I may have to start seeing a massage therapist soon. I have a bulging disk in my lower back that is pinching my sciatic nerve. The doctor just informed me that my only option might be surgery, but I really don’t want to have back surgery. So my next endeavor is going to be massage therapy, the problem is, there’s only two massage therapists listed in the book, I know there are more in this town. Does anyone have any suggestions? Maybe some testimonials? It really would be nice to be pain free and able to continue my life. I can’t do much currently.
Whatever you choose, make sure the therapy is grounded in reality. Massage therapy is great.
If you come across a “doctor” that starts talking about superstition and religion as an explanation for how treatment works, then move on.
Also, testimonials are ok, but they aren’t evidence. The plural of anecdote is not data. So if someone tells you they went to Doctor X and he performed a witch doctor dance, and now they’re cured… well, don’t take it as evidence that the witch doctor dance was the cure.
I have a nagging back injury that acts up from time to time. I pinched a disk in my lower back a little over 20 years ago in a sports related injury.
Karen Skarpness of the Prince Rupert Physiotherapy clinic always helps me to get me back on my feet. She has been in the business for over 30 years.
Yeah I went to Karen once already. Two weeks ago I had a cortizone shot in my back, which gave me some weird side effects and I haven’t gone back since. I plan to go back to Karen eventually, I’d just like to be able to have some form of relief before I go back to the agony of physio haha. It’s been a rough 2 months that’s for sure.
Hi Bubba ! Sorry to hear about your back problems. I suffer from Lupus which affects my back on a regular basis and I have been unable to find much relief from it since I left Ontario but I used to get shots of lidocaine in my joints and it would help for awhile and could be prescribed more often than cortisone. I also used to have accupressure and accupuncture treatments which did relieve the pain in my back for a bit anyway. I don’t know if any of the therapists here use these treatments though but it might be worth inquiring. As far as surgery, well, that should be your last option as I think many doctors seem to be a little “scalpel happy”. There are many alternative therapies and I would even try searching online as I know there are some good treatment centers in Prince George and Kelowna as that is where I had my last treatments, unfortunately, she moved back east ! Good Luck and try a hot pack for when you are just sitting around or lying down, works wonders !
I was having all sorts of problems with neck and back pain and going to see Dr. Karen Fait, a chiropractor here in town, has helped immensley. I highly recommend her – she is very knowledgeable in her field. Her number is (250) 627-1997. I think her rates are $55 for an initial consultation and then $35 for each subsequent visit. Very reasonable rates.
I’ve tried massage therapy and it feels nice and all for a while, but the results, for me, were not long lasting. A good massage therapist in town is Amanda Hehr. Her number is (250) 624-5232.
Yoga?
Yes, yoga for sure after I’m healed. I currently can barely walk. Thanks everyone! I’m rather nervous, the doctor wants me to see the neuro surgeon in vancouver. I’d really rather not. Something about having back surgery at 23 years old is kind of nagging at my brain. What might the implications be for the rest of my life. I certianly can’t stay the way I am now, forever. I’ve got a lot of thinking to do that’s for sure. And a lot of work as well.
Just be careful that you don’t follow recommendations based on superstition or religion rather than on science and medicine.
If someone suggested that to cure your back, you needed to pray to Jesus, or take a pilgrimage to Lourdes, would you do it?
What if they told you that those “treatments” were based on thousands of years of tradition and religion?
No? Still wouldn’t? Then don’t fall for it if someone tries to tell you that the solution is to follow some other form of superstition or religion. Just because a religion or superstition is Chinese or Indian doesn’t make it any more likely to solve your medical problems any more than a Christian superstition would.
I didn’t listen to the surgery advice. Or the chiropractor advice. One butt-cheek was completely numb for a week. The thought of massage was painful.
Took some anti-inflammatories. Took T3s first day or so.
Got better after about 3 weeks I could go back to work. Haven’t thought about it in ten years.
I swear it was that old cold waterbed that helped most.
bubbasteve735,
Does your doctor have any intermediate recommendation prior to back surgery other than massage therapy? What does your doctor think of physiotherapy or chiropractic treatment (I can not speak about chiropractic treatment as I’ve never tried it)? I hope you’re able to get some relief soon. I do know first hand how truly painful back pain can be.
No, nothing to do with religion Mig, you should know by now I’m not religious. I’ve done Yoga before, when I was healthy, it was nice to wind down and stretch my muscles. The thought of surgery just really scares me. What is supposed to happen is they go in, and slice off the bit of spinal disk that is bulging, taking the pressure off of the nerve. Taking away the nerve pain, but not the back pain. Not a solution to the problem, but a solution to the symptom of the problem…
There has got to be another option. Right now, I have my mothers TENS unit attached to my back, it’s supposed to stop the nerves from sending pain signals to the brain or something like that. Feels kind of like pins and needles, my mom used it before she had her hip replaced. And uses it on her knee now. The physio therapist uses them too. Doc said it might take some of the pain away.
I have been there many times and have 3 herniated discs in my back. I have been in pain so bad that I could not turn over in bed without almost passing out. I began a regimen of accupuncture with Betty Lou Hunt from cornerstones and over time was up and about and virtually pain free. Today I am managing quite well and have not had a flare up that has rendered me immobile for over two years. I had many pinched nerves and it too was thought that I would have to have surgery and I certainly did not want to go that route.
So with a few lifestyle changes, dietary changes, taking supplements and through accupucture I was back on my feet within a few months (but remember that I was unable to basically move without passing out from the pain).
Not sure if you are interested in supplements but there is a really good natural anti inflammatory called ‘MSM’ you can get it at the local health food store. Or you can google it. It helped me trememdously and actually got rid of the pain I had from the inflamed/pinched nerves. I also took a good calcium supplement along with potassium as potassium stops the muscle cramps from happening. On top of that I stopped all the caffeine and drank lots of water and stayed away from sugar/fats. I did stretches everyday and made sure to get out for a walk even if for a few minutes.
I am not certain if Betty Lou is still here or not but you can check at cornerstones. The rates are more than reasonable and belive me the treatment is awesome, it was the only thing that helped me at the time.
I too tried the physio with Karen but found it too painful and that is when I switched over to the accupunture. Also at cornerstones they have an infrared sauna which is amazing for aches and pains as well. It is different from a regular sauna.
Hope this has been of some help and that you manage to find relief as I know how awful nerve pain can be. Best of luck to you.
[quote=“MiG”]Just be careful that you don’t follow recommendations based on superstition or religion rather than on science and medicine.
If someone suggested that to cure your back, you needed to pray to Jesus, or take a pilgrimage to Lourdes, would you do it?
What if they told you that those “treatments” were based on thousands of years of tradition and religion?
No? Still wouldn’t? Then don’t fall for it if someone tries to tell you that the solution is to follow some other form of superstition or religion. Just because a religion or superstition is Chinese or Indian doesn’t make it any more likely to solve your medical problems any more than a Christian superstition would.[/quote]
Maybe I would believe it, if after kneeling and praying to jesus in a particular way that stretched the affected area, my back felt better. Or if I got my fat ass off the computer chair and walked to Lourdes from here…
I’d still be a fool for thinking it was Jesus (and not the exercise) but if you just take the anatomically based exercises of yoga, you’re not on the worst path to (slightly) better health.
[quote=“bubbasteve735”]No, nothing to do with religion Mig, you should know by now I’m not religious. I’ve done Yoga before, when I was healthy, it was nice to wind down and stretch my muscles. The thought of surgery just really scares me. What is supposed to happen is they go in, and slice off the bit of spinal disk that is bulging, taking the pressure off of the nerve. Taking away the nerve pain, but not the back pain. Not a solution to the problem, but a solution to the symptom of the problem…
There has got to be another option. Right now, I have my mothers TENS unit attached to my back, it’s supposed to stop the nerves from sending pain signals to the brain or something like that. Feels kind of like pins and needles, my mom used it before she had her hip replaced. And uses it on her knee now. The physio therapist uses them too. Doc said it might take some of the pain away.[/quote]
not associated with Morgans studio, but I went to her classes last spring at the civic center and really enjoyed them - she is running a “therapeutic yoga for back care” class a couple nights a week into december, there is a facebook group “Traditional Indian Yoga” on facebook if you want to check it out.
Yoga’s great, as is any of those kinds of exercises. Those are real, and you don’t need to believe in magic to see how they are clearly beneficial.
Sorry that my reply came after the mention of Yoga, though. – it was directed at those who would have you believe in some religion and superstition to explain their “magic” cures – those are the ones you need to worry about. You know, the “woo” stuff:
is there a happy ending to this story?
I’m in a couple of Morgan’s classes, and I believe she actually came to teach yoga because she found it helped her with a back problem for which surgery was also recommended. I think you should definately talk to her.
Be sure to consider what could happen if you delay surgery hoping something non-invasive will work. It certainly won’t hurt for you to see a neurosurgeon, and if he or she recommends surgery that’s a strong opinion to add to your list of things to consider while you think this through.
Haha, I hope there is going to be a happy ending to it. But not in the way your mind is thinking of it Jesus.
[quote=“eccentric”]
Be sure to consider what could happen if you delay surgery hoping something non-invasive will work. It certainly won’t hurt for you to see a neurosurgeon, and if he or she recommends surgery that’s a strong opinion to add to your list of things to consider while you think this through.[/quote]
Ever since the cortizone shot I had it’s been slowly getting better. Before I had the shot I could very rarely sleep through the night, and I had to take heavy pinkillers to sleep even a little bit. Now I can sleep through the night, and I can walk a little longer and a little less painfully than I did before. It is getting better, but I can’t do all of this without a professionals guidance. I just wanted to know others experiences with the professionals in town. I knew I couldn’t have been the only one that has been through pain. It’s nice to have a place where you can hear other’s opinions.