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back pain for 14 weeks!!!! bit of numbness arms/weak legs.

Posted , 4 users are following.

gracesam
gracesam

My husband injured his neck doing gymnastics (forward roll) around 14 weeks ago. Although he knew he had damanged something initially he had no pain until a week or so later. He visited the gp who diagnosed a pulled muscle/ligament and gave him anti-inflammatories and said if they didnt help to visit a physio. He visited a local sports physio who gave him exercises which he did religiously. These temporarily helped although the dull ache between his shoulder blades was consistently there. He was recommended a chiropracter who again felt it was just a torn ligament and not disc damage. He is a keen cyclist and hasnt been able to cycle since and having come home from work each evening (HGV driver) he just lies on the ground with a hot water bottle waiting for the pain to ease. He is due to go back to the chiropracter tomorrow after a 2 week break and I really feel he should push for an MRI even just to put his own mind at rest as he is getting depressed about it.... (always so active)... I think he would need to wait too long for one on NHS so should go private..... he really feels if it is just ligament damage it would be healed by now???? any advice/similar stories please please share......

0 likes, 7 replies

7 Replies

  • STD
    STD gracesam

    Posted

    If he wants an MRI (and 14 weeks is a long time to suffer), then he could, for example, pay for one via an osteopath.  I did this initially with my lower lumbar region and it found a large prolapsed disc.  I also found the private MRI reports much better than any NHS ones that I have subsequently had as they also had a clear written narrative report accompanying them.  It may sound rather conspiratorial, but my gripes with the NHS MRI reports that I have had are: 

    1.)  The NHS doctor has, I feel, been rather slow in sharing any information that they reveal and therefore perhaps in offering treatment, and

    2.)  The written narrative, if it exists (in fairness, some form of written narrative usually does accompany it) is not so comprehensive or clear as the private ones that I have had.  This is just my private and personal view.

     

    • gracesam
      gracesam STD

      Posted

      thanks STD - Yes I really feel MRI is the only option now.  It is on his mind 24 -7 and hopefully it will reassure him that his injury will heal through time (as stated by his Chiropracter).  I think it is partly the worry that there is something else wrong as it is taking so long to heal and hasnt even improved much since he got it.  Hope u are feeling well. 
  • the_evil_edna
    the_evil_edna gracesam

    Posted

    Please please please, push for an MRi, I won't bore you with my long history but I will give u the short version, Ididn't push for scans I took the medication & thought the Dr's new best, they kept upping the meds until I was rushed into hospital & finally given the scans, this showed severe damage at L5/S1 the disc had burst & calcified making surgery difficult & eventually pointless, I'm due to have a spinal cord stimulator implant that 'if' it works will block the pain but it won't fix me, I have been told if I'd ask for a scan I would have got one & if after 3 months the issue hadn't resolved itself, I should have been scanned anyway. They can't fix me now, I am permently disabled, if they had found the issue prior to the dusc calcifying around my nerves/spinal cord they may have had better results, I'm told may as nobody wants to admit negligence!! You should get an MRi very quickly, private has been expensive for us & part of my private appointments are covered by insurers, its cost us about £10,000 but in total the insurers have paid about £150,000, please go & ask for the scans, its always better to make a few demands & find out its nothing, then staying quiet & living in constant pain for the rest of your life! 
    • gracesam
      gracesam the_evil_edna

      Posted

      thanks the-evil-edna... reading this has scared me a bit but the chiropracter he is going to is really very good and has assured us he has seen this problem before and ligaments take a long time to heal. Hopefully he will push the MRI appointment through.  Will keep u posted. Sorry for your health problems _  I have had undiagnosed functional bowel problem for 4 years now and its not easy!!
    • the_evil_edna
      the_evil_edna gracesam

      Posted

      Sorry Gracesam really don't want to scare anybody, when it comes to making demands for anything from our GP/NHS I think we all go a little meek & mild & put our complete faith in the system & them knowing whats best. Its ok sometimes tho to jump up & down, make a fuss & ask for what you want. I really hope its nothing, best of luck x
    • j.79275
      j.79275 the_evil_edna

      Posted

      Absolutely Edna, you are 100% correct, raise enough H*** , they( Dr.`s) will adventurely listen !

       

  • j.79275
    j.79275 gracesam

    Posted

    Gracesam,

    I1ve been fighting lower lumbar issues since 1989,

    I learned you have to be extremely persistent and aggressive when you visit your dr.. Not all dr.`s are qualified to properly treat / diagnose these problems ,even if they say they are... MRI`s are about the only way to get a decent view of the issues..

    When I started out I was intimidated and ignorant personally, to the way certain dr.`s approach their patients.

    In my situation, I at the first , had the bright idea this crap would go away in time, wrong, mine, even with great medical attention has only, steadily through the years gotten worse.

    Good Luck ,hope you get with a group of dr`s that will be attentive and give you what care you need to get well soon..

     

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