In preparation for my fusion in February my neurosurgeon has asked that I do physical therapy to work my core so I can stabilize my back better after surgery. I am to do it 2-3 times a week. I started on Monday and my first visit was an evaluation and they did some heat/stim pads on my back. It felt awesome and Tuesday I felt the best I have felt in a loooooonnngggg time.
Tonight I went in and it was a new therapist. I started the session with heat and doing the stim therapy (electrical therapy). After that she massaged on my lower back/hip areas. It was the most painful thing I have EVER experienced. I told her it hurt several times and that seemed to lighten her up and then she was back to it. She kept rubbing right where the disk is slipped (L5 over S1) and my goodness it was awful. I did the exercises afterward which weren't bad at all and then finished with ice. I was slow to get up and slow when walking afterwards but when I got in my car I COULD NOT sit back in my car seat because my lower back was swollen. I am now home and have taken 2 Ultrams and 2 tylenol with no relief. My back is starting to bruise and is still visibly swollen.
My questions are, how much is too much with physical therapy? Should it be this painful? Is this a no pain, no gain kind of thing and I just need to suck it up? Or I am right that this was over the top and I need to request another PT?