L5-S1 issues in my spine

a reply to: hibbity

Sorry to hear of your pain!

I fell off a horse 30 years ago, and landed on my neck and shoulders with my full weight. Since then, I have recurrent issues in the cervical/thoracic area... muscle spasms, limited mobility, which leads eventually to mid-back and scapular area pain, and some nerve pain in the ribs and chest.

I have had amazing success with visiting a physical therapist trained in a manipulation technique called Jones Strain-Counterstrain. After 5 or 6 sessions of that, which allows the muscles to lengthen back to their normal shape and quit spasming, (its a very gentle technique! ) I do a course of 5 or 6 sessions of guided core and back strengthening and postural exercises to get some stability built back up.

Massage therapy really helps get blood flowing properly through the muscles and joint spaces again, too. Which will relieve some pain.

Every time I get xrayed, someone says "Wow, your xrays arent pretty" and some ask how much pain medication i take in a given week. I am happy to freak them out further by telling them 'when I have to schedule an appt for pain meds, I know its time for more PT'. As a result, I can count on my fingers the number of pain meds I take in a year... so far, no surgery.

Best of luck to you!

Ugh back pain is the worst.
I've had two back surgeries, one at L-4/5
for a discectomy and a few years later a very
involved 10 hour fusion in the thoracic 10/11.
The L4/5 was a piece of cake 5 week recovery
and I have had almost zero lower back problems ever since.
I'm now almost 20 years out so it was an old surgical technique
by today's standards.
The thoracic fusion is another story, one of woe and misery
but I made it through missing a year of work etc.
All I can mention is my own experience and Im glad I did
my lower back.