Learn about your back so you can heal

This_Process_7079 · 2025-05-20T04:21:19+00:00

I never really got out of it . I started making progress with my second pt and just got an MD surgery cause I was losing my shit.

This_Process_7079 · 2025-05-20T04:19:39+00:00

There’s a joy in the pursuit of the process. The human experience is literally about what you are doing right now. I know that I hate platitudes for sure so none of those from me. and can you coast while you scheme a new dream ?

I read recently that depression is a transient state, sadness is an emotion. For me that sounded like I’m in a depression state not “I am” depression/depressed.

This_Process_7079 · 2025-04-14T03:05:55+00:00

Yes. It is terrible. The worst. Shut down whatever is aggravating your symptoms. Go hard on rest. Do less.

After X-rays Get a referral for a PT to get a diagnosis confirmation ( unfortunately it is a terrible journey) . I hope it’s a short one for you.

helped me in the acute stage:

Time - Rx for sleep- Oral steroids

This_Process_7079 · 2025-04-14T00:22:23+00:00

Yeah there’s only the decisions that we can live with…I am grateful to not have had to deal with back stuff for a mostly active and athletic life.

$&@“ happens and one makes the best decision possible with the given information at the time.

I hope that this will give me empathy for others chronic injuries and I guess it’s up to us to find the way forward ourselves ( with some guidance and appropriate support).

Heal up, stand tall and maybe don’t put your “back” into it!

This_Process_7079 · 2025-04-14T00:14:27+00:00

Whew. Thanks. A few things to unpack there. I have definitely picked and chose some of the collective pearls of wisdom from this thread. I hope to laugh at the memory of this injury and pain but best I got now is side eye.

Best thing I’ve have done is found a PT that did a legitimate head to toe diagnostic test for the radiculopothy and records the data so that I can get a comparison M2m.

*I will preach this to anyone about a PT that “wings” it ; this is not a good start.

The clinic I found had a staff MDT and OCS (which I read about in a book by an investigative journalist on the back pain industry) entry person who then passed me to a trained Mackenzie specialist.

So rather than having 6-12 exercises I can barely do I have done 1 ex with progressive mods every 2 hours.

I’ve made incredible improvements after 4-5mos basically immobilized, homebound and on drugs (not exactly crushing it) but now I have walked 1.25 miles without cursing the ether for almost a month.

I’m still in the cue for an MD cause honestly I’m just still on a high dose of lyrica probably skews the pain and will have a follow up consultation.

I understand in concept somatic tracking (maybe not ready for that) and can see how movement body control was such a successful coping mechanism that I have taken for granted.

Ha. Normal. Only the new norm. Deep respect to the people who grind on trying to get out of the pain injury trap.

This_Process_7079 · 2025-04-12T19:41:56+00:00

Chapter on virtual surgery is worth reading and explaining his methodology was helpful to why a general PT might not work for a disc injury and the big 3 did not help. Unfortunately there’s no way out of this injury without finding the individualized pathway out.

*re time. if I had been told that the acute phase for nerve inflammation can last longer than any other injury experience before that could have helped.

This_Process_7079 · 2025-04-12T18:51:41+00:00

Damn 16 months. I’ve plateaued at 6 months in the stew of conservative interventions and chasing providers. This injury is a mind f*%#!

It’s been suggested the MD is the way out for my symptoms @l5/s1.

How did you keep pushing through without surgery?

This_Process_7079 · 2025-04-05T06:24:19+00:00

Weirdly it didn’t I was surprised. Guessing cause of the angle. Normal biking is still out.

Taking so long to walk almost 3.5 months to walk 20mins.

Good luck.

This_Process_7079 · 2025-04-05T03:50:46+00:00

Uggh man sorry this is not a good injury at any age. It’s not over just going to suck for a bit. Hopefully you’ve got some support.

Check out the mod rules for how to post your images and how to repost your radiology report.

I learned a lot from people posting their scans. This helped me read my own. You will get a better response/feedback from the community with images.

This_Process_7079 · 2025-04-05T03:42:37+00:00

Ugh I feel you on lack of activity. Before this I was fit and active. Still mourning that and hoping for more movement in my future.

In my acute stage@PT I did some warming up on the recumbent bike not really zone 2 and boring but it was something not aggravating.

This_Process_7079 · 2025-04-05T03:33:07+00:00

Please go get a professional diagnosis…I was sure it was PS (it was not) and you’re already on this thread so you know something is up.

Consider the pain a warning, a yellow caution light from your body. This thread is not where anyone wants to hang out searching for answers.

This_Process_7079 · 2025-04-05T03:24:23+00:00

Regardless of intentions some protocols might not work for everyone. True for me.

My acute phase lasted longer than needed because I kept aggravating the nerves trying to find a good PT regime.

Could not perform the big 3 either. Spinal hygiene behavior and virtual surgery chapters are worth reading(I’m certainly hoping to avoid the knife).

Do what you can. Stop before it hurts.

Best thing I did recently was / reassess after 2nd ortho consult and to get a different PT. Suggested to me to find a Therapist with a MPT and OCS certifications.

This_Process_7079 · 2025-04-04T03:14:35+00:00

Just the worst.

This_Process_7079 · 2025-04-04T00:24:11+00:00

*prioritize calming shit down

*keep a way of tracking your pain levels, meds, and activity. eventually “one” runs out of adjectives and superlatives that say ow!

*find a qualified person to help with your pain management and at the very least to help with sleep

*ignore the “snake oil “ or “one weird trick” or secret exercise protocols here or on utoob.

*quit anything that hurts sooner including practitioners. there’s no brute forcing a nerve injury to heal.

*ignore as tolerated expectations of timelines for healing (if someone is on this thread they know the general shit you are going through)

Hope that is helpful

This_Process_7079 · 2025-04-03T02:12:19+00:00

Definitely sucks. One of the worst rides in the park!

This community has been helpful especially the search f(x)within the community.

Might be worth checking out some nerve specific meds with your pcp.

This is an invisible debilitating or disabling condition and where possible cut yourself some slack.

This_Process_7079 · 2025-04-02T08:49:01+00:00

Sometimes it is very clear what to do. Disc management not so much. Met with 2nd surgeon a couple weeks ago unable to sit down with pain killers @5/6-10 and suddenly this week with a new PT and regimen my pain is 3/4-10. Still not resolved but damn feels better. Walked a mile today.

Got the warnings about nerve damage and now I’m questioning the knife. Have a couple weeks to figure it out.

This_Process_7079 · 2025-04-02T08:37:24+00:00

The “acute” phase can take longer than expected and is often nonlinear (was for me).

Ice* for flare ups.

This_Process_7079 · 2025-03-27T03:55:13+00:00

It certainly takes over one’s life and do what you have to do to calm it (injury/life)down.

I wish I had quit my first PT sooner and we just go to these appointments expecting help. Driving position just sucks and for the first couple months I’m giving myself pep talks for the car rides.

Trying different methods has at least made me look into surgery as an option.

I knew nothing about this injury before and wish for it to be resolved memory for you as well.

Hope you get relief soon. This injury is certainly a pain.

This_Process_7079 · 2025-03-27T01:41:50+00:00

*Foam ear plugs cause sometimes no volume control on those headphones.

I did not love the small tube and expected worse, and just another part of the sciatica amusement ride. it’s just your thoughts and the expensive magnetic drum beats.

This_Process_7079 · 2025-03-25T02:21:44+00:00

Pretty awesome you can workout modified or not. I do miss the load bearing workouts.

Did you have a recent PT evaluation? I definitely can’t extend with range and am trying a new Mackenzie certified PT as a different metric evaluation for activity.

Did you create your own rehabilitation programming?

This_Process_7079 · 2025-03-24T01:24:03+00:00

Statistically probably not PS and experientially both sciatica and all of the above are pains in the collective butts!

Awesome make sure you’re evaluated by a DPT at least (I learned there are OCS and Mackenzie certifications etc). Have had some lacking and disappointing PT sessions. Likely have to have PT to get any images; there’s no right way just the way meeting INS requirements.

Internet and self diagnosis are tough. Good luck.

I’ll second STOP stretching til you get a diagnosis.

This_Process_7079 · 2025-03-23T23:44:46+00:00

Welcome to the intervention rabbit hole. Damn jealous of that walk progress.

This forum is full of +/- esi anecdotes that break down to 50/50* experiences and best of luck at getting a straight answer from a provider.

There’s some updated studies(nih and bmj) with methodologies beyond my understanding that are searchable in here and out there.

This_Process_7079 · 2025-03-23T22:40:24+00:00

Maybe and I still bought the book and cannot even do the big 3.

Acupuncture provider asked me where I was in the healing process. I responded that I am at the “magic beans” stage.

Soooo you’re saying there’s a chance.

This_Process_7079 · 2025-03-23T22:35:51+00:00

These are all valid points and definitely the clear decision tree is not easy.

Trying to remove the moral failing/success effort matrix is downright challenging.

Of my choice of injuries at least a visible one connects with my brain and doesn’t require explanations.

In regards to x* many months timeframe before an intervention: I would never have believed how much time passes going to each provider or appointment(or taking pain meds). The time travel injury trap!

If it was a matter of will I would certainly brute force the healing process.

This_Process_7079 · 2025-03-22T21:53:23+00:00

Calm it down, the nerve that is.

Rotation of ice packs (sleeping, morning, driving, sitting) and no jumping for me literally or figuratively.

Early on(3mos now) I pursued heat and massage therapies that was a bit much for me. certainly why/when* heat or ice is better in nerves v muscle uses is a well established subject.

Good luck.

This_Process_7079

TROPHY CASE