A good osteo can do wonders. I've had them fix pinched nerves before. No twisting, pulling or cracking involved! Just this very, very gently massage. It feels they are hardly touching you, but the effects can be amazing. I don't know what it is they do, but it works.
In contrast, a friend who is a professional masseuse gave me a "normal" massage last Friday and my neck and back muscles felt bruised for days!
Chiropractors I would never go near. I probably wouldn't even if I were healthy!
TNF... My spine is completely fused. Every vertebrae except for the top one that apparantly cannot fuse (rheumy did not explain why - must find out). My SI joints are also fused and there's some minor fusing in my hips. Haven't had any inflammation in other joints since the first AS symptoms when I was 16. So I agreed with my rheumy (now retired) that tnf might not be worth the risks. I cannot afford being "sick" (as in infections) as I am the sole provider and carer for a young child.
Another rheumy... This town is the pits as far as doctors go. I cannot stand the head of the rheumy department in the public hospital and think she's a quack. And the only private one I could find has now retired and his replacement is wasting my time.
And Kevin, the pain does not bother me much during the day. I normally just get on with things. I am well aware that excercise makes things better and I do all the cleaning and gardening at home and ride my bike every day. But the sleepless nights now make me feel like a zombie and all I want to do is sit and stare into space because I cannot get my brain to work.
I'll try to find out about endone (and what it's called here in Oz) and make another appointment with the GP.
Thanks for all your tips and support!
