Spineal arthritis

Hi James,

Sorry to hear about your pain and the subsequent limitations. I'm only 62 and in almost the same situation, so I feel your frustration.

I too have spinal arthritis and according to my doctors, there really isn't any simple surgical cure for spinal arthritis, like there is for nerve-compression and sciatica. Potentially a spinal fusion can help but that's a pretty big operation.

But there are several options short of major surgery you might want to consider: first and foremost, I would say consider taking pain medications or, if you are taking them, consider taking stronger ones. Take them under the care of a pain management specialist (a specialized physician known here in the States as a "physiatrist") and you should be okay with taking stronger meds, he will keep a regular eye on you.

The second thing to mention is to consider steroid injections, typically called "nerve blocks" or "facet injections." These are only temporary fixes (they last up to 3 months) but they can be repeated over time to give you sustained relief. It's slightly uncomfortable to get the injection but it is better than being in pain all the time.

The third option is something called a "radio-frequency ablation." This procedure can work to reduce or eliminate the pain from spinal arthritis for as much as six months to a year, and it can be repeated. You can google the term for a fuller explanation but it works by heating up your spinal nerve root and forming a lesion on it so that it stops sending pain signals to your brain. The lesion slowly heals and the pain returns, but it can be good for up to a year of pain relief. And they administer it through a needle injection, so it isn't much more unpleasant than the steroid injections. (oh and it only blocks the pain signal, it does not interfere either with sensation and feeling or with the motor control of any of your limbs).

And finally you can have something implanted called a spinal cord stimulator (SCS). This is done via a fairly minor surgery in which they thread two electrical wires up each side of your spine. The wires are then attached to a power unit that is implanted in your butt cheek. Through the use of a remote control, you can turn up the electrical stimulation given to your spine which then confuses the pain signal to your brain and gives you pain relief. If the unit works for you, the pain relief can be permanent. And surprisingly, this procedure can be done on an easily-reversible trial basis to see if it will work for you and if it does, then and only then will you have to go through a (minor) surgery.

So talk to you doctor about these four options. Be sure to talk to a specialist, though, because most general doctors are not sufficiently familiar with these options (especially the spinal stimulator) to advise you fully. Either a pain management specialist if you can find one, or at the very least a neurologist or a neurosurgeon. But avoid a GP, other than to get a referral. Good luck!

James, Sorry about your back pain. I am 74 with "degenerative disc disease" which I assume is similar to what you have. Here's what I do and I've avoided surgery for 5 to 10 years.

When I wake up I take an extra strength Tylenol and a 200 mg Ibuprophen pill together with breakfast. And I repeat this as necessary - but not more than 3 or 4 times a day. (Too much Tylenol can harm the liver, and Ibuprophen the kidneys.)

I also wear a back brace 23 1/2 hours a day. (Only take it off to shower.) Back braces are controversial. Some doctors say they weaken the back muscles. But I think of it as acting like a cast holding my spine straight. And it seems to help.

So good luck to you and I feel putting off surgery is a good goal as the success rate from back surgery is not so good. I know very few people who have only had one back surgery.