Monday, February 18, 2013

WHICH ONE WORKED


This is an update of my public service announcement  on back and hip pain I posted in October.    If this condition doesn't affect you or anyone you know, feel free to skip this post. Hopefully I will be back next week with something which is  more generally interesting.  

Did you ever achieve long sought after results but aren't exactly sure how you got there??   

What I am referring to today regards the painful aging of back and hips. I know all the steps I took to battle it, I am just not sure which one worked or if it was a combination.

For years I have periodically whined about my failing body, mainly my back and hips which use to bark at me daily in a malevolent manner. I hurt and it seemed to be getting slowly but steadily worse.  Both chores and joys were being avoided if they aggravated  my joints. It had been getting  noticeably worse for over a year. My go-to OTC helpers of  glucosamine/chondroitin had lost their punch. 

Now I could have just accepted my decline and sought temporary relief via  pain killers or liver and heart damaging prescription drugs but I stubbornly wanted my freedom of motion back with out doing further damage to my body. I railed against the penalties of age. I cursed its hostile take over of my life. I went to war. 

I can't really tell you exactly when it happened for almost complete relief was gradual, almost as gradual as my decline.  Some things I incorporated gave me startling and immediate improvement like my posture change. While that gave me dramatic 80% improvement which was blissfully received, I really craved complete relief.  Other methods appeared at first to do nothing but I kept adding on---hoping something would eventually kick in.  

I added supplements, exercised, changed my bed, my shoes, along with the successful posture correction (which is still a work in progress). I was looking for a benign cure with hopefully some scientific basis. However I wasn't locked in to  pure science. I tried any possible cure that had at least two good reviews. Exercise,  Himalayan salt lamps seaweed,  tart cherryturmeric, ginger root,  oil swirling (can't honestly say I gave swirling a fair try) and nearly went the magnet route.  I am still doing all of the above.  

Had I found any reviews for it, I wouldn't have hesitated to bury a toad (it would have to have been a road kill) under a willow tree at midnight of a full moon. Any old wives tale was worth consideration. After all, those gals did live to be "old" wives somehow. 

Then it just happened. One day I just awoke aware that I was  now at least 95% pain free.  I no longer  grit my teeth at night when I changed position in bed. Instead In the mornings I now luxuriate cat like in bed stretching and twisting with pleasure--pain free.   

I moved easily and without stiffness through out the day and can now drive my car without having to hobble like a 98 year old on exit at my destination. I zoom through grocery stores like a youngster and actually take gleeful pleasure passing slower carts.  Beep-beep.  I was at first afraid that it was temporary relief but this has blissfully gone on now for over a month. 

Oh how I wish I could share with you what the magic bullet was but I don't know which "cure" did it. I will say that posture correction made the biggest immediate improvement but what method put me over the top, I am not sure.  I think it is most likely a combination of multiple bullets. 

What I can say is please don't give up hope.  I truly believe age can be beaten back somewhat. I can't make my organs young, erase those deep lines in my face with out surgery, nor throw away my eyeglasses,  but I can at least sleep, sit and walk today with only rare twinges. Gracious, does it ever feel good. 

I wish all of you that age might be slapping around right now the same success I have found. What worked for me may not work for you but I really believe the answer for most of us is out there.  Google is your friend. Use it like a bee uses the flower. Find what works for you.  

Ah, the good old days when if you didn't wake up with a hangover or a cold, you  were healthy. Sure takes a lot more work these days to feel good.   It may not be as easy as when we were young, but it is appreciated so much more. 

 "Sometimes age succeeds, sometimes it fails.  It depends on you".  ~Ravensara Noite
         

38 comments :

  1. I am so happy for you that "something" worked and you didn't have to face surgery. I don't have hip pain, but back pain is my enemy that I live with every day. When I get to the point that I cant move without crying out in pain, I call my ortho doc and he schedules an epidural. I have had 7, and 6 worked immediately and for months. One didn't last but a month and a half, but 6 out of 7 isn't a bad rate. Hope you continue to have that relief.

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  2. What a great post ...I am so happy for you that somehow you have found the relief.Posture helped me a lot after I read your earlier post ...its just keeping it up.My hip pains depend on how I sit, or lie ...but I dont know whether I am sitting wrongly until I go to move and rise from my resting place in agony. I know that if I am stressed ...even slightly ...over anything ...my back starts to seize up and I am bent over with pain ...can last days.
    I hate getting old ...especially when so many well in their 80's are gadding about like spring chickens and I am walking at a tortoises pace at a mere 65.
    I remember an elderly couple (when I was 40) saying they swore by Codliver Oil mixed in a glass of fresh Orange every day ...they said it took about 2 months to work ....I just hate the thought of codliver oil...might be worth a go though. So pleased to read how well you are feeling. xx

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  3. This is such a relief your pain is gone.

    I use a chiropractor and a Native American Medicine Pouch...which one works? I don't giving up either.

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  4. My back goes out every now and then, but I know it will get better if I keep on moving. I bought a Himalayan salt lamp after you wrote about it, and I really enjoy the way it looks. The light is lovely. Who knows if it has any other effects? I don't care, I'm happy to have it! Thanks, Patti!! :-)

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  5. Yay for Patti's back.... Yay Yay Yay
    I am so happy for you because I've heard you talk about that back pain before. I hope you can find out what the cure was, and you can bottle it fast. Now you can skip. I remember how you had wanted to try it.
    Cheers and good for you

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  6. My knee pain has been relieved after a knee replacement. I have to say that the biggest change is the wonderful feeling of living without pain. I had not realized what a toll it was taking on me. I am so happy for you that you have found relief from pain. It is truly life altering. My guess is that the combination of your bed and your posture made the difference. Hope you keep dancing around!

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  7. Patti I am so happy that you have found relief for your pain. What a wonderful blessing!!!

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  8. Isn't it wonderful when something WORKS???? I'm so happy for you. Hope whatever did it keeps working for you FOREVER...

    I do agree that posture is KEY. I am very careful when I am hiking (longer hikes) that I don't slump forward while walking. When I slump, my back will hurt. Now that I adjusted my walking sticks, I can walk a long time without back pain. YEAH!!!

    Hugs,
    Betsy

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  9. Dear Arkansas Patti, I am so happy for you. Whatever brought this about--and I'd say it was your unceasing search for solutions--it has changed your life. Thank heavens for the miracle of renewal. Peace.

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  10. This is such good news! Yes, I do think that posture is an essential aspect of pain management. I'm so happy that you are relatively pain-free. So great that it can be done without drugs or surgery! Yay!

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  11. Great information. I think posture is key. While I do my exercises, stretches, vitamins, etc. If I fail on my posture, such as when I spent an hour looking at the ground for my lost key, I feel it in my neck soon after.

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  12. So glad you are feeling better. It's hard to know what does the trick. But like you I would much rather do the natural does than take the drugs. And you're right about the old wives getting to get old....they too did the natural and sometimes "alternative thing". Yay for cart races in the store...you go girl. Oma Linda

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  13. Wonderful news, Patti! I've been battling back pain for some time and the chiropractor helps a lot, but the biggest cause of pain for me is Posture. I'm on the computer way too much and usually on a laptop in the recliner or at the desktop with the chair relined back and my feet propped up on an adjacent bookcase. Not good.

    I thought about my grandmother who lived to age 98 and was in excellent health until the last decade of her life. She always sat correctly and had excellent posture. I really think that is part of why she was so spry and didn't complain of aches and pains like I do. Plus, she ate healthy foods and didn't drink sodas.

    Hope you keep up what you're doing and hope I get smart and practice what I know to be better for me in terms of getting rid of back pain! Have a great week!

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  14. Posture improvement helped me a lot. Then long walk
    BUT winter is a problem I hate being out in the cold and ice...:(

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  15. My I'm glad you have found a new relief from your combo. My latest issue is annoying fast heart rate and I have concluded that it's the medicine for BP that is causing my issue. I even get a belly ache after each dose. Now I'm searching for an alternative. Hopefully it will be found. Yes Google can help as long as we search and understand our risks and act with care.

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  16. linda eller,
    I sure don't envy you those shots. I hear they are really painful but effective. Hoping you stay on the right side of pain also.

    Angie,
    I remember when Cod-liver Oil therapy was common. A lot of people do use is but it is really high in fat. If you are taking any meds, I'd check with a doctor first.

    Gail,
    Oh that Native American Pouch sounds interesting. Hang on to it.

    Djan,
    I am so glad you like the salt lamp. I'm like you, if it does nothing, the effect is worth it.

    Manzi,
    Ha ha, pretty sure even with a sound back, my skipping days are over. You have a good memory for past posts. Thanks.

    chlost,
    I am so glad the replacement has given you back your life. Pain creeps up on us and truly does effect our lives negatively.

    OE,
    Thank you so much. It really has been a blessing.

    Betsy,
    I so admire how you have embraced hiking. I am also impressed with all the weight you have lost. You are doing everything right for an active life style. You go girl.

    Dee,
    It is hard to express what a difference it has made. Thank you.

    robin,
    I think you are right for when I backslide posture wise, I can feel it. Thanks so much.

    islandwonder,
    Thank you and I believe you are right. Several have mentioned the same thing about posture. So simple yet we need constant reminders.

    Linda Wildenstein,
    Ha ha, I am a bit of a show off challenging others to cart races. It just feels so good. I so agree on natural means.

    Cheryl,
    Sadly we almost all know what we should do, it is just doing it. I have to constantly slap myself to straighten up. Your grandmother had it right.

    troutbirder,
    At least when you were in Florida you could enjoy long walks. Guess it would help if we could all be snow birds.

    Heidrun Khokhar,
    Wow, it does sound like you need to change meds. Good luck with that.
    Thanks for the tip about pomegranate juice. I'll check it out. So glad you enjoy the salt lamp and that the iodine helped. That is why I do these posts.

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  17. WOW! It is fabulous that you have almost cured your back & hip!! As to which thing did it....I guess, ALL of what you did worked to one degree or another! Bravo to you!!!

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  18. Very impressive, Patti! Congratulations!

    Yep, I have to make a plan for turning over in bed sometimes. Thanks for the advice.

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  19. Yay for whatever worked. I'm still working on the posture problem. It's way too easy to slump, especially while sitting at the computer. I'm bound and determined to get back out on the golf course some day.

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  20. I'm happy for you! I may have to try everything on your list. I do know that since I quit using my computer on my desk, with left elbow propped, my back doesn't hurt as much as it used to.

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  21. That's wonderful, Patti! After all that pain, I'm so happy you're 95% pain-free. At our ages, a day with little or not pain is a good one, indeed!

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  22. What terrific news! I am so happy for you. I can hear the new spunk in you just by reading this post.
    It's amazing that your 95 percent pain free.
    I am so proud of you and for you.
    Especially concuring the posture problem. I have tried but can't figure out how to conquer it.
    Wonderful post and news
    Love
    Maggie

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  23. Like our mothers told us: Sit up straight! Glad your back is feeling better. I've had problems too, and with a little help from some physical therapy, have found that stretching exercises make all the difference. Also, it doesn't hurt to keep the weight down -- I lost 15 pounds in the summer of 2009, and that has helped quite a bit.

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  24. I am working on postural and gait issues, also, with a nonmedical specialist. Can't hurt.

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  25. Naomi,
    I think you are right. Probably each one did a little that added up to a lot. Thanks. I will keep it up.

    marylee,
    Thanks. Isn't that bed turning a nightmare? Sure takes the fun out of sleeping. That is history now.

    Linda Braun,
    There you are. I have wondered where you were. I am not familiar with Google +. Hope it isn't like FB which worries me.
    Posture is really hard to keep up but has shown the best results. Good luck.

    Kenju,
    That is just too funny Judy. As I read your comment, I had my left elbow holding me up. That is so hard to break.We both need to work on that:))

    Kathleen McCoy,
    You are right, in our youth we judged our days by our successes, today it is by how pain free we can get through the day. Oh well, it keeps us occupied.

    Maggie,
    It really is a struggle and I am still a work in progress. Don't give up, we have a few years of habit to correct. Hopefully it will give you some of the great relief I've experienced.

    Tom Sightings,
    You are so right. The stretching and abdominal exercises have really kept my back from "going out" period. Weight off the belly is vital also. Now the plan is to keep arthritis at bay which so far is working.

    Linda Myers,
    That is the key phrase Linda,"Can't hurt." There is nothing to lose and so much to gain. Keep up the good work.

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  26. Patti, I really admire your tenacity! I'm so glad that you're mostly pain-free and have blessed relief from pain. I've been dealing with allergy problems since the beginning of Jan, and like you I'm very reluctant to go on drugs. Hopefully I'm seeing some light at the end of the itch/rash cycle. Keep doing what you're doing!

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  27. That is great news Patti..I wish you could tell me the one magic secret- I would sure pass that along to my dad who has chronic knee pain. I still haven't ordered a light, but plan on it soon. I've been looking at them since I read your post.

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  28. I love the quote at the end. It really is an "inside" job and it's up to each of us to find our way. I'm so glad yours is working for you. My Tai Chi warmup exercises are the trick for me...now into my tenth year doing them every morn & it only takes about 10 minutes. I just turned 80 last Friday and in many ways I feel younger and healthier than I did in my 50's. Of course, 24 years of sober living, with the help of my AA friends, has brought enormous benefits too !!!! Good blog.

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  29. Great advice! I fight old age with all I have and sometimes I have some success. Yoga has been a great help to me.

    I am SO GLAD you are feeling better! It's a blessing to move freely that young people just don't appreciate because they don't know how frustrating the alternative is...

    xxoo,

    RMW

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  30. This is so good to know and uplifting. It gives everybody hope that if you just keep trying, something might very well work. Right now my hips are aching still from the 8 mile Aloha Walk on Monday, but it's getting better gradually. You made me sit up straight as soon as I read what you wrote about posture. I'll try the ginger root. It can't hurt. LOL

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  31. I must review all your treatments as Gary has several complaints and possibly some of your treatments may help him, so glad you are doing so much better. We already eat the spices you outlined, but I'll be checking into tart cherry and oil swirling.

    Did you end up getting a new mattress? Did I miss that?

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  32. Barb
    I sure hope you find what gives you relief. I do believe the answer is out there sans drugs.

    Terri,
    Not sure the light helps but it does wonders for my mood. They are so cherry.I love mine.

    Ginnie,
    Hope your birthday was special. Eighty is a milestone of course at our age, they all are. I too have been sober over a third of a century now and am pretty sure had that not happened, these keys would be silent and still in the store. Congrats to us both.

    RMW,
    Amen. I really need to try Yoga also for flexibility. That is one of the first things to go. Keep up the good work.

    Kay,
    Bless your heart, you should hurt after 8 miles! That is normal,not age. That posture thing sure is hard to keep up isn't it?

    Linda Starr,
    I just checked and was surprised to see you have been posting. Some how you and some others have not shown up on my reading list. Don't know what happened. Anyway, good to hear from you. I'll leave answers on your blog.

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  33. Here's another observation.
    You say you got a new mattress recently? If so the material of the new one may be way less toxic than the old one. Seems they put some very nasty flame retardant chemicals into them. Breathing the invisible fumes as one sleeps can have unwanted issues that could include pain.

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  34. Awesome you found something that worked posture is a big thing and I'm there now, trying to find a way to get rid of all of this crap wrong with me, trying ton of stuff, hopefully something will stick.

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  35. Heidrun Khokhar,
    You may have a point. My new mattress pad comes with a fire warning so I guess there is no retardant.

    Pat Hatt,
    Welcome to TNS. Correct posture really is amazing in all it cures.Keep looking, the answer is out there.

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  36. I am very happy you are doing better!!!

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  37. After all, those gals did live to be "old" wives somehow.

    Glad you are mostly pain free. Hope you stay that way until and beyond the time you and I join the ranks of "old gals."

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  38. maybe you just keep forgetting how much you are hurting?

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