Chronic pain spinal stenosis

[Bella6]

Older female with cervical and lumbar stenosis I don’t want surgery what other options are available I am in pain everyday

[Bananas5]

Over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medications can ease swelling and pain. If they don't do the trick, your doctor can prescribe higher-dose medication. Your doctor may also recommend cortisone injections.

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[Bella6 in reply to Bananas5]

Thank you going to see neurosurgeon next week after my MRI he also may recommend injections I am 71 yrs old don’t want surgery

[Bananas5 in reply to Bella6]

Hope it helps

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[SpinalPain]

Hi Bella6. Your Neurosurgeon may offer you an injection called an epidural caudal block. Out of everything that I have had/tried that was the only thing that helped me with my mobility, as it numbed the nerves in my lumbar region. It would last for around 4/5 months then needed to be done again.

Unfortunately in the North West UK our NHS have stopped the funding and now i am suffering daily. my mobility is poor and my mood is so very low. My sleep is also shot at..

I have asked if it is possible to pay for the injections but was told the cost is a thousand pound per needle.

I also use to have 4 facet joint injections twice yearly...They have also had the funding stopped.

I find that coldness helps to distract nerve pain in my neck and heat for my lumbar. Also a tens machine helps with nerve pain in my neck/shoulders but again no help to my lumbar.

Ask your doctor about anti-inflammatory gel as i find that helps me a little. I cannot take anti-inflammatory in tablet form as it upsets my tummy. I find my daft body accepts gel form.

Also ask about natural remedies. I am taking turmeric with black pepper to see if that may help me long term.. Only been taking this for a week but hey i thought it is worth trialling.

I will let you know how this goes.

Please keep in touch with us here and let us know how you fare with your MRI and Neurosurgeon.

[Bella6 in reply to SpinalPain]

Thank you for your advice I also don’t know if Medicare will pay for epidural shots so I will see what neurosurgeon says thanks again please take care of yourself also God Bless

[SpinalPain in reply to Bella6]

Thank you for your reply Bella6. You’re now in my prayers and I shall keep a watch over you. God bless you x

[Hidden in reply to SpinalPain]

Hi, I also have a chronic back problem. I have injections every six or seven months and I also live in the north west of the UK. Every time I go to the pain clinic I expect them to say the funding has been withdrawn - I have been warned that this may happen.

Yesterday on the news, it stated that access to NHS treatment was being improved for children with video gaming addiction! People are sick, in pain and dying and they're treating this on the NHS? I thought it was a joke. I was a nurse working in the NHS which resulted in my back problem. If my treatment is withdrawn, I will be on a mission.

[SpinalPain in reply to Hidden]

Hi Tennyson Bear, Its the Warrington & Halton section that have been hit first with the NHS cutbacks I think the government are saving £33 Million allegedly. Here is a news clip that speaks the truth telegraph.co.uk/news/health...

There are some fake news articles that do not state facts but the telegraph reports on the sneaky meeting with NICE and holistic docs and also says that after the news leaked out Dr Jonathan Richardson, a consultant pain specialist from Bradford Hospitals Trust, is among more than 50 medics who have written to NICE urging the body to reconsider its decision, but to no avail.

There doesn't seem to be anything/anyone who is fighting back and i feel it is a great dis justice.

My mobility is now pants, i have episodes when i have to crawl to the bathroom and now have carers in to help me. The pain is bearable with opiates but long term there is not much hope.

But like you say at least access to NHS treatment was being improved for children with video gaming addiction!

I can only pray that Spine Surgeons/Specialists will get together and make waves to change this dreadful situation as their voice of expertise and reason would make a difference.

Thank you for caring and speaking out. My support for you is the same.

[Hidden in reply to SpinalPain]

Thanks for your reply. I read the article which, according to the correspondent, was written in 2009. It states that the cost of these injections is up to £500 each but I think it is now around £1000. I live in Wigan so let's wait and see! My last set of injections was on 31 July and my follow-up appointment is on 31 December.

[SpinalPain in reply to Hidden]

Hi there, yes you're right when i asked 2 years ago about paying for the injections i was quoted at £1.0000 per needle. In fact the nurse i asked laughed and said it may be higher than that. So goodness knows the price now. I was refereed to a pain management clinic but to be honest with you they could only offer me pain management strategies like yoga breathing... I already use a massage seat, electric heat pad, tens machine, heat/freeze gel. So i refrained on the yoga breathing exercises. I didn't think it would help me much more than the tools i already use. I do hope that you can have your injections when you need them as i know how much they use to help me. God bless you TennysonBear.

[Hidden in reply to SpinalPain]

Thank you, what would we do without each other. Good luck, hope things improve for you. x

[Bella6 in reply to Hidden]

True we all need each other thanks

[Bella6 in reply to SpinalPain]

OMG unreal

[Binky68 in reply to SpinalPain]

Whereabouts are you ? I’m wirral and it’s crap, I’m making a formal complaint to nhs trust, will sue them if necessary

[SpinalPain in reply to Binky68]

Hi Hedgehog1968. I love in Warrington which is linked in with Halton. You’re so right it is a poor show indeed. I think the way forward will be by leaning on Spine Surgeons as they may hold a bit of strength through their clinical knowledge x

[SpinalPain in reply to Binky68]

Hey Hedge, when you're ready to write a letter of complain let me know and i will do the same. I can see this rolling into a big petition and would gladly join you on this mission. We could run our local papers and get out a big story and gather allies. God bless you Hedge. x

[Gadget60]

Hi Bella, I am a 60 year old male with spinal stenosis. The epidural worked for 3 days for me. After various types of medication I was eventually prescribed Reltebon which is a morphine based slow release tablet. This is the only thing that relieved the pain. I still struggle to walk, even with a stick but as long as I am careful, the pain levels are manageable. I really do feel your pain and hope you find what is right for you because everybody is different.

[Bella6 in reply to Gadget60]

True our bodies are all different I wish you the best meds don’t like me I dosed in the past will keep you in prayer

[Binky68 in reply to Gadget60]

At least mine is my arms so I can still walk , just can’t lie down !

[jointpain]

Hi Bella, I am a 63 year old man with cervical spinal stenosis, I also had vitamin B12 deficiency, and was in a lot of pain. I now inject B12 1mg once every six days and take 1 naproxen 250mg in the morning. I would say my pain has mostly gone away. The B12 helps in repairing the myelin sheathing around the damaged nerve fibres and the naproxen damps the pain. So far so good.

[Bella6 in reply to jointpain]

Hi so happy for you I am very sensitive to meds so I am only on zanaflex prn celebrex 200 mg low dose because I had acute kidney failure from meds one was Motrin 800 mg and gabapentin 200 mg so they are not really working will see neurosurgeon next week to see other alternatives I do know MRI was not good cervical and lumbar stenosis thanks for your input

[Hidden]

I too have spinal stenosis and am in my mid seventies. I live in Yorkshire and was admitted to Hospital last Christmas as in severe pain and kept falling over which was probably due to pain medication. Eventually had a spinal injection, free as an in patient, which helped a lot and lasted several weeks. Have just had a second one which had to pay £225 towards. Told this time it could take 2 weeks to work and have slightly improved but getting better daily.

I’ve been taking organic TUMERIC with ginger and black pepper for a few months and it seems to help. Now trying CBD as heard that can help. Aiming to do without pain killers now on if possible as finding side effects difficult to take.

Wishing all the best.

[Binky68 in reply to Hidden]

You had to pay fir pain relief ?’

[Hidden in reply to Binky68]

Just a contribution to cost of injections as NHS won’t cover full cost as no proven benefit. May vary on where you live though how much you pay.

[Bella6]

So happy things are starting to work for you we all have to hope for the best God Bless

[SpinalPain]

Hi Bella, I also find a chilli based cream called Zacin0.025% W/W cream helpful. It’s also know as capsaicin cream. It is white in colour and doesn’t stain. It works by giving heat to your skin therefore giving your nerves/muscles something else to think about. To get the best from it my G.P. advices to apply 4 times daily. I use it on my neck, shoulders and lower back.

It doesn’t warm up straight away but kind of warms up slowly. I find it soothing especially as my pain can wake me up in the night. I don’t use it every day only on my worse days/nights. It is only good for spinal areas. This may be worth a chat with your doc.

[Bella6 in reply to SpinalPain]

Thank you I will check with him happy it’s helping you and I understand you use it for bad days because the more you use it body gets use to it and stops working

[SpinalPain in reply to Bella6]

Hi Bella, our bodies don't get use to the capsaicin cream, so we can use it 4 times daily. Its not addictive. Its a little bit of nature playing tricks on our nerve endings. God bless you in your quest to find something that will give you a break from the pain. x

[Binky68]

Anyone know if trenadol is cumulatuve ? I seem to be getting s better response to it today than five days ago

[Bella6]

I wish you luck yes things are all expensive and no gurantee Had my first lumbar spine injection got some relief but continue with pain

[Stobban]

Yea, Continual arthritic pain and Spinal Stenosis pain is a serious condition and trying to quell the pain is complex; but the only way is thru' mild exercise with a potent opiate. That's the regime I'm on and once the painkiller does its job the mild exercise can go ahead. I myself, cant see far past this except an operation. Like me an operation is a negative thought. Good Luck.