My career has been mostly in the medical communication editing area. Helping physicians write great articles about a topic that interests them and getting those articles published. Unfortunately, that meant that I spent a lot of time sitting at a desk. The result is that my spine has developed problems that make it painful to stand or walk for extended periods. The low back pain can extend down one or both legs.The pain can vary between mild and severe. More severe pain needs more aggressive treatment and can even be a medical emergency.

The orthopedic physician I saw said that the treatment is ‘minor’ surgery on my spine to relieve the pressure on the nerves. Since when has any surgery on the spine been minor? A quick review of the information that is available on the Internet suggests that there are risks that the surgeon doesn’t want to talk about. My sister-in-law is a nurse who spent some time working on an orthopedic ward – she said that she has seen side effects that I don’t want any part of. So, I want to explore alternative treatments.

  • Sleeping – sleep on my side, with a small pillow between my knees. This seems to help, although I usually wake up with the pillow somewhere else
  • Surgery – the orthopedic doctor suggested ‘minor’ surgery to relieve the pressure on the nerves in my spine. When has spinal surgery ever been ‘minor’?
  • Chiropractic adjustments – my chiropractor has changed his method of adjustments based on the MRI that I have cysts between the lumbar 4th and 5th vertebrae
  • Spinal extension – also called inversion therapy. I don’t have an inversion table (paid link – see end of post) like this, but I do have an exercise machine that allows me to lie upside down at an angle of about 30 degrees. I only need to do it for about 5 minutes each day
  • Infrared heating pad – very helpful for me. It allows me to sit and apply the heat for an extended period
  • Pain relief – I have been lucky to not need to take anything stronger than ibuprofen. Opioids are suggested to help, but the risk of addiction, and other effects, have been well reported. So I choose not to go that route

So, having synovial cysts (or any kind of back injury) can be very painful. It can stop you from enjoying life. You must get professional medical advice before trying any ‘alternative’ treatment. However, there are treatments that do work (I am slowly getting better) and are therefore well worth considering after appropriate medical consultations.

Note: I may receive small compensation from any paid links included in my posts. I do not endorse any of the items linked unless specifically stated – please do your own research to identify the best product for your needs.

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Filed under: Back pain • Chiropractic care • Health • Surgery

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