Does my problem fall within scope for your treatment?

by Gary
(Oatlands, NSW, Australia)

Hi

I have developed a back problem that is not responding to suggestions from my doctor and chiropractor. Interestingly, both the same. I wanted to give you a background to see whether a consultation might be helpful. I have looked at the web site and understand exercises suggested but am mindful that advice before exercise is sensible.

I am a typical male of 60 and have had some lower back issues for many years. I am somewhat atypical of that age group in that I have remained very fit and flexible for the last ten years in addition to having a physically active life for the first 50 years.

I had brought the back issue under control through correct exercise combining daily walking, core strength exercise and yoga practice to the point any discomfort was rare.

I have suffered some damage to vertebrae through ageing degradation and vertical impacts that have caused a little disc bulging at two nodes. These have been addressed through advice from my chiropractor.

I fell from a small step ladder while painting in January which caused a trauma to my left abdomen and hip. Since this incident every time I did yoga my lower back would experience severe pain and muscle spasm ... so I stopped yoga for some time until the issue settled. However, every time I re-started the problem would reoccur.

My chiropractor suggested I needed to stop doing vertical stretches that engaged the pelvis in downward rotation (toe touching) and preferable only to stretch while laying on my back. This seemed to help.

As the problem has persisted, with frequent recurrences of severe spasm without an apparent specific cause, I went to my doctor for a different opinion. He referred for X-ray which confirmed the issues in spine mentioned above (also observed in earlier MRI conducted by Chiro) but also detected a hairline crack at the base of the right side spur on L5 which he suggested probably occurred when I fell. His advice was this was probably the cause of the pain and to continue the back lying stretches only and to add a little core strength using the isometric techniques outlined by most back pain experts. He suggest thos sort of crack can take a year or more to heal.

I play guitar both seated and standing for 2 to 3hrs a day nearly every day and am aware of the back muscle endurance required for this pursuit.

I feel I need access to a holistic approach as my chiropractor and doctor don’t communicate; largely because my doctor is cynical of chiropractic despite my experience being extremely positive.

I suspect the issue needs the correct exercise program to heal and my chiro and doctor have simply advised a generalised program.

Is this to sort of issue you can address?



Cheers

Gary