Question
I was in a MVA on September 5, 2008. The other party was found at fault because they ran a red light. I injured my back in this accident and the pain has increased with time. I have seen my primary, she has no definite answers for what is going on. I have gone through physical therapy and that only made the pain worse because they told me that they can only focus on one thing at a time. I have had an MRI of my lumbar done and they radiologist at the center where I got it done reported that there is some disc bulging or spinal bulging. I took these films to a back specialist and he told me that "there is nothing wrong with them. There is no doubt that you are in pain though. YOu could live with this pain for a few years, or maybe even for the rest of your life. Injection therapy or even a good physical therapist should help lessen the pain." I still have pain even today. My whole back is in pain. My bowl movements are crazy. I'll be constipated and then two minutes after using the bathroom I have diarreah. During my periods, I am bed-ridden because I cannot walk. When I do manage to walk, my left hip socket pops with each step I take. And the list of symptoms go on and on. Please what is wrong with me??

Answer
Fiaza,
Can you send me the pictures from the MRI?  Also,Do you have any films (MRI or X-Rays) of your Cervical Spine in the last 6 months?  If not can you get some taken and send them to me?
Email any pics to: [email protected] and I will see if I can help you.  Injection therapy will not help correct the problem and neither will physical therapy, what you most likely need is the cause corrected and then possibly physical therapy would help you.  Drugs are not the answer and surgery is not the answer, at least not yet.  Let's rule out the simpler solutions that no one has even looked at first and then go from there.  Does that make sense to you?  Locating and correcting the cause, Is that what you would want?
Yours in Best Health,
Dr Arnone
St Louis, Missouri