By this time I considered my improvement to be around seventy-five percent. Some additional discomfort for the first two days and a noticeable improvement after five days.Īfter another sixteen days, time for my third and final injection.

Results from the second injection were similar to the first. I had been told to only expect a twenty-five percent improvement but I could hardly walk before my first injection so I considered it a vast improvement. There had been about a forty percent improvement since the last injection. Sixteen days later I was due for my second injection. After nine days I was able to walk reasonably well. After five days there was a noticeable decrease in my pain and headaches. The pain increased slightly during the next two days. Half-an-hour later I was being driven home. My first injection was quite painless, except for pressure felt in the areas of most pain whilst the medication found its way down the nerve. Epidurals are quite frequently used for pain management during childbirth. Complications are rare (the thought did cross my mind that I might be that 'one-in-a-million' case). Since I was in extreme pain, and since the pain was causing severe headaches due to stress, I opted for an epidural pain blocker (a combination of anesthetic and steroids).Įpidural injections are generally considered to be quick, safe and simple. That old 'sciatica thing', as my friendly doctor stated.įortunately I was able to get an appointment with a pain specialist at our local hospital who explained my options. For twenty years the pain had been limited to my lower back. Used to be I could live with the pain (with the help of a chiropractor and regular exercises). This year (1997) has been particularly bad for me. You don't see too many old timers wearing vests, experience has taught them to carry as little as possible. Travel light! Try getting rid of your vest and carry only a small box containing flies that are suitable for the time of year. I know this is difficult to do when the snow is on the ground in early spring so at least try to do some standing 'keegles' (pelvic tilts), practice your breathing exercises, and relax and enjoy the beaver building his lodge.Īn email from a fellow fly-fisher reminded me of one more thing. Get out of the river now and again, lie on your back, relax and do some stretching exercises. I am most probably giving known advice to fisherfolk but I feel obliged to emphasize the following points. Psychologically fishing was the right thing to do, distraction and doing something I enjoy is a part of my pain management program but, on arriving home, I sometimes suffered the consequences. This year I did not look forward to walking an uneven trail or wading a strong river and so a large part of the fun was lost for me. It affects almost every aspect of my daily life.

However, it seems that back pain is a curse from which I cannot escape. This may be true but I believe there is always someone worse off than myself.

Many people consider back pain to be the most debilitating pain they have ever experienced. While I recognize each persons pain and perception of pain differs, even low-grade back pain seems a common complaint amongst fisherfolk. Recently I have been treated with epidural pain blocks and will discuss how they worked for me. Fly-fishing often offers me the only respite to a chronic back pain that has plagued me for twenty years. The following essay is my attempt to share with you the effect back pain has had on my fishing.

Wandering willows box