Low Back Pain caused by Extra Lumbar Vertebra

Yoga Discussion General Yoga
#1

Dear Mukunda,

I am suffering from low back pain causing by the extra lumbar vertebra. The transverse process of the extra vertebra frequently rubs against my pelvic bone causing pain on both side of my lower back. I went for yoga class for half year already, hoping to reduce the pain but didn’t help much. Sometimes the pain becomes worse after the class. I couldn’t find an experienced teacher to help me with my problem in Malaysia. I don’t know if I should stop practicing yoga anymore. Then I found your website. My orthopaedics surgeon asked my to go for injection next Thursday. I still believe in yoga to help me to ease my back pain but I just don’t know what to do now. I have thought of buying your book- Structural Yoga Therapy to help me with my problem. I am doubtful whether I can still do yoga after my injection. Could you please give me some advice? Many thanks. Darren.

#2

Extra lumbar vertebra ? This is interesting.
What does the injection consist of ?

#3

Clarification please Darren.

Is the transverse process in question sacralized (partially attached to the sacrum)?

Have you been told you have a pseudoarticulation?

Is the injection you mention a steroidal injection and is it so intended as diagnostic or therapeutic? Have YOU examined your x-rays?

This is a very involved issue and more information is warranted, though Mukunda may have seen and worked with this many times and as such may not need additional data (I do:-))

#4

[quote=Hubert;4757]Extra lumbar vertebra ? This is interesting.
What does the injection consist of ?[/quote]

I just asked because I also have a sacralized 4th vertebra. It caused me more or less pain in the last twenty years. (I was a tall skinny kid, with bad posture) Now I am doing a heroic fight just learning to walk and sit correctly. The pain is there, mostly as a bareable disconfort, but it alos depends on my practice. What really helped me was the hip opener poses, but it must be done togheter with strenght poses for back and abdomen.

I asked about injection, because I know about a treatment where papaine is injected to the intervertebral disk. Papaine is an enzime what can dissolve very fast large amounts of proteine. This treatment is much better than surgery, but it also has it’s own, not negligable risks, so I don’t know if they use it anymore. (I read about it in one of Jean Valnet’s book, written in the sixties)

#5

I have an X-ray last week. The surgeon didn’t tell me if the transverse process is partially attached to the pelvic bone. But I will show the X-rays to my chiropractor this evening since I am going to do spine adjustment with him again. My chiropractor adviced me not to do the injection since it can only temporarily stopped the pain. Is it true? I have checked the book- Structural Yoga Therapy, it is not available in Malaysia but I can order through online book store. I don’t know how far the poses in the book could help me to relieve the pain.

#6

Well keep in mind please that I am not a doctor. I do not have “medical” training and so the opinions expressed herein are based on yoga training. If you are of a mind to follow an M.D. (medical doctor) then it is best to ask that question of him or her.

I personally do not perceive the injection you are referrencing as a permanent healing remedy. In fact I prefer to avoid any sort of invasive therapy which would include a needle of “stuff” into the lumbar spine. No thanks. But that’s me. Others feel differently.

I am not familiar with Mukunda’s book (except in readings here on the forum). Someone else will have to respond to that. Of course if it’s not available in Malaysia then it might be a moot point.

#7

I have checked with my Chiropractor again. He said extra lumbar vertebra is actually the lumbarisation of sacrum. My transverse process of the 6th lumbar doesn’t fuse with the illium (pelvic) bone. The pain is caused by the instability of my pelvic. The chiropractic treatment is to adjust the spine to let the body to do the healing job. I didn’t go for the injection. Now continuing my physio & chiropractic. I went again for my yoga practice on Tuesday. Would like to know what poses that will help to stabilize & strength the pelvic? Many thanks.

#8

You’re right, lumbarisation of the sacrum is when the S1 segment is unfused… It appears on the x-ray as having 6 mobile lumbar vertebrae and only 4 fused sacral vertebra. I am studying registered massage therapy and my friend that i treat on a regular basis has this condition. she finds that standing and sitting for long periods of time gives her pain and back extensions definitly do not help. core stabilization and strengthening has been key in keeping her pain under control and so far seems to have helped.
In my opinion, again, just a student, certain yoga poses could really help you, whereas others (with lots of strain on the back in extension) could leave you feeling sore.
:slight_smile: