Thoracic T11 T12 pain

[nmason71]

Hi. In May of this year I was a pedestrian hit by a car from the side. I have had three months of extensive physio, xrays and an MRI. The MRI showed T11 and T12 disc bulges. I was then referred to an Osteopath which after four treatments has aggrevated my symptoms to the point where I cannot sit for longer than 10mins, walking is an effort and pain relief no longer works. My symptoms range from weakness in the legs, tingling down to hip, crushing feeling in the mid back areas and a hot like feeling down one side of my back. I'm not sure what to do now. I am going back to my GP tomorrow to get suggestions. Does anyone have ideas of what I can try?

[9erlover]

If you still are in pain, try going to Pain Management.  They have a LOT of different types of Pain Meds that most ppl can handle, and they don't have other stuff in them, just pure meds.  It might take a bit to get the right one, but they will work with you.  I have been seeing one for 14 yrs now.  My pain is pretty much controlled.

Michael Scouten
***@****

[slkslk6696]

I originally started having pain in my mid-back a few years back.  It radiated from my mid back on the left side all the way to the middle of my chest in the front.  I worked at a desk, sitting all day.  The pain grew increasingly worse and I sat inappropriately to help ease my discomfort.  Even had my desk raised so I could sit or stand to work.  Finally began seeking treatment, had CT/Xray/MRI and other scans.  Osteoarthritis, spinal stenosis, bulging discs.  First, steroids, then narcotics, then steroid injections, then nerve block..nothing eased my pain.  Finally sought help from a neurosurgeon who said he could perform surgery T11 - T12 subluxation (they cut out part of the vertebrae so there's room for spinal cord and nerve to move around) in hopes it would help relieve my pain.  It did not.  This was early 2008.  Since then, I have gone to PT, light PT all the way to intense PT. I did warm water therapy and although I felt pretty good afterward, I was always wiped out and never got relief from the pain and all my efforts seemed to exacerbate my pain.  To this day, if I walk, sit, stand, fold laundry, basically anything that requires me to move my arms or makes my back work, cause me worse pain.  I live with it daily.  I cannot lay flat.  Comfortable positions are sitting indian style leaning all the way forward (& not for long) or laying on my left side (odd since that's where my pain is worse).  I can't lay down for too long either because that makes me stiff.  I take tramadol on a regular basis which seems to keep my pain at an even level (as opposed to narcotics which are HORRIBLE and mess with your body and your head and make the pain seem worse than it is, leaving you wanting MORE)  I take the max dose of an anti-depressant and diazapam for those times when I'm having spasms or need to have help calming down from doing too much.  Sometimes in life, ya just have to do stuff...even if it hurts.  I'll have to live with this pain the rest of my life.  I try to stretch and walk often and I am grateful that I can rest afterward. I'm not employable since I can't do much of anything for a long time.  I am "disabled".  I lay on the sofa to use my laptop or use my iPhone to find ways others cope.  I find that, personally, making a list of things I'm grateful for help me focus on the positive things in life.  Accepting my pain as part of my life is critical for me so I'm not miserable in mind (only in body).  Often, when I don't do a good job of this, others around me suffer too.  I wish the best for you.  Do research and find the best neurosurgeon in your area and get recommendations for the best MRI service (there are bad ones!).  Seek help from physical therapists who have doctorates in their field to find out how to utilize your body so it doesn't atrophy.  Best Wishes and God Bless  ***@****

[nmason71]

Well it's coming up to two years since my accident and I am no further ahead. I have had nerve blocks followed by four neurotomies that failed and now I am again going through a pilates program with accupuncture. I am really running out of ideas on what to do next and so is my GP. I have tried every medication that my doctor feel suitable and nothing works. Is there anyone out there in the MedHelp area that has suggestions.