I know that this won't be new to anyone with undiagnosed chronic pain. I am still on that long road to finding an answer, and more especially to finding a cure?
I started with a new physio at a private hospital this week. We had a good report back from my MRI Scan on my lower back. Even though my symptoms seemed to be generated from my back, they couldn't find much wrong with it?
He went into stretching exercises, which I have done, but they have made things worse! I phoned the department, and was told to stop doing them. Trying again in a couple of days after the symptoms had subsided which they did. I was told that if after trying again they came back, it would help the physios with what might be going on??
So with care I did them again and yes, new nerve pains back full on!! I shouldn't be surprised should I, but I always have such hope when trying something that just could help me.
I have booked a session with a remedial massage therapist, it took me weeks to find one who came recommended and was local enough to manage to get to.
I have spoken to a specialist in osteopathy and naturopathy. He has recommended taking my taking Turmeric capsules( which is why I contacted him) but more specifically, asking my GP to send me for an MRI Scan on my knee, which started this all off this June. I wanted to have one back then but was refused!
He feels that my heavy leg sensations and nerve pains, could be triggered by having as described 'knee crud' floating about inside my knee. It could need a flush out and tidy up by a surgeon depending on the MRI results?
If this is not the case then he recommended having a Nerve Condition Study to be done. I have gone ahead a asked my GP who agreed to both of these requests. God Bless Him.
I have a confession to make, I was offered immediate surgery as a self funding patient at a private hospital with the top orthopaedic surgeon a few weeks after I had hurt my knee. My physio and my GP all said that I was rushing into it, and should try to resolve it by time and physio. I was just recovering from having gall bladder surgery which hadn't gone brilliantly well at the time. So I opted for the more conservatory approach. Though they wouldn't know that it would lead to all these unusual complications? So of course now I am not so sure it was the right decision?
I waited long enough for the back MRI Scan to be done, I can't imagine how long I will have to wait for the knee one? After my experience at the NHS hospital I will be going to again, I would rather have this operation done privately to be honest!
I would so value any thoughts that you all might have?
Hi sorry to hear your still struggling. You were right to try the conservative method first as it could of been something that would get better on its own. They missed my fracture first time round but when he showed me the MRI scan it was obvious to me where the damage was and i Couldn't believe they didn't see it first time around. The waiting lists in oxforshire for mri scans and pain specialists are very long so it took nearly a year to get a diagnosis which is far too long when your in chronic pain. I did go private with pain injections because i was fed up with waiting so if you feel that you want to go from private to nhs to speed things up then there's nothing wrong with that. I hope you get a diagnosis soon so that they can hopefully sort out your problem. Just hang in there and hopefully it won't be too much longer.
Hi Wayside, sorry to hear about your experience with your knee. I tend to think half of all problems would not become chronic if there was a better, swifter integrated service but hey ho! So, you had a MRI for your back because someone thought your knee/leg pain was coming from your back, is that right? That seems odd to start with unless you have a strange presentation of knee pain? What type of exercises did the physio give that provoked pain? What makes the pain worse and what makes it better? I'm no expert I should say but it seems strange that if you have knee pain you started off with a MRI for your back... I'm sure people on this site with chronic knee pain will have lots of good advice but personally I know many people who've had knees treated successfully and even gone skiing! I think it's important to treat knees quickly as muscles lose strength quickly with pain.... Sorry, I'm rambling but a bit more information on your situation please? Best wishes
Hi, sore back and pain going down the leg is often sciatica. I'd get a general pain from too many operations or plain getting old, in a way I think it's a mix of pain and emotion. But to cut a long story short, putting ice at the back of the head - the acupuncture point (Jade Pillow) has an unusual pain killing and general revitalizing effect.
There are a few exercises on my kdwyermedia youtube, one for the knee and a couple for sciatica - bit more gentle and precise than the physios.
You say: "I started with a new physio at a private hospital this week. We had a good report back from my MRI Scan on my lower back. Even though my symptoms seemed to be generated from my back, they couldn't find much wrong with it?
He went into stretching exercises, which I have done, but they have made things worse! I phoned the department, and was told to stop doing them."
MRI scans do not show muscle spasms. Stretching out a muscle that has shortened can be quite painful. It can take a long time for a shortened muscle to lengthen out again once it has gone into spasm and the process of lengthening the muscle out can be painful.
Three disciplines to look at. Is yoga which is a discipline about lengthening out muscles. McTimony chiropractic. The practitioners have a lot of skill in tackling muscles which have gone into spasm. Alexander technique which deals with faulty muscle behaviour and gives you the skill to handle muscle behavioural faults which cause pain.
Thank you once again for your sound advice. I went back to see the physio yesterday after my unwanted reaction to his program of exercises. He watched how I did them to check that I was doing them properly. He felt that I had gone at them too vigorously, to take it more gently and build up.
I really thought that I had approached the exercises carefully, but I am happy to take his opinion.
I have my first remedial massage tomorrow, the lady comes highly recommended, she splits her practice between human and equine patients, which appeals to me as I was a veterinary nurse.
I also found a Yoga teacher someone a friend has been to for years. I haven't spoken to her yet. I need to know that she will be able to have the knowledge to understand my complicated issues?
Have you any suggestions? What I should be looking for in a Yoga teacher?
I would also like to thank everyone who has taken the time to reply to me, I am really grateful.
There is a saying in the New Testament which says: "It is easier to see the spec of dust in someone else's eye than the plank in your own." It is a truth in that our faults cannot be seen by ourselves and needs someone else to point them out. This particularly true in muscular activity. What we think we are doing and what we are actually doing can be two different things.
The yoga teacher will not have the knowledge to understand to understand your complicated issues neither do I. What is important is that the yoga teacher has a knowledge of movement and muscle behaviour and can guide your movements to improved muscle coordination. This will take time as propioceptors turn back on and you learn new ways of moving.
One always needs to start somewhere. As one gains the experience to know what you are looking for you can find someone more appropriate. You are beginning the path to investigating how you do things. As you develop skill in doing this you may find that what is suitable at one point in time can change. You live with the condition 24/7.
Having a friend who practises means that you can practise with your friend. Having had lessons from your friend's yoga teacher.
I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand. At this stage doing is needed to build up experience.
Thank you so much for your reply. I have read it through a few times now, and I am still finding things in it that intrigue me. I can relate to what you say on many levels.
Yes you are quite right that you cannot be dispassionate about your own body. It is indeed better for someone who has a trained eye to view us dispassionately. Case in point this afternoon at my first remedial massage. I was nervous I have as you know tried various therapies, some have made the symptoms worse, whilst others have had little or no effect.
Nevertheless I went ahead with this first session . To my surprise she immediately asked if I was left handed? The answer is actually no. She identified various issues which all made sense to me. My body was merrily talking to her while I stayed quiet (unusually) she told me when it was likely to be tender and why?
I now understand what you meant about propioceptors. My difficulty is as you said to retrain them, and learn to not guard myself so unconsciously. I have learnt not to trust my body! It's so difficult when the messages that are being sent to my brain are so muddled!
I have been warned to expect a reaction tomorrow, though she didn't work things to deeply. I am giving myself the night off doing all my physio! Had a hot bath instead.
I have left a message with the Yoga teacher about starting it next year. She runs 6 week courses around our area. I was reassured by what you said about her not knowing about my individual issues, rather her knowledge of muscle movement and behaviour. I am becoming reconciled to the fact that my recovery is going to take some time. Though I am determined that there will be a recovery. It might have seemed to have been a split second event, but the truth is more likely to be that I have had issues with myself for a long time!
when I had the MRI on my knee, it showed the cartiledge had torn. Some of the knee bone had died and bits had broken of it and were floating about in the synovial fluid.
Sounded bad but my Acupuncturist fixed it over time. I just need to be careful that it doesn't get knocked and take care.
I don't remember having to wait too long for the knee MRI . They are cheaper to do if you want to consider going privately.
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