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OT Severe Back Pain

S

Super-H-Mike

Member
My back "went out " a couple of days ago. I had this happen one other time about 7 years back. Lasted about 6 weeks
that time. I have been taking anti -inflams by what seems like the handful. I have been dragging myself through the day
and just barely getting my work done. I know rest is the best cure, but there is no way I can do that at this time. I
am not talking soreness , but bad lower left side shooting pains. I actually fell down today while carrying a bucket of
water when it hit me just right. Almost impossible to bend and twist, hard to even walk...Argh !

Ok, so what do you guys do when this strikes?
 
Go to a pain management group of doctors and get a shot in the back. Luckily, we have one here in our area. LOL!
 
Be care full what you do. With your back muscles being sore and being weak you could blow out a disc in your back. Do as light of work as possible but best is total rest till muscles heel. This is from a person that's been through it with two back surgeries and 4 sets of back injections.
 
Better hope the needle doesn't get into your spinal column. Spinal fluid leaks, you will think your head will explode for months. If needle hits a nerve, you are in serious trouble.

Make sure your Dr has the X-ray machine that locates nerves too.
 

Pain meds took my pain away, then I made everything worse once the meds were over with.

Listen to what your body is trying to tell you. STOP DOING WHAT YOU ARE DOING!!!
 
Back when I was 39 I had something happen to me that caused me major life changing things. I started to have back pains then it got so bad I pretty much lost the use of my left leg. Had to have help getting out of bed. Long story short doctors found I had a herniated disk L5-S1. Had surgery in Jan 5th which is my birthday. I now have a 5.5 inch scare in my lower back but I can walk again. If you have not done so GO SEE A DOCTOR. I was told if I had not had the surgery done I could end up in a wheel chair for life. Bad enough that I have a 35lbs weight limit as for lifting so I have had to figure out ways to do things.
BACK PROBLEM and not thing you want to mess with you need to have it checked out. I also even now have to take pills in the morning and at night and by the way I had that surgery 20 plus years ago
 
Ok, so what do you guys do when this strikes?

Last time it happened,I suffered for about two years,that what I do.

Walking around all hunched over caused me big problems with my hips and knees. I walked with a cane for a few years,didn't do much of anything that I didn't have to.
I don't want to sound like a broken record with this,but I didn't really have a complete turn around with it until I started using the elliptical going on six months ago. The second week of it,it was working my lower back muscles so much that I was having trouble standing up straight again. I powered through it,kept doing 15 minutes a day. It's strengthened the muscles to the point now that I don't have any problem at all anymore. All my life it bothered me to work on things in the shop for too long. I worked on a tractor Tuesday from 9am til 7pm,pretty much non stop. It was getting to me up around my shoulder blades,but not my lower back.

When I used to go to the chiropractor for lower back problems,he'd give some instruction sheets for lower back exercises. That's about all you can do for long term relief,is strengthen those muscles.
 
see a neuro or orthopedic surgeon, all the pain management clinics around here are just another name for (suck some money out of my wallet} I had the same thing back in 1985, suffered till 2009, had surgery and can't remember feeling better....you didn't say where you're located.....maybe someone can recommend someone
 
go find a good Chiropractor in your area. Most people don't believe in them but I avoided back surgery some 25 odd years ago.
I still go at least one a month to maintain. FIX, the problem, don't just cover it up with pain killers.
Good luck!!
Gary
 
I'm 45. The first time I twinged my back was 30. I was in great shape then and good shape now. But every now and then I get it bad.

Ive been to Physiotherapist a couple times and it was OK. I really didn't believe in the Chiropractors. Last Easter I really did my back in. I could hardly walk and get my farm work done. I couldn't sleep, sit or move at all comfortably. My wife sent me out to pick up my daughter at her friends house. The parents had some neighbor guests over and we were talking while waiting for my daughter...11 year olds can dawdle.
As I was leaving the woman gave me a piece of paper with a number. Turns out she was a sports trainer and could tell I was in pain. She said this guy is really good and refers many athletes to him.
He was a Chiropractor, he was a bit arrogant, and he was good. I went twice and probably should have gone for a third time... it was very immediate relief.
I still don't like him but he did solve my problem and if it happens again I will go back.
 
X2 on the chiropractor.

The main reason why people don't believe in chiropractors is because they wait until they're a train wreck, all swollen and inflamed, then they go in and expect to walk out of there pain free. It doesn't work like that.

They can only do so much when you're swollen, because things are all locked up and won't move.

Once the swelling starts to go down is when a chiropractor can do the most good.

Preventative care is the best thing. People think that because they don't hurt, the chiropractor isn't doing anything for them. Keeping things aligned and moving is the best way to keep it from happening again.
 
The safest thing is not "grin & bear " it. Personally, I trust my doctor more than a chiro, at least initially. You can't take chances, get a diagnosis done through examination and or whatever your doctor does to treat you. You can take it from there.

I've experienced this 3 times if I recall, and each time it rendered me out of service.

Bed rest and muscle relaxers helped immensely. Last time was in '09, and it was devastating, but after X rays and whatever else, it was determined there was no injury, but the turn-around was exactly what others stated, stop doing what aggravates it and rest up.

I had an injury in '00 or '01 at work, sudden movement from slipping on an iced over surface under snow, that one laid me up, even went for shock treatment, and I think it was said, that there was an injury, herniation possibly, but thankfully that healed and or nothing became of it.

Also consider your habits, sleeping, posture and assess the physical things you do because you may need to re-think some things and do things differently.

Randy is a good example of what physical fitness or lets just say regular exercise can do for a person, best to see your doctor and take it from there, don't make it worse than it is.
 
If you have shooting pains that bad forget the chiro and go see a doctor who will get you in with a neurologist. I'm not knocking chiros in any way, they are very helpful, but this sounds like more than just an inflammation that can be adjusted or massaged away.
 
Lower left (or right) back pain could be kidneys. Drink gobs of water to see if that helps. It does me, I let myself get dehydrated pretty easily. Just force the liquids, and see if that helps. I know it can seem like back pain, but it can also be the kidneys.
 
A neighbor would go to a chiropractor and tell him right up front: You have 2 chances to fix me up; if you don't do it in 2 times, I'm never coming back and I'll tell everyone that I know. That eliminated the sales pitch that "you need to keep coming back every week/month". Most of the time he got the results that he told them he wanted. Otherwise they'll milk you for all they can get.
 
In late May I was in bad shape....I hurt 24 hours a day and couldn't sleep at night...I hadn't been to a chiropractor in years...

So I asked a few friends and they recommended a local chiropractor.....He did X--rays and said that my back was a mess which it was 20 years ago......He said that I'll try for 2 weeks to make it better and if it isn't I'll send you on....Every visit it got better and better....This morning I went in for my last visit and he released me...I feel better and I'm sleeping better than in years..I had to slow down some on my tractor pulling as I had to lift 2000 lbs every time that I pulled..

After what friends have gone thru,surgery would be my last option...Half of them are worse off now than they were before..
 
I have had 3 back surgery in the last 5 years---only way to really tell whats going on is an MRI of your spine and then the surgeon determines the course of action.To get thru the pain before the surgery I was on naproxen daily and occasional pain pills
 
I've had it numerous times and several doctors later they still didn't know what it was (you would think with 10 years of formal education and those prices their "guesses" would be better). Sometimes lasted 6 months. Happened to my wife and her specialist hit it right on the head; inflamed disc. Heavy anti-inflamatories fixed her up in just over a week. I now never do the slightest little chore without one of those weight lifter's leather belts on and have never had a problem since. Since I was never diagnosed correctly (went through several "specialists" before a 3rd one nailed my shoulder problem for example) I resorted to heavy drinking. Didn't stop the pain but just made it so I didn't care.
 
That happened to my wife 8-10 years ago in Kansas City,KS and she's never been the same.....She got violently ill...She lost some of the feeling in her right foot..The regular doctor was gone so his backup gave the shot....Even using the machine he missed and hit her spine..It took 3 nurses and me to get her to the car after she quit throwing up..

Also a friend from work got back surgery in St Louis....She was only supposed to be there for one week....They nicked her spine and she spent 6 weeks there because of leaking spinal fluid....She was going to get the other side done but decided to live with the pain..
 
I need L4 & L5 fused 12 years ago. I read where I could be in worse shape if something went wrong. Instead of surgery,I made a life style change. Glad I did. Today too many are hooked on pain meds. No meds for me. NO surgery either.
 
I have had a few episodes with what the Dr told me were muscle spasms in my back. I would be bending over to lift something, or pulling up on the chain saw, and all of a sudden my back would just let go. I would refrain from lifting things for 48 hours and then be more or less back to normal. In the meantime I could not roll over when lying down, or twist or walk at all freely or even get out of a chair without a lot of pain. I had them a couple of years apart and then last winter I had three in three months and decided I needed to do something about it. Now I have about 5-10 minutes worth of exercises and stretching I do first thing when I wake up in the morning and I have had no problems in 4 months. I started doing the exercises right when I turned 30 and figured I had better start taking care of things since I want to be able to work for a lot more years. I looked up exercises for lower back pain online and tried a few and kept doing the ones that seemed to help.
Zach
 
Find a good chiropractor. Ask for references and talk to friends, family etc. for their referrals, too.

I have done both the pain management steroid shots and the chiropractor, and the chiropractor gave me relief that lasted a whole lot longer.

I also had an inversion table and used to use it every day for 15 minutes. It really unloads your spine and lets the disks hydrate, plus the muscles in your back eventually relax while you are inverted and you will get a lot of relief. I had to quit using it when I shattered my ankle - the ortho surgeon says the repair will not hold up to inversion and taking all my weight on the ankles, but when I was using the thing it helped enormously.
 
I can only echo a bit from nearly every other post- ice it now to reduce the swelling and see a chiropractor or DO for adjustment. The stretches Zach spoke of are the best thing to avoid recurrence. When your hamstrings get tight and you bend over, your back is effected. The stretches are simple and can be done in 5-10 minutes each morning. You will be surprised how quickly your flexibility will improve when done regularly! Of course, cutting down on the belt overhang helps a lot as well (typed while sitting and eating a brownie ;()
 
You need to go to a chiropractor first. They can feel what is out of place a lot of times. I don't go regularly, only when I get something out of place. If you have someone that knows what they are doing, they can tell what is wrong, just by feeling up and down your back. Even something that is a little out of place but not causing a severe problem, just a stiff neck let's say. The longer you stay that way, the more the muscles try to compensate for it, and want it to stay that way, consequently making it harder to straighten out. I had a couple ribs out for almost 3 months. It felt like severe shoulder pain. It happened at work trying to pull on something when my shoulder made a very audible pop, and terrible pain after. The occupational health doctor we have told me I just needed to go to physical therapy. Well I did, and all it did was make it worse. It would keep me up all night sometimes. A new PT came in after after a couple months of physical therapy, and noticed it was getting worse and that my one arm was significantly shorter than the other and suggested I go to a chiropractor. So I did and they found it had nothing to do with my actual shoulder, it was just 2 ribs out of place, pulling everything else out along with it, and every time I used my shoulder it was grating away at some pretty major nerves that run along your ribs. Once he put them back in it was better immediately, but he told me to expect it to go back out frequently until everything was back to normal. The muscles that had grown accustomed to its out of place position tried to keep it that way, and it went out 3 more times in a couple months before it stayed the way it was supposed to. Feels grest now! Go to a chiropractor!
 
Sciatica pain? See a doctor or a chiropractor. I had it about ten years ago, I tried waiting it out for a week and nothing improved. Then I went to a doctor, he prescribed a muscle relaxer and for me to loose some weight. The relaxer made the pain stop and loosing weight kept it away. My weight has slowly crept back, I should probably loose some again before problems come back. There is a lot of information about sciatica online, and some exercises to strengthen back muscles.
 
I have a version of spinal bifida confirmed by doctors and x-rays. About eight years ago the pain would put me on the ground. I found a GOOD chiropractor through a guy at work and am living the good life. Muscle relaxers only helped me sleep. Strengthening my lower back, core muscles and losing weight keeps it under control
 
What are you wearing on your feet? Poor foot support/posture/padding/what have you, can and will cause lower back pain. I used to poopoo the idea but I am now a believer. I wear shoes when I can (lighter than boots which also helps) and they are padded, have good heels and soles to ensure that my foot is erect, not worn off on the sides, and padded to reduce impacts. Took me awhile to realize that investing in a good pair of what's on your feet is a lot cheaper than other options that will/can solve lower back problems.

Other thing is riding farm equipment. How many times has your back been exposed to severe shocks when your tractor hits something and jolts? I have gone over all my stuff to ensure that will no longer happen and it has made a difference too.

Other thing is I am now wearing the copper-magnetic bracelets, 2 ea, and the reason they have been in use all these years (off the grid) is that they work, apparently for others, and surely for me. After a friend had horrible arthritis in her hand and it pained her constantly, I got her a bracelet and when she told me she wouldn't be without (showering excluded) that convinced me to try it. One of my better decisions......online $15 and free shipping at select sites.

Then a couple of Aleve when things are keeping me awake. Tried them all and for this kind of pain, it works best for me.

I'm 6'5 and have had back problems all my life, a lot having to do with my height and the height of everything else. Currently I seldom have back pain. Reasons stated above.

If that doesn't work, suggestions are above from other folks. My 2c.
 
I've had chronic back pain for 28 years, have had several series of injections and seen LOTS of improvements in that time. Current med treatment is strong on exercise, anti-imflamitory mends and pain meds as needed. When I exercise like I should I dont need much meds.

Go see your PCP, have him get you on antispasm, anti inflammatory meds and something for pain, then have him refer you to a pain management specialist. He'll do an mri and tell you what you need. YOUR PCP IS NOT THE DR YOU WANT TO GIVE YOU AN INJECTION. You may think the world of him but he doesn't do enough back injections to be good emuf for me. I also wouldn't use a Dr who doesnt use a portable xray to guide him in the shot.
Meantime, use a timms unit (see google), try a hot water bottle at night,lay on ur back and put a pillow under ur knees. It does wonders for me.
 
100% agree on the spasm. Took me awhile to figure that out, but control the spasm and you control a lot of the cause of the pain.

I hit the floor more than once, walking or standing and had problems getting up from a chair taking me to the floor. All was spasms and thanks to
the spasm you jerk and all and just make matters worse than they were originally. For me the Aleve works to prevent that.

I said many times during my life that nobody is going to touch my back, regardless of how bad it seems.....and it has been bad at times.....when it
takes you to the floor that's pretty bad! So here I am ? century old, never had a knife or injection and feeling better than I ever did. Very thankful
for that. Just made a few changes in my lifestyle.
 
Thanks for all the input fellas ! I am skeptical of the Chiro, I saw one last time this happened like 7 years ago, and I felt it only got worse, maybe the guy was a hack though. Injections and surgery scare me enough to want to avoid them. For the record, I am 50, very active and around 190 lbs, 5 foot 11. I was told about the morning exercises and stretching the last go around, and truthfully have gotten away from doing them so thats my own fault. Inversion sounds interesting !
 
What is your weight and height? is your weight proportional to your height. If not get there first. Keep your shoes rotated through out the week. Rest first build your self up to a manageable exercise regime. proper shoe size is important. Good luck. I feel your pain.
 
If you have numbness and pain running down your leg and you fell because pain . I would be looking for a doctor that deals with the nerves & bones. Be ware of chiropractor they can cause more damage than good.
 
Way back when I started having my back problems I went to a chiropractor and he x-rayed my back and said he probably would not be able to help and and refereed me to a doctor. That doctor tried injections but they did no good.
Before I had my surgery I was around 6 foot 1.5 and since the surgery I have lost bout 1.5 inches but at least I can walk now but take pain pills morning and evening. But either way go see a doctor because if you wait to long you could land in a wheel chair and that would be by far worse then having surgery
 
I used to have that problem 3-4 times a year. It was always the #4 vertebrae, about the beltline. It was about impossible to tie my shoes and any sudden move would about put me to my knees. I blames it on always being tough (dumb) enough to pick up anything. Sometimes the chiropractor helped immediately and sometimes it took several trips. After about 15 years of this my chiropractor convinced nr to come in once a month to keep things where they should be. In the 5+ years Since then I've only had my back go out once or twice. When he started trying to get me in on a monthly basis I figured he just had a boat payment and it wouldn't help, I was wrong g again.
On that note I would try a chiropractor for 2 days in a row and maybe a third trip after a couple days, or however they recommend it. From the people that I know who had back surgery only half have an improved life, but I haven'tetc everyone. For me surgery would be absolute last choice.
 
Methocarbamol.
Ask your Dr. for a prescription.
It is Not a muscle relaxer. It is an anti spasm med.
I too suffer long term lower back pain and used to have my back "go out" several times a year. Would be flat on my back, sometimes for a week or more.
Spent a lot of dough at chiropractors which gave me limited relief.
I can feel when I have a problem coming on and will double dose with methocarbamol for a couple of days. Fixes it!
Without it I would not be working.
Take it when you need it. Not expensive.
No known side effects. Not addictive. Makes you ever so slightly dizzy if you stand up too fast.
For me it is a miracle drug.
click here
 
Mike, I have been dealing with this the last two years. In a nutshell get yourself to a doctor immediately. You need to get the necessary X-Rays and MRI to evaluate where you are. Worn discs, arthritis, bone spurs, bulging discs, bad facet joints, narrowed nerve openings, etc. It tough to know what to do if you don't know where you are.

I have found the doctor, physical therapist, deep muscle massage, dry needling, and Chiropractor all have their place. I have all of the items I mentioned to varying degrees. I was in so much pain I would just collapse. Many therapies fix a symptom, not the root cause. It seems to me only a doctor (surgery) or a chiropractor (manipulation) can fix the root cause. In my case I was not ready for surgery, after four different chiropractors I finally found one that seems to have identified the root cause of the debilitating pain. But it took both PT and Massage therapy to both get relief and lead me to finding root causes.

By the way, air ride seats on tractors are a great thing.

Your body is like a used machine, figure out what is still serviceable and what needs attention.

I could go on and on but I will stop here.

Good Luck.

Paul
 
as a person who is now facing major back surgery , dont play with this, rest may or may not help, the most help will be if you roll over just right in your sleep and "put it back in" not very likely . get to your dr and follow his directions, he may want x rays or a mri, catching this early on is the best way to get back to normal, the longer you wait the more inflamed or damaged it will become
 
When I was in my mid 30s, and still milking in a stall barn, my back and right hip were getting sore. Four years ago, when I was 42, I was pushing a trailer back when my back popped and I fell to ground. I walked sideways to house and had wife take me to dr. He just gave me pain pills and told me to go to chiro. It took him a few tries but he popped it back in, and I walked with a cane for two days. My back has never been the same since. I still work hard and do things people tell me not to, but when it starts hurting bad I stop. I do alot of stretching now.
 
When I started my new job this winter my lower back started bothering me. A couple chiropractor visits and it wasn't getting better. Tipped the front edge of the seat pan down in the semi and an ice pack for a couple nights pretty well took care of it.

Good shoes are a must, poor shoes will make my back sore if I stand still too long on a hard surface.

I'm 6 foot with a 28 to 29 inch inseam. There's not a seat built that supports my upper back properly. Usually if things get too sore a couple Advil and using a door frame to work the tense muscles over a bit gets things freed up.

My current chiropractor doesn't snap my neck, the first couple visits she did, and I couldn't grip a pen well enough to write. Now she just works my neck side to side with similar results, less the numb fingers. I should go regularly just to help keep things lined up. An ill-fitting car seat after high school pushed a vertebrae out of place between my shoulder blades. She got it to move. Had not been moving even somewhat normally for about 15 years.

I've been to a few doozies, though. One used pressure points. I'd have a headache before I got home. One didn't do any muscle work. Pop snap crackle, had a severe headache by the time I got stood up straight. Went home and slept the rest of the day, never went back.

If they won't put heat and electric to the muscles to loosen them up before adjustment, walk out. You don't need that in your life.
 

Are ya sure it is not pain from a Kidney Stone??

Traction, Inversion or laying on the floor with your Calves on the couch can be good..

Could be a standard "Back Belt" for heavy lifting may help..

I have a Lumbar Traction device the VA gave me and it works, it is not too handy to get into, but will stretch ya until ya are glad to release the pressure...

Traction, or good old Epidurals helped me the most..BUT ya MUST find a Specialist who is GOOD at giving them..the best one I had found uses a single Zanax before the procedure and a Master's touch...had relief for up to 10 Months with him ( Dr Ready, Neurological Assoc, Cols, Oh)..

30 minutes at most and you walk out..

Hope yours resolves quickly...
 
short term solution my friend taught me. He was in 'Nam & in the field so no meds, no doc, no help. Generator ran a freezer. They filled 5 lb. coffee can with water, froze it & somebody rolled it on his back. By the time its melted you should have enough relief to get several hours of sleep.
 
I used to be 5'10" now I am 5'8.5" Broke my back at work found out I have Sever spinal stenosis, worn out back. Best advice I have gotten so far is if it hurts don't do it. They have limited me to lifting ten pounds, it's crazy but after a year I am feeling better. If I need to lift anything I use my little deere for that. carrying water or feed I have rigged up things for doing instead of buckets.
 
Go to the doctor! I had similar symptoms years ago and went to the doctor, after he took some test they found I had a bone chip break off spinal column and stick in my spinal cord. Went to surgery a week later. Good Luck severe back pain is hell!
 
A few years ago my back hurt so bad I couldn't walk or sleep in a bed. I tried Dr., massage and quackapracter. I had a scan and found I had a herniated disk. I picked up an Inversion Table and only 5 minute sessions made the pain go from 24 7 to when I do something foolish like carrying weight. I use it fairly regular. It is amazing. I have a friend who tried mine and it made his back feel better. He mentioned it to his doctor and was told not to use it. He bought one anyway and uses it every day and has no pain and is back active again. Three other people I know have had the same results.
Dave
 
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