I'm living a nightmare in chronic pain and now tingling

by Jane
(Ocala, fl)

I'm living a nightmare in chronic pain and now tingling

I'm 31 and thoracic pain started as a teen but never checked it out or thought anything of it, it only hurt while I was sitting or standing.

5 yrs ago I somehow got herniated disc and ended up with spinal stenosis in my lumbar area and deg disease as well.

My sciatica use to only hurt randomly but now it is chronic on my left side and at times the right side also hurts. I went to chiropractor with no relief, a tens unit and a steroid shot with no results.

Now my thoracic area of my back is constantly hurting me for years but just the past year brings me to tears everyday and when I sit the pain goes straight to my head so everyday my head kills me.

It's been a few months now that I woke up and my hands, feet and at times arms and legs to tingle.

Other thing is that the doctors keep letting go is the both my wrist always hurt and at times I get sharp shooting pains through my forearm. ..... Last month my pain doc gave me a shot in my neck and back of my head for my headache which didn't help it but 15 mins later the tingling in my hands was gone for about 1-2wks!...

I had brain MRI because of the headache and to see if I had ms because of memory loss and balance problems but it was ok so I'm just in the dark and in so much pain I can't think straight anymore.

My arms ache and seem hot and all the tingling and my head and back hurt everyday all day, I just don't know how to do this anymore?? The doctors aren't much help at all. They say nothing and I have to beg for test run. I don't want drugs, I want answers!

Do you have any idea what it could be? I google things and it could be so many things. My blood work does show inflammation but the doc's have all brushed it off.

Hello Jane,
There's one good sign in all this, Jane. You're determined to get to the bottom of this. You're obviously ready to ring in some changes in your lifestyle.

I don't promise an easy ride. It won't be. But when you hurt all over like this, you need to go back to basics. I can give you some direction, but it's going to take a lot of determination on your part. Do it! I sense you are ready.

1. There's strong research showing that the ratio of Omega 6 / Omega 3 in your diet is a strong determinant of general inflammation in the body. The ratio should be less than 5/1 but the typical Western diet is often 20/1 and the American diet sometimes 60/1. Inflammation.

In short, too much Omega 6 fatty acids, and too little omega 3.

Think fatty fish, three times a week, fish oil tablets and grinding your own flax seed EVERY DAY for your cereal. Start hunting for a source of flax seeds, get a whole pound or two, inexpensive, and a coffee grinder. Add a tablespoon to your cereal every morning. Avoid flax seed oil. Anti inflammatory omega 3 …


Fish oil ...

Today, order an inexpensive coffee grinder from Amazon, buy some fish oil capsules (1000mg per day), buy some fresh salmon (expensive), look at this fish soup recipe ...

Cut out the omega 6 cooking oils in your diet and change to olive oil. Canola is controversial, but is an omega three oil.

Nothing really difficult there. It will take a little time, though.

2. Start going for a minimum of twenty minutes walk every day. Every day! Lunch time with an apple and sandwich in hand? Get out of the office, out of the chair, on your feet, walk.
Walking benefits ... If walking gives you back pain, brisk walking, then ask your chiropractor to check you out for a Leg length inequality and Low back pain …

3. Start these Lower back exercises EVERY morning before you get out of bed. Every morning!

When you've got those three down and you are doing it every day, get back to me. Keep the same link please.

Not a lot of money, but quite a lot of effort is needed to claw yourself back to good health. And some time.


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Interesting challenges of the day

1. Mr S is a 76 year old man with neck pain of some 9 months duration. Luckily, most of the discomfort is upper cervical which is only rarely arthritic; his lower cervical spine is a degenerative mess that I've left alone. After seven treatments his pain and stiffness is 50 percent better, and he's happy in the circumstances. He can sleep through the night now and that makes a huge difference.

2. Mr P is 32 year old man with very severe lower back pain radiating to the big toe which is 30 percent numb. He had an episode three weeks ago, took anti inflammatories and was soon better as is typical of the medial disc herniation. But before it healed, after a trivia it came roaring back, much worse. The characteristic crossed sign was evident; sitting in a chair, straightening the right leg provoked severe left back pain and tingling in the leg. He's doing well.

3. Severe lower back pain is scary; just ask Mrs P. Just watching her get out of the car I she was in trouble; she had a slipped disc at L4 making her lean towards the opposite side; luckily she had no pain in the leg. Despite family pressure that this was far too severe for a chiropractor, she persevered. Within five days she was standing upright, and after two weeks almost painfree. 

Despite a hectic job, she wisely took my advice and stayed home for what I call exercising bed rest.

4. Mr S has had lower back, groin and back of thigh and calf pain for fourth months.

He has a pincer deformity in the hip causing the stabs in the groin, and a degenerative facet causing the sciatica. Both are responding well to chiropractic and he's well pleased; sixty five percent better after three treatments.

5. Mr T is a wise man; he's taken a warning TIA seriously and has lost 15 pounds, and has at least as much again to lose. A change to a low starch diet and half hour daily walk has made the difference; but the walking is making his foot and back miserable. The expensive orthotic is hopeless; luckily his hips and back are fine, but he needs a simple heel lift.

6. I too have had serious lower back issues, luckily fixed by my own chiropractor; so I too have to do my exercises, take care when lifting supers full of honey, gardening and using the chainsaw. Regaining the function of your spine is just as important as the pain.

7. My own granddaughter, only 7 is hypermobile giving her pelvic, knee and ankle issues. Xrays show a mildly dysplastic hip. Years ago we would have called it growing pains. She too regularly needs chiropractic care and luckily responds well. Increased range of motion is more difficult than too stiff in my opinion. Our care is for kids too.

8. This 65 year old lady is a serious gardener; every day she is bending, lifting and digging for 2 to 3 hours a day. It regularly catches her in the sacroiliac joint, so she has a treatment once a month that sorts it out. She does her lower back exercises faithfully.

9. This 88 year old lady is an inspiration; every day she is busy in the community. With a nasty scoliosis she manages very well with a chiropractic adjustment every six weeks and exercises faithfully done.  

10. Mr X is a 71 year old retired man who wants to continue with maintenance care every six to eight weeks; he had suffered from two years of lower back pain when he first came a year ago. He has no discomfort now after 8 chiropractic treatments, but is aware that danger lurks.

11. Mrs C has been having severe headaches, and taking a lot of analgesics. It's a non complicated upper cervical facet syndrome, and she's doing well.

12. Mr D is a 38 old year man with chronic shoulder pain after a rotator cuff tear playing cricket. It responded well to treatment, but he knows he must do his exercises every day; for two years he couldn't sleep on that shoulder.

13. Mr D, a 71 year old man, has a severe ache in the shoulder and midback since working above his head. Trapped nerve tests are negative but he has advanced degenerative joints of Luschka; after just two treatments he is 50 percent better. Can we reach 90?

And so the day goes; chiropractors shouldn't be treating the elderly most medical sites state but that's so much bunkum.

Have a problem that's not getting better? Looking for a different slant on your pain? Want to pose a question?

Interesting questions from visitors

CLS writes:

Greetings, Dr B.
You helped me quite some time back with a soothing and professional response which turned out to be exactly correct. I now consult a local chiropractor. You write a superb newsletter, too.

Your own unresolved problem. Pose a question

Knowing that up to 70% of the time the correct diagnosis is made with no examination, no special tests, no xrays, but just from the history, there's a fair chance I can add some insight to your unresolved problem. But at least 30% of the time, I may be quite wrong! Give plenty of detail if you want a sensible reply.


You visited this chiropractic help site no doubt because you have a problem that is not resolving and want to know more about what chiropractors do.

The quickest and most interesting way is to read one of my ebooks of anecdotes. Described by a reader as gems, both funny and healthful, from the life and work of a chiropractor, you'll love them. Priced right at $2.99, though Kindle fiddles the price without telling me.