hopinso
Kevin, As I was reading your post from last night where you described all your symptoms and how difficult it made your work I was up and awake because of a violent pain episode. Some of the comments you made really hit home because I must deal with the same thing. Have you ever seen a Chiropractor? The reason I ask is because I finally understand what you are saying about the "burny" feeling. I thought you were talking about a skin irritation, but I have the same sense of my skin burning, sometimes to the point where I cannot stand the feel of clothing on me. There have been times when some one would touch me, or one of the dogs would snuggle against me and I wanted to scream out in pain. My Chiropractor/Naturopath says this is a symptom of nerve root inflammation, usually caused by a spinal problem. Your talking about the hurting in your upper legs also points to a nerve issue. A good Chiropractor can diagnose this and hopefully give you considerable relief. From a self healing point of view, you need to do all you can to reduce the inflammatory response in your body. Sadly, the best way to begin is to give up all white sugar. My doctor says most fruit sugars do not cause the response except for a few things like bananas that do have sucrose in them. Still, if you need to satisfy a sweet tooth you can enjoy fruit or juice. A friend told me that Walmart now extends its 10% Associate discount on produce as well as their junk food. Another thing is to take some anti-inflamatory supplements. Fish oil is excellent if you can take it, also flax oil, borage oil, and primrose oil are helpful. Cinnamon, ginger and turmeric are all anti-inflamatory spices. Make sure you get plenty of antioxidants by eating lots of colorful fruits and vegetables. Strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries would be wonderful for you. Drink some pomegranate juice, 1/2 to 1 cup everyday. Also enjoy a cup or glass of tea every day. If the pain is too intense you can take some Ibuprofen, it is a good anti-inflammatory; but take only when needed as it can stress the liver and kidneys in large amounts over a long period of time. This is not a quick cure, but using this program helped me. Yesterday, I was exhausted, stressed and in pain, I drank a lot of Coke just to stay awake and function. I also ate a candy bar. Last night and today I am in so much pain and can barely walk, I am paying the price for my junk food binge. Today, its lots of water, green drinks, and fruits in an effort to to better.
I hope some of this helps you. I cannot imagine you driving to Oklahoma if you do have nerve root inflammation. If you start doing the anti-inflammatory program now, perhaps your long drive will be more comfortable for you when the time comes.