SS: Back Pain

[brainsmile]

Man I'm in some serious pain. I have been carrying too much weight on my shoulders lately (laptop and books) and it was starting to make my back sore. Feels as if the spine is compressed or something. It didn't help that on Sunday I missed a step coming downstairs and my feet fell out from under me and I landed on my back and fell down about 6 steps!

I'm in major pain and can't stand up straight. Uggh...

[oblongmelon]

vicodan.

[avlena]

yikes, that sucks... time to see the doctor!

[gwilks98]

If you have a bit of a belly, start working off some weight there. It'll do numbers for your back, esp if it's having to do more than usual work.

[riskykougra]

I have back problems too and even though doctors kept giving me pain killers and sending me to physiotherapy the only thing that has really helped is accupressure. Try to find someone who is really qualified and the difference will amaze you.

[brainsmile]

If you have a bit of a belly, start working off some weight there. It'll do numbers for your back, esp if it's having to do more than usual work.
I was up to 500 crunches a night before this :)

[yippiekiyeh]

Lower back pain is the worst, when your back is gone sure feels like the world is about to end... Feel better soon.

[ShawnLee]

Wow, I must say, that sucks. I hope you feel better dude. I had sciatica (yay!) and boy did life suck.

[Houdini]

vicodan.

Good for the acute pain, but does nothing for any inflammation which may be causing the pain. I'd go for Aleve, ibuprofen, etc., instead of, or in conjunction with a narcotic analgesic.

H <---denies any responsiblity for anyone who takes my posts re: medical advice as actual individual reccommendations and encourages people to see their local physicians to rule out more dangerous conditions or conditions that may require different treatments.
-----Also, think carefully before going to a chiropractor. Some are ok and don't do much harm, but there are inherent dangers having a non-medical type person pop your neck and spine around. Usually after someone gets back pain, someone tells them to go to a chiro. One complication is a Vert Artery dissection, which can really eff up the rest of your life. :)

[mechmike0034]

I feel your pain - herniated a disc this summer which in turn was pressing on the right side sciatic nerve. I went six weeks only being able to sleep two hours at a stretch - couldn't sit, couldn't lie down. The neurologist was going to operate after seeing my MRI, but backed off after a CAT scan. Wound up doing two nerve/steroid shots with a third to come as necessary.

If anyone in the medical field says the word "myelogram" to you, RUN! The radiologist that did mine was a ham-fisted clod, and it hurt as bad as anything I've ever experienced. Plus, the damned sac leaked. I coughed the next day after my spinal fluid level had gotten low and thought someone had hit me in the back of the head with a baseball bat. Took them another day of agony before they could schedule a blood patch.

Getting old sucks...

[Houdini]

I feel your pain - herniated a disc this summer which in turn was pressing on the right side sciatic nerve. I went six weeks only being able to sleep two hours at a stretch - couldn't sit, couldn't lie down. The neurologist was going to operate after seeing my MRI, but backed off after a CAT scan. Wound up doing two nerve/steroid shots with a third to come as necessary.

If anyone in the medical field says the word "myelogram" to you, RUN! The radiologist that did mine was a ham-fisted clod, and it hurt as bad as anything I've ever experienced. Plus, the damned sac leaked. I coughed the next day after my spinal fluid level had gotten low and thought someone had hit me in the back of the head with a baseball bat. Took them another day of agony before they could schedule a blood patch.

Getting old sucks...

Yeah, that can be a complication with any lumbar puncture. Good idea to lie down for many hours after the procedure, though that sometimes doesn't help. I've seen myelograms go swimmingly, and other LP's go horribly (not life-threatening, but painful!) The blood patch can work well, but not for everyone.

Likely it's just benign pain in brain's case, but if it gets worse, get thee to an MRI.

[jaja]

http://www.lib.msu.edu/ergomsu/stretch.htm
Prolonged sitting at a desk or computer terminal can cause muscular tension and pain. But, by taking a five or ten minute break to do a series of stretches, your whole body can feel better. Its also helpful to learn to stretch spontaneously, throughout the day, stretching any particular area of the body that feels tense for a minute or two. This will help greatly in reducing and controlling unwanted tension and pain.

[Dazzling]

Try tossing between hot and cold pads on the back. That helped my husband alot!!

[Butch]

I pinched a nerve last week - $&%^@*!

First time I'd done something like that. Was jogging on treadmill, then felt something go . . . jumped off . . . went home.

I fell asleep, but was awakened at like 5AM by obnoxious pain. Finally dragged my ass out of bed and made it to work - old people with canes were passing me in the street. Decided I had to leave to see a doc (first time I've seen a doc in 6 years). She gave me an anti-inflammatory and sent me on my way. A week later, it's pretty much fine. I can still feel a minor tweak, but nothing that would restrict my movement. I want to get back to going to the gym, though and don't know how long I should wait. Bah.