As some of you probably know, I had three back surgeries years ago -- two in 1995 and one in 1997. I take medication everyday for the discomfort. My MD and I decided that I should try going to a Pain Clinic at a hospital to see if they could come up with a longer-term solution for my pain.
Here's what happened at the Clinic on my Monday 3/17 appointment: I am scheduled for a steroid shot on 3/26. The MD doesn't know if my pain is caused by the joint, the muscle or the remaining disk that is left in the L4/L5 area, so this is a little bit chancy. He will use an x-ray machine to guide the (BIG FAT) needle to the area where he thinks it will help the most. He can re-do this up to 2 more times in a 6-month period. Steroid shots are usually more effective for short-term pain or nerve pain, neither of which I have. But anything is worth a try!
I also got a TENS Unit and an Electronic Muscle Stimulation Unit. These units are the size of a Walkman. I hook up electrodes to my back and the TENS Unit makes my nerves experience pain in a different way, hopefully eliminating or reducing it. I can use it a couple of times a day for an hour or two each. The EMS Unit sends electronic stimulation directly to the muscles in the affected area; I can use this machine twice a day for 45 minutes each. (I guess that gives me about 20 minutes of 'non-machine' time left per day )! These little babies cost about $27 per month to rent.
Have any of you experienced any of the above? I'd love to hear any feedback my fellow Gardeners have :-6
.