[sugarboo]

Amoung other things, I have a bone spur in my L-Spine. The medical community says that we should have no pain from this, but I beg to differ. Any other opinions about this out there?

I've done the meds, and in PT now, but I don't see the PT fixing my spot...all I have to do is house cleaning or shovel snow, and I'm down again.

Thoughts?

[DM]

OMG GJ's... I couldn't believe your timing of this post. I had some extensive Xrays today and the Dr told me I have L4-L5 disc herniation where they are literally laying on top of each other, w/nothing but bone on bone.... OUCH! Plus, he said I have a large bone spur on the area where the two discs are rubbing.

He is sending me for an MRI next wk. I am miserable. He also told me that the bone spur is pushing on nerves. I have had tremendous back pain. Don't let anyone tell you they can't cause pain, cuz I am hurting something fierec, but need to see the MRI results b4 seeking a plan of action.

I also have full blown Osteoporosis in my spine, so that probably isn't helping. Hope you can get some relief GJ's... I am just taking Tramadol to take the edge off and am sitting on a heating pad....

So again..... OUCH, YES THEY HURT~~ take care..

[watsonsh]

Can I fluff that heating pad m'lady? A cocktail to go with those drugs?

I can so relate. I have a herniated disc at L5 and S1. Going for repeat MRI and maybe eipidural injection in March. MIne gets me if too much walking or bending. Sitting is ok but I know my posture is bad.

Greenjeans, my neuro spine doc rotoroots out bone spurs. Painful but he has had success.

I also have been reading something about IDET and how they can burn the torn disc. I still have some disc left.

[DM]

Thanks for the pillow fluffy GJ's.. You are a good lil Lady in Waiting.

About roto rooting those bone spurs? I wonder if I would be a candidate since I have severe osteo. Geesh, I'm 52 and feel 82 lately.

He mentioned epidurals, so I could try and avoid surgery. I had a couple of those yrs ago. The first one didn't bother me, but the second one must have hit something. It really hurt..

I guess I'll wait for the MRI!!

I know what you mean GJ's! I take it easy for a couple of days to calm the pain down, but then the laundry, etc needs to be done and I'm RIGHT BACk where I was, down on the heating pad...

With my Osteo, I am supposed to walk... One ailment contradicts the other.... *crawling back into hole, awaiting Spring*

[braingonebad]

Originally Posted by greenjeans

Amoung other things, I have a bone spur in my L-Spine. The medical community says that we should have no pain from this, but I beg to differ. Any other opinions about this out there?

I've done the meds, and in PT now, but I don't see the PT fixing my spot...all I have to do is house cleaning or shovel snow, and I'm down again.

Thoughts?

Lumbar is a lot different from C spine (which is my bag) but one thing holds tue for both; what a PCP or neuro says is not going to be what a pain clinic says, or what a neuro surgeon says. you are gonna get a different story frm each of those people on you situation.

Which is confusing, yes, but it gives you options too.

Bone spurs can cause sx including pain depending on their size and what they're poking at. Even if it doesn't look that way on film. And like with brain lesions, a lot does not show up on film - like disc bulges, early on.



Nobody gets their hands dirty with my pain like the pain clinic, so I am always on that pain clinic bandwagon. Especially when it comes to all things spiney. It's the first place to go before (and even probably after ) you have to have spinal surgery.

And the other docs did not send me there - I told them I needed to go and found it myself.

[DM]

Thanks for your input on pain clinics, Cathy! I am just about ready to try anything. a I also found out about a highly regarded Spine Dr that is affiliated w/my DS's ortho.

So, whatever I find out from the MRI, I will be seeking a couple of opinions, to be sure. This is not an area I want to second guess. He said according to the Xray that the bone spur is pressing on nerves and close to spinal cord.

I am a little skiddish, as w/the Osteo, I wonder what my options will be, since the spine bones are brittle.

But...all the worrying in the world is not going to decrease my pain, so be quiet DM!!!

[braingonebad]

My bone spur is prominent and compressing the thecal sack, causing some pressure on the cord itself (C spine, as I mentioned). Someday, I will likely have to have that thing removed.

The pain clinic is the place for the ESIs. I've heard people say there is not the pain with Lumbar ones as with C spine - I can't say, since I never had them. And I've heard people say they get versed with C spine ones, and that it's *not right* to do it without. This is NOT what my doc says, and I trust him. He says he needed to know what I felt even though it was pretty brutal. How else would we know if he was getting the right nerve?



Now my case may not be normal because I have crossed nerves - my left arm nerve is abnormal, and he has to inject somewhere in the right side to get theat area. So maybe that's why I have to go without the versed.

How versed would even help that pain, who knows. I didn't do much for the facet joint, why would it do anything for the ESI, I wonder?

Anyhoo, I figure it's no biggie. So what if the shot hurts? I hurt like that every day.




If a shot makes it go away, cool beans.

Anyhoo, good luck. It's hard to know what's the right thing to do. None of it sounds good. There never seems to be a right answer.

[Kathi49]

braingonebad,

I have had PLENTY of cervical spine injections and yep, they can be brutal. I have had them with and without Versed. All the Versed does is to calm you down enough that you really don't care LOL! But they do NOT give you enough to knock you out. You HAVE to be alert to TELL THEM they are in the right place when they elicit a pain response. You are right...you CANNOT be knocked out else how will you or the docs know they are in the right place. And, yes, the lumbar injections are a piece of cake compared to the cervical injections. With the cervical injections they have to more or less weed everything down in there through, for me, the sides of my neck. I know, this sounds horrendous! But, guess what? My CURRENT PM is sooooo good at these that I actually look forward to them...no problem! Now, the facet injections will usually hurt a bit more; but my facets are always inflamed. But again, he uses enough numbing medication (NOT Versed) that all I really feel is pressure.

Anyway, what you said about hurting is a fact. When I first was told, years ago, that I was going to have to have cervical injections, I said...NO WAY! But when you are in that much pain, believe me, you will practically BEG for one! And I sure got to that point fast. The pain was so bad that I visualized a needle going into my neck just to get it all to stop! And thank God it worked!

And as my PM says...no one LIKES the thought of needles going into their neck. This isn't something we jump for joy for...but boy, when they work, well, well worth it! They at least allow me to keep my meds low. And, no, I don't use them FOR pain management; they are diagnostic..it just helps that they are therapeutic as well.

As far as cervical ESI's go. I have never had one done. I overhead my PM's nurse say that he will NOT or does NOT do ESI's in the cervical spine. And I think I know why. I just haven't had a chance to ask him yet. What I get are normally facet injections and at times Selective Nerve Root injections. I was scheduled for an RF but was able to cancel because the last set of injections stopped the pain for going on 2 months now.

Okay, and last but not least. Versed is truly not needed. UNLESS it is your first time, then I could understand it. But they are over with so fast it really doesn't seem necessary to me unless I have just grown used to it. Nowdays my PM says just take a Valium or two if anxious. And he has even said they are going away from Versed. Of course he will DEFINITELY use it for an RF. I had him give me plenty when he did the RF in my lumbar and I did NOT remember a thing! BUT that's because he had already done the facet injections and he KNEW where the problem was. So, I was given plenty and practically fell asleep. He said it would give me amnesia and it did. All I remember is talking about the Super Bowl LOL! I know I said a lot more as he was asking me things; I just CANNOT remember the questions or my answers.

[DM]

I've had the ROID epidurals a couple of times, but they were a quick fix for disc herniation. I wonder if they could help w/the bone spur?

I am a little spooked by it all. But, your'e right, if I had to have a needle, I'd prefer the back to the neck. However, my last spine epi hurt like mad. I don't think the Dr hit the spot right on. *it also didn't give me the relief like the first one did*

[sugarboo]

LOL...I just did a google search about bone spurs and pain, and this came up FIRST!! hehehee....

Not funny! I'm thinking about going to see a neurosurgon and having surgery done. I can't take it anymore. I'm in so much pain, it's ruining my life. I was up all night. Finally took extra vicodin and zaneflex and passed out on the recliner.

Sucks to be me sometimes

EDIT: Or maybe an injection again....SOMETHING!!!