Northwoods back pain doctor: need recommendations

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jjj70095

Active member
I have run 2 miles every day for over 30 years (maybe missing 10 days total). My current streak is 14 years without missing a day of running.

Feel great, but it has lead to a lower right back pain in the muscle area. I can put my thumb on the trigger point/pain area, but am not sure how to solve the pain issue. I have taken aspirin, heating rub, stretching, and trigger point injections from doctors in Illinois.
Nothing seems to work long term.

Will be spending summer up north in Minocqua and am thinking about seeing a back doctor or chiropractor up here to see what they can do.

I am interested in trying laser therapy. Anybody have recommendations for the pain or for a back doctor up north?
 
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eyeman

Active member
Your Primary Dr can recommend a course of action. Mine took me down the road of assigning a Physical Therapist, subsequently Physical Therapy, then a Radiculopathy, then a Lumbar MRI, which proved multiple osteophytes. All told, I have severe central canal narrowing and neural foraminal narrowing. L1-S1 (the entire lumbar). My only course of action left is surgery. A Laminectomy. Pretty bad news but real. We have Dr. Andrew Beaumont a neurosurgeon at Aspirus in Wausau scheduled. I’ve tried everything attempting to avoid this. Chiropractors, cortisone shots, etc. We’re waiting until April hoping to get a few more miles on the snow machines. Good luck to you.
 
mezz

mezz

Well-known member
Primary Dr. should steer you into an MRI to see what exactly is going on. From there, an appropriate treatment plan can be given to you. A Chiropractor can be of help with regular visits, mine kept me away from surgery for over 20 years. Eventually, I had to have surgery, 4 discs fused L2,3,4&5, laminectomy & 2 rods with six screws. Now I deal with arthritis in the area, but, no pain radiating in my leg. Take the simplest way to alleviate your pain for as long as you can. Just remember long term aspirin use is not good. You would be safe to take extra strength tylenol regularly. Good luck, back pain sucks.
 
pclark

pclark

Well-known member
White dust is right, you will have go to Wausau or maybe Aspirus in Rhinelander, I would stay with Aspirus, Marshfield Clinic is going through many changes and really has no doctors up here.
 
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old abe

Well-known member
jjj70095 said:
I have run 2 miles every day for over 30 years (maybe missing 10 days total). My current streak is 14 years without missing a day of running.

Feel great, but it has lead to a lower right back pain in the muscle area. I can put my thumb on the trigger point/pain area, but am not sure how to solve the pain issue. I have taken aspirin, heating rub, stretching, and trigger point injections from doctors in Illinois.
Nothing seems to work long term.

Will be spending summer up north in Minocqua and am thinking about seeing a back doctor or chiropractor up here to see what they can do.

I am interested in trying laser therapy. Anybody have recommendations for the pain or for a back doctor up north?
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Perhaps you look into Inversion tables. Some people on here, JD, years ago suggested it to me. My wife ordered a Teeter inversion table as was recommended for me. It turned out to be a absolute godsend for me. Upper, lower, sciatica, and neck pain, stiffness problems all alleviated. Did me more good in a month than all the chiro's I had been to in 50 years. It worked perfect for me, but I realize someone else may not have the same results. My son has also experienced the same with all his back issues. It's worth looking into as most have money back trial periods including pickup for return. Good luck with what ever you pursue.
 
J

jjj70095

Active member
Thanks for all the info. I had an MRI done 4 years ago and have a "broad based disc bulge L1-L2" and other areas are shallow milder bulges. One doctor said it was just normal aging.

I have thought about the inversion stuff...as the running pounds down against the bulge, and I am thinking well, use gravity to push it back into place. I do have an appointment with a chiro in Minocqua Friday, thought I would do a consultation before i head back to Illinois.
Just want to get another opinion.

What i dont get is that it hurts the most between 5-9pm (after afternoon run arund 2pm), but around 10-11pm, the back relaxes and feels fine.....
 
G

garageguy

Well-known member
Cut down on the running,cevery other day is fine. Maybe stop For a week. Let it heal.
If the pain goes away. Ease back into your running. Cutting down on whats aggravating it is a lot easier and cheaper than looking for the cause and treating it.
 
mezz

mezz

Well-known member
I will second the recommendation of an inversion table. I asked my chiropractor what he thought of them & he told me that they do work & he would be losing a patient if I did get one. I decided to take a chance on it & once I used it I rarely needed the chiropractors services. Teeter Hang Ups is the table I used up until I had to have my back surgery, it works & was well worth the investment.
 
O

old abe

Well-known member
mezz said:
I will second the recommendation of an inversion table. I asked my chiropractor what he thought of them & he told me that they do work & he would be losing a patient if I did get one. I decided to take a chance on it & once I used it I rarely needed the chiropractors services. Teeter Hang Ups is the table I used up until I had to have my back surgery, it works & was well worth the investment.
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Spot on mezz, my chiro said the same,and I no longer needed him. ;) As I try to remember, I believe you, whitedust, and several others on JD convinced me to give a inversion table a try. Many thanks for that advice, and it was also recommended to go with a Teeter table. It's been absolutely all good ever since for my back, and neck pain. My Sciatica, and neck, back, shoulder pain was unbearable. :)
 
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wiscrev

Well-known member
old abe said:
Spot on mezz, my chiro said the same,and I no longer needed him. ;) As I try to remember, I believe you, whitedust, and several others on JD convinced me to give a inversion table a try. Many thanks for that advice, and it was also recommended to go with a Teeter table. It's been absolutely all good ever since for my back, and neck pain. My Sciatica, and neck, back, shoulder pain was unbearable. :)
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The chairman of my congregation uses one and swears by it.
 
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