re: Chronic pain, how do you deal with it?

Intractable back pain is the ultimate MF'er makes living a normal life near impossible. This condition will be with you more or less the rest of your life.

You sound like a younger guy reluctant to go the Workman's Comp or Jones Act route.

Admirable, but ten, twenty or thirty years from now your former company isn't going to be able to help. If it's available to you I'd investigate those options now, your former company carries that insurance for a reason.

I've done chiropractic with acupuncture, physical therapy, yoga and pilates. Helps some but is time consuming, short term relief and chiropratic or PT can get expensive at 2 or 3 days a week.

Tilt tables like advertised by Teeter helped moderately. As the OP said, reducing sugar and eating right is a huge help to reduce inflammation. Plus regular exercise. Get a good ergonomic desk chair and use it as little as possible.

CBD didn't help me, THC / CBD helped very slightly. If I lived in a legal state I'd try smoking, problem with that is now I can't drive so it would be an occasional thing.

Epidural steroid shot worked great the first time for about 18 months, the next two did not they become less effective when repeated. But, well worth trying.

Rhizotomy the nerve burning procedure was very effective and so far have 1.5 years reducing pain level to a 1 or 2 on the majority of days.

Meloxicam is a NSAID that has a bad rap my doctor says is undeserved, reduces inflammation takes about 2 weeks to kick in and I rely on it daily. Still, there are 3 or 4 days a month I take Tylenol #3 when it becomes a 7-8 on the pain scale.

Surgeons know one thing so seek the least invasive procedures available, from spine specialists and neurologists. I may need surgery some day but will run thru all the alternatives first.

Good luck and approach this as a long term condition you'll be managing for the rest of your life.

I deal with mid to upper back but not on the level of you guys. I use Kratom (red strains help w/ sleep) for short term relief but that's just a band aid fix and you need to be careful because it's addictive.

Long term I've had success with working on my core, massages and spinal decompression. I start and end my day just hanging from a pull up bar for a few minutes. Foam rolling personally helps a ton too. I've been looking at stretch benches lately and think I might give that a try.

Go get Regenexx stem cell done

They have a location in Lafayette

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Lol most back pain wont be fixed with surgery

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Mine had got to the point where I couldn’t stand. Had a microdiscectomy and partial laminectomy. Woke up in recovery feeling 16 again, and have had no issues since. Guess I’m a lucky one.

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Tunasntigers92

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How old are you and what is your diagnosed injury?

I fractured L4 & L5 jumping into a river in my drunken early 20's. I have avoided pain meds, but was prescribed Meloxican, it is an anti inflammatory meds. Has really help in dealing with the constant pain. I have tried the pain doctors but asked for no RX pain meds. So I got a series of shots, but it turned out to be a scam as I got no relief just a run around about needing more shots but no relief. I'm 45 now and if i over do it i will be in pain for 2-3 days, but manage with message and over the counter meds. I will also second getting a TENS unit.

Lose weight, workout at the gym, ride a bike everyday the weather doesn't stop you. I did that, and it works.

I dealt with debilitating back pain for almost 50 years. I know, it isn't fun, but you can beat it.

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has a rod in there but needs it to be longer

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My ex said the same thing.

A friend of mine had the implantable nerve stimulator
(blocks pain).Has been life changing for him.He was incapacitated before,now he is able to drive,deer hunt,etc.He still has some pain but is tolerable.