Corisne shot

[VOR]

My wife has experienced lower back pain for 8 years.  She has been to the general practitioner, chiropractor, orthopedic surgeon, physical therapist, massage therapist, and back specialist.  She's gone through months of physical therapy with limited results.  Her condition is degenerative disk disease with a lower bulging disk and she has scoliosis (mild).  The surgeon believes, based on the x-rays and MRI, that the bulging disk might be pushing up against a nerve.  Surgery was not recommended.  She does her stretches and exercises daily but still experiences chronic pain.  The back pain is not the result of an accident, and she is not overweight.  She is a retail pharmacist, and must stand all day at work.

She recently went in to get a cortisone shot in her lower back.  Unfortunately, she is still in a lot of pain.  It has been 6 days since the shot and I was wondering if this is common.  Does anyone have any feedback, suggestions?  

[VOR]

Thank you very much.  We have not looked at acupuncture as a possibility.  Is acupuncture a long-term process similar to chiropractic care?

[Zak_Han]

It is a common misconception that back pain always stems from the pressure of a slipped disc or a trapped nerve.  This is misleading, the main cause of pain is inflammation stimulating nerves, causing the pain signal. Given the severity of your wife's pain and the functional limitations it's now placing on your wife, it probably is time to consult with a medical acupuncturist. I would agree that intensive acupuncture (NOT general acupuncture) can be helpful,"worng stretches and exercises daily would hurt patient"( New research shew)
Take care!