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Joy
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Myofascial release PT and "dry needlig

Has anyone tried this type of PT? My Pt has been doing the myofascial release technique for a few months now. I still have muscle pain (around the SI). Now they have me scheduled for the dry needling to try to release the muscle spasms. Would be very interested in anyone's experience.

Thanks!

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DDD, spinal stenosis, Spondylolisthesis, herniation at L4/L5
2 spinal cysts pushing against nerve roots

6/26/08 TLIF fusion L4-L5 with instrumentation,Laminectomy L4-S1, facetectomy, foraminotomy, autograft

Zack's picture
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hi

hope it works.....
dif strokes for dif folks
i'd be like you, try anything to get rid of pain

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04/09 Posterior Cervical Foraminotomy C5-6,C6-7
Ms Julie - fyi Zack is my pup

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Do you have scar tissue

Do you have scar tissue around the fusion? What are the symptoms for which you are receiving the dry needling?

When there is pain in the area surrounding the SI joints, it is often hard to diagnose the exact pain generator.

I see you had spondylolisthesis and a fusion to correct it. Sometimes the surgeon will attempt to make the vertebrae line up again and it can lead to a lot of soft tissue problems. It can take the tissue a long time to "rearrange" itself to accommodate the new positioning caused by the fusion.

Sometimes this pain can stem from the psoas muscle. It can also be piriformis. There are a variety of tendons and muscles in this area and all or any can create problems with the SI joints. If there is an imbalance, the pelvis can rotate. Even a slight degree of rotation can cause big problems and pain. ETC. I can go on and on, but you get the idea. That's why I wondered what your symptoms are.

Also, sometimes when people are prone to spondylolisthesis, they also have hypermobility at the SI joints. This can result in issues such as thinking one leg is shorter than the other...when in reality it is just movement of one SI joint or the other, causing a rotation to the pelvis.

Has the myofascial work been helping?

I have had myofascial work but not dry needling. I do have acupuncture every week but it is a different process, and done for a different purpose, in my case.

I think all these things CAN be beneficial in the right practioner's hands. I would give it a fair trial to see if it helps. If you are not convinced after a month of it, maybe try something else, or a different practioner.

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I have no medical training. Comments are based on personal experience and lots of research and reading.
PLIF @ L4-5 with Peek cage, rods and screws Jan 2008
Lami-foraminotomy L5-S1 Jan 2009
Fusion L3-S1 coming up -- 1 June

Zack's picture
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hey gwinnie

how have you been girl
I have alot of scar tissue from my incision that was made for the dbl foraminotomy - it looks like a big fat caterpiller on the mri -
anyway, muscle spasms are horrific when they are present -
other than that I have trigger point massages twice a week, which is getting expensive, but a small price to pay to make the pain more tolerable.....
wonder if the spasms will ever stop - 11 mos post op

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04/09 Posterior Cervical Foraminotomy C5-6,C6-7
Ms Julie - fyi Zack is my pup

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happy to report

had a "trigger point release trmnt" & "adhesion/scar tissue release" again yesterday afternoon & she was able to get to the ones hidden in shoulder blade - WHAT A RELIEF -

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04/09 Posterior Cervical Foraminotomy C5-6,C6-7
Ms Julie - fyi Zack is my pup

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My old PT was never able to

My old PT was never able to release the muscle spasm. I'd like to try something else- I have a lot of scar tissue and damage around the fracture.

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11/2007- equestrian accident. Fractured L2, 90% loss of height, retropulsion, bone fragments. Moderate-severe chronic pain treated with epidurals, facet ablation, medication.
12/15/2010- L2 corpectomy and L1-L3 fusion via thoracotomy. Posterior plates installed next day. Total surgery time 9 hours!