Looks like I've got to have facet joint or epidural injections in my spine. Anyone else had these, did they work and any problems? Just been reading up on it and the possible side effects. Is it an on-going treatment or a one-off. (The specialist and physiotherapist haven't given me much information yet).
I had one a few days after my accident in August 2015. Then epidural allowed 8 days of breathing when I snapped eight ribs in multiple locations. Without it I would have been on a ventilator which is not a good move. 3 months later it looks just like a childhood freckle. Does it hurt...I can't comment as they used katemine to install it.
Had an injection in two different joints and I'll not lie, they were painfull until the anasthetic in the injection kicked in. One worked first time and several years later is still okay and one took a second go to take affect. Still suffer occasionally but no where near the level of the before. I wish you the very best of fortune when the time comes and that it is only needed once. Andy
My ex wife has chronic back pain and has had numerous epidurals, every few months or so. She also had the facet joint de-nervation. This burns the nerves from the joint which rub the nerve and caused her sciatica. This only lasted about 3 months pain relief because the nerves grew back in the same place. If you're lucky the nerves will take a detour and cure your problems. Wouldnt wish back pain on anyone its so debilitating. Good luck..
It is back problems. Lumber region. Had problems for many years and now its getting worse and the nature of the pain is changing. Its got to the point now where its affecting my living as there's a range of work activities I can no longer do. Almost certainly mechanical. THe spinal specialist thinks its facet joint damage but the physiotherapist isn't so sure and thinks there may be disc issues, possibly as well as facet joint damage. My GP wants me to have a scan to establish what's really wrong but the spinal unit at the hospital won't do that because they say its too expensive. I guess really its because they know the results will point to a high risk operation and they're not prepared to go there yet. So it endless rounds of physio which isn't really doing anything and trying to find some other way to earn a living. Trouble is sitting down for any length of time is almost as bad as the work I'm doing now.
My sympathies, Gimlet. I'm nowhere near as badly off as you describe but I know something of the slow reduction of mobility and the battles with health professionals. It's a bloody shame that things have to get really bad before the NHS will consider making things better but I suspect that is the fault of current medical technology as much as anything else.
Has doing a manual job caused an imbalance it the strength of opposing muscle groups which then pull the spine out of alignment ? I have very minor back problems which are minimised by keeping a balanced core body strength. I realise this is a long shot and it does sound like a proper scan would provide a much clearer picture of your particular problem and hence solution. Can your GP refer you to a different hospital, at least for the scan.
I do have a degree of scoliosis. I'm not bent crooked (yet) but the curve is visible when I stand upright with my shirt off. The specialists agree that this is caused by muscle spasm rather than bone deformity. For many years I've involuntarily twisted my spine to one side the avoid the pain that comes from letting it sit naturally and I've acquired muscle memory which is holding the spine is this position. Makes sense to me. I do favour one side over the other. I have to otherwise I'll get a pain like I've been stabbed and my legs will go from under me. This tension causes muscle ache which is quite painful in itself and manipulation does help that but the underlying pain remains unchanged.
I'm no expert but facet joint damage makes sense because I've spent years carrying heavy weights on my right shoulder. I'm not bent to the right, as if I'm permanently compressed on that side, I'm actually bent in the opposite direction as I'm unconsciously trying to keep the joints on the right hand side stretched apart to keep the tension off them. I think I may go back to my GP and push for the scan.
They won't offer an operation until the bitter end as - though everyone I know who have had surgery have seen a major improvement - it can apparently go the other way too. I have had 2 MRI scans and my issue is discs though doing quite well at the moment (probably shouldn't have said that ). I completely agree that you need to hassle your GP to get a scan. At least you will no longer be working in the dark then. Fingers crossed it all comes good for you. Andy
I really hurt my back levering a door frame put to replace it and the door with upvc. I hurt it on 11th September and in January, the missus was so fed with my moaning she booked me in with a local osteopath. She gave me a quick examination, announced I'd jammed the bottom few vertebra together and promptly set about unjamming them. She lay me on my side, pulled on my hips and pushed my shoulders and vice versa. After 3 sessions, I was pain free and more flexible than I had been for years! Best money I have ever spent...
I hadn't realised until reading Do No Harm: Stories of Life, Death and Brain Surgery: Amazon.co.uk: Henry Marsh: 9780297869870: Books that spinal surgery is done by neurosurgeons. It is a fascinating read and may help to put the risks into perspective.
Ive had a number of cortisone injections in my back . Lumber region. They didnt realy work but in 2001 I had my last chance injection before fusion op . It was very painful as it went in from the bottom of my spine up to the area of damage then took 40 minutes to go in . But , touch wood , it worked I have never had a bad back / sciatica since . It used to be so bad that my right foot used to go completely numb for up to 6 weeks with terrible pain in my sciatic nerve . Its well worth having . May not be on the menu these days and I had to go private to have it but it was the best money I ever spent.
Had 2 microdiscectomis 3 epidurals 1 root nerve ingection and back is still crap but you have to start with Mri scan
I had glyceryl trinitrate patches when cortisone didn't work for a dodgy elbow - that was 10 years ago and no reoccurrences- it was with BUPA though - again a good quick diagnosis and treatment Now I had damaged rotator cuffs but nhs don't seem interested so it's a combination of pilates and osteo which keep it under control 75% of the time If it gets much worse then I'm off to seek further private treatment
