Physical therapy and learning how to sit/sleep correctly! :) Best wishes for pain relief

Yes,I have.

Herniated and compressed discs up and down my back to the neck from old injuries years ago.

Stretching exercises almost daily,turning my mattress every 3 weeks,watching where and how I sit,no bending to pick up stuff (believe it or not) and my Chiropractor who practices in Kinesiology all combined help me always.

I have never taken any medications for my back other than the odd Tylenol EX.Strngth.

My specialist for my back wanted me to do the pain clinic thing years ago-nope,not doing any of that or their injection plans....

Altho you ask for "cures" none of my therapy is a cure....What "I" do myself helps me tremendously.

I've had neck surgery where arthritic build-up put pressure on the disk and nerve. I use a chiropractor and stretching to help with any low-back pain that I get. DH has also had neck surgery...disk removal and a bone space was added to fuse them.

For pain, I've found the Great Mender teapills by plum flower (from amazon) to be very helpful. Take 8 (like little bbs) twice a day to start out and taper to see what's needed at minimum. DH takes a similar pill by the same co. called solitary hermit for his arthritis and it helps him a lot.

DH has also become a fiend about stretching his neck...he does neck exercises 5 days a week or else his motion becomes very limited. I've found stretching to be a big help for my lower back pains as well as doing planks to strengthen the core muscles.

I've suffered pain in the past that was intractable, I tried pain management, epidurals, facet joint ligation and on and on plus four surgeries and still was in the 50 to 70% pain level and then, one day, I came into the garden web and there was thread on back neck pain and a person with the nic of Lyn told her husbands story which was a carbon copy of mine and she told that she researched and found more than most and told me to get this book stat and read it so I did. Within one week my pain level was down to 30 % and many days 10%, I was overjoyed. Since then, no med, surgery, special exercises, p.t. etc. Here's the link to the book. https://www.amazon.com/Healing-Back-Pain-Mind-Body-Connection/dp/0446557684/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1518023518&sr=1-1&keywords=dr+john+sarno

Acupuncture worked very well for my degenerative arthritis of my cervical spine.

It took four sessions.

You should visit a medical doctor for an evaluation.

Sleep habits, poor posture, bad mattress, wrong pillow also cause back problems.

Definitely, a medical examination is in order. You will need clearance before undertaking any treatments to prevent exacerbation or further injury.

I tried Western medicine and PT without success. Recently I ventured into Eastern medicine and saw a chiropractor/acupuncturist who did cupping, acupuncture and ultrasound massage. For the first time in years, I had no neck pain! We are going to work on my back at the next session.

My wife has had back problems for quite some time, she went to a chiropractor for years, and then was periodically seeing a local osteopath. Then a couple of years ago it got very much worse and the osteopathic doctor sent her for a MRI which clearly showed she had a herniated disc. After several months with no improvement and even a consult with a back surgeon, a friend who is a Tai Chi instructor who guided her through a brief exercise regime called "Hanna Somatics". She continued do that set of exercises for about a week and was nearly completely better.

Interesting that so many comments are about back pain. My pain is in my shoulders. An orthopedic shoulder specialist told me I had "done something to yourself," and charged me $200, but a chiropractor has helped me a lot. Even so, apparently the age of my shoulder bones has something to do with it, and I continue to suffer daily. Since I can sleep only on my back, there isn't much choice there. Thanks for all suggestions.

dandy, I went through a period of shoulder pain for which my orthopedic specialist prescribed several weeks of physical therapy. Worked like a charm.

The excercises were very easy to do, though painful at first. I still continue to excercise my shoulders as part my yoga and Pilates workouts, both of which have eliminated the aches and pains of my bones and muscles.

I have had 3 fused in upper neck and laminectomy in lumbar.....not fun!

rhizo_1: When you say "orthopedic specialist" could you be more specific what that term means? I am currently seeing an orthopedist who wants to administer shots whereas I would prefer to try physical therapy. Thanks for any help.

For pain in the muscles the ultrasound massage that nannygoat mentioned has provided the only real relief for a periodic shoulder/neck/back pain I have suffered since college. Two years ago when it flared up again I requested ultrasound massage and was told that the physical therapist would decide what treatment was needed. Then after muscles were less tense and I was feeling more pain the therapist said that my doctor decided on the treatment. I have been wondering if ultrasound is no longer used. The exercises did nothing and the massage only dulled the pain.

Malfleur, the treatment modality may depend on. your insurance company. I've had two types of ultrasound: electronic (where electrodes are attached to the area) and manual (with gel and the practitioner moving the instrument). I got severe burns from the former as I was left unattended too long and that really scared me away from them. My current chiropractor really had to convince me to let him use ultrasound and he assured me that it would really alleviate the pain. He said that the combination of acupuncture and ultrasound are most effective. I agree that ultrasound is very soothing and provides long-lasting relief.

I had student insurance the first time which should have paid very little. I remember that they did moist heat. Then used a wand with a ball shaped area on it pressed into and moved around on the shoulder and neck. That was almost 50 years ago. Followed up with dry hot towels. Treatments change over time but that was the only thing that helped.

However I still remember hearing the doctor tell the nurse to give me a packet of aspirin and to go home. When she told him I had reported I used too many aspirin he came in the room and squeezed my head with both of his hands. It was a good thing he was not standing in front of me because my legs and arms struck out.

Only exercise I was given was to move my head from my chest to as far back as I could go. Rest was just very gentle massage. Felt good but did not fix anything.

Yes, that's the method that he uses. He applies gel and then uses the magic wand with varying degrees of pressure. I think that the electrodes are the new-fangled version.. Luckily he's old-school!

I was assaulted and suffered a whiplash kind of injury (almost 12 years ago) causing a bulging disc and a tendency for one of the cervical vertebra to slip out of alignment; and ever since had trouble with headaches, pain especially if I simultaneously looked up and reached up (something I have to do for my job, or to get something off of a tall shelf) and numbness down my right arm to the hand/fingers. I would wake up in pain.

2 different chiropractors were no help, not manipulation, ultrasound, electro stim, or their physical therapy exercises.

I bought a cervical traction unit and used that when the neck was aggravated -- I could feel the bone move back into position and get almost instant relief. (I am not recommending that anyone else do this unsupervised, there are risks). But the problem always re-occurred.

I was sent to physical therapy 2 years ago after slipping on ice and what a difference that made!! Real physical therapists, not the ones that were called that in the chiropractor's office. They worked on getting my posture corrected, everything back into alignment, and taught me the exercises to maintain the improvements.

They also strongly recommended that I learn to sleep on my back with an appropriate pillow, but I haven't mastered that yet. However, I have found 2 good pillows for my body size -- for back sleeping, the Tri-Core Cervical pillow, which supports my neck perfectly without letting my head sag or pushing it forward,

and for side sleeping, this Ikea pillow: http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/70269839/ which is very firm -- important because it keeps my head and neck in alignment all night, but it gives just enough to be comfortable.