L5-S1 issues in my spine

I am extremely tall and was involved in a car accident in which I was rear ended about a dozen cars back from a stop light. I have spondylolithesis at the L5-S1 and am getting thrown into a fusion perhaps. My hamstrings are so tight, it is hard to get off the toilet. I get cramps sometimes down to the calves as well. I have a burning feeling in my left outer thigh above my knee, which feels like a laptop has been sitting on it for hours.

I also have the standard neck issues in the typical herniated areas. I have pinched nerves which leads to Carpal Tunnel issues in both hands. My flexibility is that of a steel beam.

Just got a belt and some Tens unit. Have a neck traction floor based unit.

Was wondering if anyone had any wisdom to share with similiar experiences.

a reply to: hibbity

Not much wisdom BUT,
From me you get sympathy and good luck wished upon you.

Stay strong brother.
Keep a good cardio.
Keep a fit core.

Don't expect surgeons to fix you. It will not happen. I endured 2 cervical fusions trying to relieve herniated disks and although there was temporary relief, the pain eventually returned. I have lumbar problems as well but I have no intention of letting a surgeon anywhere near my spine until it is absolutely necessary. I suggest that a condition of spondilolestesis is not uncommon and in no way comparable in severity to herniated or ruptured disks. For me, I have learned several stretching techniques that do a very good job of releasing the muscle and ligament tension and associated pain. I suggest you try finding a good physical therapist or chiropractor before I would let a surgeon anywhere near operating on my spine ever again. reply to:

PS: If you are a smoker, quit. Cigerette toxins are a major contributor to pain in and around skeletal joints. hibbity

a reply to: CharlesT

I agree with you, dude.


Like rights and justice in this country....unless your a multi millionaire, billionaire, ect. you don't get the fix.
But you can get some good w€€d.

a reply to: hibbity

The only thing that saved my sanity after super bad whiplash was a chiropractor. Some people still put them down, but I know the relief I got from adjustments. My low back, mid back and especially my neck had me bedridden. It took a regimen of adjustments, PT and mechanical therapies, but I stand firmly behind their methods. They're not all alike. It depends on which school they attended, but I prefer one who takes x-rays and explains everything to you and welcomes questions. A graduate of Palmer is my first choice. If you haven't tried that route I would highly recommend you try it.. ESPECIALLY before opting for irreversible surgery. Good luck, I definitely know what you're dealing with.

a reply to: RoadCourse

I would move to Colorado if I were not so intricately tied down to my present location.

I have spinal stenosis and other back problems. I have nerve damage in one leg. I refuse any kind of operation unless I'm going to end up in a wheelchair. I wish you luck with whatever you do.

a reply to: hibbity


Tall with two car accidents, sports injuries, and a number of years doing a physically demanding job.

I have spent thousands of dollars on my back. Chiropractic, Massage Therapy, Acupuncture, Chinese Herbs, The Egoscue method and numerous other therapies.



Start with:






The idea of this is that some people deal with stress and emotion in a way that causes your brain to create a lack of blood flow to the painful areas of your body. It is the lack of blood flow that causes the muscular pain.

Please read his book.

While my injuries were not nearly so 'intense' as yours, I would still highly recommend (if you haven't already done it) -

- Do not 'only' get opinions from orthopedic surgeons...I went to two of those and it was all "nothing to be done but extensive surgery (shrug)"...

...Then a friend suggested a local neurosurgeon who specializes in spinal surgeries, and he took a good look at my MRIs and found something the orthopedists had completely missed - the end result that all I ended up needing was a minor outpatient procedure...

So, that is my 'go to advice' for anyone with spine 'issues', get at least one opinion from a good neurosurgeon.

Best wishes to you!!

My sympathies as I understand what you are going through. I'm 50 now, and have been suffering since a car accident when I was 16. IF you have to get a fusion, make sure all other options have been ruled out. No one ever tells you that once you have a spinal fusion, everything else will be affected. The vertebrae on either side of the fusion get over-stressed and start to have issues (facet problems, disc problems, scoliosis, even arthritis). Then, your other joints will start to wear down quickly due to change of gait, stance, posture, etc. It wouldn't have changed anything for me -it was a fusion or paralysis- but I wish someone would've let me know what I was in for. Constantly in pain, a lifetime of pain medication, a new hip, 2 new knees (on the same leg), reconstruction of my foot and ankle, and twisting of the unfused spine. Make your doctor lay it all out for you. Make an INFORMED decision.

Good luck -

a reply to: hibbity


After you have looked into Dr Sarno


I would also go to a Chinese Herbalist.

You may have a number of seemingly unrelated conditions that are actually linked to an organ deficiency of some kind that are contributing to your pain.


Below is just an example.

This is the Chinese medicinal formula that is utilized when a patient has been diagnosed as having insufficient liver and kidney yin. These symptoms of yin deficiency can include a dry scalp, cracked/brittle finger nails, dry skin and/or a red tongue with little coating. If left unchecked, yin deficiency can evolve into lower back pain, foot pain, weak knees, excessive thirst, restlessness, dizziness, night sweats, burning, frequent urination, dark patches under the eyes and diabetes. It is commonly prescribed in China for diminished liver and kidney Yin due to aging, stress, or environment.

link

a reply to: hibbity


Finally after Dr Sarno and Chinese herbs I would look at postural therapy.


Head position I believe has a big affect on the spine.

This is the best video I could find quickly that gives a general idea of proper head position which plays a critical roll in powerlifting, athletics martial arts and daily life.


Not familiar with her but gives a good sense of head position.



Hi do highly recommend the Egoscue Method for postural therapy. Many athletes use this to increase efficiency, and decrease injury and pain.



The body has an incredible ability to heal itself.

I had that joint out, the doctors didn't do anything except give me pain meds. I never liked pain meds, they constipate me. I went to a chiropractor and he popped it back in. then the third time, he popped it back out, then he got it back in the forth session and I quit while I was ahead.

I fell off a scaffold that time and messed up my lower back and the two inch by 12 inch plank off the scaffold hit me on the head when I was on the floor. That messed up my neck and knocked my oxyput out. Since then my oxyput goes out every now and then. So I go to a chiropractor occasionally to get things lined up.

I don't know how bad your back is though. It may be more than a chiropractor can fix.

I had some damage to my neck and back when I got rearended at a stop sign too. a car hit us at about forty miles an hour. If I wouldn't have been looking into the back seat I wouldn't have had so much damage from the whiplash. It broke off a little piece of my spine bone and it was floating around in my neck. The doctor said it would eventually get absorbed when I brought in the x-rays to have him look at it. I had just had x-rays a month before at the chiropractors to compare it to. Every two to three years the chiropractor wants new x-rays to make sure that things are ok. I had been there for my lower back getting adjusted. It's been twelve years and things are getting better, but the lower back always can come out of line if I twist wrong and my neck and spine have kind of got all calcified up.

God didn't design us to fall off of scaffolding or get rearended while in a car. I hope you get someone to help, check with your doctor to see if the hospital has someone to align your spine.

a reply to: dusty1

Absolutely the exact advice I was going to give.:upr. Sarno's book helped me. I'm constantly recommending the book to friends and family. So far only 1 person has actually read the book and had excellent results aside from myself. Everyone else refuses to even read a paragraph from the book. They all laugh it off and think I'm full of it. It did and does work. Once you understand what's going on.

a reply to: hibbity

Probably not applicable, but for me, for arthritis like pain, taking capsules of Malic Acid have helped a lot.

I'm not familiar with your condition, but have you looked into the teeter hang up. My dad had horrible back problems on a daily basis and would lock up often due to his football injuries. I don't know what was wrong with him but I remember the pain he was in. He got a teeter and his back and leg pain literally went away. He would use it on a daily basis and now just needs to use it every so often. Since you may be looking at surgery it may be worth it to look into it.

a reply to: hibbity


Don't know where you live, but this guy did my back 22 years ago and I'm doing really well. I have some nerve damage cause the insurance company didn't listen to him. Dr. Bill

Hello,

L5-s1 Spondlosis with bilateral spondylolisthesis here as well as a slipping disk. Hurts to stand or walk for more than 10 minutes or I get severe sciatica in both legs.

I've been doing a lot of lower back and leg stretches at the gym aswell as a regular workout and that keeps the pain at bay.

I have to say the foam roller and abs work have helped me come a long way. My facets were inflammed, my lower back was visibally full of fluid and it hurt to do anything. (I don't take meds) (and I realized weed dries out my joints too much)

These days I am feeling more and more mobile. I push myself to walk father and farther. And when the pain gets unbareable I bend over and take the pressure off the nerves reseting the pain for a time.

Im still young, not even 30 yet and this has been a major fight out of depression coming from being an athlete to barely being able to walk down stairs and make a meal.

But I have to say streching and foam rolling has been one of the best helps, aswell as keeping good circulation with regular exercise.

As far as doctors I went for a steroid injection and it didn't last a week and I was stuck with a $2k anesthesia bill not covered by insurance. I won't be going that route again.

Also helps if I sprint more often. I'll be sore for a few hours after but I have more mobility throughout the week.

Good luck to all who suffer with spinal issues I would not put this on my worst enemy. The constant pain really takes a toll on your psyche. I still have to fight not to be a complete grouch to the people I love. I still shy away from activities where a lot of walking is involved. But Im fighting back and have taken up hobbies which do not require me to move much.

I suffered from a Ruptured L5S1 for about 5 months. 4 of it on my side because a could sit for more than 3 minutes due to the severe pain in my hip and the sensation of someone sticking a screwdriver in my calf and moving it all around. The material in the disc was protuding just enough to agrevate the nerve with inflammation. I didn't have the numbness a lot of people end up with unfortunately. Started with chiropractic which helped for a while after each visit to keep me working (Auto Technician) until he said something was wrong beyond his abilities to fix.
So, decided to try an osteopathic doctor which diagnosed it as a spazed musle in my abdomen to the thigh muscle. Everything he did was painful incuding wrapiing me uplike a pretzel which i think made things worse. At this time i was living on my side mostly on my parents couch due to barely even being able to stand sitting in the bathroom for more than 3 minutes without shaking. Pain killers he started perscribing didn't help much. Even the Oxys which were horrible only lasted a few ours a day. After a couple visits he recommended me to a physical therapist which had me do very painful exercises then traction which felt awesome while streatched out but worse after. She finally determined after 3 visits that i need an MRI. The state at the time only had a mobile unit...5 week wait.
Finally got that done. Doctor said surgery.i looked at all other options and decided for my very first surgury. I couldn't live like that anymore. They put me under, went in and cut the material off that was protruding which was 1/3rd of the amount in the disc. Theory was the disc will repair itself naturally as long i was carefull and gave it proper care. I was in and out of the doctors in about 4 and a half hours immediately no pain other a little from the incision. Back to workin a month. Continued with frequent chiropractic visits until my muscles in my back were built back up. I lost 40 lbs during the whole laid up senerio. Anyway, virtually full recovery i feel. it's been 8 years with little to no issues (age 37 now). I hope this post helps you some. Good luck!

Stretch!

Its amazing how much it can help with severe back problems.

You may even find that you kind of have to design your own routine, and it may take a while to notice a difference, but it sounds like it could really help.

Like everything, its important to do it properly and consistently. But, stretching really has made the biggest difference for me as well.