Back Pain

[Lloyd_E]

Once again I seek the wisdom...

Back story. A little over a month ago I injured my back and ended up in emerge. Torn lower ligament. The next day we(wife and I) started our road trip to Boston. 2 days in a car on pain meds. Lazed around B'town for a week and drove back. Went to family Dr. and got referral to physio. Did 5 season of physio. Pain has transitioned down my leg of and on - sciatic?

The interesting thing is(yes I know - shouldn't be doing it) when I work I feel fine but after an hour or two after work, the pain comes back and when I wake in the early AM pain is minimal but by the end of the day without working I am in pain. I split and stacked a cord of wood the other day and felt no pain.

Any one have experience like this.

 

[tcartwri]

Drink a ton of water. Don't stay in bed or on the couch. Ice the area that's giving you pain.

 

[Clint S]

I am a PT and that make sense to me. Our bodies are made to walk and be upright. If it is a nerve pain when you sit around (or drive home) the vertebral spaces close down causing compression. When you are moving, bending, working the spaces are opened. You feel good in the morning because you are relaxed and the laying position you are in aides in the opening of the spaces. If it is muscular pain the same holds true. Increased blood flow and the movement helps the area stay loose and limber. During sleeping you are relaxed. If you are sitting around things tighten up.
Either way heed the above and drink plenty of water. A hydrated body is a happy body. At any given time over 50% of the population is dehydrated. Dehydrated muscles do not stretch and move like they should.

 

[Fixemall]

Have your doctor schedule an MRI with contrast so you can see if the disc is just bulging or damaged, sometimes more damage than good can be done if the right course of treatment is not followed from the beginning.

 

[docrocky]

Dear Lloyd: May I respond to your query, one as a receiver of medical advice as well as a provider. I am a retired (75yo) Orthopaedic Surgeon and I did a fair amount of back surgery (in my former life). Several years back I blew a lumbar (lower back) disc when I was in the process of an awkward lifting of one of our children who was extremely handicapped with "Brittle bone disease" OI. The following day, I couldn't get out of bed let alone get to the "john" etc.I had little if any pain but it felt like someone had a tourniquet around my thigh and wouldn't let it go. It took 3 days of almost constant bed rest to allow me mobilization and about a month before I returned to my usual activities.
All back problems are unique and different. The back "thrown" out in a 20 yr old is very different from a 40, 50, 60, or 70 year old just to mention a few variables. In general most all back "problems" will quiet down with a reasonable modification of activity...common sense. If you want to end up on an operating table, which I strongly recommend not doing in about 99% of cases, keep pushing the envelope. If thing don't settle down after a few weeks with reasonable restrictions, by all means see your family MD and let him(her) carry it from there. Ask for a simple back x-ray first.
Now if this doesn't help, I'll be glad to make a house call, at no charge. I so long to visit PEI and see the House of Green Gables.
God Bless and Take Care.. Oh, listen to your spouse, above all.

 

[Egon]

Backs are a pain Lloyd.

My latest Physical got told the lower back and the neck region are in the process of arthritic type degenertion. Can't recall the correct terms.

Doc said no more Moguls.

Really haven't been able to function properly for the last four years anyhow.

Just when I had most of the tools reqired for my hobies!

 

[Western]

I have had the same thing, in the lower back for almost 6 years, gets more constant for me over time. Sometimes the nerves on either side of my spine all the way at the bottom aggravate the muscle so bad they feel like "marbles" when the swell. Finally went to a OS, got the x-rays and an MRI. Stenosis was the diagnosis. The Doc also didn't recommend Surgery at this point, but did add that surgical procedures now are far better than in the past when they almost destroyed your back, now many times it is outpatient.

Best treatment for me so far and boy is it great for a week, is the stretching machine the PT uses. I need to get one of the "hanging" kind, mine dad uses one and loves it.

 

[Egon]

Stenosis/QUOTE]

That word was one of a few that showed up on my medicaL.

 

[bironacad]

Studies show that rest is not always best:

Exercise and Back Pain


Any suggestions for a good back mattress. I bought an OBUS Form Mattress last month and it craters slightly and bends me which is why I changed out the last mattress. This is the second mattress in two years that is supposed to be good for your back and it........... Momma says not a problem on her side, lol, I have a hundred pounds on her and she lets me know it, lol.

 

[imgone52]

I have had back problems over the years related to an injury in my early 30s.
I went to the MD first but subsequently had better results with the chiropractor. The best advise I got through all of this was - WALK! When I re-injured my back 11 years ago I was getting nowhere. My chiropractor said that I needed to walk just as much as I could. It worked. I started with a 1/2 mile at a time and worked up to 3 miles. After I was better, I tried to keep up a 2 mile a day walk about 4 or 5 times a week. Not only is it great for the body, it is great for the mind as well. (Good time to plan your next project).

 

[dodge man]

Like so many other people, I have also hurt my back in the past, and it has gotten better over time, but can also go downhill in a hurry. I think we are in a similar boat, mine was also muscle strain, and not a problem with your spine or discs. I assume they looked for that kind of problem and you didn't have it.

As far as advice, there is a fine line between building your body up and breaking it down. Too much work, and you break it down. Just the right amount of work, and you build it up. I'd say stacking a cord of wood is not the best thing to do after hurting it. What you are finding is that your back will loosen up over time, but then it will bother you the next day and tighten up. When I hurt my back they gave me muscle relaxers and anti inflammatorys. These helped me a lot and gave an immeditate improvement. Good luck and take it easy.

 

[Lloyd_E]

Thanks all. I will continue to slow down or at least try. When I was at emergency the Dr. did a bunch of physical tests to see if it was a disc and the tests determined it wasn't.

After a month and a half - actually it's been a month since physio started and ended I can tie my shoes, put on my clothes, go up and down stairs without pain. I can twist sideways, stretch or reach without pain. Today is actually a better day. I have not lifted or worked much over the last 3 days. When I do take the anti-inflammatories I do feel better.

I will go back to my MD and get scheduled for an x-ray and other aids to see what is exactly going on. Other than a few bruises, cuts and slight sprains(and my stent) this is the first real injury to date at almost 50. No broken bones etc or major surgery. I have had my share of sore backs/muscles but they usually healed within a few days and I felt as good as new.

The unfortunate thing is that I had a lot of things to accomplish this fall and the weather is unbelievable up here. And a few good opportunities are knocking at my door and all require physical work.

Oh well - I will consider the damage and pain of long term injuries and try to get healed soon.

Thanks all.

PS: to quote my wife; "you are only allowed to do one stupid thing a year and this is it!"

 

[Western]

Lloyd, I would certainly ask about getting your back stretched, if you are in the category for it. I was skeptical, but let me tell you, after the 1st time, I was actually able to go shopping with the wife right after the treatment and I felt like I did when I was 30. Lasted about 5 days, (long enough for me to stress it again)

Like Dan, I went to several MD's and usually got drugs, or the usual "get some rest" The Ortho, had me diagnosed in 15 minutes.

They also sell "home back stretchers" for reasonable prices , but I would have a couple at the Ortho 1st to find a good threshold for you.

That is if you have the need for it.

 

[dmccarty]

The first bone cracker I went too sold me a neck stretcher do hikey. It is horse shoe shaped and fits around the neck. You pump up the do hikey, which expands and stretches your neck.

He told me to do this quite a few times during the day which meant I had to take it to work.

AMAZING how many people saw this thing, asked about it, and then asked if they could help stretch my neck.

But it worked! :thumbsup:

The current bone cracker sold me an exercise ball with my third injury. I use it to stretch out the back and it too works.

Last night I was talking with some guys about back problems. :laughing: We had been standing around for hours in the cold which is fine with me and my back. The others have problems standing that long because of their back issues and they would rather sit. Sitting for me can be a problem if the back is acting up.

Later,
Dan