ending the health/pain cycle?

[SarahB]

I have an L5 prolapse which is now more than 4 years old. When i first did it i was pretty fit, regular long distance walking, cycling or running everyday. I have lost quite a bit of condition since the injury and seem to be stuck in a health/pain cycle which varies from 3-8 months between episodes (dispite daily physio and core strengthing exercises). A standard episode will start with slow onset off lower back stiffness and increasing pain but no obvious trigger. Then full spasm which is just horribly painful. Right now i am on day 7 of the latest episode, co-codamol and/or tramadol take the edge off the pain, amitryptaline (sp?) and diazapam ease the spasm. i just want to know what the hell is going on in there. MRI showed 'normal' wear and tear, X-ray shows similar with some disc spaces a little compromised but not too bad.

I have tried chiro, osteo, physio, 'back school', palates and yoga and acupuncture. i have to admit, the only one i have stuck at for a proper length of time is the physio, about 20/30 mins per day, i have integrated palates into this now.

can anyone shed a bit of light as to what is going on inside my lower back as it seems to be getting worse, the last episodes coming closer together, i just don't want this to run my life any more!

[Steve]

Hi

It is apparent that you have been proactive in seeking expert opinion and therapy already and as a Sports Masseur I have seen many cases where individuals have seeminly exhausted avenues in persuit of solving their predicaments.

I do think that you need to keep the complaints live via your GP and consultant route. If left for a length of time these cases seem to become lost in the system and as far as I am aware the onus is on the individual to keep the pressure on continued examinations/scans and so on to work towards any degeneration and eventual breakthrough in suggestion. I am taking it that from the current set of MRI's the consultant will rule out any end of the line surgery and refer you back to physio anyway but it is wiorth keeping the file at the GP's up tp date.

Then I think that it is persistance with what you find best works for you and a combination of physio and the core stablility plus self treatment is where you need to continue. I am presuming that you have also examined your work/life situations also in respect of workstation positioning (or equivalent), driving position and support and your mattress/pillow combination. invertion tables http://www.return2fitness.co.uk/Back_Care seem popular also..

Sorry I cannot be any further help..
bets of luck
Steve