Expert: Tamsen Staniford, L.Ac. - 7/26/2010

Question
HELLO! THIS WAS THE ONLY SECTION I COULD FIND THAT HAS TO DO WITH MY PROBLEM. I WILL TRY TO EXPLAIN IT AS BEST AS I CAN. I THANK YOU IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR TIME. IT IS LONG, BUT VERY EXPLANATORY.

FIRST I WILL TELL YOU MY PHYSICAL STATE AND THEN I WILL DESCRIBE MY AILMENTS. I AM 5'8, 130 LBS. 37 YRS. OLD. I STRETCH AND WALK REGULARLY. IF I DON'T MY BACK HURTS WORSE. MY SPINE IS A LITTLE CROOKED AND ONE SHOULDER IS HIGHER THAN THE OTHER.

NEXT, I ALSO HAVE OSTEOPENIA. I AM VERY HEALTH CONSCIENCE AND EAT RIGHT 97% OF THE TIME. I ALSO HAVE IBD AND HAVE TO TAKE PREDNISONE. THAT IS THE REASON FOR THE OSTEOPENIA. I DO AS MUCH AS I CAN ON MY OWN TO HELP MY BACK BUT LATELY THE PAIN IS WORSE. BECAUSE OF MY IBD I TAKE A TON OF SUPPLEMENTS AND I HAVE TO TAKE TRIPLE THE AMOUNT OF VITAMIN D TOO. SO I AM COVERED WITH THE VITAMINS/FOOD/SUPPLEMENTS.

WELL, TO BEGIN WITH I DON'T HAVE THE GREATEST BACK IN THE WORLD BECAUSE OF THREE DIFFERENT ACCIDENTS. I ALSO HAVE SMALL BONES. ONE ACCIDENT WAS ON A THREE WHEELER AS A CHILD AND THE OTHER TWO WERE AS AN ADULT. BOTH TIMES I WAS A PASSENGER - IN TWO CAR ACCIDENTS THUS, LEAVING MY SPINE IN A BAD STATE. IT HAS BEEN ATLEAST 15 YEARS SINCE THE LAST ACCIDENT.

AFTER BOTH CAR ACCIDENTS, I GOT CHIROPRACTIC CARE AND IT HELPED BUT, I STILL GET NECK STRAIN WHEN I SIT AT MY DESK TOO LONG (IT ACTUALLY FEELS LIKE WHIPLASH.) WHEN MY BACK IS STRAINED, MY UPPER BACK GETS MUSCLE CRAMPS AND SPASMS. PARTICULARLY THE MUSCLE BY MY RIGHT SHOULDER BLADE.

SEVERAL YEARS AGO BEFORE I WAS DIAGNOSED WITH OSTEOPENIA, I SAW A CHIROPRACTER FOR A WHILE ABOUT MY MUSCLE CRAMPING/SPASM IN THE SHOULDERBLADE. AFTER A FEW MONTHS OF ADJUSTMENTS IT ALMOST WENT AWAY.HE SAID I HAD A KNOT THERE. BUT ONCE I GOT OSTEOPENIA, I CAN NO LONGER DO CHIROPRACTIC ADJUSTMENTS, PER MY DOCTOR.  

I ALSO LEARNED TO USE THE MOUSE LEFT HANDED ON MY PC AT WORK (TO HAVE LESS STRAIN ON THE RIGHT SIDE) AND I ALSO ADDED THE CHAIR CUSHION FOR BACK SUPPORT AND THAT HELPED QUITE A BIT.

WELL, IN ADDITION TO THAT - TEN MONTHS AGO I DEVELOPED AND ACID REFLUX PROBLEM THAT WAS A SIDE AFFECT FROM ANOTHER MEDICATION THAT I TAKE FOR MY IBD. AND THEREFORE HAD TO RAISE MY BED SO WHEN I SLEEP TO REDUCE THE ACID CREEPING UP ON ME. SO MY BED IS ELEVATED A LITTLE.

WELL, NOW IT SEEMS MY BACK IS HURTING WORSE! INCLUDING MY LOWER SPINE AND SOME NUMBNESS IN MY LEG (SCIATICA) BUT, THE BED IS ACTUALLY NOT CROOKED. ALL I DID WAS PUT PHONE BOOKS UNDER THE BED RAILING THAT HOLDS UP THE BOX SPRING. AND I HAVE LOOKED AT IT AND IT DOESN’T APPEAR TO BE CROOKED OR OFF…








HOWEVER, I AM WONDERING IF SLEEPING LIKE THIS IS MAKING IT WORSE? BECAUSE OF MY BACK PAIN I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO SLEEP ON MY LEFT SIDE IN A FEW YEARS. I ONLY SLEEP ON MY RIGHT SIDE OR FLAT ON MY BACK. BUT SINCE MY BACK HAS BEEN HURTING SO MUCH I THOUGHT I WOULD TRY SLEEPING FLAT ON MY BACK (ONLY) (AS ANNOYING AS IT IS TO TRY AND  FALL ASLEEP LIKE THIS) I ALWAYS FALL ASLEEP ON MY SIDE. BUT THAT HAS HELPED SOME.

SO MY QUESTION IS THIS: HOW CAN I RELIEVE THESE DAILY SPASMS AND CRAMPING IN MY UPPER BACK WITHOUT CHIROPRACTIC HELP? I HAVE CONSIDERED MASSAGE. I ALSO HAVE A BACK MASSAGER FOR TEMPORARY RELIEF. I WAS READING A LITTLE BIT ABOUT ACCUPUNCTURE TOO…I JUST FEEL LIKE I HAVE DONE ALL THE ICY HOT, HEAT PAD, LYING ON FLOOR AFTER WORK EVERYDAY…TYPE RELIEF THAT I CAN DO.

THERE HAS GOT TO BE SOMETHING MORE EFFECTIVE. WHAT DO YOU SUGGEST?. SORRY, I KNOW IT WAS A LOT OF INFORMATION. BUT I FELT I HAD TO LIST EVERYTHING SO THAT YOU WOULD KNOW EVERYTHING THAT IS RELAVENT. I HAVE ACCEPTED THAT MY SPINE IS CROOKED AND THAT I HAVE JUST BEEN A VICTIM OF CIRCUMSTANCE WITH THE CAR ACCIDENTS AND I’VE JUST DEALT WITH IT…AND I TRY TO THINK POSITIVE AND BE AS HEALTHY AS I CAN  EACH DAY BUT, LATELY THIS CONSTANT PAIN IS REALLY STARTING TO WEAR ON ME.

ANY SUGGESTIONS WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. THANK YOU AND HAVE A GREAT DAY!

Answer
Hi there, thanks for asking your question.

I think a combination of acupuncture and massage would help you a lot by the symptoms you describe.  Releasing muscular tension and improving circulation greatly reduces back pain in many cases, as well as sciatica, and both acupuncture and massage can accomplish that.  They are especially good options for you since you can not receive chiropractic treatment.
I encourage you to find a properly trained and licensed acupuncturist in your area to work with; they should have good referrals for a massage therapist as well.  Proper acupuncture training takes years at an accredited school so you may find an acupuncturist in your area by checking with a nearby TCM or Naturopathic school.  You may also find one by using a reputable directory like AcuFinder.com or by checking with your state or national acupuncture accreditation associations.  Those associations can be found with just a quick google search such as "state you live in acupuncture association."
Personally, I think that sleeping on your back is the best way to keep it well aligned, and you may want to take the phone books out.  They don't absorb pressure well and may be making your pain worse.  Try sleeping a week or so without them and see if it makes any difference.
I wish you the best of health!