| After weeks of trying painkillers alone, I | | | | sleeping with a bad back (on your back with a |
| finally went to sports rehab for help with | | | | pillow under your knees), and other useful |
| her agonizingly painful lumbar spine problem. | | | | mobility tips. Hearing all the correct ways |
| To my surprise, physical therapy was a relief | | | | to treat my body, it was apparent to me that |
| to my back pain, and I was able to leave the | | | | I've really been abusing my poor spine for |
| facility an hour later, walking fully upright | | | | most of my life. No wonder I've had lesser |
| for the first time in weeks. Thanks to a | | | | bouts of back pain for the last twenty years, |
| wonderful contraption called a traction bed, | | | | culminating in a more severe case this time |
| that stretched out my spine and relieved the | | | | around. I learned my lesson. |
| pressure on the lumbar area. | | | | |
| | | | The therapist told me to slowly, gradually, |
| What is traction? The physical therapist | | | | build up my stamina by walking and doing |
| first put me in a harness. They had me wear a | | | | light exercizes. He told me to listen to my |
| vest-like apparatus, and attached another one | | | | body, if I feel pain then it's time to stop. |
| to go the opposite way, as I lied down on the | | | | I did a little walking this evening. Thanks |
| traction table, with pillows under my head. | | | | to the traction therapy, I am much more |
| Then, they hooked me to a Tens Machine (I'll | | | | comfortable. It will be a long and slow |
| explain that in a moment) and then turned on | | | | recovery from sciatica but at least I now |
| both systems. It felt wonderful, I could've | | | | know there is hope. Having to go to a spine |
| stayed there all evening. After roughly | | | | doctor and for physical therapy for the first |
| twenty minutes, they unhooked me, and I was | | | | time in my life was initially really scary to |
| amazed to be able to walk around much more | | | | me. But, truthfully, it was an unexpected |
| comfortably than when I walked in the place. | | | | relief. Nobody gave me shots in my spine, or |
| Whoever invented this wonderful apparatus did | | | | manhandled me. There wasn't any torturous |
| back pain sufferers a really big favor. | | | | pain inflicted on me, just a few tests to see |
| | | | how strong or weak my muscles are, a CT scan |
| What is a Tens Unit? It is a machine that | | | | and a few x-rays. I heard another patient ask |
| emits minor electrical pulses to the area | | | | the therapist what happens if the physical |
| that is in pain, working the muscles and | | | | therapy doesn't work. The next step is |
| giving relief to the area. There are | | | | getting shots in the back, he said. No way, I |
| different kinds of pulses, some ping and some | | | | told him to fix me, so I never need to get to |
| pulse, but they all feel great. I had the | | | | that level of treatment. The next level of |
| physical therapist crank it up as high as | | | | treatment after those shots is surgery. I |
| possible, and it made my pains go away for | | | | want to avoid all of that, and am glad to |
| the time I was using it. Amazing. I'd been | | | | know that they don't push these things on us. |
| doubled over with serious pain, even with | | | | They wait to see how we respond. And, I can |
| medicines like Celebrex and Tylenol with | | | | tell that the therapy is working, so I am |
| Codeine in my system. This worked better than | | | | going to build up my stamina by doing as |
| both of those together, hands down. | | | | told. |
| | | | |
| On the wall was a poster, explaining the | | | | If you suffer from crippling back pain, make |
| spine, in minute detail. Very interesting. | | | | sure to go to a specialist and have him look |
| It's much more complicated than I could ever | | | | at your back. He will probably give you pain |
| imagine. I had the therapist show me where my | | | | killers and prescribe physical therapy. I |
| L5 lumbar area was, because that is where the | | | | reccommend it, and wish you a speedy |
| herniated disk is. Half the benefit of going | | | | recovery. I'm so glad I finally went. No more |
| to physical therapy is the instruction on | | | | toughing it out for me. It gives me hope of a |
| what to do with your problem. They teach you | | | | pain-free future and shows it's needless to |
| how to get up correctly without straining | | | | suffer in silence. Been there, done that. |
| your back, what the best position for | | | | |