What can I do about arthritis in neck and lower back?

Posted by trellg132 @trellg132, Aug 16, 2019

What to do about this

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@mickeyb2

Hi, first time here. 4 years ago I was diagnosed with advanced degenerative osteoarthritis. The spine has been particularly painful. 3 months ago, I had cortisone shots in the spine. Hadn’t laid horizontal in two months. 3 weeks after injections, I was able to lay down and sleep for a short time. Since then I’ve been doing back and neck exercises provided by Dan Abrams therapist. Sleeping in bed now and back pain is moderate. These exercises seem to be helping and I would highly recommend them for those with arthritis in the spine. I usually do back exercises every other day. I also got a Tai Chi disc recommended by the Arthritis Foundation. I learned the 12 step “Arthritis” section and recently started on the 24 movement version. Helped my balance, which at 73 years of age is becoming a problem.

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I am so glad to hear you are getting help for the arthritis in the back. I wish my doctors had been more educated about helping me as I would have done the exercises if they recommend them and I did have some injections at one point. They expected me to take addictive pain meds and wait to see what happened. I only got worse over time, gave up the pain meds, and went to the surgeon, actually two surgeons to decide what to do. It took three years for recovery and I am working on my balance problems now. Also I have nerve damage. Yesterday I found out I have a torn muscle in my leg. I have decided to give up most of the gardening. Breaks my heart to admit it and crushes my pride at not growing my own veggies after 63 years of gardening. It is good to hear about the back exercises. I didn't know the arthritis foundation had programs except for water aerobics. Dorisena

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@trellg132

I'm 36 with back problems

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@trellg132 You are young to have these problems right now but glad your being proactive about it . I didn't know the arthritis had a 12 step ritual for arthritis will have to look it up . I know the water exercises do help . Ive been lazy about this have to get back into the pool.

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So sorry to hear your problems started so young. I watched my mother develop arthritis in her forties but no one seemed to know what to do to relieve it.
She was very active and went camping because she thought the sun helped her pain. She also liked sitting under a tree with her handiwork projects.
I am well taught in nutrition and believe in more exercise for girls at a young age, and also taking calcium at a young age, especially if you are having children.
My gymnast granddaughter, in her 20's, is working on exercise and nutrition as we try to figure out how to avoid developing arthritis in her young body, as we have been told it is to be expected after sixteen years of competitive gymnastics. She now teaches the sport. My arthritis in my knees started at age 40 when I discovered I could no longer scrub the floors on my knees, which I really enjoyed doing. What I have learned over the years is to avoid sugar, not only because of diabetes, but because it made my knees ache. It also feeds cancer very well. We will keep working on it until we win, or die trying. I believe the coming generations will benefit from our trials and errors until we get it figured out. Just don't sit for more than 30 minutes. I play the piano to get my mind off my problems and I don't bother with over the counter pain meds anymore. After a while they don't seem to relieve much. I must say that my back surgery helped and took away most of the pain, but I am somewhat limited in what I can do now. It's o.k. as I don't need a walker. I look normal. Dorisena

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@lioness

@trellg132 You are young to have these problems right now but glad your being proactive about it . I didn't know the arthritis had a 12 step ritual for arthritis will have to look it up . I know the water exercises do help . Ive been lazy about this have to get back into the pool.

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Yea I know I was also born 4 months early so might be the cause of this

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@trellg132

Yea I know I was also born 4 months early so might be the cause of this

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@trellg132 I wonder if that might be true or did your parents get the wrong date LOL

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We pushed gymnastic training on the youngest granddaughter because she was so small, did not eat well, and did not appear to feel really healthy. It improved her stamina, her energy, and her spirit, and she finally grew to a normal size so we think the years of training in elementary school benefitted her immensely. Now that she is an adult, we will continue to advocate eating well, as the doctor says she still needs more calories. She goes to the gym regularly as her entire family does, so I hope we are on a good, healthy track. We can't do much about the past or our condition when born. Dorisena

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@lioness

@trellg132 I wonder if that might be true or did your parents get the wrong date LOL

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That reminds me. My doctor said my second son was born three weeks early. I said he was born 10 days early, and reminded the doctor that I was there for the conception and he was not. LOL It was a difficult birth, he was small and had a pointed head in the front, but he is fine now at age 60! LOL

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@lioness

@trellg132 I wonder if that might be true or did your parents get the wrong date LOL

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Lol no it's true

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Yea I'm 6'0 237 lbs need to lose some pounds

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