SMF

Has anyone had experience with an inversion table? Have a couple of friends who suggested it for me. I have had pain in my back and then it left but went over to my hip and when that happened it went across my upper thigh and then down to the knee and into my shin bone. It feels like stabbing pains at times and other times it feels sore. Now it's left hip and going to my lower back. I've been to a chiropractor twice and I've had a steroid shot and a muscle relaxer. I am loath to take prescriptions on a long-term basis, even though I know this is not hydrocodone. What I've read up on the inversion table I think this may help. By the way the chiropractor took x-rays of my back and only noticed a slight curvature of 7%, which I did not think was unusual

Was thinking between the Innova 9600 on Amazon and a Teeter. Found that HSN had a special on the Ep-970 LTD at a price comprable to the 560 so I got it, shipped, taxes and all for $285. Maybe overkill but it is well made and easier to fold. Maybe I spent too much but at this point, if I use it 5 times, it is as much as 5 visits to the chiropractor. I can disassemble it and ship it back within 30 days for a refund and be out $65 in shipping or try to list it on craigslist for my money back

Hi Sam....really, really, really, really hope that it works for you. back pain is the worst. A friend of mine used one a few years ago...he swore by it


good luck / speedy recovery
clive

Sam, I have a herniated disc (L4/L5) and some spinal stenosis. For treatment both my GP and the neurologist he referred me to were against my seeing a chiropractor and referred me to a sports physiotherapist for treatment, which worked like a charm. This was 10 years ago and I haven't had a recurrence of the debilitating back and leg pain I first experienced for six months; I could neither sit nor sleep in a bed for this period due to the pain. I have the occasional twinge of sciatica, but this is quickly dealt with by the exercises the physiotherapist recommended. I'd suggest that you consult your GP for a complete assessment before you engage in any self-treatment.

The internist I saw said I would get some exersizes, showed me one, and I trusted they would email me but did not give me anything else. The one time I stretched too far, it felt like it popped and a giant electric stabbing pain shot through my groin and leg, but it did give me relief

Sam wrote:The internist I saw said I would get some exersizes, showed me one, and I trusted they would email me but did not give me anything else. The one time I stretched too far, it felt like it popped and a giant electric stabbing pain shot through my groin and leg, but it did give me relief

Sam, that's not good. I'd insist on a complete assessment to determine the cause of the sciatica including a consultation with a specialist to be sure you're not just treating the symptoms. As I said, my GP referred me to a neurologist to determine the cause and extent of the nerve damage; she in turn had me seen by a neurosurgeon for a review of my treatment options; fortunately he recommended against surgery and agreed that my best treatment optio was physiotherapy. This was 10 years ago and since then I've not had a recurrence of the excruciating leg and back pain I had had. Once treatment was underway I was able to dispense with the drugs I was on (pain killer, muscle relaxant and anti-inflammatory) although I still was in pain; after a few sessions with the physiotherapist my whole mental affect had changed as I knew I was on the right track.

Many years ago I had sciatic pain that was so bad that I was completely incapacitated at times, bedridden for up to 3-4 days at a time. At age 44 I was told by a radiologist that I had the spine of an 80-year-old. I tried an inversion table, exercises, chiropractors, Rolfing (deep tissue manipulation), rehab medicine specialists, acupuncture, and even a "crystal healer," some of which gave me temporary relief - up to a few weeks. The inversion table was helpful for only a few days at a time. After a lot of research about local surgeons of various types, I went to the neurosurgeon who was recommended by the majority of my physician peers (most of whom, by the way, were of the opinion that neurosurgeons are significantly more talented for spine work than orthopedists) and had surgery, in which disc fragments were removed and bone surfaces reduced, but no fusion was done. (I was glad about not having any fusion, because I had heard horror stories of conditions sometimes being much worse after it was done.) I was discharged the next morning, was walking immediately, and doing normal activities within a couple weeks, and I have had no trouble whatever since then. The surgeon recommended that I avoid for the rest of my life any lifting of weights greater than 40 lbs., and for the most part I have followed that advice. Of course, everyone's experience is different.

I do not know about the effectiveness specifically with sciatic nerve pain. But I have a friend who is a colonel in the army that swears by his inversion table. He has put me on it a few times. I have lower back soreness and pain myself. I will likely purchase one myself in the near future.

Inversion table is the second-best thing that has ever happened to my back - first was a traction table that did the same thing (but horizontally). Once you learn to relax those muscles supporting your back and really let yourself get stretched, it's a fantastic way to spend a few minutes!

I really do need to get one soon. My lower back around the facets are really dealing me grief.

Finally paying for all of the years of being between 270 and 290 lbs., I suppose.

You guys probably saw this, but if not, a news story about back pain that was making its way across the www this week might be of interest:

http://www.foxnews.com/health/2017/02/1 ... -pain.html

fallingwickets wrote:You guys probably saw this, but if not, a news story about back pain that was making its way across the www this week might be of interest:

http://www.foxnews.com/health/2017/02/1 ... -pain.html

Good post Clive. Based on my experience I agree with the article. I have a herniated disc (L4/L5) and spinal stenosis, which first manifested 12 years ago. The pain was excruciating and severely affected the quality of my life; couldn't sleep in a bed, had to join the dog on the floor who regarded this as an intrusion, and I couldn't sit but briefly. Interestingly I found the best way to alleviate the pain was to walk. While I was undergoing assessment, by a neurologist and neurosurgeon, I was prescribed pain killers, muscle relaxants and anti-inflamatories; in a nutshell they made me feel horrible, but did relieve the symptoms. Following the end of the assessment I was given various exercises to do during the day and started on a course with a physiotherapist; fortunately, surgery was not recommended. I was soon off the medications and reclaiming my life; I was amazed at how quickly the pain reponded to the exercises and physiotherapist. It's now 9 years since I completed physio. and apart from the occasional twinge in my lower back, I'm pain free and fully functional. Today I walk regularly and work out with a trainer three times a week.

Rufus wrote:

fallingwickets wrote:You guys probably saw this, but if not, a news story about back pain that was making its way across the www this week might be of interest:

http://www.foxnews.com/health/2017/02/1 ... -pain.html

Good post Clive. Based on my experience I agree with the article. I have a herniated disc (L4/L5) and spinal stenosis, which first manifested 12 years ago. The pain was excruciating and severely affected the quality of my life; couldn't sleep in a bed, had to join the dog on the floor who regarded this as an intrusion, and I couldn't sit but briefly. Interestingly I found the best way to alleviate the pain was to walk. While I was undergoing assessment, by a neurologist and neurosurgeon, I was prescribed pain killers, muscle relaxants and anti-inflamatories; in a nutshell they made me feel horrible, but did relieve the symptoms. Following the end of the assessment I was given various exercises to do during the day and started on a course with a physiotherapist; fortunately, surgery was not recommended. I was soon off the medications and reclaiming my life; I was amazed at how quickly the pain reponded to the exercises and physiotherapist. It's now 9 years since I completed physio. and apart from the occasional twinge in my lower back, I'm pain free and fully functional. Today I walk regularly and work out with a trainer three times a week.

Yeah. The wife and daughter keep saying I need to go see our friend who is a chiropractor.

So I have had three treatments with the chiropractor.

I could lay there and let them use that electrical stimulation on my lower back for hours and take a nap.

I can tell a difference. But the feeling that my right knee is going to completely give still nags me.

I am really thinking my issue is piriformis syndrome.

Jason,

Ask your chiropractor about foam rolling.

My youngest daughter is a chiropractor - specializing in sports medicine, sports injuries, etc. and she is on me to use ours. My knee hurts - she looked at it over the weekend. The muscles that she concentrated on were on the opposite side of my knee - and boy was that treatment painful! But I felt immediate relief for several hours after that - in fact it still feels pretty good today.

I had an MRI and get the results Thursday. Seeing an orthopedic surgeon. Pain much less after 4 months and use of the inversion table bit also not gone. Mostly knee and shins

Sam wrote:I had an MRI and get the results Thursday. Seeing an orthopedic surgeon. Pain much less after 4 months and use of the inversion table bit also not gone. Mostly knee and shins

Prayers offered up for a favorable diagnosis - and no surgery!

Gene wrote:Jason,

Ask your chiropractor about foam rolling.

My youngest daughter is a chiropractor - specializing in sports medicine, sports injuries, etc. and she is on me to use ours. My knee hurts - she looked at it over the weekend. The muscles that she concentrated on were on the opposite side of my knee - and boy was that treatment painful! But I felt immediate relief for several hours after that - in fact it still feels pretty good today.

I am going to see him in the morning. I will have to ask him about it.

Gene wrote:

Sam wrote:I had an MRI and get the results Thursday. Seeing an orthopedic surgeon. Pain much less after 4 months and use of the inversion table bit also not gone. Mostly knee and shins

Prayers offered up for a favorable diagnosis - and no surgery!

+1 for good results and no surgery.

Update- The inversion table in my opinion prevented the sciatica from getting worse and probably improved it a bit. I did have an MRI and it revealed normal deterioration for a 57 year old, with the L2-L3 being the source of the 'extruded' disk. The Orthopedic surgeon felt that it was not worthy of even consideration of surgery at this point. I did have a nerve block which did not make the pain go away entirely. I did have 6 physical therapy sessions, the last being yesterday. I do feel that the PT and the nerve bloc both have eliminated this pain. Did some great exercises with a core ball, 55cm, and I bought one at TJ Maxx to use at home. Wife had an extre yoga mat.