Coping Mechanisms: What Works for You?

Biofeedback helps. I also use cold water therapy sometimes. I modified it. I take a lukewarm shower and reduce the temperature until it's just the cold tap. Then plug the tub and sit and allow the cold water to rise around me til it reaches my mid back. My L5/S1 is the problem area. 10 to 15 minutes later, I'm out. If you let yourself get cold enough to shiver you'll undo and good it does so don't stay long. I usually get between 4 and 6 hours of minimal pain. Also quarterly epidural injections and annual nerve burning (RFA) keeps me out of the OR and participating in my life. I'm slower than everyone else when we go places and I take more rests than they do but I'm not absent. When I was on narcotics to manage pain, I had no life and surgery scares me. 50/50 odds of paralysis and a chance that the pain may not be relieved aren't good enough for me. It isn't worth it.