I've posted a lot of my back issues on this forum since I've been on this forum. I had the discectomy...where they shave the two discs. Did the pain pills (Norco) for years but eventually that wasn't helping anymore. Thought I had to give up riding and sold my 10 SESG.
Last year I started going to a Pain Clinic. I didn't think they'd be able to do anything with my back.....I've been going to chriopracters for years (the only thing that would relieve the pain but usually only lasted for a few days to a week or so), neurosurgeons, orthopedic surgeons, MDs, etc. etc. I've had CT, MRI and x-rays for years. For me, it was combination of work related injury, life style (just not taking care of my back at all.....thinking I'm invincable), spinal arthritis and degenerative disc disease. What's a pain clinic going to be able to do for my back problems?
But my left knee started giving me huge problems and it came on almost immediatly and got much worse very quick. I was so sure it was bone on bone just grinding (that's what it felt like). X-rays showed that the bones were not touching and at their closest point (when bending my knee) they still weren't touching. I wasn't a candidate for knee replacement. The doc suggested a steroidal injection on my knee.
Three very long needles that are shot into the joint using xray to guide him, shooting the steroid and cortisone into the knee. He explained that it's temporary relief lasting only a week or two for most and up to two or three months for some. The pain in my knee was so great that I was willing to try anything. That was about eight months ago and I'm still pain free in my knee. He has told me that he does those nearly every week and he's never had a patient that it's lasted this long.
We then focused on my back issues......new CT scan, new xrays and I pushed......let's try it doc. It's been a couple of months and so far, the pain in that area of my back is still gone. However, the pain in my lower back seems to have increased a bit. He thinks it's because the pain in my mid back is gone that I'm just focusing more on my lower back. It's not excruciating pain like my mid back was.....more of a nuscience type pain. I'm still able to function and live with it so for now I'll maintain status quo and see how long the injections last in my mid back.
If it lasts like my knee has then in a few months I'll ask for the same in my lower back. Every time I go in he tells me "you know it's temproray....it is going to wear off at some point". I just keep praying for one more day of being free of that intense pain.