Long term follow up: Herniated disks, decompression therapy

[Grumpyguy]

Here's the thread with pertinent links: http://forums.macresource.com/read.php?1...msg-590589

In a nutshell, since my chiropractor has spaced treatments out, things have gotten worse, much worse.

In reality, unless I see him weekly, I feel horrible.

The pain has returned. The limp is back. My tush and leg are numb. And lifting at work makes me miserable for days on end.

And the pain definitely affects my mood and temperament.

I broke down earlier this week, saw my GP and he sent me to a back specialist, whom I will see this upcoming Thursday.

Don't get me wrong, the chiropractor does provide short term pain relief, but the returns are diminishing. I'd put decompression into the short term relief category. It definitely hasn't repaired anything as it was suggested it might.....

I'll report back on what the Doctor suggests.

[AAA]

Sorry to hear about that.
Don't give up. Keep on until you find relief.

[RoadToad]

An inversion table helped me get over a bad case of sciatica. It took several days of self treatment, but it worked.

[DavidS]

There isn't really scientific proof that inversion tables help, but I have a few patients who swear by them. One patient jokes that every evening, he goes down to the basement to hang himself. For his wife's birthday last year, he bought her one, so now they both hang themselves together. Kind of warped humor, but it helped him avoid disc surgery a few years ago.

[AlphaDog]

I feel your pain, almost literally. I had a herniated disk about 20 years ago; the pain was excrutiating, and not all the feeling ever returned to the front of my left leg. I hope, like me, there is a better life in your future.

[Buzz]

the Codone brothers, Oxy & Hydro may help if you hang out w/ them in judicious fashion, but there is a fine line between the pain relief they provide and and a similar, also not good, mood and temperament modification also provided when spending time w/ the bros. good luck w/ your search for the cure. report back w/ positive results.

[roshi]

If going to the chiropractor works, then physical therapy will work. Basically, you learn to exercise in such a way that your body "holds" the adjustment longer, and then eventually it becomes permanent.

Physical therapy works the muscles scientifically, like tuning the strings of a guitar - just the right amount of tension. The additional strength developed, and the balance among muscle groups, allows the soft tissue - muscles - to hold the spine in place.

So, it is good news that you get relief from chiro.