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lilcee · 04-10-2010, 10:59 AM

I have a lot of pain in my back and have seen different Drs. None have been able to tell me what it is and I have been sent to physical therapy twice (6 weeks each time). I'm now doing my second round of 6 weeks.
I had MRI and xray done over a year ago and not a lot showed up - they did it without contrast. The last Dr I went to was a physical medicane and rehab Dr (I was sent there by another Dr at Mayo Clinic). All he did was poke around in different spots and send me physical therapy.
My question is, if he didn't do any recent xrays or MRI (my last ones were over a year ago and he said they were too old to go by that) and doesn't really know what is causing the pain - would physical therapy help it or make it worse? Should I see a different Dr? The pain is getting worse and no one seems to want to help me. It's frustrating trying to find a Dr who will help.

I've been to chiropractors too and it never helps. Sometimes wonder if it made it worse.

StickyMedia · 04-16-2010, 12:29 AM

I have my aunt who's recovering from the operation. She had a tumor on the back of her neck. The physical therapist said that, the therapy they have been doing is effective because it is a natural way of healing. You must try it with yourself too. Although its not fast healing but it is very effective due to daily exercises. Remember "Patience is a virtue". Also, don't stress yourself.

Myofascial Pain · 04-16-2010, 07:00 PM

Physical Therapy will help once you have a definite and accurate diagnosis.

I had a physical therapy regiment that was working off a misdiagnosis. Once I got the correct diagnosis, the doctors informed me that all the physical therapy they did on the basis of the misdiagnosis "set my recovery back by at least a year, possibly multiple years."

Now after years of living off of pain medications, countless Trigger Point Injections, 9 Basal Branch Nerve Blocks and 4 Radio Frequency Ablations; I am finally back to the point where I can do Physical Therapy again. And now I am doing PT based on the correct diagnosis.

My advice based on years of unnecessary pain; Don't risk any treatment inclluding PT until you are sure you have an exact and accurate diagnosis, else you are setting your self up for possibly making your condition worse and adding years of pain to your life.

~Myo

Kasey443 · 04-17-2010, 03:45 AM

I agree with Myofascial. You cannot properly treat a problem not even knowing the cause. You are going through the same thing I JUST went through. Yes I think you should either go to a dif. doc or insist on a new MRI with contrast. I just started seeing a PM doc who was recommended to me by several people. I have had back and leg problems that have slowly gotten worse the past 2 years, I had an MRI, no contrast, 2 years ago, it showed DDD, and facet arthritis, and I was told by one doc stenosis, and a few other docs claimed I didn't have stenosis. This didn't make sense to me, as the epidurals I received for the ( stenosis I supposedly didn't have ) worked wonders! Even after numerous tests and ultrsounds on both legs, nobody was sure of the cause of the leg cramps that have been getting worse, one side more so. My new PM doc listened to my history very well, checked me over very well, then ordered a new MRI w/ contrast, an ultrasound on my legs again, and it was found I have, along with the facet arthritis, bulging disks and one is pinching a nerve, ( on the side I happen to have way more symptoms ) and she compared this new MRI with the old one, and said the old one did not show the bulging discs and pinched nerve, which would finally explain all my symptoms. I am now getting the proper treatment since they know the cause. Wish they had done this a long time ago.

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