| My father is taking part in a study of older adults with chronic low back pain. We're noticing he's having significantly less pain now that his mental abilities are starting to slip. Should we notify the people running the study? It seems that something like this could really skew their results. | 5 years 32 weeks ago | 259 |
| My doctor wants me to have diagnostic facet blocks for my back pain. How will this help? | 5 years 29 weeks ago | 259 |
| My older brother just emailed me that his low back pain is from spinal stenosis. I'm having some back pain, too. Is this a hereditary condition? Should I get checked? | 5 years 27 weeks ago | 259 |
| I've heard that even older adults can qualify for a disc replacement. I have severe degenerative disc disease. I'd be willing to try anything to get some relief from my pain. How do I find out more about this? | 5 years 15 weeks ago | 259 |
| My back pain has not gotten better as expected after three months. My provider is asking that I see a psychologist. Does that mean he thinks it is all in my head? | 5 years 15 weeks ago | 259 |
| I went to see a naturopathic doctor for help with my back pain. At first I tried a pepper cream that caused too many side effects. Now I have something called Devil's claw to try. What can you tell me about this product? | 5 years 13 weeks ago | 259 |
| I've heard that spinal manipulation under anesthesia can help people like me. I have chronic back pain and loss of spinal motion. How does this treatment work? Would I qualify? | 5 years 13 weeks ago | 259 |
| My 14-year old son was just diagnosed with "spondylolysis." Will this heal on its own? | 7 years 41 weeks ago | 260 |
| My 18-year old daughter injured herself while working on a summer construction project. The doctor took X-rays and didn't find anything. Now a special CT scan has been ordered. Do we really need the extra studies? | 7 years 41 weeks ago | 260 |
| I've had one disc operation so far for a herniated disc. I'm worried about this happening again. How often does this happen? | 7 years 40 weeks ago | 260 |
| My doctor has scheduled me for a microdiscectomy of the lumbar spine. How is this operation done? | 7 years 40 weeks ago | 260 |
| I'm on worker's compensation for a work-related back injury. The doctor’s report mentions disability and impairment. What's the difference between these two things? | 10 years 10 weeks ago | 260 |
| Is there any limit to the number of fusions a person can have? I've had one fusion at three levels. My brother was advised to have five levels fused for a similar problem. That seems like too much to me. | 7 years 40 weeks ago | 260 |
| I'm supposed to be doing an exercise for my back called "cats and cows." First I pull my belly in and arch my back like a cat. Then I drop my belly down and sag like a cow. I can never remember how to do the breathing. Am I supposed to breathe in or out with the cats? | 7 years 44 weeks ago | 260 |
| I've been seeing a physical therapist for low back pain. One of the exercises is a tummy tuck in three positions. I'm supposed to draw my belly button in while keeping my spine level. It seems very easy. How is this supposed to help? | 7 years 44 weeks ago | 260 |
| I'm seeing a physical therapist for low back pain that just won't go away. Every session is like attending a motivational conference. Is all the counseling, information, and rah-rah really necessary? | 7 years 49 weeks ago | 260 |
| I work in an office with 25 other people. Back pain is a common problem for many of us. I noticed several other people went to a physical therapist and got exercises. I saw my doctor and got an information pamphlet on back care. Isn't there some standard for how this problem is treated? Shouldn't everyone get the same treatment for the same problem? | 7 years 49 weeks ago | 260 |
| I'm having chronic low back pain from a disc problem. The doctor wants me to join a swimming group for six weeks before surgery to fuse the spine. How can I do this when I'm in so much pain already? | 8 years 5 weeks ago | 260 |
| My doctor wants me to go to a special program called "Back School." What do they do at these schools? | 7 years 28 weeks ago | 260 |
| My doctor says I'm not a good candidate for the new artificial disc replacements. What would happen if I went ahead and got one anyway? | 7 years 28 weeks ago | 260 |
| I'm seeing an osteopathic doctor for chronic low back, buttock, and hip pain. Right now my only treatment is an injection called prolotherapy. Shouldn't I be doing something else to get better? | 8 years 26 weeks ago | 260 |
| Three years ago I had surgery for low back pain. I had a good recovery but reinjured myself last month. I'm looking at having another operation. Can I expect the same good results I had the first time after surgery? | 8 years 30 weeks ago | 260 |
| My grandson is going from the eighth grade into high school. He's been on a "junior" wrestling team up until now and has done very well. No injuries! I'm concerned about high school wrestling. How often do these boys get hurt wrestling? | 8 years 29 weeks ago | 260 |
| My father was in terrible pain for six years until he finally had his back fused. He's definitely better, but he's not pain free. Did he wait too long or are we expecting too much that he wasn't cured? | 8 years 47 weeks ago | 260 |
| Is there any kind of surgery that works for sciatica pain? I'd rate my pain an eight on a
scale from zero (no pain) to 10 (worst pain). It's keeping me from regular activities, sleeping, and making my life miserable. I'll do anything at this point to be pain free again. What do you advise? | 8 years 51 weeks ago | 260 |
| I've been seeing a physical therapist for chronic low back pain. I'd like to keep track of measurable improvement. Is there some scientific way to do this? | 9 years 3 weeks ago | 260 |
| I'm with a group of physical therapy students planning a research study. We are looking at back pain in older adults and measuring it against their function. Can we rely on patients to answer our questions honestly to get an accurate result? | 9 years 11 weeks ago | 260 |
| Last year I injured my back in a job-related accident. After being off work for six months and completing a rehab program, I came back as good as new. Two months later I started having back pain again. What's going on? | 9 years 11 weeks ago | 260 |
| My aging mother has severe back and leg pain from stenosis. She's tried drugs and exercise with no improvement. Can't they put her in the hospital and do something like traction? Maybe just getting off her feet and resting would do it. | 7 years 23 weeks ago | 260 |
| The chronic pain clinic here is offering a new treatment for chronic low back pain from disc problems. It's a heat treatment delivered right to the disc. They say it helps promote disc healing. I'm not one for trying something brand new. How long's this been around? | 7 years 23 weeks ago | 260 |
