Good luck.

Now I am in just as severe, if not more pain that is radiating down my right side. I had a discogram last week at L4-L5 & am trying to understand the results. It reproduced my pain.

If anyone can help me, or enlighten me about treatment options, it would be greatly appreciated.

…L5-S1: the interbody cage is partially incorporated with a small amount of intact interbody fusion bone at the posterior aspect of the disc space. On the current examination, there is no definite solid fusion noted posterolaterally.

L4-L5: There is a large annular tear at the six o’clock position with contrast extending into a central to right disc protrusion which contacts the anterior aspect of the thecal sac as well as the proximal right L5 nerve root and may minimally contact the proximal left S1 nerve root. The facet joints remain patent & no lucency is noted along the pedicle screws.

Thank you!! Just trying to feel better so I can continue college without pain:)

How can I effectively treat the tension? I feel that it is triggering more migraines and quite frankly, I am exhausted from the constant pain of the migraines during the morning and afternoon and the back pain throughout the rest of the day. I have tried muscle relaxants and opiates, which dull the pain a little but do not make it go away. I am also having trouble sleeping due to the pain, which I am sure is contributing to more migraines. What do I do??

What, if anything, can I do when my back pain flares up and is an acute phase? I can go weeks without back pain and then one unexpected movement will send “electric” shocks across my back and sometimes down the sciatic nerve.

I’ll have a constant dull ache but these shocks of pain depending on movement or position. For example, I was doing fine until yesterday morning when I bent over (incorrectly, I admit) to pick something up. The sudden familiar jolt of pain shot through my lower back. It has since gone (it is very quick) but I’m now in that fragile stage where any movement may bring it on. Is there anything I can do when this happens.

Thanks,
Marijke

My problem now is when I drive long distances, be it as a passenger or the driver, I end up having pain in my lower back and right hip. Actually, I develop this pain more often as a passenger than as a driver.

I recently did a 6.5 hour drive. I stopped at every single rest stop along the way, so the longest I drove without stretching was about 50 minutes. I would walk around for a bit, stretch and then move on. Yet I was still quite achy when I got to my destination.

Now, I’m scheduled to fly – a 3 hour flight, non stop – and I’m afraid that the pain will kick in, especially since I did the long drive so recently. What can someone do in that situation?

My second question is what does someone with a sore back to do when they are traveling and staying in different accommodations? We have no control over our beds and I’m always concerned about how my back will react to the mattress.

Thank you for answering my questions.

Kendra