Has Physical Therapy helped you

[Cherie762]

Hi all wondering if PT has helped hurt or not changed your symptoms,,,Im recommened to have it yet I got an instict I should not and many are saying its made their symptoms worse..My Dx is DDD on the cervical vertabra 4-7 with a nerve root exposed and comprimised between 6 and 7,,they want to do traction IDk,,,please share your honest opinion

[dana007]

Good for you! Just keep remembering, YOU can make a difference!! Get  your body functioning the best it can be, then the rest is up to the universe, right? I love massage and after a while even the pain feels good :) because you know it will get better with it, and without it get worse!!

Take care sweetie, wish you all the best :) Dana

[Cherie762]

wow ,,,just read 3 above posts thanks all, dana and moose Im much more optimistic now,,she is doing just what you both said here all this time i thought my bones where aching it was the muscles supporting them I do have DDD, but I know think if the muscles are stronger the neck will hurt less, and yes OMG she found a knot that amazed her she said its gonna take a while and if I miss an appointment i could be back to square one i really like her, and she does do massage to me,,,I go there directly after a full day at college, by the time Im done with my one hour massage from her i feel so relaxed when I come home I have to nap for an hour LOL so things are looking up,,

[LazyMoose]

In order for physical therapy to work you first have to release trigger points in the muscles that built up over time which resulted from an injury. THIS IS SO IMPORTANT and know one knows this but massage therapists. You cannot stretch a muscle knot in a muscle. You cannot rebuild it either. You must manualy apply pressure (force) to the knotted area to push out toxic fluids. This is painful at first, but is the answer. I did this before my third time around with new PT sessions. It worked. I had herniated disc and scoliosis. Surgery can change the picture on if PT works or not I suppose.

[stillstruggling]

I would go to PT then right down the hall to er for pain meds. I would walk in and come out in a wheelchair, nothing they tried ever gave me any relife

[dana007]

I would follow the recommendations from your doctor. The thing is, if you're in that much pain (and I understand I've been in moderate to severe pain for over a year now) YOU HAVE TO TRY EVERYTHING YOU CAN. You really do!! Don't let yourself have the option to think "maybe I should have tried it". But sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't, and there are risks to everything, but the main thing is this: if you just stop moving and protect your hurt area, your movement becomes worse, and a whole snowball affect of **** happens. I'm a nurse and i've seen this both in myself and my patients. Lying around doing nothing does nothing. Getting treatment and exercise helps, you know what I mean?? Things wont get better just by hoping. Miracles are called miracles for that reason. You can also learn many helpful stretches and strengthening exercises that you don't already know, which can improve your flexibility and strength-- even if the actual traction doesn't work or not for long, this is a great improvement. Pain may stay and pain may go, you don't know for sure, but its good to accumulate tools along the way that you can do daily to help you live your life ok?

I would ask your doctor if you can get massage therapy as well. THIS is very affective for a lot of muscular problems, which might cause more pain if you are protecting your back/neck by changing positions into ones that aren't in good posture, as well as lying in bed more than just for sleep, or not being able to turn as much in bed. I suggest anyone with any chronic pain issues to speak with a psychologist as well, as they can improve with pain with relaxation techniques, which also help with sleep (which is hand in hand with pain control) and also a good place to vent frustrations. We can all admit its frustrating to be in pain, and being in the medical system.

Some things, like pain, are out of our control, but we can control the amount of exercise we do in our day, and the food we eat. Make sure you are eating top quality foods that will help your body be strong, and will help it function optimally. If you are overweight, this is something that will help your back if you lose some weight. Small changes are good. Self improvement is something we can all do, whatever it may be; its controllable, even so many things aren't.

I wish we were all out of pain, but without pain, we wouldn't know what was wrong, so for that I thank my body for keeping me on my toes. I wish you all the best, I would put my thumbs up for PT-- its very individual but you gotta try. My body is worth it~!! Take care! Dana

[BadBack1965]

I have had PT alot with all for my back and I have not had any improvement at all

[Cherie762]

crud the more I read the less I am convinced on PT ,,wow I am sadly shocked but really apprecciate and want honesty Im facing a potentially dangerous decision a big amt of nerve is exposed im in serious pain, taking too many meds, and have real concerns about whats gonna happen if nerve gets damaged during PT  thanks all any tips or info is soooo greatly appreciated,,

[ChronicPain1]

I've been to nearly 8 different PT places for my knees and my cervical issues, and it never helps past a day. Like toolmaker said, it's only temporary.

[toolmaker]

My experience with pt is that it only helps temporarily.When you stop you will start hurting again.

[jenntanis]

I'm not sure what category my answer would be.  I had 8 months of PT prior to my lumbar fusion, which did absolutely nothing but make me more comfortable.  I had ultrasound, Stim, massage, and traction.  Then, I had 10 weeks of PT after my surgery, which absolutely helped.  That time, I had water therapy, and land therapy including stim.  I guess as my back got worse, the PT stopped working as well.  I also had PT years ago, which seemed to help at that point.