[jess35]

I have cronic back pain and have for almost 20 years....there are just times when my back does not hurt as much as some other times....but it always hurts. I have not taken any medication, I am afraid to get started. It is not easy and I still am very active, just have made "friends" with the pain.

That's not an easy thing to do. My mother has had persistent hip pain for the last 15 years. She toughs it out...because she can.

Pain is subjective. We tend to think that everyone feels the same level of pain we experience. That's not the case in reality. Imagine your worse day and double the pain the felt that day. Would you be willing to live the rest of your life like that?

[MissL]

Never !!! That is why I cannot fault anyone for wanting to ease the pain !!!

[WoofDog123]

Using the colored scale in the middle of this page

http://pudendal.info/info/documents/ComparativePainScale.htm

I have never been above a 6, and then only for brief spaces of time (30 minutes). If I were at 8 or 9, from what I was reading, I cannot imagine what reason I would see NOT to take just about anything, if it would help reduce it and not kill me too quickly.