What can I do to help my husband cope with his back/leg pain?

Question

My husband has severe pain mostly in his back, but it radiates from up in his shoulders all the way to his feet. Some days he stays home from work because he can't even get out of bed. He was diagnosed with a herniated disc years ago, but absolutely will not do surgery (and I don't blame him).

Here's where it gets tricky: 1) He works as a BMW technician (very strenuous), but that's what he does and we struggle financially as it is so it's not like he can just quit and go somewhere else and start at the bottom. 2) He's an alcoholic (16 years sober) and a former drug addict (28 years ago) so he will not risk taking heavy drugs like vicatin or darvocet or the like 3) He's 44 years old

Answer 1

Acupuncture. Cheaper than surgery. Less invasive, too. When I really need it (I have arthritis in my neck), I come out of the session feeling better than after a massage. If he won't go for needles, see if deep tissue massage and acupressure would help. Also, there are yoga videos for back pain on youtube and videojug.  

Answer 2

Physical Therapy may help as well as acupuncture.  Has he tried a TENS unit?  If not, he may want to ask his doc about it.  It's a device that works by electrically interfering with the pain signals.  It can work really well.

Massage is another possibility if he gets a great therapist. Hot baths and heating pads can also help.

His doc can prescribe him medications such as neurontin and Lyrica which are not narcotic medications that can help to decrease the pain.  Anti-depressants are also helpful for decreasing pain, such as Cymbalta.  Do the non-steriodal anti-inflammatories such as aleve or motrin help him?  There are meds other than narcs out there which can help him.  If his doc is uncomfortable with treating his back pain, ask that he be sent to a specialist in pain control, such as a rheumatologist.  He also may benefit from epidural steroid injection(in which they inject a bit of steroid into the worst pain area into the spinal area).  They can work wonders for a lot of people.

I have chronic back pain myself and am having to look elsewhere in my hospital for jobs, so I understand his dilemma.

Good luck to both of you.

I have a friend who is a recovering poly-substance abuser who was hurt badly on the job and has a ton of pain.  He is taking some pain medication, mostly given to him by his wife, to help treat the pain but not cost him his recovery.  He's been worried about his recovery, too, so I hope any of these suggestions help your hubby out.