A Midwestern Doctor- The Many Dangers of Spinal Surgery
In the case of neck and back pain, I feel the primary issue is that limited knowledge exists regarding what causes pain there. This is important because many of the existing “treatments” for back pain actually worsen the underlying causes of that pain. For example, ligamentous laxity underlies many chronic spinal pain conditions, but one of the primary treatments for spinal pain (injected steroids) directly weakens the affected ligaments, creating a situation where therapies which are good for business but bad for patients frequently end up being chosen.
Yes. I had terrible back issues and got nothing from medical doctors except a very bad case of constipation from the opioids. I found a very highly recommended osteopath. He has freed me from my back pain in two months by a combination of his manipulations, especially of my tail bone which he says was twisted around, and a bunch of exercises he suggested to strengthen various parts of me, and lifestyle changes like a new chair in my office. He even fixed my constipation for me with magnesium citrate and metamucil and shifting my large intestine further south. Pain free and pooping is wonderful.
The main reason I went to the osteopath was because the wait to see a surgeon for the first appointment to get onto the wait list for surgery was eleven months. I figured I had nothing to lose while I waited. I have since cancelled the surgeon appointment.
A good Osteopath is worth their weight in gold.
Nothing like a good poop.
Happy for you.
Herniated l4/l5 disc when I was a kid…..took 2 years for the drs to figure out what was wrong with me, surgery to correct.
I’ve since learned, many years later than I should have, that squats and deadlifts are the best medicine when you can move, both as a cure for mild pain and preventative.
As far as we’ve come with modern medicine I haven’t seen any solution to nerve pain that actually works, opiates just get you high and constipated, nsaids rip the crap out of your intestinal track
A quick CAT or MRI scan would help.
Physiotherapy and then maintenance by good posture, seating and exercise.
True Robert. This from an old man who had back pain most of his adult life. Stayed away from surgery.
When I was but a lad … it was considered bad practice, and I believe even BANNED for Doctors to “advertise”. The AMA considered Doctors to be Healers … not businesspeople. However … now … Doctors open “Clinics” that shout and advertise their “clinical” success at treating a plethora of ailments. This is especially true in the State of Florida where unscrupulous QUACKS set up shop to fleece desperate old people of their life’s savings. Why? Because FL has very lax medical practice regulations. So they allow these QUACKS to make outrageous claims … because one of their patients claimed it made them feel better. No science. No medicine. Just testimonials … as “proof” of cure.
I feel for anyone in back pain. Been there and done that a few times. I have learned much from those times and my interactions with the medical community.
Firstly, not all back issues are the same, but health practitioners, whether they be dr, chiro, physio, all seem to have a well warn path they trod. As a result, my was misdiagnosed for 5 years, even written off as ‘faking it’ by one GP.
I finally found a neurosurgeon who looked at the CT scans and found the problem missed by all of the others; missing myelin sheath around a sciatic nerve root. It had been written off as a
slightly bulging disc. The disc caused no pain, but the other was excruciating. Solution? Graft some fat, from nearby, around the nerve. Disc surgery, without that treatment, would have resulted in even worse pain for the rest of my life, according to surgeon. Result of my surgery is many years pain free. Very thankful.
Previous injuries had all been solved by a miracle working osteopath, but this time she was “only” able to keep the nerve alive. No mean feat.
My dad’s orthopedic physician: “ you’ll never see back surgery scars on an orthopedic surgeon”.
Nice to see nobody is pumping the chiropractors tires. Quackery at it’s finest.
I think osteopaths are the same thing. Not possible to “adjust” someone’s spine.
Osteopaths don’t adjust spines, not the real ones anyway.
Whatever works for you.
The Medical Doctors are damn near useless on backpain.
Wanting to relieve the pain,rather than treat the problem.
Drugs and rest…has not worked for me.
Posture is important.
So is bending those damn knees on the heavy lifts.
Osteopaths and Chiro’s have worked for me.
Chiro still works,for me..
But keeping the weight off,the gut small and exercise(Work) ,moving through the pain until you forget it seem to be the longterm best cures.
That and not trying to manhandle outboards bigger than 15Hp..Awkward suckers.
True that.