Has anyone had spinal stenosis and if you have how did you control the pain?
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
I do .. in my neck. I've had two major whiplashes and a few minor ones. I'm in pain now because I tried to pick up something heavy and Friday and I'm still paying for it.
I've been taking Aleve. I have vicodin if I cry "uncle."
Posted by sick (Member # 9143) on :
This is in lower back. The pain is actually more in my butt and hips plus down my legs. I can't walk very far or stand for any length of time. Any sitting is a very rare thing I can do. Many days the pain is so bad I can't get out of bed. If I DO walk I have to use a walker. A walker at my age. I was use to doing what I wanted to do and now I can barely make it out of bed. I have been to five specialist and none of them have helped me except the pain doctor, he has eased the pain some. I can't imagine living my life like this--- I'm only 62 years old. Does everyone that gets this live the rest of their life bent over a walker. Sick
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
Ugh.. that is really bad. I have sciatica too, but I'm not sure I have stenosis in the lower back. I do have degenerative discs though.
Have you tried physical therapy?
Posted by Parisa (Member # 10526) on :
Sick,
Do you have ankylosing spondylitis? There is a poster (Dragonslayer) on the Roadback site (www.roadback.org) who has done alot of research on stenosis and he believes that a no starch diet is very important (not fun, I know). If you go to the roadback and post something about stenosis, he'll probably be able to give you alot of information.
[ 05-10-2011, 08:58 PM: Message edited by: Parisa ]
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
I thought stenosis was a structural problem?
Posted by Parisa (Member # 10526) on :
Well, it is a structural problem but something causes the structural problem. In ankylosing spondylitis it can be a progressive problem. See link and excerpt below.
Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a long-term disease process that affects the axial joints near the midline, especially the spine and sacroiliac joints (the joints located at the lowest end of the spine, called the sacrum and the pelvis). AS causes eventual fusion of the spine. Peripheral joints, such as the hips and knees, may be involved; the arms are almost never involved..... Neurological complications include C1-C2 subluxation (partial displacement of the first and second cervical vertebrae), a tendency for spinal fractures with minor trauma, spinal stenosis (narrowing) in the cervical (neck) or lumbar (low back) regions, chronic inflammatory cauda equina syndrome (compression of the low back nerve roots, which causes paralysis and cuts off sensation), and radiculopathy (shooting pain caused by pressure on the nerves) secondary to fracture or compression of the nerve roots.
Here is a link to Dragonslayer's post about ankylosing spondylitis:
My structural problem was caused by car wrecks. I was just questioning the restriction of starches as the cure to spinal stenosis.
Posted by Parisa (Member # 10526) on :
I'm not particularly up on AS but I know Dragonslayer is. I believe he feels that the starch feeds the gut bacteria which plays a role in the AS.
Posted by Beagle (Member # 29698) on :
I have every possible spine issue from cervical to lumbar. I still cannot even lift my pocketbook without a lot of spine pain.
The only thing that helps a little is chiropractic adjustments but only helps if I go every other day! Lately I've been too sick with Lyme's co's to get there often and the pain in the entire spine proves how much the chiro helps.
Posted by Parisa (Member # 10526) on :
Hi Lymetoo,
If your stenosis is due to a trauma, then I doubt the no starch diet and antibiotics that Dragonslayer proposes would help you. For those who don't know what is causing their stenosis, then they should look into the AS.
Posted by sick (Member # 9143) on :
Mine is caused by arthritis. I wonder how much having Lyme disease for over 45 years before I knew what was wrong has to do with the spinal stenosis.
Posted by merrygirl (Member # 12041) on :
I have a really messed up back and neck. Bulging discs, stenosis, DDD yuck. Most caused by car accidents and I guess the rest is hereditary. For me I get spidural steroid injections. I have never had a problem only great pain relief. But I stay on abx. I know steroids are not for everyone, but for me they work out.
Posted by just don (Member # 1129) on :
I know people who was bent over and could only walk with a walker.
They had a cementous substance injected into there spaces to restore eroded discs.
Helped them greatly and wasnt too invasive,,,in and out same day or next.
sciatica is no fun,,,sounds like you have a bad case of it.
I dont know where your going for these doc visits but might be worth a trip to Omaha to a Dr. G. there that seems to do more than most.
Posted by sick (Member # 9143) on :
Hi Just Don Long time since we last talked but you were always very supportive and wonderful to visit with. I just hate to admit it but I am one of those people who walk bent over with a walker. Walk worse then my parents did when they were 95 and I am over 30 years youmger then they were. The p therapy people I had after knee replacement surgery were always telling me to stand up straight. Now I know why I couldn't. Mine is spinal stenosis and caused from wear and tear art. The doctor who read the MRI thought I had been in a car wreck. One vertabra has moved forward, twisted to the side and is leaning forward. It pinches the nerves. There have been days when I went to the bathroom and couldn't bear the pain of walking back so I had to drop to the floor and when the pain eased a little I crawled back to the bedroom by pulling myself with my elbows. I think the years and years of lyme has caused some of the trouble. Not sure if they could help me or not. This is no way to live though. By golly I'm still going fishing when my son has time to take me regardless of the pain. sick
Posted by Elaine G (Member # 20735) on :
Sick, ask your chiro if decompression will help.
Posted by sick (Member # 9143) on :
What is it.
sick
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
quote:Originally posted by Elaine G: Sick, ask your chiro if decompression will help.
- I'm thinking about this for myself.. but it will cost more than I have...just my "20%" is too much.