Howdy RJ, guys,
Well I am currently off work for 2 buldging and 1 herniated disks as well as bone spurs, degenerative bone desease and pinched nerves in my neck and seeing a brain and spine neuosurgeon for the problem. This affects not only my neck but my mid to upper back. The dr has told me that I was a prime canidate for surgery but like I told him, "I may just be old fashioned, but I have this "thing" about paying someone to slit my throat".
I am currently going to the Dr's office 2 times a week for physical therapy and just recieved a bill yesterday for $7,846 which included 3 epidural spinal injections @ $1,800 each.
And after all is said and done, i know I will end up having the surgery despite my best efforts to steer clear of it.
A bad back/neck can make your life miserable by causing numbness, muscle spasms and "charlie-horses", hyper-sensitivity of extremities, headaches and even a terrible disposition lol....I know, I have/had all of the above in the last 8 weeks.
I have nothing against chiropractors, but you must be caredul when dealing with the spine, there are somethings that you cant just "massage" out.
Something that I have found that give abit of relief is 1600 mg. of ibuprofen .
Now I am not a doctor either, but i did stay in a holiday inn express once (thats a line from an american commercial supposedly explaining that if you stay in their hotels, you are really smart).
Have a good day and hope ya get to feeling better,
Greg
ps: ask your doctor about a "tens" unit, it has four electrodes that you place on the affected area and they deliver a small electrical current through the muscles and relieve the pain somewhat.