My spine is a mess. 45yr old male. I have 3 train-wreck cervical discs, with torn ligaments, stenosis, herniations, bulgings and a lot of degeneration/ osteophytes on two, similar lumbar situation (two bad discs, bulging, stenosis and tears) and a compression fracture in a thoracic v. No I wasn't in a series of horrible train wrecks and didn't play as a runningback in the NFL, no idea why I degenerated like this - just normally active, modest sports activity etc. Maybe the chiropractores did it to me - lots of hard adjustments!
I was on nexium for hearburn the past 10 years + and figured that may have caused a calcium absorbtion problem (recent study showed 40% increase in hip fractures), so I stopped now (always burning up though), but don't know how that explains the soft tissue stuff. Maybe I'm just delicate. Anyway, like everybody here, I've been warned by everybody not to get surgery unless my life is on the line, but the symptoms are getting worse.
I suffer a long list of the standard symptoms from all levels - none crippling but all worrisome and worsening. Lately I'be been getting these waves of pain and numbness radiating down both arms and at the same time making breathing difficult (figured that's the thoracic).
Also increasing numbness below the waist, increasing ED symptoms, and can only sleep on one side now due to the lumbar pain and instability (feel the disc slipping around). Any ideas on what to do from here? I don't want to go get 3 seperate spinal surgeries and worry about the high failure rates...
|