Chronic Pain members - Welcome, please introduce yourself

Btw, glad to hear you are feeling well these days 😊

Hello Brian, reading your post I was happy to hear about starting a group large enough to go to Washington. I have Adhesive Arachnoiditis. I have called my Senators, Congressman, Dept. Of Health. Remember, we were not born with this, it was given to us by many doctors. For a better name, most call it, "Failed Back Syndrome" " Failed Laminectomy" therefore, no responsibility, DOCTOR. I would like to go to Legislate a Bill. Worded?? Stating, Neurosurgeons, Spine Surgeons, Pan Management Doctors must inform in writing the serious and life changing events that could happen during surgery. It would be nice to have Pro-Bono Attorneys? I don't know the statistics but on this site there are many and around the world. Read the beginning of the Burton Report and others. When I had cancer I had hope, with AA a very different story.

I know this isn't helpful in regards to a solution but I want you to know I a praying for you and all who have this disease. I pray someone will come up with something that will help. I think I have problems and I hear you folks talking about something that doctors , etc ignore and as one person said treat you like lepers. I am so sorry.

Thanks

I chickened out on the anterior fusion on July 17, 2019. I am now seeing a chiropractor who specializes in non- evasive decompression therapy. Have anyone found that successful?

So massaged help you. Did your insurance company pay for it? Also can any masseuse do myofascial technique, would the know what I am talking about?

Hello jkg, I think my condition is different than yours? If it helps I have, Adhesive Arachnoiditis. Wishing you a good evening.

Sorry I intended for the person that had the myofascial massage.

Nothing to be sorry about, nice meeting you!

@jkgraham393 Myofascial release therapists are trained and certified in the John Barnes methods and it takes a while for them to learn to feel the subtleties with their hands of the tight paths of fascial webbing throughout the body. A masseuse likely does not have this level of training or skill unless they are doing medical physical therapy type massage and have taken many of these courses. It's a certification from the skill level of courses of study. My physical therapist is an expert level MFR therapist and she can find these issues before I can, and knows how to open them up. She does other modalities too in treating me and stabilization exercises in addition to MFR. Because she is a licensed physical therapist, insurance pays according to the plan.

Here is our discussion on MFR with lots of information. https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/myofascial-release-therapy-mfr-for-treating-compression-and-pain/

As for anterior cervical fusion, I had that, and it was not as bad as I thought it would be. I had a great surgeon at Mayo, and a great recovery. I was able to tolerate my recovery without pain meds which was a surprise to me. I also took my time with recovery and rested which is important. Perhaps a different surgical opinion would benefit you. If you do nothing, your spine can fuse itself and will be in what ever position that is in which may not be good, and you can prevent nerve deficits by decompressing before nerve issues become permanent. Bone spurs grow in response to uneven pressure and can also grow into the areas where the nerve roots exit the spine. When a disc herniates, the jelly like substance inside spills out and the inflammation that causes can start bone spur growth in an attempt to stabilize the spine. You will get an unbiased opinion if you go to Mayo because doctors are not paid extra for doing surgeries. I'd be happy to answer any questions about my spine surgery. When you find the right doctor for you, it makes taking that big step easier. This was my first major surgery and I worked on ways to overcome my fears, and doing all of this changed my life for the better in many ways, and I am so grateful to my surgeon. Here is my story. https://sharing.mayoclinic.org/2019/01/09/using-the-art-of-medicine-to-overcome-fear-of-surgery/