Spina bifida problems getting worse

Dear Ask The Doctor: After getting into a car wreck 3 years ago I was diagnosed with spina bifida. They found it on the x ray during my er visit. I was prescribed pain med and told to stay in bed for several weeks. After a slow recovery I was completely back to normal no back pain what so ever. Well now 3 years later after doing nothing strenuous I feel like I was in a wreck all over again. I want to hang upside down to release pressure on my lower back. I also for years have had a bladder control problem I can go up to 10 times an hour. I never spoke to a doctor about this but it is getting worse and I read that it could be bc of spina bifida. Is this true? And what can I do to relieve this pain since there are no cures?

Dear Pamela: .Spina bifida is a broad term that may be used to describe a number of open defects of the spinal column of various degrees of severity in affecting nervous functions for example: movement of lower limbs,  absence of perineal sensation are common symptoms as incontinence (bladder an fecal) or sex problems. Other alterations may be found in the arrangement or configuration of the toes, along with discrepancies in lower extremity muscle size and strength, weakness, or abnormal gait. In your particular case, according to your description, the symptoms probably are related with your previous history of Spina bifida as a sequel. Spina bifida is the most common of a group of birth defects known as neural tube defects, which affect the brain and spinal cord. Spina bifida begins in the womb, when the tissues that fold to form the neural tube do not close or do not stay closed completely. This causes an opening in the vertebrae, which surround and protect the spinal cord. This occurs just a few weeks (21 to 28 days) after conception—usually before the woman knows that she is pregnant. In your case most likely you might have a Spina Bifida “Occulta” (means hidden), and the defect is not visible. Spina bifida occulta is usually discovered accidentally when the person has an X-Rays or MRI for some other reason. It is probably the most common type of spina bifida and it might be complicated with lower back pain. Definitely, medical complications such as urinary tract infections must be prevented; also overweight may worsen the back pain and must be avoided.