Hi. A few years ago, my husband went to one of the top orthopedic surgeons in NYC. He ordered the MRI of the back. When Alan went back to him, he shook his head and said Alan can't have surgery, that they would discuss pain management and some kind of implant thing (like Jerry Lewis had done) so the pain could be managed. He even prescibed some kind of epidural shot in Alan's back to relieve the pain. These are the impressions that the doctor who gave him the shot, said:

"There was a mild degenerative scoliosis of the lumbosacral spine. S1 was transitional. There were degenerative changes, including disc space narrowing most prominent at the L4-5 level, marginal osteophytes and facet arthropathy. A good epidurgram was present with excellent disperasl after the medication was injected. The patient tolerated the procedure well. He was kept in the office for one hour after the procedure for observation and monitoring. he was discharged in stable condition, with post injection instructions."

Maybe it helped with the pain for about a week. After that, no help at all.

Only much later, (After Alan went to a pain management doctor who prescribed the fentanyl patch), and I went on the Peripheral Neuropathy boards, and I found out there was a special kind of chiropractor who specialized in neurology also, and we went to him, did any help come for my husband.

When Alan first walked into that office, he weighted over 260 lbs, was stiff as a board and could not bend anywhere. He never exercised a day in his life and was in agony.

The chiropractic/neurologist (A Dr. Theirl in NYC) did all kind of tests, and besides reading his MRI results, also had some of his own results. This is what his chiropractic/neurologist said in his findings:

"alan has been diagnosed in my office with the following:
Lumbar Sprain/Strain, Parasthesia, Cervical Sprain/Strain, Thoracic Lesion.

The doctor also had many neurological impressions. (Too much to type here).
But I will mention the Orthopedic Impression:

"Severely hypertonic and tender to palpitation/stretching bilateral lower extremity musculature as well as gluteal and spinal musculature. , Lumbar spine active range of motion limited to: 45degree flexion, 10 degree extension, 10 degree lateral flexion bilaterially, 10degree rotation bilaterally: all with mild dull pain reported in bilateral lumber spine. Minor's Sign was present. SLR positive bilaterally at 60degrees. Ely's positive left for femoral flexion contracture.

TREATMENT: Manual manipulation using gentle flexion/distraction of the lumbar spine. Post Isometric Relaxation (PIR) stretching of hamstrings, quads. Trigger point muscle therapy of gluteal origins and lumbar spine erector spinae. Exercise, home stretches and diet recommenations.


Now this was written in 2003.
To date, my husand went off the patch (detoxing in a hospital and later at home). He also never went to the bathroom on the patch.

Since going to his chiropractic/neurologist, (at first 3 times a week initially, to about once a month to two months at present), my husband is a new man.

He lost 73 lbs. he goes to the gym three times a week. he was able to get a part time job as a security guard (he still can't drive because he doesn't think he will feel the pedals and that's why he gave up driving in the first place).

But his flexibility is amazing. He looks better, feels better (he had a stent put in in January, and is on meds, and a low salt diet) so he dropped all excessive weight and went from a 50 waist to a 38 waist.

His neuropathy improved so much he doesn't even take a pain pill anymore.

And he goes to the bathroom two times a day because he eats fruits and vegetables.

But the only time the PN annoys him is when the weather changes or when he lies down on his back. Then he takes a small amount of xanax and I give him a massage on his calves and lower back. By the way, even though the PN was attributed to his back condition, my husband never had a back problem. never was crippled by back pain. Nothing like that. We never knew about the back until they took an MRI of his back to see maybe that could be the reason he had neuropathy. He is not diabetic.

We also went to spinal decompression place but they want $5000 and we don't have that.

I don't know if he will go further and try to find a surgeon to get rid of the remaining neuropathy. All I can definitely tell you is this:

If my husband had never gone to see Dr. Theirl and had those adjustments (or whatever this guy does with a G5 machine), my husband would have either gone crazy from the pain or be dead now. He was up to 150 of the fentanyl patch and also vicodin for breakthrough pain.

Every single improvement he made has been attributed to Dr. Theirl and the stretching and exercises at the gym. He is now a new man, eats differently, looks different and can actually move much better. He was literally crippled before.

I know that chiropractic is not for everybody but in my husband's case, this man literally saved his life. I just wish we could get rid of the remaining neuropathy so he could drive again.

I know that his problem doesn't compare to most of the problems that people on these spinal boards have. My heart goes out to anybody with that kind of pain.

My husband told me he was contemplating suicide right before we found Dr. Theirl. I never knew this.

It's a damn shame.

I wish you well.


melody