Oh my aching back!

Yakima 728
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the_Roqk

the_Roqk

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As of now it's been 4 days and even with muscle relaxers, pain killers and anti-inflammitories it still hurts. Here's the story: 4 days ago my last call was in the morning for a woman that fell outa bed and couldn't back up. Just a normal home assist and all would be better in about 15 minutes. BTW I'm a rescue driver FF/EMT for the city FD. Anyway we get there and assist tha elderly female back into bed and all is well. After getting off duty at 0800 I come home and go to get my bags out of the truck and POW my back goes out and I fall to the driveway. I have felt this pain before and it usually goes away after a couple days. But... so far I'm still in pain. My duty day was yesterday and I was advsied to go to our workmans comp clinic and then go Monday to see the WC Doctor. That was a very long 3 hours of my life. All in all I feel that it being this painful for this long I have seriously injured my back to the point that I have bulging disks somewhere. I'm only 43 and yet my back feels like it's 80. Guess I'll know more this coming week. Thanks letting me ramble here and just wondering if anyone else has experienced this pain and what did you do about it.
 
I have had some bad episodes with my back in the past. The first time I did not want to move for 24 hours and when I did the pain was almost disabling. It would get better each day but generally took 2 weeks until I felt almost normal. The oddest thing was it would happen when I did normal daily tasks and not when lifting heavier objects. Be careful and take it easy.
 
I get Naproxen / Vicodin when I get that nerved pinched between the discs in my back.

Use a heating pad. Lots of heat.
 
Blender said:
I have had some bad episodes with my back in the past. The first time I did not want to move for 24 hours and when I did the pain was almost disabling. It would get better each day but generally took 2 weeks until I felt almost normal. The oddest thing was it would happen when I did normal daily tasks and not when lifting heavier objects. Be careful and take it easy.
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I here that! I'd have no problem lifting heavy things it's those little objects that for some unknown reason will trigger the pain.
 
Cheesefood said:
I get Naproxen / Vicodin when I get that nerved pinched between the discs in my back.

Use a heating pad. Lots of heat.
Click to expand...

Yeah I'm past the point of ice/ cold compresses, and have been using heat off and on.
 
Yeah, I once threw it out reaching for toilet paper.:eek:
I'm doing better now, I always bend my knees to pick up things and I am really aware of body mechanics most of the time. No more bending at the waist to pick up anything.
 
On a serious note, I understand how you feel.

A couple of years ago while working on building The Wynn Casino in Las Vegas I hurt my back pretty bad. Me and my partner, another young apprentices, were working together. We had gotten into a pretty good groove and we were jamming, gettig a lot done. Somebody made a comment about how good we were doing so we decided to kick it up a notch and try to do even more. We got to a really heavy piece of material and instead of get a forklift or a couple more bodies to move it, we figured we'd be tough guys and throw it out of our way. We lifted it up and started moving it when the pallet it was on broke. We both ****ed uor backs up. We both ended up having to take the rest of the week off (paid leave) and go to the doctor. My partner slipped a disk, and I twisted a vertebrae. We were both put on 2 weeks of light duty, and handed a couple prescriptions of Lortab and Soma.:D

Evey now and then I'll wake up and my back will be screaming. But most days I'm pretty good. But I bet when I'm older I'll start to feel it more and more. SWMBO has back problems and she's only 23. She got in a bad car accident when she was a teenager and it wrenched her back. Then I knocked her up, and it didn't help to carry around 60 extra lbs (she put on a lot when she got preggo, but it's all just melting off now) of weight on an already bad back.
 
I can remember when I started having problems with my back. I was involved in a vehicle accident and my brother was driving. I was sitting in the backseat with just a lap belt on and another vehicle came out of a side street right in front of us. Well we struck that vehicle T-boned right in the drivers door. A few months after that I began experiencing back problems. But nothing like this. It's been about 17 years now since that MVC.
 
My worst back episode was triggered by opening a window. Took ten days before I could stand again. Since I didn't have insurance, it was a very long ten days. It's strange, but I haven't had a problem since my early 30's.
 
Three years ago I was sitting in a crappy hotel room chair(no lumbar support) reading a book. Something in my back popped and pain went running down the back of my left leg. 4 months later I went to the doc cause it never got any better. I had ruptured a disc between L4-L5. I had a microdiscektomy that fixed me right up.

My back started bother me a few months later with pain down my right leg. No specific incident started the pain. I put off any medical attention for 2 years until two weeks ago. Due to an issue at work (boss didn't believe I was telling the truth about my back pain) I went in for another MRI. I have a slipped vertebra, another ruptured disc and another vertebra that is cracked. This time the doc is recommending a fusion of L3-L4-L5. There is a laundry list of things wrong in that area.

I'm not over weight and am fairly active. Doc says osteoarthritis is a big factor in the degeneration of my spine. That and I was very hard on my body when I was in my late teens and twenties.

Welcome to old age at 52
 
I first hurt my back when I was 17 working at Menards. They made me stack lawnmowers and wouldn't let me use a lifting belt. When I hurt myself they laughed. I was 17 and too dumb to know I should have sued. My back still gives me problems.
 
i ruptured a disk in my lower back 7 years ago. The pain in my heal and calf felt like someone shoving a hot knife in there. MRI and Cat scans showed rupture. My doc gave me a choice: i was 30 and he said take a month off of work and lay and do nothing at all. Surgery would be an option but i was young and no guarantees it would fix.

I layed around took naproxen and iced the hell out of it to the point i think i got frostbite on my skin. I have trouble at times and just take advil and ice it again. I work a lot smarter now too.
 
I thought I was working smart too. Problem is that it seems that any little movement will trigger the pain. Unbelievable!
 
I'm sorry to hear that you're having problems. It can be really hard, I know. I'm having to resort to surgery to try and take care of mine.
 
Finally had an MRI done today. Still in pain but it's not like it was a few days ago. But it's still hard to sit down and get comfortable with a constant throbbing pain in lower back and shooting down my leg. Will go Friday for a followup and see how well the MRI came out. This really sucks! I was going to brew this past Sunday too. Now I'll hafta wait and heal so that I can lift my keggles for brewing. Oh well guess I'll take me another Flexeril and chase it with a Homebrew! Cheers!:mug:
 
It sounds like you're in the same boat that I'm in. My MRI showed two ruptured disks between L4/L5 and L5/S1. The pain comes and goes, but when it hurts it really freaking hurts. My back, down my leg, and my foot goes numb. Get a referral to a neurologist as fast as you can, they can do a series of cortisone injections that may help you. They helped me a bit, but the pain is still there. My only option option is back surgery, and I'm only 34. :mad:
 
I'm extremely lucky. Haven't had need of a hospital, doctor, antibiotics or prescriptions since high school.

Are you tall? Strange question bu had to ask.

Hope you wake up tomorrow feeling back to normal.
 
david_42 said:
My worst back episode was triggered by opening a window. Took ten days before I could stand again. Since I didn't have insurance, it was a very long ten days. It's strange, but I haven't had a problem since my early 30's.
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When I was about 25, I was washing my car, bent over and pulled my back so bad I was in bed for 2 days.

I realized I was out of shape, so started working out with weights again. Never had back pain again.............until I got older and busier and stopped working out............ouch again.

Something about working out with weights. You control all movements (strict reps for the most part) and I believe this puts you in a position where daily activity won't bother you.

Just my thoughts. I'm quite past 25 (by double) and just getting back into working out.
 
Without any doubt, the way to keep your back in good shape is to.... well.... keep it in good shape! Whatever you do, do not try to workout immediately after an injury. Once the pain subsides (which can take weeks or even months) start a free weight excercise program. The machines won't help much, since the machine keeps the weight stable. Free weights force your muscles to learn coordination. You'll notice that at first, the weights wiggle around a lot. That is your body figuring out how to make all the muscles work together. My back has always had lots of trouble. Two things work for me: chiropractic adjustment and excercise. Watch out for pain killer use in the long term. I'm not talking about addiction, though that can be a big problem. Your body experiences pain for a reason, if you consistently numb the pain, the cause will never be fixed and your back WILL degenerate as you age. Ever see an old man or woman who can't stand up straight? No one wants to live like that! just my 2c
 
BierMuncher said:
I'm extremely lucky. Haven't had need of a hospital, doctor, antibiotics or prescriptions since high school.

Are you tall? Strange question bu had to ask.

Hope you wake up tomorrow feeling back to normal.
Click to expand...

BierMuncher, I'm 5'-11" and weigh in at 185. I have been feeling a little better every day, usually by the end of the day I feel so much better even with some pain. Must be all the movement during the day and blood flow to the injury site. Thanks for the encouragement.


Because of my work schedule (work 24 off 48) I would go in about 1 1/2 hrs early and work out. I've been doing this for about 13 years on a regular basis and have had a few times where my back has been strained before. No problem, just slowly work back into a routine and usually by 3-4 months I'd be back to where I was strength wise. I normally start my workout with stretching and lots of crunches and situps. Anything that will help strengthen those core muscles and to get the blood flowing. I rarely lift anything heavy and do incorporate some lower back exercises. Now I'm at the mercy of whatever the MRI says. I'm hopeful it's not anything serious. Thanks gents for the encouragement! :)
 
Well, since you feel better at the end of the day instead of the reverse, I would take that as an encouraging sign. It seems like you hurt less when the muscles "loosen up" a bit. Good luck with getting the MRI results tomorrow!
 
I was just prescribed 500mg of Naproxen for my tendonitis. Does anyone know how drinking on Naproxen works out? Obviously I will try to avoid mixing the two, but there are always exceptions!
 
Add me to the list. Early years in the Army jumping form perfectly good planes. Herniated (SP?) 3 disks. Acts up every year or so but this time is bad. Been in pain for 2 months now. Been through all kinds of meds, currently on vicondin and flexeril. Also had cortazon (sp?) injections but they don't help. Now we are talking about epidermal injections.
 
Cheesefood said:
I first hurt my back when I was 17 working at Menards. They made me stack lawnmowers and wouldn't let me use a lifting belt. When I hurt myself they laughed. I was 17 and too dumb to know I should have sued. My back still gives me problems.
Click to expand...



IMHO, those damned lifting belts aren't worth a pinch of ****. Back when I was cutting meat, the store ownership decided one day to make all the meat cutters wear those things. I wore mine for a week and it's the only time in my life I've ever had back pain, other than the occasional pulled muscle from sneezing. After a week, I took it to the store manager and told him to shove it. Within a couple days, none of the meatcutters were wearing thier belts.

Luckily, my back has never been a problem. It must be true what they say, strong back, weak mind........
 
ICE ICE ICE shrink the disk and it wont push on the nerve. I did lots of research. the disk fluid is just that-liquid. ice shrinks heat contracts.
rock- try reverse sit ups. The physical therapy people told me lay on your belly put you head to the sky just the elbows first then hold it, just imagine aekdbbop's lady under you.
 
turfguy1969 said:
....The physical therapy people told me lay on your belly put you head to the sky just the elbows first then hold it, just imagine aekdbbop's lady under you....
Click to expand...


OOOOOOOOOOOOoooooooooooooooo!! Now that's a thought!








Just kidding aekdbbop. :D
 
Well it's been awhile and my back seems to be getting much better but I still have some residual pain going down my right leg. This is usually when I put weight on my right side either sitting or walking. BTW my MRI showed moderate size disc herniation at L4-L5, and with a midline disc protrusion at L5-S1 . All with some degenerative disc disease in the same area. The last part due from age and normal wear and tear. Right now the doc has me on some corticosteroids (prednisone) to take for 12 days. My work has me on light duty and with daily evaluations from our Occ/Health Nurse. Hopefully I can get back to full duty soon. But right now it's actually good to get some rest. I needed some, but not like this. That's about it for now!
Cheers!
 
Ive had a few problems from scoliosis (sp?), corrected via lots of trips to the chiropractor, wasn't fond of the idea of having rods shoved up my back. What helps me alot is an inversion table, you can get em for $100-$150 shipped off amazon. It'll make it feel worse for a little while but then it gets better fast, takes just a few minutes a day.
 
the_Roqk said:
but I still have some residual pain going down my right leg.
Click to expand...

Sciatic. Worst pain I've ever had in my life. I went through a bout of that after I hurt my back lifting something I shouldn't have. I thought I was out of the water (pain-wise) after the disc area healed up a little--but then the sciatic nerve acted up. Shooting and steady pain down my right back-side into my leg. I wanted to die. I couldn't even walk. Wouldn't wish that pain on anyone.

I've since started exercises to strengthen my lower back--but I'm scared crapless to do a sit-up or something to irritate it again.

Glad you are feeling better--hope that you are out of the woods.
 
Thanks Dude! I really wouldn't say I was out of the woods just yet. Your right about the sciatic pain. It can be a motherfooger. I've tried situps in the past and they have helped but I noticed a little pain afterwards and didn't give it much thought. Like you, I'm not sure if I'll do any situps again. I might even say the hell with working out and become fat and happy. Course if I do that, I will hafta change my whole persona. In the mean time I think I'll milk this injury and see where it will take me. You never know it may lead to a different job with my department and maybe a raise. Atleast it will get me off of that damn rescue truck.
 
they told me to do stomach workouts. Theory is that if you strengthen your front...the back will follow. I don't do full sit ups, EVER. I do crunches. Keep the lower back flat on the ground and lift up about 6 to 12 inches. The other end of the stomach can work with leg lifts, again I do them with back flat on the ground.
 
Being in the medical industry, I'm sure I don't have to tell you how to heal yourself, but what the hell, I'll do it anyway. I'm a landscaper by trade (I own my own company) and it never fails... At some point during the year I'll blow out my back doing something two or three of my employees would do together. This year I was "showing" how easy it was to lift a 300lb paver saw onto a stand. Anyway, my wife is an Aveda certified massage therapist and she convinced me it was all in the consumption of water. If you normally consume two gallons of good clean water a day (Not filtered through your mash ton and purified via boiling and aging in a fermenter) you will notice a recovery time of half what the Doc's tell you. Give it a try, the worst that can happen is you make a few extra trips to pee.
 
Thanks SeaBee John,

Believe it or not I used to be a Licensed Massage Therapist, and I know all about the advantages of proper hydration. Not to knock what you're telling me and the advice is great. I have resigned to believe that given my age and from what the doc told me that I'm at the right age to start expecting problems with my back. Anyway I usually stay pretty hydrated with H2O and even after tossing back a few beers I'll drink water to keep my H2O balanced. But for some reason about 2 1/2 weeks ago my back decided to give out. Right now it's still a little sore and will continually be so for awhile. I'll just do what I hafta do to get better and rest for awhile. Thanks for the advice, and I'll someday be able to start doing crunches again.
 

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