Physical Therapists » Have

Does Anyone Have Any Experience They Can Tell Me About A Lumbar Spinal Fusion?

admin — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 16:06:21 +0000

I have to make a decision as to whether or not to have this surgery. It would be a double fusion (I believe that’s what it’s called): L4-L5-S1. Both of my facet joints are broken at L4 (spondylolysis) which is contributing to spondylolisthesis of L5 and S1. I have been to chiropractors, massage therapists, physical therapy, tried multitudes of medications, tried ignoring the problem, and also recently had a bilateral epidural in an attempt to relieve the problem. I have been told the only way to fix the spondylolysis is through a fusion. I am 31 years old and have been having back problems for quite some time now. Sometimes my back flares up, and I literally can’t walk… crawling to the bathroom is about the only I manage to do when I have a flare up. I have been told that at some point in my life I will need a fusion, and I basically have to decide whether to do it now, or continue dealing with the pain and have it later.
Any suggestions/experience/advice anyone has with this particular surgery would be extremely helpful.
Thanks!

Have You Ever Felt This Way About A Loved One Dying?

admin — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 02:47:46 +0000

My mom is in bad health right now, she has had stroke after stroke. Just to make a long story short, a week ago she had a really bad one. Now she has to have total care 24-7. She can barely feed herself, she told me the other night that she wanted to get right with God. She said she was tired of fighting. I told her it is o.k. and I understand. I was not sure what to say. I can not even imagine what must be going through her mind having to depend on people for your personal needs. Have you ever prayed that God would release your loved one from their pain so they can move to the next life? I feel guilty for feeling this way, but now she is beyond recovery, and she is too far gone for physical therapy. She cannot even sit up on her own. Right side is paralyzed. Is it normal to feel like this?

How Do I Become A Physical Therapist If My Undergraduate Degree Does Not Have The Required Prereqs?

admin — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 02:48:42 +0000

How do I take the prerequisites. All the colleges that have non-degree programs don’t offer the prerequisites. I live in NYC. If anyone can send me any info that would be great.

I Have A Bs In Biology, But My Ultimate Goal Is To Be A Physical Therapist?

admin — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 14:49:40 +0000

I don’t want to go back and get a pre-physical therapy dagree, but I don”t have the GPA required to get in. What other jobs can I do with my dagree that would allow me to go back to physical therapy later in life?

Im 16 And I Have Horrible Back Pain What Should I Do?

admin — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 10:22:28 +0000

I had an accident 3 years ago now, fell out of a deer stand and hurt my back. I have pain everyday but some days like today, it is so bad i can barley move, I cant get ahold of pain killers due to my recent opiate addiction so what else can I do. Ive already done 1 year of physical therapy.

Does Anyone Have Thoracic Back Pain Like Me?

admin — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 10:24:49 +0000

I have minor arthritis in the back, I’ve hyper extended it a few times (thrown off of a horse, fell down the stairs) and physical therapy doesn’t help. I see a chiropractor 3 times a week and he only helps a little bit. I can’t do any housework or waliking for more than about 20 min. before I start to have major pain. I’m only 30 and fear it will get worse as I get older. Especially if I ever have children. I’ve had an open MRI in which they didn’t find anything wrong. Please, any advice or tips? Any ideas or answers to my pain? I have a dr. apt. next week with my orthopedic.

I’m A Lady 59 Yrs Old And Have Been Having Chronic Pain In My Lower Back & Left Hip For Many Yrs Now. I Can’t?

admin — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 16:23:59 +0000

seem to find out what is causing this. I have had an ex-ray on my hip and nothing, even no arthtitis,I had a cat scan done on my abdomen because the pain also centers on the lower part of my abdomen. I had a hystrectomy when I was 35. So a few weks ago I had a MRI done which showed degenerative disk but not enough to have the pain I have .So I;m nowhere. I suffer from my hip at night, I can no stand or sit for any lenghth of time .I’ve taken pills for pain , depression. I’ve been to a chiropractor who helped many years ago but deosn’t anymore. They say Physical therapy but i walk 20 min everyday and it just brings it on more. anyadvice for LOST IN PAIN

I Have Constant, Awful Knee Pain. Help?

admin — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 14:49:06 +0000

I am nineteen and have had issues with my knee for about six years. I don’t have a lot of muscle to begin with, but this winter is especially bad. When I first had my knee checked out, they didn’t find anything but a fatty tumor in the back of it, which shouldn’t have caused any problems. I had an MRI and an X ray, but they found nothing. They sent me to physical therapy, but insurance only paid for so many visits.
Now, several years later, after many falls, being underweight, and having a family history of knee problems, I am getting very, very tired of my knee hurting.
Every time I go up or down stairs, the knee cap pops. I can literally feel my bones shifting in my knee if I walk for too long. My left knee doesn’t extend all the way, and hasn’t for years. My right knee is well on the way to not extending as well. It hurts to extend it all the way. Sometimes I get a very sharp pain in my left knee cap, other times its just a continuous ache.
Plus, I have high arches in my feet, so when I walk heavy on my feet instead of my knees, it makes it worse. I end up with my hips hurting from walking funny due to my knee and foot pain.
I don’t know what to do. I don’t have insurance.
Please, Please give me advice?

I Am A 22 Yr Old Female And Have Serious Chronic Back Discomfort And Pain. Details Listed Can You Enlighten Me?

admin — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 04:25:58 +0000

I have read many entries similar to my problem but not exactly. I’ll continue with the list of known facts,
My muscles are unusually tight (on the problem side, my right side upper back) and it seems they have turned to hard tissue all up the right side of my spine and trap and I have been told by someone who works deep tissue message therapy that knots continue under my shoulder blade and that I have scar tissue. I have had this problem for over a year now, and just recently I can’t take a deep breath without something pinching then popping and this happens often.
Ive gone to a chiropractor, 20+ visits (only thing noticeable in Xray besides slight curvature and almost straight neck is the disk above my tailbone that is “degenerating” and I think its from a couple embarrassing, high falls .. one in the gym and one in the woods)
Emory Spine Specialists recommended me to physical therapy which I discontinued.
More facts: When I was 18 or 19 I had a bad fall on concrete, hitting my head and upper back at the same time.
I have played basketball throughout my youth, practicing continuous long shots.
I have slight S scoliosis 11 degrees, which really isn’t enough to cause me problems, so I have been told
And the spine specialists told me my problem is because I am too flexible (bone wise), so that is why they sent me to physical therapy for muscle strengthening, but everything they had me do is what I already do at the gym (easy light weights so not to strain, and stretches which now seem to make the pain worse).
To wrap it up I just would like to say how frustrating it is to have to go through so many “professionals” and all the work of filling out paperwork and making the appointments that comes with it, just to hear them tell me to go somewhere else, and they don’t know whats wrong with me.
So my next desperate attempt is to schedule some kind of MRI and go to a neuromusclar doc. and hopefully read some responses to this whiny post. If anyone has any knowledge about a condition that I might have developed please reply! Thanks so much to those of you reading this!!

Should I Have Gone Through Physical Therapy?

admin — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 04:19:39 +0000

I had surgery on my right foot in March 06. I was on crutches for 3 months. I lost a significant amount of muscle in that leg (enough to see a big difference with the naked eye). I’ve recently started exercising and started to wonder if I should have gone through physical therapy. Is it too late to start now? And if I don’t/can’t start now, are there any tips on getting my legs back to the same size while I work out in the gym?