I’ve been reading a lot about hip pain and back pain and thought I would ask some questions about what I’m going through to see if anyone has had similar experiences. I have slight scoliosis which has always rotated my pelvis and pulled on my hip. I have arthritis in my lower spine and severe arthritis in my right hip to the point of needing a hip replacement. I had a cortisone shot for my hip which lasted for about two and a half months. It was pretty miraculous in terms of how much better I felt, but a side effect that my doctor said that I got was it loosened up my spine so that I was my normal back pain went away. She said I can only have one more shot for my hip and then I have to get the hip replacement. She referred me to another orthopedist who specializes in spines. On Wednesday I’m scheduled to have a medial branch block done on my lumbar spine to see whether it has a positive effect. If I think it helps during that two to three-hour trial., then I go back for another appointment and have radiofrequency ablation done. I think about it as how you nerve a horse’s feet. It’s supposed to last for a number of months and up to two years, which is the time it takes for the nerves to regrow. I had never heard of this before or anyone having had it done, and I’m a bit apprehensive. Any experiences?
I had that done once. It did not help in my case but was worth a try.
I know two people who got very, very much worse after it so conisder if you accept the risk of a bad end. Both had to retire early from their jobs, it was quite severe. The PT I saw for a pelvic injury thinks it is not a good therapy and she is older and very experienced.
If you have a twisted pelvis and back try a person who is trained from The Postural Restoration Institute method. It is designed to fix that exactly.
Other less invasive modalities to consider would be some sort of body works such as Feldenkrais or Alexander Technique. Also perhaps pursue Myofascial Release (aka MFR).
I had a progressing scoliosis and my Feldenkrais kept me off the surgeon’s table for close to 10 years.
I currently am seeing someone who practices MFR and that has help release and relax tissues “damaged” by the surfers (think scar tissue ‘damage’).
I had radiofrequency ablation at L4/L5 in April. Went from having trouble walking due to the pain to feeling normal
I had rf ablation on the left side of my neck, c2 to c6, 15 months ago, to address pain and loss of movement resulting from yet another whiplash (my second major and fifth total). It produced a 50% reduction in pain and a 75% improvement in mobility. Various modalities of bodywork have kept me going since the original injury at 19, but none provided any significant improvement in the time between the latest wreck and the rf procedure.
Primary ‘side effect’ was a feeling of something crawling up the back of my head intermittently, which faded out after about 6 months. I still have slightly altered sensation on that side of the back of my neck. Worth it for the improvement I got. Since the procedure I’ve continued bodywork and massage, and seen additional improvement.
Thanks to everyone who responded to my post. I ended up not getting the branch block. The dr. Said it is a very serious procedure and I should actually get my hip replaced first to see if that helps my back pain. Based on responses, I guess I’m relieved. I’ve been having Physical Therapy since June, once a week, when I got my hip injection. The physical therapist does a lot of massage work and needling on my back. I also do a weekly class that focuses on core stability for everyday life. The physical therapy seems to be helping my back, and as of now I can still ride.
I had it done twice, bilaterally at L2-L5 each time. The first time helped a little for about 8 months. I still needed the pain meds (old XC accident) but it was a little better. When it wore off I decided it was worth it to do it again and the second time it didn’t do a darn thing.
I have had this done twice in L4/L5. It worked well for me. Worth it as it kept me off the surgical table. I ended up having a decompression surgery anyway, but that saved me from a fusion which is what the other surgeons I consulted with wanted to do.
