Has anyone suffered from lumbar spinal stenosis? Did you have surgery?

@shoregal45

No, ART isn't painful. Well, the deep muscle stimulation/massage can be, but your practitioner should ask you how much you can handle. At first I was in so much pain that I couldn't stand much more, so Dr. Andrews was easy on me. Over time I have found that the deeper the muscle stimulation the better my recovery. The doctor still asks me whenever I go if it's too much, and sometimes I'm more sensitive so I ask him to go easy; he does. Along with, or part of the ART is Laser therapy which heats the muscle area, bringing blood and healing to the muscles and nervesee being worked on. I am very happy with the work they do. I told the doctor he's the oil for my aches and pains.

He also has a hyperbaric chamber in his center, and after I do some research, I may try using it. Let me know if you try ART. You can Google ART to find out more about how it works. Good luck.

@chas93

It sounds like you need a second opinion and possibly a new diagnosis of your problems. I recommend that you go to a Mayo Clinic if at all possible. Having a high temperature (106°) and weakness along with the injuries you mention could indicate a bigger issue than just your back. Perhaps @colleenyoung may be able to find a way for you to see someone at a Mayo Clinic.

I went through 3 rounds of physical therapy that didn't help my pain after laminectomy surgery. I decided to try ART therapy after seeing information posted on Mayo Connect about how it worked for others who had back pain due to injuries to their disks. I have written about it above in a post dated from February, 2018. Read it and see if you think it might be helpful. You really need to see a doctor again before you try anything new. Please keep us informed about your situation. I hope you find relief soon.

@gailb I have found an ART therapist. Insurance will not pay any on it. Trying to have quality of life is a challenge. Also I am sooo tired I do well to drive to the grocery store. So, so tired.

Thanks for tagging me, Gail.
@chas93, Mayo Clinic has 3 locations in Minnesota, Florida and Arizona. I recommend called the location that would be easiest for you to travel to. Here is the contact information: http://mayocl.in/1mtmR63

If travel to Mayo Clinic is not possible, you may consider looking for a facility within the Mayo Clinic Care Network https://www.mayoclinic.org/about-mayo-clinic/care-network/about

@chase93 You should call Mayo. They do have some parameters for accepting charity cases and you can discuss that with them. I had surgery at Mayo in Rochester which was a 5 hour drive for me because all 5 of the local surgeons I saw would not help me. It sounds like you have a complex case. A lot of surgeons pick and choose cases based on how successful they think their surgery will be because they don't want negative reviews, and the insurance companies also rate the success of surgeons and they don't want their scores to drop, and they won't help. And then there is Medicade which limits you in what anyone will do for you and they don't want to spend money, so they give minimal care. Physical therapy can strengthen muscles and help realign the spine, but it won't fix stenosis. You are right that you need to advocate for yourself. I had unusual symptoms from cervical canal stenosis and none of the 5 surgeons I saw understood it. The fix was a straight forward surgery that they all do, but they could not connect my symptoms with my imaging. I also have thoracic outlet syndrome causing nerve compression in my shoulder adding to the issues. Stenosis isn't going to get better without surgery, and it might be getting worse. In MRIs that I had 9 months apart, I saw the amount of bone spurs double that were pressing on my spinal cord. As for getting to Mayo, many patients fly to Rochester, and most hotels have shuttle service to the Mayo Clinic buildings and hospitals. There is also Amtrack service to Rochester. What I can tell you is it is absolutely worth it to make the effort to travel to Mayo for care. I've never received care before where all the specialists consulted each other about my case and all the tests and appointments were done in 3 days, and they got it right. I had spent 3 years prior to this waiting weeks and months for testing, then waiting a month or more again to follow up only to be denied by 5 surgeons and it just wastes time. Surgery for spinal cord compression is best done early before permanent damage happens. You can also have stenosis at the nerve roots where nerves exit the spine. I have had great results form my surgery 2 years ago, and the muscle I lost is now coming back. It is a slow recovery and as a patient you need to do everything you can to increase your chances of success and improve your health before any surgery. Your first step should be to call them and find out if you can be seen there. That doesn't obligate you in any way, but may open the door to new hope for you. Next they would arrange to have you send in imaging for review and they would not charge to look at it. When you do become a patient, costs apply, but maybe they will help you. Be the best patient you can be and stop any unhealthy habits now so you can demonstrate that you are serious about wanting to recover. That is how you empower yourself with your choices and educating yourself about your condition. I can help you with connections and answer any questions about my surgery. I would advise against a chiropractor as it could cause harm if they move your vertebrae that might be in contact with your spinal cord. With stenosis in the central canal, there is no fluid space for the spinal cord to move freely, and it becomes tethered in place. That also affects it when you just move your neck, and I was able to create an electric bolt shock down my entire body just by bending my neck, and I was at risk for paralysis from a fall or accident. I hope that you can get help somewhere if not at Mayo, but give them a call.

@parus

I know Medicare nor my supplemental will pay for ART. However, I found it so helpful that I decided to pay for it myself. Did you find out how much it will cost for each session? I pay $95 per session, but that includes Laser Therapy and regular spinal realignment. I think the ART alone would be around $45 per session. For me, it's money well-spent because it allows me to function as a whole being.

I'm sorry to hear about your tiredness. If you are having pain and/or depression a constant basis that will sap your energy both physically and psychically, as I'm sure you know. I go thru times of feeling exhausted after I've been extra busy. I've learned to plan for about 3 days of resting after big events. Thanksgiving really threw me out of commission for 4 days this time, plus I've had to get ART treatments 3 times due to my arms, shoulders mid back and ribs being in so much pain. I think it was making 3 huge apple pies from scratch, along with helping on the rest of the meal and preparation for 50 guests that finished me off. It cost me $300! Very rare that I need that much work from my chiropractor! My body is teaching me, it's "Your money or your life." I'd rather give my money, but then I can afford to do that and others can't. Hopefully your ART practitioners are less expensive than mine in Southern California, where everything costs more. I feel much better after the 2nd treatment and tomorrow I have my final treatment of the 3. Then December 1st is my first grandson's wedding in Palm Springs. It's going to be a big "do", so I need to take care of myself and not get too tired. We have a room at the hotel where the reception is, so I can excuse myself and rest as needed.

I hope you find relief Parus, and that you get your energy back. Were you able to spend time with your grandson at Thanksgiving? I know that means so much to you.

@gailb Thanks for the laughter!! “Your money or your life”. Girl you be a hoot!! Apple pie is one of my favorites. I did egg noodles from scratch and my neck, shoulders and mid-back are still shouting at me. They were a hit at the pitch-in too!! The noodles 😉

Thank you very much!!

They will not do laser therapy on my back because of the cyst in my spinal cord but you guys really give me hope thank you very much I plan on calling the Mayo Clinic and seeing if they can do anything for me considering the circumstances I don’t have income right now but I know my mom would be willing to help tax season if she has it cause she hates seeing me like this. I truly appreciate all of your input and it really doesn’t give me hope that something has to give and there has to be some help for me somewhere no matter what there is help

@parus

Im glad I made you laugh.😊 It's amazing tp me that making food that was so easy to do previously can be so painful now! I truly appreciate my grandmother who when she was older than me, cooked and baked daily with no complaints. She had a hunched back thst took her from 5'6" to 4'9" by the time she was 74 years old. I never heard her complain about her back pain which must have been terrible. Feel good Paris.