It's my back and everything else.....

[IWantMyLifeBack]

Several months ago I injured my back. I could not get a doctor to listen to me so I eventually went to a chiroprator. No MRI has been done but the x-ray revealed that the right side of my pelvis was 1 1/2- 2 inches below the left side. The right side had moved down and the left side moved up. My lumbar spine is trashed. The x-ray also showed that I had mild scoliosis which is to be expected.

I have been seeing the chiropractor for approx. 2 months now although my symptoms have greatly improved I still have some problems;

1. The right side of my body is cold and the left side is twitchy in the arms.

2. My left foot feels cold (it's not cold usually but it FEELS that way to my) and it has dropped. The foot drop makes it hard to walk so the muscle has started to waste away. But I still have feeling in my feet.

3. My legs muscles twitch alot.

4. My left kneecap when sitting is approx. 1 inch - 1 1/2 inches lower than the other side although when I feel around my pelvis it feels normal like it is around the right spot. Maybe it just needs some tweeking.

Anyway, these are my questions;

1. Since I do feel my foot does that mean that the nerve is just pinched? Or just that I have some mild nerve damage? Also what can I do to make the nerve sensations go away?

2. What can I do to more or less control the muscle spasms?

3. What exercises can I do to strenthen my inner core and my leg muscles without further damaging myself?

4. What can I do to heal the bones in my spine to make it so that I can function normally?

5. What can I do about the foot drop?

6. The chiropractor suggested that I get spinal decompression since I have gone as far with him as I possibly could have does that sound like a good idea? If not what is? Next step will be

7. Does it sound like I will have a good recovery from this?

8. My energy levels are very low and my attention span is next to zero, I really have to try to pay attention. Is this normal?

9. Since there isn't a whole lot I can do, what can I do to get my mind on something positive? I don't like to watch tv and I am sick of reading. I don't leave the house much because I am a wreak.

8. How does one deal with this emotionally? I feel very tramatized by this whole experiance. I had a messed up pelvis for three months and was in so much pain and nobody would help me that I acted and felt like a complete crazy person and I am having a tough time coping. I feel as though I could have held myself together better. I just lay in bed and cry all day. I don't like this and I want to have my old life back. I feel like all I am anymore is this injury. I don't want this to define me. I don't want to be the sort of person that says that I can't do something. But I can't do alot of things at this point.

Money at this point is kind of an issue. Although I'd pay anything to be normal again and not deal with this.

[Heidi]

Hi
I'm sorry to hear of your problems.
However I think this is well beyond the scope of this forum.
With the range of symptoms you have mentioned, I think your Doctor should have taken it more seriously as a lotof these symptoms could be neural (nerve related) and this should warrent further investigation.
My advice is to speck to another Doctor to try to get a referral to a neurologist or similar.
As for coping with it, I appreciate it must be very hard. You should speak to a professional (such as a psychotherapist) about coping strategies and to enable you to accept your situation and keep a positive outlook.
I'm sorry not to be more helpful.

[mattw]

Hi, Sorry to hear about all you are going through. If you have not read Pain Free by Pete Egoscue, it could help you understand what is going on and why and offer a path to recovery. In our clinics we see people dealing with the same issues all the time and have great success if people stick with the program and put in the work necessary to get well. Best of luck! - Matt