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Back surgery or non-surgical decompression?
Hi, my friend is in the National Guard and was injured in Iraq. Her Doctor and the MRI shows degenerative, bulged, and herniated discs. Herniated disc L4-L5. She was told that she is not a candidate for surgery and have been given shots for the pain which barely helps. She was extremely active before her injury - active in hockey, mountain biking, rock climbing, hiking, backpacking, camping for the fun stuff in life. Other stuff that she was able to do pain-free before her injury was the simple everyday stuff like mowing the lawn, chopping wood, shoveling snow, raking leaves, taking out the garbage. Now everyday is riddled with pain and I need to know if there is another option for her. I cannot believe she has to live her life this way.
My lumbar spine is quite painful, got same story where I cannot do all the stuff I used to, finally got one of the gaba drugs, Lyrica, and overnight the pain went away. The drug has to be increased about three-fold in the first few months. If that doesn't work, the opiates have less side effects, and are not particularly dangerous...you take what you gotta have. So, she needs better drugs for sure. Also, I wear a modest drugstore back brace, wraps around the middle with velcro, anytime I go in the yard or store, I wear it, keeps my back from hurting quite so quickly, and recovery is more rapid. So, her doc needs to order her back brace, I think.
But even with those aides, my active days are over because "break-through" pain happens, medicine levels go down... very hard to accept disability and come up with new dreams and goals. But I'm with Kalvin, looks like they could repair the disc and perhaps bolt the vertebrae together somehow if necessary. She needs to get a second opinion from a neurosurgeon. I myself am waiting to do an MRI, to get a new treatment plan going, like a better back brace, physical therapy, and if that don't work, surgery. Surgery on the spine, tho, is not always successful, so I fear it. But if paralysis knocks on my door, I'll give in.
If she can get better drugs going, at least she might be more comfortable, and the less pain a person has, the more optimistic the mood, and thus the more they feel like at least trying to do a little gardening, and walking around the neighborhood or a short and easy trail through the woods, plus swimming is pleasant as long as she's careful. YMCA and WCA have inexpensive membership with access to a pool. A few professional massages every month REALLY makes a bad back feel better, as do long soaks in a very warm bath at night with candlelight.
If she needs help with keeping up the yard, I finally had to hire a lawn mower man, I told him to use a mulching mower for the leaves, and I hear they'll usually come out and clear snow. he charges $50 for my half-acre. Some people will also hire someone to come to the house once every two weeks, say, and clean up and take out garbage, maybe cook a big pot of stew. Good of you to be looking out for your friend, that's about the best thing she's got right now, plus maybe a well-trained German Shepherd Dog, he can help her get up, be with her on walks (GSDs need walks), plus cheerful company day and night.
But even with those aides, my active days are over because "break-through" pain happens, medicine levels go down... very hard to accept disability and come up with new dreams and goals. But I'm with Kalvin, looks like they could repair the disc and perhaps bolt the vertebrae together somehow if necessary. She needs to get a second opinion from a neurosurgeon. I myself am waiting to do an MRI, to get a new treatment plan going, like a better back brace, physical therapy, and if that don't work, surgery. Surgery on the spine, tho, is not always successful, so I fear it. But if paralysis knocks on my door, I'll give in.
If she can get better drugs going, at least she might be more comfortable, and the less pain a person has, the more optimistic the mood, and thus the more they feel like at least trying to do a little gardening, and walking around the neighborhood or a short and easy trail through the woods, plus swimming is pleasant as long as she's careful. YMCA and WCA have inexpensive membership with access to a pool. A few professional massages every month REALLY makes a bad back feel better, as do long soaks in a very warm bath at night with candlelight.
If she needs help with keeping up the yard, I finally had to hire a lawn mower man, I told him to use a mulching mower for the leaves, and I hear they'll usually come out and clear snow. he charges $50 for my half-acre. Some people will also hire someone to come to the house once every two weeks, say, and clean up and take out garbage, maybe cook a big pot of stew. Good of you to be looking out for your friend, that's about the best thing she's got right now, plus maybe a well-trained German Shepherd Dog, he can help her get up, be with her on walks (GSDs need walks), plus cheerful company day and night.
I believe he said it would only aleviate her leg pain associated w/her back problems, but would not do anything to heal her back or get rid of the pain in her back.
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