Dear All;

First, I would like to express my thanks to all of you for the very kind help and advice you give to your colleagues and patient (like me).

I am a 43 yrs old male – overweight (L=1.66 m – W=88 Kg) and working – since the last three years as a design engineer and my job requests me to stick to the computer for 8 to 9 hours / day and unfortunately I rarely practice any type of sports.

Long ago when I was at the end of my college stage I started to suffer low back pain but that was not a serious concern to me although annoyed me for a lot of times.

After graduation and working as a site engineer – pain episodes started to decrease and felt happy with my back.

Since I switched my career (actually developed my career) – back pain episodes (about : once every two months) started to attack me again and at that time a short course of anti-infalmatory drugs (Viox tablets) – for two or three days was enough to relief my pain and let me back to work.

An important point to mention here is that as I had suffered from gastric ulcer, gastritis , and excess of acid secretion – doctors tried to avoid giving me strong anti inflammatory and at that time (Viox ) was a good solution.(unfortunately – it has been withdrawn).

Three years ago (April – 2005) – while I was walking I suffered a strong pain in my right bottom calf (achilles tendon area – if I were right) and I went to an orthopedic who did a lot of tests to me (including straight leg raise test) and he diagnosed my case as a problem in the lumbar spine and ordered a lumbar spine Wikipedia reference-linkMRI.

The finding of the MRI was as follows:
Straightened lumbar lordotic curve – normal sagittal diameter of the bony lumbar spine – degeneration of the L5/S1 disc – L5/S1 central posterior disc protrusion seen affecting the anterior epidural fat and indenting the ventral aspect of the theca – mild diffuse L4/L5 diffuse posterior disc bulde.

The orthopedic prescribed complete bed rest for a week and a an inti-inflamatory injection and to walk after that week at least one hour / day for the next week.

I took the medications (minimal effective dose) as I was very afraid from GIT complications and after the two weeks period healing occurred – though I suffered some tolerable pain from time to time.

A year later I have got diabetes and since that time I am on a combination of insulin (in the morning) and tablets (in the evening) – an added problems to the nerves – and I do my best to keep blood glucose under control – though sometimes it gets out of control.

Since that time I suffered a problem while setting at work or home to the computer chair and I was not able to set comfortable unless I put one of my legs under my thigh – and it became a strange habit : as soon as I reach my disk at work, take off my shoes and put one leg under my other thigh and start working

I went to two orthopedics – they mentioned that I might have an inflammation in the coccyx and prescribed some medications to me – but unfortunately – that did not help much – and I kept that habit till now.

Three months ago – I got a new job abroad and as I were having a minor pain episode (that time it was in my left side accompanied with a burning sensation in the back of my left thigh) – I went to a neurologist and he ordered another MRI to me and the findings was as the first one.

He commented that this is due my disk herniation – but I do not have a sensory defect and if things went very bad I can go for a disc surgery.

I went to my new job – and working there was very tense – long time setting to the computer chair – about 11 hours/ day – no time for any sport and I started to suffer serious back problems.

It started by not being able to extend my back or walk after long setting (every two hours) till I lay down onto the floor for 5 or 10 minutes – try to stand up very slowly and step by step I can walk and return to my computer disk.

I had a very strong pain in my buttocks (around the coccyx area ) as if I felt on my buttocks on a hard ground and pain in the back of my left thigh extending to my foot.

The case developed seriously and I was not able to walk more than 5 minutes as I was getting very strong tightness in buttocks, thighs and I became semi disabled (but the pain was manageable with minimum dose of pain killers – morphine derivatives) so I decided to return home seeking family care and treatment.

I went to the following orthopedic – and after investigation he mentioned that this is due my disc heniation – he prescribed complete bed rest, anti-inflamatory drugs injection, cortisone injection – and to evaluate the case after two weeks.

Fortunately – after two weeks – progress was occurring and the doctor asked me to go for physical therapy and not to set to the computer chair for another two weeks.

I started physical therapy at a clinic which gave me: infrared heating, wax heat, electricity, ultrasound in 15 minutes sessions and hydro therapy (some exercises in the swimming pool – with O3) plus manual massage.

The problem is that I have to return to work as soon as possible (no medical insurance covers my sick leave or treatment cost) – and I am afraid that I might expedite my healing process so that the problem relapses and I will be forced to have a surgery.

I read in your forum – that there might be other options which seems to be very efficient – so I appreciate very much if some one can guide me about the proper physical therapy, exercise, stretches I can do or have.

Finally, thank you all again and I apologize for that long post.

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