abc1234 Loc: Elk Grove Village, Illinois

I can relate to your problem and sympathize with you because of your young age.

Without going into the long and boring details, I recommend that you see a physiatrist, a physician specializing in non-surgical treatment of spinal and muscular problems. I told my guy that three surgeons wanted to operate and that I was too far gone for physical therapy. He smiled at me and said "You have not had physical therapy like we do it." He was right. I have now avoided surgery for over three years, a short time as life goes, and have pretty much a normal life.

As for drugs, I can understand your reluctance to take anything that would interfere with your normal functioning. I take Celebrex, non-narcotic pain killer, that has none of the side effects of muscle relaxants and some other pain killers. I do not believe in alternative remedies because most are really useless, have not had their safety determined, and strength and purity vary widely. They probably work because of the placebo effect. Their efficacy rests more on anecdote than science.

I make no bones about. I am a fan of main-stream medicine. I know a lot of people are not and believe passionately in alternatives. Unfortunately, most ultimately return to the main-stream having experienced the futility of the alternatives.

Good luck in your quest for a solution.

Elaine H Loc: fairfax, va

I was in a horrible car accident years ago and injured my back. I was in physical therapy for 11 months..and yes =stretches do work. they also had me on a portable electric device that looked like a pager(small box that I wore on my belt) it had small wires that were attached to small pads on my back. then you turned it on and it gave you electric pulses to your aching muscles..it was awesome. I believe it was called an attense unit=I may not have spelled it correctly. Anyway, I got it in physical therapy. Good luck because I know how much back pain can mess up your life..Keep Your head up :D you are in our thoughts

caitlyn13

I have been doing streches like the doctor told me, i go to therapy 2 times a week and i will admit it has helped but only to a certain extent i went from a pain of 10 to a pain of 6(on good days) I had to have a TENS unit becasue of terrible muscle spasms that were happening. I work constantly and do not have time to lay around being "high" on pain killers. I like having a clear mind and the doctor has tried his best to give me medication that will work with me. He just put me on Celebrex, i start it today! So im hoping it will help! I have been trying to swim a little bit and am going to try some of the suggestions i have seen on here! You guys have all been such great help!!=]

WildBill Loc: South West Florida

I have had the same issue since I was 18. After my accident which caused my problem to become evident, I was threatened with fusion if I did not take recovery seriously. After therapy, I was given muscle strengthening exercises to help prevent more issues. I am 46 now and my back is still holding up without surgery. Do your stretches and the muscle strengthening exercises regularly (forever) and you hopefully will be able to prevent more issues like I was. The problem never goes away but if you do the exercises, your back may not need anything more than a few weeks of electrodes on your back to get through any other issues that may arise.

Mike Little Loc: Ozark, Missouri

Yeah find a good criropractur it has done wonders for my back problems

abc1234 Loc: Elk Grove Village, Illinois

As for chiropracters, they can be more expensive and less effective in the long run than a physician. Of all the medical specialties you can try, I would go to a physiatrist first. He or she has much better training than a chiropracter and better able to deal with such problems in a non-surgical way. By way of analogy, one is a dslr and the other is roll film camera.

WildBill Loc: South West Florida

I will not go near a Chiropractor and with that spine issue, doctors will also tell you to stay away from them too. The electrodes do wonders if you have issues after therapy. I know lots of people who swear by Chiropractors (including my wife) but I have been injured by them because of our condition and you do not need 3-6 months of therapy because of one trip to the Chiropractor.

Just do as the doctor says and after therapy, continue to do the exercises. Your muscles will take care of you.

Everything you do includes your back so it will be a while before you are "better" so hang in there.