine is monitored very closely to determine if more aggressive treatments are deemed necessary. Chiropractic treatments are designed to focus on the correction of the scoliosis and the prevention of complications. A large percentage of scoliosis patients find relief and correction for their scoliosis deformity through chiropractic care.
sciatic nerve? Anyone out there who has had it? How long does it take for the pain to go?
I pinched a nerve in my lower back about 3 weeks ago. Went to the chiropractor, which did not help at all and saw a orthopedic doctor recently. He said it was my sciatic nerve. It it not my lower back that bothers me, the cramping in my right buttock, thigh and lower leg is aweful. He gave me some medication, but it still has not gotten any better. Did anyone experience sciatica? Do you have any advise for me?
So 7-8 months ago, I was involved in an auto accident where my car was totalled. Other driver was cited as fault and is currently be made and an example of by the D.A. with a likelihood of 30 days in jail for wreckless driving (surprised to hear that actually). The auto property value was around 000. I’ve spent the 00 in MedPay and have approximately ,000-,000 more coming from months of physical and chiropractic therapy, 2 MRI’s, ER bills, general Dr. vists, etc. The injury was to my low back/hip/ right leg and my left shoulder. My back/hip/leg injury showed a slightly herniated disc and is now, months later, is finally responding to chiropractic care form decompression and adjustments. MRI of the shoulder/arm was "negative", yet the pain remains and no one has been successful at properly diagnosing the injury so far.
All that said, does anyone have ANY idea what is reasonable to consider for a pain and suffering value? I’m not "in it for the money" I’ve just been told by so many that lawyers in many cases to more harm than good and I want to have an idea of what is reasonable when the insurance company starts talking values.
Thanks in advance for all your knowledge.
I asked a question a while back about lower back pain, everyone said it sounded like sciatica.?
Since then I’ve been going to a chiropractor, I’m not sure if he’s acturally helping, mainly because I’ve still been riding my road bike, however I’m not going to ride anymore until I can figure something out. I guess I’m just wanting to hear some other peoples stories about sciatica…..how they deal with it, for example, chiropractor or sports and medecine doctor etc..
I did find out that I have something that some call military spine, which means my spine doesn’t have the natural curve in it, it’s actually just straight all the way up. Does anyone know about this condition or know the long term affects of having a spine that is too straight? I’m just trying to find out all I can, I’ve been in pain everyday for over a month, and I’m only 25 years old. My flexibility has suffered as well, I used to be able to bend over and touch the floor, now I can barely even put my hands past my knees without pain shooting down my butt. Any suggestions on what I should do out there?
my little sister has a herniated disc on her L5-S1. she fell from the stairs, and fell on her butt for about two steps. this happened last december of 2007 and we only knew about it when she had an MRI last january of 2008.
she is really young and i know how much discomfort she is going through.
everyone in my family is very worried and they want me to find other ways rather than an open back surgery.
I think that there is still hope since she will still undergo puberty and i think that she will grow, and so does her bones.
1. Do you think chiropractic therapy will prevent or stop the disc from swelling?
2. do you know any other alternatives?
3. is an open back surgery only our hope?
I really need some advice and help. Thanks
last year the pain in my back/leg was so unbearable that i went to a chiropractor and he said i had sciatica… i was treated under his care for 2 months probably 4 or 5 times a week, and it never seemed to get better. i eventually gave up because it wasn’t working and it was a waste of time, and it healed for the most part on it’s own, but the pain in my lower back was still always lurking depending on how i moved my spine… anyways it started to come back today in my lower right back and it hurts my whole leg to walk now.. what should i do?
how painful are the spinal injections and do they take a while to recover from? i’m only 17 years old so the fact that sciatica is even an issue probably isn’t good…. plus i can’t really afford to take any time off. i go to school and ride three horses every single day… could riding even perhaps be the problem to the pain?
I recently started going to the chiropractor for my hip, and since have had horrible pains in my leg. they travel all over and feel numb and hurt and sometime feel like electric shocks. I think it is sciatica but is that possible to get without a major cause like pregnancy or car accidents? Because im 20 and have exercised heavily each day for years so i don’t know how it could have been caused. could a chiropractor accidently cause it?
Hello,
I have been dealing with deterioration of my lumbar ( I think L4 and L5) discs for a good while now. It affects my walking and is extremely painful, as it also causes my sciatica. My orthopedic surgeon and I discussed a plan, with the last resort being surgery. I have tried everything- manual manipulation from a chiropractic, home exercises, physical therapy, herbal remedies, multiple Epidural steroid injections and have been on pain medication for a long time now.
Should I go ahead and proceed with the surgery? I am sick of being in pain all the time and never being able to participate in recreational activities. I am only 21 years old. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
The idiot pain mgt. doctor told me 2day i had 8 new herniated cervical, thoracic, lumbar herniations,MEDS!?
hello, after 2yrs of being treated for a herniated L5, S1, i had been given 90mgs of percocet 6/15mg tabs daily. i started having outrageous symptoms of pain in my arms, legs etc. i asked for a boost in meds as it hurt like hell! the doc said well lets get an mri and see whats up? well, i did, and the mri has blown my mind as every cervical disc in my neck is herniated, c1,2, c3,4 c 5, 6, c7, c8, t1, l5, s1 etc the doc apologized for not believing me, but then when i told em i was in extreme pain he said im on enough meds? wtf! he then said he would talk to me soon on who to send me too surgery for, a laminectomy? and i would be possibly bed ridden for 6 mos? i think this guy is nuts! it took me 3 wks to get the mri results! this guy laughed and told me that i had better work hard for the next few yrs as i may be disabled? i thought what the hell! then he blew me off about medication as i need some longer acting opiate to know down this harsh pain man! i have a bs epidural injection next week and chiropractic care? epidurals have proven ineffective. this doctor has never once asked me how the meds are working? i thought they monitor your pain levels in pain mgt etc. this guy is 83yrs old, he doesnt even look at me, he just said oh well, just be happy your heart is not bad? i thought what the hell? i really have some decisions too make and my doc doesnt care if im dead, anyone have any med solutions or deg disc disease advice? i have herniations pushing on the thecal sac, compression, spurring, in 8 or 9 discs man. crazy! and my doctor is nuts!
is it okay for me to go running? My chiropractor hasn’t said anything, nor have I asked her. I was hoping to go running today, but the sciatica causes a lot of pain in my hamstring. I’m not sure if this would irritate it more or not. Any advice would be helpful, thanks!
I’m 17 years old and have been suffering from chronic back pain, nerve damage and pain, and decreased mobility and flexibility because of three herniated discs. I’ve been through epidural injections, chiropractic and many, many weeks of physical therapy that have only lead to weeks, and then months where I have been confined to bed rest.
What I really want to know is if back surgery has helped anyone with chronic pain or nerve damage caused by herniated discs? Or if not, has there been any other option that has helped with the pain? I’m currently medicated and under the care of a physical therapist, occupational therapist, physiatrist, pediatric spinal surgeon, and a bone specialist.
I’m really just curious as to other patients outcome from herniated disc surgery, or what other options (that I haven’t already mentioned) have helped. Please and thanks!
I have been in the process for about a year and half of trying to figure this out and I’m currently working with a doctor who is stumped. My condition is that it is painful/uncomfortable to sit down. Basically where ever there is weight or contact with the chair my back hamstrings/glutes (mostly hamstrings) feel a dull ache , numb, irritated. Originally I thought it was maybe a rash, but there is nothing on the on my skin to indicate that. It is kind of hard to explain but that is the best I can do. The condition is allievated when I stand or kneel. Basically when i have no contact with my backside. Here are the things i have tried, 1) Astym physical therpay, 2) Reg. Phsy therapy 3) Xrays 4) Two MRI’s 5) Chiropractic 6) Massage Therapy. 7) Steriodal medicine pack (Medrol?) 
Naoproxen & Pregabalin? (one or both of these gave me a reaction) . All of these were suggested by doctors but with minimal results. Dr. thinks maybe a sciatica, piriformus or something like that. The last thing we are now talking about is an steroidal injection. I’m a pretty healthy and fit guy in my late 20’s. I have an office jobs so I’m constantly siting and that is how this came on a year+ ago. To alleviate pain i either stand or kneel at my desk. Could this be skin related? Any ideas or help?
I saw the chiropractor for about 2 months 3x week. Based on x-rays it seemed I was getting more aligned, but not so much relief in hamstrings.
For my regular PT, I did stuff like get on that machine that stretches you/spine. I did some machine that has patches that go on your back and massages/stimulates muscles. I did a lot of hamstring and piriforus stretching as well. At the end we were doing a little bit of let work out, but thats when I had to move so I didn’t continue.
As far as the ASTYM goes, I guess in some cases it can help but with me I had minimal results. It was very uncomfortable. Basically he would do it on my back hamstrings and some on the glutes.
What has been your/others expereince with ASTYM?
My sciatica is killing me. Its on the right side and the pain radiates all the way down to my foot (and theres always a sharp pain in the right side of my butt). I had lower back surgery last year (for herniated disk) and it helped some but not completely.
Now almost a year later I have intense sciatic pain and nothing seems to work. Ive had numerous back injections, pain killers, tried doing daily stretches…nothings worked. Im also about 30 lbs overweight and I know this probably adds onto it…but how can I lose the weight when Im always in pain and cant exercise? Its a no-win situation!
Does anyone know anything else I can do to help my sciatica? I havent tried a chiropractor yet cause Ive heard mixed reviews and am iffy about trying one. So can anyone offer advise PLEASE!
My husband herniated a disc last year and the dr’s said he’d need back surgery. He decided to go to the chiro instead and although it took about a month, he is 100% again.
Recently, I’ve had shooting pain in my left side that no test or dr has been able to diagnose (ct scans, ultrasounds, blood test, urine test, mri, pelvic exams, scopes). I talked to a chiro who said it very well could be a nerve. I want to try and go, but I find so many bad things googling about chiros – that its all fake, its just your joints popping, it can actually be bad for you, etc. So what is the truth? It helped my husband, so I dont know how it can’t work. Thoughts?
There is no way my husband would have "healed on his own" He was in so much pain he couldnt lay down, sit in most positions or move his neck at all.
i kno i dnt have it, but my chiropractor asked me if i had it yet cuz im pregnant??? and i just said no cuz i didnt rlly kno wut he was tlking about. lol. so wut exactly is sciatica and wut does it have to do with pregnancy?
NEED advise from any medical pros or anyone who’s had similar medical probs. or similar probs. with doctors?
I’ve had chronic back pain since I was 17. The first thing that happened to me was I fell on the ice play broomball and dislocated my right shoulder, My Dr. at the time didn’t see any reason for PT or anything. Since that injury, I’ve had a lot of really hard spots that hurt badly on my right upper back. There is one spot in particuoar that feels so bad, all the time, like its going to burst open. It feels like an old, dry rubber band stretched to its max capacity and its going to pop, Its a combo of burning/tinlging, sharp pain and ache. It also became really easy for me to injure and reinjure my beck and upper back.
Recent problems that have been a whole lot worse started around a year and a half ago. I’ve been in 3 car-wrecks in the past two years. The worst of the three was with a semi-truck doing 75 mph on the freeway and then getting thrown off-road into a deep embankment. I really hurt my neck then. For that, I did mainly chiropractic and a little PT.
It got a lot better and the pain came and went up until June. I hit a deer, and everything has been worse than ever before since then. (Even worse than the wreck with the semi! Sounds crazy…)
I have been trying everything I can to get a proper diagnosis, treatment for the actual problem, and symptomatic releif…but I’ve hard a really hard time all the way around.
First doc I went to wouldn’t even take an xray and precribed naproxen and gave me the basic, "You’re young and you’ll heal hast" rundown. Things got progressively worse (there was either a new symptom or a serious increase in how bad symptoms were about every other day.) The second doc I went to took an xray. She said that my neck had the curve missing out of it and thought it was because spasms were causing enough inflammation to pull them apart. She said the xray showed a few "pinch-marks" and that I had a pinched nerve. (Which was what I thought because I was getting a lot of pins and needles and very painful arm and leg. (Sciatica, like when I was pregnant…But I also know that this at least doesn’t sound like it makes sense since amrs being affected by pinched nerves are because of a problem with the cervical spine and sciatica is caused by compression of spinal cord or nerve at the lumbar spine. Anyway, this doc put me in a soft collar, precribed flexeril, naproxen and lorab…she also sent me to a great PT. The PT was very thorough and gentle. I got very minor pain relief, but at least felt like the cause was being worked on, and that maybe I’d start to get better…Then some bad life stuff happened, and I wound up not being able to continue PT or follow-ups with the Dr. So I after the personal crisis time was cooled a little, I continued to try and just push through it for awhile without the pain meds or muscle-relaxants (I heard, anyway, that if you are on long-term meds for pain or muscle relaxants that its neccessary to to breaks from them to do a cleanse from time to time, because the stuff is pretty toxic.) and I unfortunately lost my spot with the PT I liked so much. So I just managed to get through until I got really bad. Then I went to yet another Dr. This time it was a walk-in clinic. The Doc was SUCH a jerk. I walked out of that office VERRRY pissed off, embarrassed and discouraged. He pretty much said that a lot of things like "what I have" are things you just have to get used to and was not at all hesitant to basically suggest that I was being a giant wuss. He went over the notes from the other docs and said something like ,"Oh, 0k so they did an xray…and you asked them too?? And…it looks like….they didn’t find anything?" And I told him again that the other doc said my neck had been pulled straight to where the curve was gone and that I had a pinched never, and that from the xray the doc said she saw, "pinch-marks." (I had no idea, and still have no idea, what pinch marks are!) He kind of scoffed, chuckling, and basically told me to get over it. At the point where I was when I finally went back in to see a doctor, I had gotten to where dealing with my 2-year-old, washing dishes and fixing my hair had become very difficult, to say the least. The constant burning/tingling pain in the trapezius muscle and that one really sharp part that felt like itg was going to break open had become maddening. My hand was falling asleep all the time. My right arm and leg ached really badly. I was miserable and becoming depressed. I was (and still am) in transition mode from splitting up with my kids’ father, so I was staying with a friend. I was helping with her kids and housework to earn my keep, and the kids’; noise and energy level was starting to drive me insane, and I’m usually all about taking the kids to the park, painting, playing games, etc. I was becoming increasingly depressed and couch-bound. I felt embarrassed because I wanted to be a big help around my friend’s house. I was becoming sad because when everyone took off for the river or a hike or something, I had to sit it out because I was hurting too bad. I hadn’t even had time to process how I felt about getting out of a 5-year relationship, because all my focus, no matter how determined I was not to let it happen, was on how bad I felt. And it just got worse every day. So I was really pissed and discouraged (and even a little scared…how was I going to fix this or at least manage it if I couldn’t make a doctor understand how badly it was impacting my life??? I’m a full-time student and single mom…School’s about to start, and I’m also going to need to work part-time to make ends meet.) I walked out of that office with a new Rx for PT (which he was relcuctant to give me. He also said he’d find a regular Dr. for me to manage this problem so that I don’t have several different people trying to figure it out at once. I went to the PT he suggested. Neck traction makes me feel like I’m dying, so I have asked her not to do that anymore, but I did find that the ultrasound therapy helped the trapezius pain a little. I’ve been seeing this PT for a few weeks now.
Then I went to the internal md the guy referred me to. I went in with high hopes of someone who’s get it, research it, and fix me up. I came out disappointed again. He did all the strength test on me (which they always do, and which I hav no problems with except that the reflex on my right knee is just a little slow.) He jabbed around at the trapezius stuff and called it "trigger points." He scheduled an MRI for a few weeks out (which is this friday, now) for my cervical and throacic spine. I was disappointed because #1 he seemed to think I was exaggerating how much pain I’ve been in. and because #2 he also gave me the run-down on the fact that I am young and that I shoud heal well, and that I should be able to take the pain better than someone older. (This always perplexes me. Is there some evidence to support that the same impulses the brain percieves as pain is more rolerated by someone in the late 20s than someone in their 40s? I also wish I had the courage to argue with Dr.s and tell them that in the mid to late 20s, its really common for people to be working more physically demanding jobs, and for us to have small children who require their parents to supervise them constantly, which boils down to us being at least in a slow-jog for most of the day. We also don’t have the capability to just lie down and take a nap when we don’t feel well. It wouldn’t work to tell my 2-year-old, "Ok honey, mom’s back really hurts so I’m going to nap. So don’t learn how to open the front door today and go get hit by a car outside. Please don’t find anything bite-sized that could be choked on in the componets of the vacuum, phone or remote. Please don’t pull the tv on top of yourself or drown in the toilet. Please don’t decide I didn’t get to your post-nap diaper promptly enough and take it off, causing a horrid mess. Please just keep yourself entertained and don’t have a separation-anxiety meltdown…because mom needs to rest, ok?" LOL
By the time I had gone into his office, I had gotten even worse. My uncle came to town and I was supposed to get to meet him and my mom for lunch, since I hadn’t seen him in alost 5 years….I had to blow it off. My friend took my daughter fishing and I didn’t get to see her catch her very first fish 
I was not only putting off harder, crappier things to do, now I’ve been missing out on fun, too. I am down to 108 pounds, and I’m 5′4 (118-124 is normal for me…I do tend to lose some when I am under stress, but not uaually quite so dramatically.) The doc told me that pain meds wouldn’t help anything unless I needed sleep at night, but that I could have them if I wanted. He left the room to schedule my mri, but never came back. His nurse was the one who gave me my time for the mri and a prescription for a sedative for the mri (which I thought was sort of wierd.) So when I got home I called and said I never got my pain meds. They said I had to go back to get the paper copy…that they don’t call things to pharmacies. So I did, and the prescription was for ultram. I’ve taken ultram twice in my life. For about the first few hours, it works fairly well on the pain, but then soon after, I slowly develop a blindingly bad headahce. I’m talking "please just kill me quickly" sort of headache. Then the next day I wake up and the hdeache is even worse, and I vomit all day long. I told the nurse this who was trying to get me to sign something saying I picked the ’script up. She got all annoyed and said, "Well I can tell your right now that he probably won’t give you a narcotic." I told her that the lortabs were the only thing that worked, but that they didn’t help all that much, so I’d be totally willing to try something else. So they gave me lyrica. I gave it a good, solid test-run where I put as much faith into it as I could. It didn’t do anything at all for any of the pain. Not even the parasthesia I’d hoped it would help somewhat. And it also made me really dizzy…To the point it was like I was drunk (not mentally or anything…just in the dizzy sense. My thoughts were clear and everything…I just couldn’t keep my balance. I called in the following mondahy to let them know it wasn’t working and I needed to give something else a try. They never called back. So I tied Tuesday,and no call back. I was just leaving voicemails for the RN at the office, since this is your only option. I’ve tried several times to call and say that I am absoltely full-on miserable and need to do SOMETHING to help the pain. I even suggested maybe we try nerve block or TENS or corisone shots…still no one will call me back. So, unfortunately I had to go into a walkin clinic. Its one of those ones where you have to pay likde 45 bucks cash…no insurance excepted. My friend who broke her tailbone said that’s where she went for pain meds. She said its never a problem. And it wasn’t for me either. I got a steriod (yet to do anything) a muscle relaxer (knocks me out, but doesn’t relieve my pain) and lortabs, which only relieve my pain a very little bit. I have a feeling that my new primary dr. will not be very happy about it, but it got to the point where it was completely unbearable. I had to do something and the jerks wouldn’t call me back…
Where I’m at now is: pain in arm and leg get worse all the time, but is currently a little better controlled with the lortab. My lower beck/upper back and that one real bad spot in trapezius are in constant pain, and just barely have the edge taken off my the pain meds. I feel grouchy and sort of irritable when I take the lortabs. I know they are addictive and are a drug of abuse for a lot of people, but I can honestly say that I don’t enjoy the narcotic feeling. I must have a different body chemistry or something, because I don’t feel euphoric like a lot of people do when they take pain-pills. Sometimes I do think that the narcotic feeling confuses me enough to distract me from the pain that it actually directly helps the pain…but I don’t find the pills to be fun to take. I feel like I am a less kind and warm mom when I take them. If there was anything that actually worked that wasn’t narcotic, I’d waaaay rather take that. But for the time being, its the only drug that helps the pain at all…and even then only a little. So I feel almost as though I need them to function, but that I’d much rather try a non-pill realted pain-management method…like the nerve block or the electrode things. I just can’t seem to get across to any doctor that my pain isn’t merely a nuissance…its (at the rist of sounding dramatic) taking over my life. And by their own admission, I’m young. In my opinion, instead of their suggestion that that makes me more able to function with daily pain, I feel that I shouldn’t have my younger years wrecked by being in agony every single waking moment. I shouldn’t wish that it was bed time as soon as I get up every morning. I want to play with my daughter and actually get to make some new friends now that I’m out of a wierd, mentally-abusive relationship. I want to feel excited about all the new potential my life has now that I’m free of b.s. and that I can regain my self-esteem and have fun with life instead of pretty much feeling now that my life sucks. I explained to this last dr (the one whose office won’t return my phone calls, and don’t seem to think I deserve a way to manage my pain, even if its non-drug relateld) that I have a decent pain threshold and a good grasp of the pain scale. I gave examples of frames of reference. A 10 on the pain scale in childbirth or the gas chamber from when i was in the army. A 9 is like an abscessed tooth. An 8 is like a broken bone. A 7 is like a really bad diney infection….and so on down the line. And I told him that if the pain isn’t aggitated by something else. Its at a constant 7.5. If I try and do some dishes or have to move really abruptly to keep my kid from doing something that will hurt her or destroy something, it sill go to an 8.5. If I am in a chair too long to type or write, or sometimes when I am trying to fall asleep because the sciatica acts up even worse, it’ll jump to a 9.
I’m really, really sorry this had to be so long…I just wanted to give nough background. That way a medical pro on here he or she might have some idea with what is wrong. They may have some pointers in getting the dr. to understand that I am not exaggerating and that I need to have my back fixed and in the meantime I need to somehow manage the pain so I don’t have to wish i was unconsious every waking second. I would like to be referred to the spine and pan center. They have a team of people who work together who figure out a diagnosis, help psychologically in dealing with chronic pain, and mostly they try every measure there is out there to get your pain under control. They do pt, alternative stuff like massage and acupuncture, all the different neurological tools that I don’t understand uet, and (what sound most promising to me) anesthesia. They only problem is that my primary dr. really does seem to thik that I am exaggerating either because I am depressed, because I want narcotics (which I DO for the short-term, but he won’t let me have them anyway and I’m still going
to see him) or that I want attention. Anway…I need advice as to how i can go about managing my pain to the point of being functional…Bcause my MRI is friday….and I really think that they’ll find herniated disc/s and I am thiking my respnse from my dr. will go something like, "Well…good thing youre only 27…ten years from now iy might REALLY be giving you trouble
Trevon, Did you mean to link to that page, or was it a mistake & you had something that helped you but it was just the wrong address? If it was intentional: Hardy har. Yeah, ok I’m a baby. Before the worst of my problems with this thing, I used to think b1tching and whining from people’s "owies" was annoying too,so I get it. When an injury starts messing with your ability to be a functional, happy person though, its hard not to complain and feel depressed. I prided myself on being the best mom a person could be..a good friend.. a kinda pretty, (not that I’m concieted. I know I’m a total dork) fit , fun chick..a great student, and someone who was starting to have a love-affair with life. Now I feel like a slacker mom, an overskinny girl with dark circles under my eyes, crappy posture and a goofy-looking walk. So I get the diaper joke and normally would think its pretty funny. If the link’s wrong and you have something that helped you, I’d love to see it though, and *sorry.*
Focus on Sid Williams – DVD on sale : Dr.Carl Cleveland III DC on DVD at DCS Clubhouse, Dr.Bob Hoffman DC on DVD at DCS Clubhouse, Dr.Chuck Gibson DC on DVD at DCS Clubhouse, details on www.deadchiropracticsociety.com -
I found out I have sciatica. Its so painful and i was wondering what i could do for the pain.?
26 weeks pregnant
wondering what i could do until i go to a Chiropractor/
I have a herniated disc in my neck and have had 4 episodes in the past 2 years. Each time I tried a different avenue of treatment, from chiropractic, to medication, to physical therapy. I had a flare up about 2 weeks ago and was refered by my orthopedist to a pain management dr. He perscribed me an oral steroid as well. The oral steroid got my pain under control, but I still have the appointment to have the injection this week. I’m affraid that in a few weeks I might have another flare up, which really affects my quality of life (I can’t move, can’t sleep, can’t lift anything, and it’s difficult to sit at my desk and do work, therefore it affects my productivity in the office as well). I’m hoping the injection will spare me from having another episode for at least another 6 months or so….But with my pain under control, I wonder if it’s neccessary. With my pain virtually gone, should I still go ahead with the ESI??
Jessica Tallman, Sarah Meyer, and Amy Doennig perform the National Anthem at the Kansas City Royals vs. Detroit Tigers game in Kansas City.