I am a 23 year old female who has been diagnosed with digenerative disk disease. I am in the untied states army. I have never had problems with my back until november 5, 2004. I was in the field and fell when a bunker collapsed. I fell 5 1/2 feet. I immediately went to the doctor. They told me that I had serious strains and spasms in my neck and lower back. It has been a year and I have gone through just about everything I can do. I have gone through steroid injections, physical therapy, chiropractor. I have had a cat scan done recently which shows that my lower lumbars are not getting any better. My legs go numb after sitting for a long period of time. I can barely sleep at night. I take sleeping pills, lortab, skelaxin and I take an anti depressant. Nothing seems to be working.
My doctor doesn't want to do surgery even though it is an option. He says that I am too young and that since I don't have any children he doesn't want to do the fusing of my disk. He said that eventually I would have have to have my disks replaced.
My question is has anyone overgone the facet injection? If so is it worth doing? I am scheduled for my appt on the 14th of november. I am really hesitant about doing it since nothing else seems to be working.
Thanks