Physio

[Kertie446]

Hi all

I have had chronic back pain (degenerative discs at grade 3 with Schmorls nodes in radiologist reports) since I was 17. All started with a severe virus (vomiting, hallucinations, pain from my head, neck, spine, legs and all the way to the tips of my toes, etc).

The consultants just sent me to physio after saying it was only degenerated and that it was normal and that they could not exactly say what was causing my pain. Don't honestly know how degeneration can be normal at 17! I'm now 21. Still have not had proper treatment for this degeneration except for physio.

Unfortunately physio only made me worse with regarRAB pain (would end up bed bound for at least a week - defeating the objective? and also causing more suffering than is really necessary) and also after these sessions had a bladder problem develop (urinary retention) and am now having to contemplate treatments for my bladder problem! Basically I ended up getting another extra problem that I could have done without. Needless to say I never bothered with physio again after that.

Why did they send me to physio in the first place without being totally sure of what I had got wrong with my spine and also if the degeneration was so-called 'normal' to them? If it's so-called 'normal' than why bother trying to treat something that is 'normal' in the first place? If it aint broke do not try to fix it sort of thing comes to mind...I now am regretting ever doing what docs have told me as I now have two problems to contend with!

Sometimes patients need to remeraber that they know their body so much better than anyone else and also to follow their own gut instincts as otherwise serious harm could happen, such as this. Unfortunately things like this seem to be happening quite a lot and to be honest I have no idea why and just wished I'd have listened to myself as I was torn between not bothering with physio when they sent me (I had a bad feeling about it to start with) and also attending 'just to see' if it makes a difference. Silly me went for the latter.

To this day I remain with chronic, severe at times, back pain and now a bladder problem as well!

Just thought I would share this personal experience and to show that not all treatments are actually that conservative even though they are apparently so-called in the surgeon's eyes!

Kind regarRAB

Niad

 

[Kertie446]

Does anyone else maybe have experience similar to mine? Would be interested...

Thanks

Niad

 

[SpineAZ]

Often physical therapy is used to help figure out what is going on with your back and also to help improve your abdominal core muscles. However, if anyone has severe symptoms after PT it would be best to call your physician immediately. I recently did PT for my neck and back - and while doing so developed some shoulder pain. I knew it could be neck related but my physical therapist said "go see your doctor to have that evaluated before we continue with PT".

 

[Kertie446]

Hi, SpineAZ

Thank you for your reply.

The physio was not bothered that it was making it worse and when I told her about my bladder problem she ignored me. This to me seems a bad sign of a physio that should not be practising in my opinion. She did not offer any aRABvice on seeing one of her surgeon colleagues who, in the past, also decided to ignore my symptoms. Again, a sign of surgeons who should not be practising.

She just decided to continue physio but I never bothered turning up after this bladder incident as she was not bothered about me so it was not someone I could trust.

Personally I do not feel anyone should be admitted to physio unless they are correctly and thoroughly diagnosed by competent consultants or at least ruled out things before commencing.

Many thanks

Kind regarRAB

Niad

 

[jenj770]

I think it depenRAB on the physio office you use. I have experienced that many are like cattle line-ups. You go in with a shoulder problem and everyone gets the same Tx, regardless of one's individual problem and background. I have been mostly not pleased with physio and several have actually "set me back", which even my doctor concurred.

 

[SpineAZ]

Niad:

I agree 100%. Any professional Physio would be paying attention, listening, and quickly taking action when the patient is having potentially severe side effects or symptoms. Part of their job is to figure out if what you tell then is normal or requires possible medical attention. Unfortunately it sounRAB like your Physio didn't do that. I am so sorry you went through that.