Chronic Low Back Pain

Tracy Said:

how do i get a free travel pass for chronic back pain at 19?

We Answered:

If you're claiming Disability Allowance you get the travel pass automatically.

You have to be on Disability Allowance (allowance not benefit) to get one.

Nina Said:

Has anyone gone to see a Chiropractor for chronic low back pain?

We Answered:

Chiropractic is the best way to go, i had the same problem and after 4 visits i was out of pain. Call today, you'll be so happy you did.

Erica Said:

has anybody suffered chronic low back pain 7 months after epidural during delivery?

We Answered:

yes, this is a somewhat common problem

Keith Said:

What can my husband do for his chronic low back pain?

We Answered:

He definately needs to find a good pain management specialist and sounds like he might benefit from some PT IF and I put that in caps they are affiliated with pain management and can show ways to decompress the area and strengthen around it.

Here are a few tricks that have helped me greatly (and I have disc problems, nerve damage and a clearing list of low back hell).

First, hang a towel over a door (and make sure it's a sturdy door lol). Have him grasp on it and slowly move his weight to it so he is decompressing the spine. This can bring major relief in a hurry, but it is temporary, as are most of these things sadly. But hey, they get me through the day, and I find pain meds alone definately don't do it.

Next thing I highly recommend and couldn't live without it one of those heat/massage pads. I have one in my car, one on my desk chair, and a full length chair with one built in in the living room (that was a miracle find at Costco...it was either buy that chair or move into Costco..and it was under a hundred!). If you shop around for the cushions you should find good deals on them. I got really nice homedic ones for under $20. Now they also have many different varieties so he might want to see what feels best. For me the main element is heat. This has made me been ok to drive when I didn't think I could....I highly recommend these.

I found a hand held infrared heat unit on sale so gave that a shot. I've found it really helps on bad days. I tried a more expensive TENS unit that my insurance didn't cover and while it gave some temporary relief it wasn't much better than these other things. I'd see if your insurance would at least give a trial of one of these units to see if it helps him.

Last, I don't suppose you guys have a jacuzzi? That was one of the reasons I bought this house and it has saved me some days. If not if you can afford it I'd look into it or save for one. They are awesome to relax anways, but some nights when I am near crawling out of my skin in pain a long soak with the jets makes it livable.

Oh one more trick.....sometimes I have found laying flat on a hard floor and half sitting up or turning sideways until it sort of pops/feels like it aligns can help. I have several types of back pan as I said and that helps one. The other tips seem to help all.

I wish him the very best. I can tell you with 100% certainty a good pain specialist who will adjust medications and use other modalities can help a lot. I've had a bad pain md, the best in the world, and now he's away I have someone ok. I know all to well the difference they make. So best of luck in finding one of the good ones. Be sure to check the sites for the major pain management accreditions (I'll list below), and I'd suggest starting there. The first one lists accredited MD in each state.

And make sure he knows that with legitimate pain there is virtually no risk of addiction to pain medication. The body becomes chemically dependant, but you are not addicted (nor get the euphoria that comes with an addiction). Less than 1% of those taking pain meds have any problems with this. There are tons of sites and resources, and a few great pain forums so I'd suggest you both go exploring!!

Best of luck to you both and let me know if I can be of any more help...I've been playing the home game on this for too many years now. Sigh.

Michelle Said:

Chronic low back pain with no diagnosis.?

We Answered:

When back pain is due to loose ligaments, a very characteristic behavior of pain is observed. A patient with loose ligaments of the lumbar spine or pelvis will experience recurring dysfunctions at the intervertebral joint (degenerative disc and possible nerve compression), at the facet joints (locking in flexion or extension), and at the sacroiliac joints. In other words, the low back pain can be due to an unstable disc problem, facet joint locking, or sacroiliac dysfunction.

However, the low back pain can originate in the ligaments themselves. The ligaments in the lower back contain an abundant supply of small nerve endings. Good and strong ligaments will stretch very little when a load is applied to them. When the ligaments are weak, an excessive stretching will occur with the same load. The greater the ligament laxity, the faster the ligament will elongate or stretch. This exaggerated elongation of the weak and overstretched ligaments allows excessive pull on the non-stretchable nerve endings. As a result, pain and/or numbness is felt locally over the ligaments or referred distally in the buttock or in the legs, following a specific pattern for each ligament.

Ligament injury is very painful. This is, in part, because of the nerves in the ligaments, but also because ligament injury typically occurs where the ligament attaches to the bone, an area called the fibro-osseous junction. The outside of the bone, where the ligament attaches (the periosteum), is also full of nerve endings. The most sensitive structures that produce pain according to Daniel Kayfetz, M.D., are the periosteum and the ligaments. It is important to note that in the scale of pain sensitivity (which part of the body hurts more when injured), Dr. Kayfetz explains that the periosteum ranks first, followed by ligaments, tendons, fascia, and finally muscle, respectively. (Kayfetz, D. Occipital-cervical (whiplash) injuries treated by Prolotherapy. Medical Trial Technique Quarterly. 1963; June: 9-29.) When a ligament is injured, pain will be elicited from both the periosteum and the ligament. This is why ligament injury can and does cause severe pain. This also explains why ligament pain can come and go. The ligament will not be overstretched in certain positions, therefore no pain is felt at that time.

A patient with loose ligaments of the lumbar spine and pelvis will often complain of not only nagging low back pain, but also of an inability to maintain the same position for a long period of time. If the same position is held for a long time period, this will stretch the already injured ligaments with sensitive nerve endings. The patient will find relief by changing posture or position because the nerve endings are no longer being stretched. This relief is only temporary. As the new posture is maintained, the weak ligaments gradually start to give and the small nerve endings are again stretched, and the pain recurs.

Here are some typical pain patterns experienced with ligament injury to the lower back:

Lying Down
When lying in bed, position must be changed repeatedly to get comfortable

Sleep is poor, and often disrupted because of the recurring back pain

Arising out of bed and walking around often gives some relief of the pain

Morning
The pain is more intense in the morning

After lying down for 5 or 6 hours, the athlete gets out of bed early (5 or 6 a.m.) because
of the pain

Stiffness and pain in the lower back upon rising in the morning

Standing and Sitting
Standing too long aggravates the pain (like standing and watching a sporting event, standing too long at a cocktail party, or in line at the grocery store or bank)

Sitting too long aggravates the pain (observing a sporting event, sitting at the theater, taking a long drive, or watching a movie)

Walking around after standing and sitting too long helps decrease the pain

Anyone who has pain characterized by the above, needs to consult a physician with special training in the diagnosis and treatment of ligament problems.

Bertha Said:

Chronic back pain and getting off morphine?

We Answered:

Have you tried methadone? This is a good long acting pain reliever and will not cause you to experience withdrawals from the morphine. It doesn't give you that "well-being" feeling. It just works.

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