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Rod - newbrownshoe@hotmail.com
Posted 2011-08-14
I had chronic coccyx pain, lower back pain, mid back pain, upper back pain, calf pain, achilles pain that would ebb and flow for no apparent reason. Sitting, standing, lying or simply living could bring on any or all of the areas of pain. One thing I always felt was that all the conditions were linked. For example, If I felt my back 'go', I knew my achilles would soon be in pain too.
I'd seen an array of people for over 20 years. Sports medicine doctors, neurologists, back specialists, physios of various types, chiropractors, bowen, chinese medicine, football club trainer, unlicensed people with a good reputation for fixing backs & a few that I can't remember properly.
The best result I had was with an old guy working at a football club. Unfortunately, he died. The worst result was with the neurologist who simply said 'learn to live with it'. Most of the others meant well, wasted my time and took my money. Useless.
Occasionally, I'd get relief from chiropractors. But I knew that the relief would be short term only, however, it was better than nothing. My achilles pain was best relieved by 'image guided injections'. In Melbourne see Dr Cheryl Bass, or in Brisbane Dr James Fitzgerald at QScan.
My upper back pain was helped by a Brisbane chiropractor, Patrick Shwaluk. He was the first person anywhere to work on my chest for my back pain! He described 'trigger points'. Now I feel a trigger point develop in my chest and I treat it myself. Much discomfort for a great long term result. He also checked my coccyx with a gloved finger, said it was stuck and got it moving. I had short term relief but not long term relief. The hunt continued….
I went to see Dr Breck McKay, (see Doctors and specialists in Australia). Had a very thorough MRI and Xray. (Visit and xrays all bulkbilled) Had 2 needles in my lower back and one near my coccyx, whilst his gloved finger lifted the inside. The needles certainly hit the right spots and have helped so far. He also said I had a tight psoas muscle and referred me to Chris Fawcett and Scott Hewett at Alpha Physio. Chris did a psoas release technique and now I'm waiting for the long term results.
However, in the short term I feel better, and confident that the psoas muscles hold all the answers. The psoas connects the pelvis to 6 vertebrae, so you work out the ramifications should your psoas be too tight or have a trigger point in it! And other medics simply refer to it as a 'hip flexor' then ignore it!
At this stage, my suggestion would be to try the psoas muscle release first. Then see what happens ... I'll be interested to hear if others get coccyx, and other pain, relief from a psoas muscle release.