Would love to know your self massage techniques

Hey Mick hope you are feeling better. I have spinal stenosis as well.

When you say it is noticeable when you get up, what are your symptoms? When my stenosis got bad, it pinched the sciatic nerve causing stabbing pain in my hamstrings and calf, only on one side.

My point is that stenosis is rarely felt at the origin in the lower back. It usually squeezes a nerve in the spinal canal, causing pain in the back of the legs and buttocks.

The best thing to do for arthritis pain is to ice the joint, in this case the lumbar spine. Don't apply heat as it draws in blood and worsens inflammation.

I did have a laminotomy about 10 years ago to file off some of the arthritis inside the spinal canal. That's a conservative approach. Fusion is also a possibility. I haven't had it (yet) and it would be a last resort.

All the best to you. Joe

Yes, yes I do. Thank you for asking.

Yes, yes. I am also recently diagnosed with the same as you. I stay in bed as long as possible because I have to use my left elbow to propel me out which is very painful. I turn on the heater and lie down again to do exercises for my lower back and legs. When I finally get up, I walk inside to loosen up the stiffness in my legs. Then, I exercise my legs, arms, back, and shoulders.
My sore arms are my biggest problem but as the day goes on they loosen up however, I am never pain-free. These exercises are my strategy, I cannot take NSAIDs but do use acetaminophen and hydrocodone. I wish you well and hope you can find something to help.

I have a Sleep Number (Split King) and I love my bed. It's definitely a game changer and when we put a pillow topper on it it was like wow. I have my setting, husband has his and I don't feel him ever get up due to the split king. Check out beds...whether this or Temperpedic etc... it will be a game changer.

Mattress shopping isn’t fun. But necessary. I hate to say mine is about 15 yo!!

Hi,
You are not alone. I’ve spinal stenosis of my lumbar spine and it’s worse in the morning when I can hardly walk, I start my day with a heating pad and sit with it for a good hour. I start to move around in the kitchen preparing meals and later on do some stretches on the floor for an about 30 minutes.
The pain subsides after I move around and then have a hot shower. I avoid pain killers for as long as I can. I was prescribed Meloxicam and that works very well but I take it infrequently. I also get the pain shooting down my left leg called sciatica.
Towards the evening the pain returns and I reach for the heating pad again.
I hope this helps.
Shirley

I have spinal stenosis. I have had two cervical surgeries and fused from C3 through C8. Also had a laminectomy L4 and 5. Three years ago I tore my rotator cuff playing Pickleball. I chose not to have it repaired and searched for alternatives. One of the things that was recommended was dead hanging from a bar amazingly, I found out this also helped the spinal stenosis. I am 71 and I hang while I’m doing my yoga and exercises for 30 second increments for a total of five minutes. It is a game changer. I am going to put a bar in my bedroom so I can hang the minute I get out of bed. I think it will help that early morning pain try it it’s cheap and it can’t hurt.

My fusion surgery was AMAZING 5 years ago. It should have been done years before. Find a surgeon you trust and let them be your guide, not us. I recently had a terrible bout of sciatic. It is from a different area FOR ME than the L3, L4 L5 fusion/laminectomy major surgery is. It turned out it is from L5/S1 joint. So I did many things but it vanished when we did a diagnostic test (to confirm the specific joint area) and then went back with a steroid injection. the nerves get impinged if we have degenerative disc condition, stenosis and the rest. It was painful for 2 years, but the last 4 months excruciating. Now I can increase my exercise without pain, hoping to stabilize the area better. I spoke with my pain management doctor about the steroid injection, which he said isn't as bad as steroids, which leak into other areas of my body and give me terrible side effects. If you sit a lot you get sciatica fairly commonly as an older person. We must keep our backside muscles in shape. I've had my hips replaced too. I also managed to throw my IT band out of position (feels like bursitis pain and runs to the outside of the knee) so going to an MFR therapist for that help. Now I've got to use the foam roller over it. It was SO painful to have the MFR over the IT band, I winced but it was an amazing result. @heyjoe415 Sciatica sometimes has nothing to do with the spine fusion but with joints, bad posture, and/or muscular issues like piriformis disorder. - its the result of the sciatic nerve being squished which can have many origins.

Wow 40 years working in a hospital! Good for you! You have helped many, many people over that time.