[OldDave]

Even though I'm not in Florida, I am all too familiar with this problem. I had spinal damage from a ruptured disc in my neck that was permanent and am fighting 4 buldging discs in my neck and lower back. I'm lucky enough to have a pain management specialist in this little town with great training. He was a spinal surgeon in China and has certificates out the ear. He now only does pain management which means the injections and implants that generate small amounts of current for really bad cases.

Here's what I can tell you. Chiropratics does really do anything. The idea that you are "out of alignment" is a wive's tale. They can provide heat and massage and manipulation, but really cannot help in the long run and some of the less reputable members of the trade can do damage. I know I'll get flamed for this but so be it. I've found arguing about this and homopaetic stuff is pretty much like arguing about religion and politics. Everyone has their mind made up so there is no use in discussing it. I'm only commenting from my actual experience. I've got a good friend who is a chiropractor and I trust her and i've been to her.

Back to the current doctor. A few years ago doctors did injections into the spinal canal. They didn't work very well, and were a little bit dangerous. Now they inject into the nerve root next to the spine. A good doc will use real time xray to place the injection in the correct space. It's usually a series of 3 shots two weeks apart. For many people this really helps. The cortisone and other drugs in the mix not only relieve pain but they reduce swelling which can help calm the source of the pain. In a good case they case work for up to 2 years, and certainly should work for 6 months at the minimum. They will have to be repeated and unfortunately the disc will not really get better.

I've had very good luck. My daughter is going to college to be a doctor and spent last summer shadowing this fellow. She tells me most patients seem to have good luck with the back injections and people with knee pain seem to do even better. I actually went to him the first time with bursitis in the hip. The injection worked great for that. These are expensive. $250 or so for an in office shot for the knee or hip. More like $2,000 each for the ones near the spine. Our insurance sucks, so yours might make it better. I don't know any of the doctor's down there, but be careful. This isn't yet a recognized specialty, although Dr. Fan says it will be in a few years. Get someone like him who has the background to understand these areas of the body. Avoid anestitists who like doing this. You really need to know where everything is.

Best of luck to you. I'm at about 1.5 years on my last lower back injections and doing pretty well. I'm also losing weight slowly which helps a great deal, ifyou can.