No Relief Ever and Pain Increasing; How Do You Stand It?

What is his diagnosis?

I don't know how effective this will be for him if he can't sit down, but I broke my tail bone years ago and was given a rubber blow up tube that you sit on to cushion by rear end. You can find them in drug stores or medical supply stores (sometimes also on line in those stores). There is also an over the counter lidocaine patch that you might try. When my feet or back are in so much pain I can't sleep from peripheral nerve damage and nothing else helps, I resort to the lidocaine patches. They come I. A box of rectangular patches that you peel of the backing and stick on the area of pain on your body. The medication lasts for about 8 to 12 hours of relief. Another brand is called Salonpas. My pain specialists told me about this stuff many years ago and it has been helpful some times. Hope this information is one of many things that might give some relief, Bless you, C.J.

Well, I sort of get this, but not quite to that extreme. I am now in my 70s and during the middle and early decades of my life I ran 1500 miles/year and mountain biked 1000 miles/year. I was lean and felt wonderful. 7-8 years ago, I was mostly walking, 6-7 miles a day. I found due to pain, that decreased over a year to no more than a block. I had a back surgery (laminectomy) followed by a huge spinal bleed. Terrible pain ensued. I had a lumbar rebuild 4 years later to no substantial relief. Now on a good day, I can walk 3/4 mile but the only true relief I get is sitting on a slap-dash set of pillows and doughnut cushions. I have tried a Boston Scientific spinal stimulator and a lateral stimulator. Neither was helpful. A coupla years of PT was also rather useless. My "new" therapy is to limit caloric intake. I want to lose 25 pounds to see how my back responds. I will be quite skinny, but I think the trial may be worth it. During my oddesy I have also "picked up" neuropathy in my hands and feet. One of my PAs jokingly suggested "a quart of Jack a day." Damn near ready to try that.

So sorry for your husband's pain. While I wish him well, I have nothing to suggest. My flock of pain docs have essentially said sayonara -- sort of "see ya, wouldn't want to be ya." Narcotics, marijuanna, all sorts of herbal add-ons; nothing has worked. I wish your husband well and I sure as hell wish I had an answer. Please wish him well for me. Sam

We have different cushions galore. The lidocaine patches are a good thought, though. I’ll put them on my list. Thanks!

I shall, and please accept our well-wishes in return. This is a terrible situation and I’m sorry you’re in it too.

I too use salonpas pain patches for my nerve pain in my feet.
Sometimes that’s the only relief I get from my pain.
So glad I found them!

When I was first injured I had a neurologist who sent me to a behavioral psychologist whom had been in a car accident and broke her back 30 yrs. Earlier. She was a chronic pain for 30 yrs and could no longer work as a nurse. But she could recline in a chair during the day and listen and talk to people. So she went back to school while reclining in a chair, and got her PhD in Behavioral Medicine to help people find ways to reduce their pain level from chronic pain. I loved her! She taught me self-hypnosis and Biofeedback methods so that when I am in so much pain and don't believe I can cope anymore, or I can"t get to sleep at night, I use one or the other methods that she taught me to lower the pain level I am feeling. If I practice these techniques frequently, I get better and better at reducing the level of pain I go through each day. When I was working on my PhD. ( In Behavioral Medicine with a specialty in chronic pain, about 15 yrs. Ago ) [After I became a chronic pain patient] I learned how to practice these techniques. Both methods teach you to focus on slowly on only one part of your body at a time from your feet up to your head; and tell yourself to relax and feel the opposite of pain. Ie. "I am totally feeling my toes feel cool and relaxed...I feel the balls of my feet completely relaxed and cool, etc. Say this in your head while laying down in a comfortable quiet place without any distractions for at least one hour. Do thus slowly until you pay attention to each part of your body. Say the opposite of your body sensation. Do not say I want the heat to go away, or the spasms to go away or the sharp stabbing pain to go away or the aching to go away (whatever your pain sensation feels like), because to do this causes you to focus on the pain and not distract you or actually relieve the intensity of the pain you are experiencing at that time. Because to focus on what ever pain sensation you are experiencing, can make the pain more difficult to ignore. this is not witchcraft or garbage to try and tell you that your pain is all in your mind or that your pain is not real...Your physical pain IS Real! This method has been used and researched to lower the blood pressure level of a person who practices the self-hypnosis to lower their blood pressure, or if a person is trying to lower the amount of oxygen they need when doing deep water diving. Pearl divers in Japan have practiced this method for centuries when they need to hold their breath for long periods of time without oxygen tanks while searching for oysters with natural pearls. It is mind over matter that has been practiced by people in the East Indian culture by Yogis to reduce the amount of food they need to consume to stay alive or to reduce pain. Some American Indian cultures of the midwest Have also used these methods to reduce pain for centuries when injured. These pain management methods have been studied at pain clinics at University and Veterans Hospital Pain Clinics working with and clinically studying and writing research papers while studying chronic pain of injured athletes or of injured veterans with different types and causes of chronic pain. I have learned and practiced these methods on and off for the past 35 years. I can tell the difference in my daily pain levels when I practice or stop practicing these methods in conjunction with other modalities such as medications, physical therapy, surgeries, taking a relaxing bath and/or listening to my favorite peaceful music or dance music by Whitney Houston " I want to Dance with Someone" (even though I no longer can physically dance, I can imagine myself dancing while I lay down, shut my eyes and imagine I am really wiggling on the dance floor). This also lifts my spirits when I'm feeling overwhelmed with horrific burning pain in my legs and back and neck, Or when I feel depression or anxiety from being in pain so often and for so many years. I've also found on the internet on YouTube some websites that have videography with music of incredible amazing views of different sceneries around the world. Watching these help me feel uplifted and more at peace which also helps reduced physical pain. While I don't profess to have my pain in control all the time or practice these methods all the time as I used to, I still am able to lower my blood pressure (hypertension Systolic which often was up to 230 and has caused kidney damage over a long period of chronic pain) and also reduce the level of pain I get [scale 1 to 10, frequently a 9] down to a 4 or 5 when I practice self-hypnosis's or biofeedback regularly. There are many techniques at our disposal to reduce the intensity of our pain for a while if we learn what is effective for each of us. One method may help one person, but not another person. But to learn as many different techniques as we can that are wise and shown to help someone else might also benefit ourselves in our journey through this unwanted experience in life we didn't ask for: called chronic pain. Bless you and pray that you find what works best for you, C.J.

Most OTC patches have 4% lidocaine and I believe you can get stronger ones now by prescription. I had significant cervical pain and found the patches hard to use around the curves of neck/shoulder. If you've ever sewn, you'll remember how to make little darts to create a smooth curve and you may need to do that as well. I also learned that numbing creams marketed for tattoos are a nice alternative though in his case, the clothes could diminish the effects-I'm not sure. But overall, if this is deep nerve pain, I highly doubt he'd get significant relief. Is he on Lyrica or gabapentin? This must be incredibly difficult right at the time of his life when retirement offers new freedoms and opportunities. Have you seen top doctors at research Universities or Mayo itself? I feel horrible for him and you as well.

To sbc4ca thank you for enjoying the reading of my comment and giving me more information about the "tattoo cream". I had never heard about that one before. The lidocaine patches from the drug stores can be cut with a pair of scissors to fit around a person's neck for cervical pain. I do sew , but since these are one time use patches to use just for twelve hours, it is too much trouble for me to sew any darts on them. But I do wear an old grubby T-shirt when I put one on my neck or back so if I sleep with it on It doesn't come off onto the bed sheets and melt all over them from my body heat. Ttnf, C. J.

I get Base Numb 5% Lidocaine cream on Amazon, more cheaply than most. It's labeled for tattoo work and anorectal pain. It calms the burning CIDP pain in my feet and ankles enough so I can go to sleep. Nothing completely removes the pain, but some things help, and it's different things for different folks.

Jim