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Recently, while casually listening to National Public Radio, I heard a familiar name: Dr. James Weinstein.
“Hey, that’s Shelsey’s dad,” I thought. A former neighbor of ours, his daughter and my son caught the same elementary school bus, and I knew Jim casually &...
Hi PJ, sorry it took so long to get around to saying something to you about your post, but I wanted to tell you how interesting it is.
Where I go for osteoporosis tx (Univ Med Center) they have several surgeons and radiologists that do kyphoplasty or vertebroplasty, or at least that's what I was told a while back.
On my last visit I asked my Dr. to order a VFA (vertebral frax assesment) and she said "Why?" "If you have a fracture we don't do anything about it anyway." Now I know they used to do either of these types of surgeries but evidentally they aren't anymore, or maybe not as many, and it made me wonder if it's because of this study you mention.
I also agree with you that our minds are a powerful thing and healing can take place even when there is no tx given, but we think there is. I truely believe the reason my osteoporosis tx worked so well was that I was totally convinced it would, without any side effects, so did my mind play a role in the results--who knows--possibly?
Thanks for the wonderful Sharepost.
Pam, it would have been interesting if you'd actually had the vertebroplasty, huh? To see what it did? I know you're in significant pain; I wonder if, now that studies are showing it's kind of a mind-body thing, it would still make you feel better. The doctor mentioned in the article, the one who developed vertebroplasty and then did the recent study, is (I think) continuing trials; I wonder if you could get into one?
Thanks for responding here - I appreciate you reading this! - PJH
Hi PJ, thanks for the ideas... The pain I have is from degenerative changes in my spine from having so many surgeries and failed surgeries. Originally I had some fractures but I don't have any now in the spine. My main problems are degenerative disc disease, arthritis, sacroiliitis, and significant nerve damage in the sciatic nerve from a screw falling out of the bone and going clean through the nerve, which causes the leg/lower back/tail bone pain. There's no way to repair that, so I try different things to ease the pain but can't find anything that would elliminate it. I also have 7 ruptured discs in my cervical spine from this degeneration. Eventually I'll have to get my neck fixed but the thought of another spinal surgery isn't something I even want to contemplate.
What I need is a NEW spine, too bad we haven't advanced that far to be able to do that.
But thanks for your concern it's greatly appreciated!!