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I've decided to post this tip that lists the steps a back patient should be following for obtaining an accurate diagnosis and getting an effective treatment plan.
1. Talk to your primary doctor. Describe the symptoms you are experiencing in detail and how it is affecting your daily life — keeping you awake, preventing you from functioning normally, what your pain level is on a scale of 1-10 with 10 being the worst, etc.
2. If required by your health insurance, have your primary doctor give you a referral to a local spine specialist such as an orthopedic surgeon or neurosurgeon. When seeing the spine specialist, make sure to again provide all details of your symptoms.
3. The spine specialist should send you for (or do in the office if they have the equipment) a CT scan or an MRI of your spine. An x-ray will not show soft tissue such as discs and will not show all that could be causing your back pain.
4. The spine specialist should then review the results of the diagnostic testing with you. Make sure you understand everything and ask questions until you do understand.
5. The spine specialist should then provide a recommended treatment plan. This could involve seeing a pain management specialist, a physiatrist, or something simple like OTC medications and applying hot and/or cold to the area that is painful.
6. Some people benefit from physical therapy, hydrotherapy, chiropractic care, injections, exercises, or other traditional and/or non-traditional therapies. Surgery should always be a last resort but may be needed in some cases.
7. Don't do any treatment you are not comfortable with or causes you more pain.
8. Do your research on-line and be armed with knowledge about spinal conditions. Here is a link to a resource I created on this WebMD Back Pain Community that lists links to good spine sites: http://forums.webmd.com/3/back-pain-exchange/resource/10?@guest@
I hope this helps people to know how to go about getting help for their back pain.View Thread
In reviewing your previous posts, I see that Joy recommended that you see a spine specialist such as an orthopedic spine surgeon or spinal neurosurgeon. Have you been able to see this type of spine specialist?
Also, have you seen a pain management specialist? The best are physiatrists which deal with a variety of pain management techniques - not just prescription pain medications.
You need to discuss the problems you are having with Mobic with the prescribing doctor. You can then also speak with him about pain management options.
We are lay people and no doctor replies to these posts. If all you can see due to your insurance restrictions is your primary doctor, then you need to make sure he/she is fully aware of your pain and can help you.
I pray you can find answers and relief soon.View Thread
Now I am waiting for the call back as to when and where as well as what kind of surgery she will be doing. We are praying that a repair can be done and not a colostomy. At this point I don't care what kind just fix me so I can go a little more normally.View Thread
I have not been able to sit for longer periods of time since the injection. In fact my pains are worse now than they were. The pains come back almost immediately when sitting. The pains are now all the time and not just when sitting. I have begun to have sciatica now as well.
I have made an appointment to see another neurosurgeon because the first doctor said I am a prime candidate for an Ifuse. The medical community has now perfected a new type fusion of the SI joint which is safer, heals faster and has better results than the previous type. I would never go into surgery without at LEAST one more opinion.
I have recent X rays, CT scan and MRI's. Those are about 6 months or newer.
Thanks for your answer, as usual.View Thread
My surgery was on a Tuesday and I was released from the hospital at noon on Thursday. By Saturday I was walking in my neighborhood and have been going ever since. Last week I went to see my Dr. for my two week checkup and he was amazed at my progress. I never thought I would have relief so early. Had I known my recovery was going to be so smooth I never would have waited so long. Each day I feel like a new person who gets to enjoy life again. I know I have a long way to go before I'm 100% and I have to be careful not to overdo it but so far I couldn't be any happier with the results.View Thread
Over all there has been much improvement in my neck. It is now my facets that are being a pain in the neck - pun intended. Deb,View Thread
Have you done accupuncture? I have a lot of the same symptoms as you when I go into flare ups nd I swear by accupuncture. I had my aDr placed in 2005 then fused in 2011. I was just looking to se if you had responded and read this old post and decided to reply.
God bless!!View Thread
They're just trying to break from getting thru STD to LTD. I see my GP tomorrow morning and my disabling pain doc Wednesday I'm told that the law states your doctor has 30 days to appeal their decision. The disability ctr used their own doctor to change his directions and then gave him two working days to reply or their doctor prevails. I've told by a friend who is a local medical professional that this blatantly illegal! Unfortunately I need an attorney along with doctors.
Happy Father's DayTView Thread
So sorry guys. I didn't know that. Ignorance is no excuse of the law!View Thread
A good friend of mine who is a great RN has a good friend who does it and she wants me to try it!
TView Thread
Take care ~~ God Bless ~~
~~ Joy ~~
that's really good news - keep us posted how you are doing~~View Thread
Take care ~~ God Bless ~~
~~ Joy ~~
Your best course of action would be to see your primary doctor and describe your back pain. He/she may order an x-ray or MRI (the best test). If there is anything serious, your primary doctor may refer you to a spine specialist such as an orthopedic spine surgeon or neurosurgeon. While surgery is always a last resort, a spinal surgeon is the best doctor for diagnosing and treating back problems.
I pray you can get answers and relief soon.View Thread
Everytime I ask a Dr. if that problem be related to another problem, I get an emphatic "NO." In researching the odontongenic cyst report, it looks to me as if it is possible?View Thread
please let me know ASAPView Thread
My surgeon says everything is solid, yet he cannot explain the numbness and nerve pains I now have on toop of all the pain. When the artificial disc slipped in 2011, I could not do anything it pretty much disabled me.View Thread
Take care ~~ God Bless ~~
~~ Joy ~~
yes degenerative disc disease is hereditary. my mom has it as her sis and bro all have it too.
u need to have ur doc refer u to a spine speciist either a Orthopedic or Neurosurgeon Spine Specialist. they will order MRI or CT Scan to see further into ur spine and see what all is going on. they can refer u to a pain management specialist that can go over all types of pain mgmt treatment options.
hope this helpsView Thread
Take care ~~ God Bless ~~
~~ Joy ~~
First, let me say, "Thank you for your service to our country."
I am a registered pharmacist with 30 years experience. I am also fellow chronic pain sufferer, and I do have experience with DXM.
Opiates both relieve pain AND cause an increase in pain sensation. This is through activation of NMDA receptors, and is called opioid-induced hyperalgesia. In simple terms, you become more sensitive to minor pain, making the pain feel worse.
I think you should try to taper down your dose of DXM to a more reasonable dose.
DXM is a NMDA antagonist, meaning that it blocks the activation of NMDA. When this happens, the pain you feel is less severe.
One tablespoonful of Delsym 12hr DXM contains 90mg of DXM, and should provide significant antagonism of NMDA receptors.View Thread
Let us know how your doing.View Thread
Take care ~~ God Bless ~~
~~ Joy ~~
keep us posted how u are doingView Thread
Take care ~~ God Bless ~~
~~ Joy ~~
Take care ~~ God Bless ~~
~~ Joy ~~
I think you should see a spine specialist and have current MRI/CT Scans done especially since it has been 7 yrs since ur procedure. they will be able to see if there are any changes that may have happened.
also seeing a good pain specialist is vital too. I see a PHYSIATRIST Pain Specialist -
http://www.spine-health.com/treatment/spine-specialists/what-a-physiatrist
they go deeper into pain management control than regular pain clinics do.
hope this helps - keep us postedView Thread
Take care ~~ God Bless ~~
~~ Joy ~~
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