Hello,

I am hoping someone can give me some advice on my back / leg pain.

A few years ago, I suffered some sort of infection that weakened my immune system. I picked up "whatever it was" up in the mountains of Puerto Rico - I have suffered several repeated infections and was told that my immune system had weakened. I even came down with a staph infection from swimming in the warm ocean waters in Florida during the summer months.....and was hospitalized for a week. For the past year, I have had no trouble with the infections, but my back/right leg/foot pain is terrible. I read somewhere that back pain could come from having autoimmune problems - has anyone heard of this? Anyway, I had a recent MRI from a chiropractor that wants to put me on the DRX9000 machine -

my MRI results were:

1. L5-S1 small central disc protrusion/herniation confined to the epidural fat, which does not impinge upon the neural structures nor result in significant central canal or foraminal stenosis.

2. L4-L5 minimal disc bulge

3. T3-T4 tiny right paracentral disc protrusion/herniation, without cord impingement, central canal or neural foraminal stenosis.

4. T5-T6 and T8-T9 minimal disc bulges

I cannot sit for very long at all without my right buttocks and right leg hurting pretty bad - burning and constant ache down my right leg. If I walk even just a little bit outside of the house - my right leg kills me and I start to limp - my low back is sore and also between my shoulder blades always has big knots in them.........I take BC powder for the pain - which does not help much - and that upsets my stomach - also Excedrin Back and Body...............I have an appt Monday with a general doctor to give me a referral to see a neurosurgeon - if he thinks that is what I should do - I am scared that the DXR 9000 machine is a scam - the chrio told me it would cost about 5K.........and you have to have a referral to see the Neurosurgeon......nothing seems to help, except doing nothing and I can't live this way........I'm grumpy and in pain all of the time.......so far, no one has told me I needed surgery...............and I don't really want surgery, I just want to stop hurting so much and be able to do the things that I used to do again - I'm only 40.