The "Avoiding Surgery At All Costs" Story

It was an ordinary day. Having back pain again. Used to be all in my back, but now has spread to my legs. Sound familiar to you? You have the same thing and haven't done anything about it? Well, here's what you can do. Had my family doctor give me a couple of steroid shots in the butt that did help somewhat, but after half a year the pain persisted and started to progress down my leg. Called Sciatica. My family doctor made arrangements for me to get an MRI and sure enough, I have severe stenosis, so my family doctor made an appointment with Dr. Galstado at the NeuroScience and Spine Center for me. Spinal Stenosis is a condition due to narrowing in and around the spinal canal causing nerve pinching which leads to persistent back pain, pain in the buttocks, limping, lack of feeling in the lower extremities, and decreased physical activity. Visited Doctor Galstado and he recommended a half dozen appointments at the physical therapist. He diagnozed the sciatica and thought it may releive the pain if I had the therapy. Anything to avoid surgery. DIDN'T WORK! Pain persisted, sometimes even worse. So I returned to Dr. Gastaldo's office and this time saw his Physician's Assistant who explained what was happening in my back. Spinal Cord goes through your spine which is composed of vertebrae in your back and has nerves going through it. As it reaches the bottom of your spine, the lower nerves spread out and go through openings down your legs. With age the spinal cord can become compressed and push on the nerves, causing pain. Also, bone spurs and uneven edges on the vertebrae can rub against the nerve causing pain. The pain actually comes from inflamation caused by the rubbing of the nerve against the bone and spurs. Now, if you can reduce the inflamation, you will eliminate the pain, allegedly. If not, surgery may be the only way to releive the pain by removing the bone spurs or rough edges along the vertebrae, or parts of the vertebrae. Got it so far. Well, if you have the pain anywhere in your back, at what spot are you right now? Just in the back, down the legs, hard to walk, can't sleep, etc. Since the physical therapy hasn't helped, my next step will be steriod shots directly into the spine to try to stop the swelling and inflamation in the area where my nerves exit the spinal cord and head down my legs. Saw the next doctor who was supposed to give me a shot in the spine to relieve the pain, but after reviewing my MRI told me it wouldn't help so he took my file back to Dr. Gastaldo's nurse who has scheduled me for another appointment with Dr. Gastaldo. And ..... more to follow. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.