I haven't tried either one. At PT they used to do manual manipulation on me, and it FELT really good. That's the part I LOVED about PT But as for massage therapy outside of that...no, I haven't. I'll have to give that a think, cuz I know it DOES feel like it needs massaging, and when I press on it for a while, the spasms feel a tad better. It would give me a feeling of being pampered, too, I'm sure.

As for botox...nobody has ever suggested that, but I will bring it up to my pain doc on Monday and see if that's something they use.'

Thank you for the suggestions.

As for pain meds...I work, and drive 50 miles each way. I am on the duragesic (75 mcg/hr) plus percocet 3x's day, and I'm not "high" or unable to drive at all. That's in addition to the effexor, topomax, thyroid meds, provigil as needed to keep me awake, and something else that I always forget LOL! If you have a GOOD pain doctor, they medicate you just enough to treat the pain, but not SO much that you feel "out of it." I've found that out - I've BEEN over medicated before and I hate that feeling. If that's how I was, I wouldn't be working. If you were to look at me, you wouldn't know I was on medication. Nobody can tell just by looking at me or talking to me. So if you need it, just start out at a very low dose and work up. That's what my pain doc does...always. He always starts at the lowest dose, for like 7 days, then ups it a little for 7 days, they up a little more for 7 days. I see him every month. By the 4th week, when I see him again, I'm at the dose he wanted me at...but I CAN stop at a dose that I felt okay at, without going to the max, if I want, and if I get relief, before then. That's a good way to find relief without being out of it.

Just a thought for ya ifit every comes down to that...k?