Alvin’s Lower Back Pain StoryMy back pain story is a sad tale. I hurt my back at work lifting some boxes. I felt a sharp pain and my life, as I knew it, was over. I immediately knew there was a problem, when I could not straighten up. The factory foreman called an ambulance and I was taken to the hospital. I was admitted with spasms and inflammation in my low back. Tests said that I pinched some nerves and needed surgery to take the pressure off. I was very frightened. I had an operation a week later and the doctor did some procedure to my low back which was supposed to relieve the pain. I think the operation was called disc removal. Anyway, the surgery went well and I was sent home to recover. The pain never left. I was sent for follow up therapy and was told that the surgery will take time to heal. 1 year later and several more pain relief procedures using spine injections, and I still had pain. I went to a new doctor by recommendation. She told me that I did not need surgery and that the surgery might actually have done more harm than good. I trusted my doctor and now this new doctor told me I was basically a fool for having surgery so fast. I did not know who to believe. I really never understood exactly what was wrong with my back to begin with. I guess I should have learned more and understood better. I probably would have made smarter choices then. Anyway, I didn’t. It has been 4 years now since my surgery. I am better than before, but not well. I still have pain often and simply can not do the same things I used to do. I had to change jobs and take a drastic cut in pay from a union laborer to a part time desk position. My physical therapist has been great and helped me overcome a lot. He also worked out a deal with my insurance carrier to pay fro ongoing therapy for a long time now. I think he is helping me. I wanted to write my version of back pain just to tell you all to figure out what is going on with your back before rushing into anything. If I had it to do over, I do not think I would have gone to surgery. I do not think it healed me at all and might have been the thing to do me in for good. I am sad, but I am at least alive and working. I hope this helps. AlvinAlvin’s Lower Back Pain Story to Home |
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