OT/Back pain relief?

Inactiongirl · Nov 22, 2008

I have never had a belief in Chiropractic but have many friends who support it. I have also never tried acupunture but have heard some good things. Just looking for something to get my life back. Am eating percocet today like tic tacs today and still no relief.

A year ago I was drinking beer and para-sailing in Mexico ,came back and herniated a disc lifting my suitcase at the airport.. and now I'm pretty much content to hang out all weekend in bed with my pills and heating pad and betting sports. I'm way too young to give up living like this.

Anyone have any success stories? I'm willing to try anything at this point.

Is percocet the best pain pill for back pain? I'm scared to try oxy....but I'm worried about my liver too... I function for work ok, but have stopped working out or doing much else.

Kev · Nov 22, 2008

Slowly stretch.

Strengthen your core muscles. Don't let your abs become too much stronger than your back and likewise. Balance of the core is a must.

If your overweight, lose it.

Don't just stretch your back, stretch your hamstrings/hips as well.

Keep moving. Learn what movements are off limits.

Bending and turning to the right can put me on the floor for a week! YUCK!

As far as chiropractors go, you will need to go to 5-10 diff ones. They all offer something different. I've been to probably 15 in my life and NONE of them are the same. Bigger chiros tend to get better adjustments.

-Slim- · Nov 22, 2008

Have you tried sex?

Akillies · Nov 22, 2008

^ good advice, if you find a good chiro you will get relief

punter · Nov 22, 2008

My wife went thru that. Nothing helped finally went under the knife. Fine since then.

I would find a good specialist, get a MRI and go from there.

Inactiongirl · Nov 22, 2008

Kev said:
Slowly stretch.

Strengthen your core muscles. Don't let your abs become too much stronger than your back and likewise. Balance of the core is a must.

If your overweight, lose it.

Don't just stretch your back, stretch your hamstrings/hips as well.

Keep moving. Learn what movements are off limits.

Bending and turning to the right can put me on the floor for a week! YUCK!

As far as chiropractors go, you will need to go to 5-10 diff ones. They all offer something different. I've been to probably 15 in my life and NONE of them are the same. Bigger chiros tend to get better adjustments.

Thanks Kev, although the thought of someone adjusting my back the way it feels now...well, I just can't imagine it...and I'm just not convinced on chiros in general yet.

When I hurt myself, that is exactly what I did...bended and turning to the right trying to pick up a 100 lb suitcase. Now I'm always warning people about that. Apparently that is the single worse move one can make with the spine.

Do you think it's good to stretch backward? Like over one of those pilates balls? I thought it might, but I tried that last week and for about 6 hours could barely move...wasn't sure if that was just cuz I haven't stretched like that in a while and it was maybe a worse before better type thing? I am just scared of doing something to REALLY hurt myself more.

I have put on a little weight since the injury, and it is so hard to motivate to work out when you feel like this. I haven't been to the gym in over a month but I know I need to do it.

Thanks for listening...I'm sure my co workers are tired of hearing me complain...One more percocet and at least I can sleep thru some of today's pain.

Inactiongirl · Nov 22, 2008

punter said:
My wife went thru that. Nothing helped finally went under the knife. Fine since then.

I would find a good specialist, get a MRI and go from there.

I did have a microdiscectomy in January... made the pain WORSE! But there was no choice in whether or not to have the surgery. I had a big chunk of disc hanging out on my l5/s1 nerve root. And I apparently waited too long (2 mos) to have the surgery...so now I probably have permanent nerve damage in my left leg/foot....the mri shows I "should be" fine...as far as the compression...I had a emg/nerve conduction study two weeks ago and will find out more at my next pain management appointment. This whole thing feels like it has aged me 30 years.
Protect your spine everyone!

TTinCO · Nov 22, 2008

I went to a chiroquack for months when I had a blown disc...was nothing but a waste of time. Eventually ended up going under the knife, and it was the best thing that I've ever done.

(They did find out that it was blown much worse than the MRI indicated, so my results may not necessarily be "normal)

steaktartar · Nov 22, 2008

(They did find out that it was blown much worse than the MRI indicated, so my results may not necessarily be "normal)

thats because you're a smidge compacted

winbet · Nov 22, 2008

Chirojokers are not to be entertained for any reason. I had terrible back trouble for Years when I was a Sex Stud but since giving it up and concentrating on pre-empting steam I've had no problem. :drink:

Inactiongirl · Nov 22, 2008

TTinCO said:
I went to a chiroquack for months when I had a blown disc...was nothing but a waste of time. Eventually ended up going under the knife, and it was the best thing that I've ever done.

(They did find out that it was blown much worse than the MRI indicated, so my results may not necessarily be "normal)

TTinCo...what kind of procedure/suregery did you have?

Inactiongirl · Nov 22, 2008

winbet said:
Chirojokers are not to be entertained for any reason. I had terrible back trouble for Years when I was a Sex Stud but since giving it up and concentrating on pre-empting steam I've had no problem. :drink:

:nohead:.....

why do i love the giggling dog so much? And why I am I laughing when I don't even know what "pre-empting" steam means?

TTinCO · Nov 22, 2008

Shit, I don't know what they call it besides disc surgery. They go in & remove the part of the blown disc that is protruding and putting pressure on the nerve(Which is what causes the pain).

Inactiongirl · Nov 22, 2008

TTinCO said:
Shit, I don't know what they call it besides disc surgery. They go in & remove the part of the blown disc that is protruding and putting pressure on the nerve(Which is what causes the pain).

I had a microdiscectomy... there is also a regular discectomy and there is another one...laminectomy i think...

whalewager · Nov 22, 2008

lamin is what i had...

shaved off 2 discs

goodoldalky · Nov 22, 2008

Lowly medical student here.. my 02:

Surgery is a last resort. Chiro is a second to last resort. Additionally, chronic low back pain is rarely treated with much efficacy pharmacologically. What works for many people long-term in fixing and avoiding these sorts of problems is to begin a core excercise and stretching program. You mentioned you did some stretching a while back and messed up your back for the rest of the day. This is very common because people jump into more activity than their back is used to. You must start slow and be extremely careful with back exercise and stretching, especially if you don't normally do those exercises. Most people have very weak and stiff back muscles, with very strong anterior chest and abdominal muscles, causing a lot of potential for injury if you do put any stress on your back. People who lift weights are actually often at increased risk because they only train one side of their core (the front). If you are training your chest and abs, you sure as heck better be training your mid and lower back muscles too, and so many people overlook that. Additionally, tight hip flexors and quad muscles can make the unbalance worse and increase risk of back injury.

I recommend going to a physical therapist or excercise specialist and have them put together a program for you. And when I mention a workout program, it is also worth recommending that you put the weights away. It should start out very slow - stretches and body-weight workouts only at first to preserve your ability to function and plug your back muscles back into the idea of activity and movement. Muscles in the back especially are sneaky and will wait until you're done working out to tell you that they've done too much. It will be easier to avoid that with some professional help in designing a program.

TTinCO · Nov 22, 2008

In action girl said:
I had a microdiscectomy... there is also a regular discectomy and there is another one...laminectomy i think...

Mine was about 18 years ago, so I'm sure they can do it much better now than when I had mine.

BrandonLovell · Nov 22, 2008

I know the pain you are talking about.. Kev post #2 has an excellent point! One of the biggest things that helped me is stretching my quads, hamstring, ect. This is because it pulls on the lower back. It has been my biggest relief!

As far as Chiro's are concerned, Kev was right on too. They are all very very different. I have found some that some that really helped and others not so much. Acuputure seemed to helped the short term back pain but nothing permanent! It is also an expensive option. Hope you get better!

Inactiongirl · Nov 22, 2008

goodoldalky said:
Lowly medical student here.. my 02:

Surgery is a last resort. Chiro is a second to last resort. Additionally, chronic low back pain is rarely treated with much efficacy pharmacologically. What works for many people long-term in fixing and avoiding these sorts of problems is to begin a core excercise and stretching program. You mentioned you did some stretching a while back and messed up your back for the rest of the day. This is very common because people jump into more activity than their back is used to. You must start slow and be extremely careful with back exercise and stretching, especially if you don't normally do those exercises. Most people have very weak and stiff back muscles, with very strong anterior chest and abdominal muscles, causing a lot of potential for injury if you do put any stress on your back. People who lift weights are actually often at increased risk because they only train one side of their core (the front). If you are training your chest and abs, you sure as heck better be training your mid and lower back muscles too, and so many people overlook that. Additionally, tight hip flexors and quad muscles can make the unbalance worse and increase risk of back injury.

I recommend going to a physical therapist or excercise specialist and have them put together a program for you. And when I mention a workout program, it is also worth recommending that you put the weights away. It should start out very slow - stretches and body-weight workouts only at first to preserve your ability to function and plug your back muscles back into the idea of activity and movement. Muscles in the back especially are sneaky and will wait until you're done working out to tell you that they've done too much. It will be easier to avoid that with some professional help in designing a program.

Goodoldakly!...You are exactly right that I wasn't in pain until a good 4-5 hours after using that pilates ball. I go to "Curves" sometime...hydrolic resistance machines...do you think those are ok?

Is it correct to say that I probably had weak back muscles or whatever when this injury happened (to reitterate...was lifting a suitcase off a carousel at airport)....this caused the giant herniation ...was that a result of that particular motion? Or was there probably an underlying cause? Also...since I have a doc here....What are the chances that I will get feeling back in my back left leg and foot? It just feels like it's asleep and basically lack of sensation.... I notice the foot when I walk and the leg only when I shave my legs *weird feeling....they told me it should come back after surgery..then it was 30 days...then 60 ...then 6 mos...now it's been 10 months and absolutely no improvement? I waited a month after the injury to have the MRI..thinking I would get better....when the surgeon saw the MRI, he scheduled the surgery immediately...within a few days..stating it was the easiest case he had all day. He is a respected surgeon in Denver but I am way worse off than I was before the surgery. Now I still have the numbness and I also have new pain!??

Really appreciate your help with this. Lucky to have a doctor (or soon to be) in the house.

Inactiongirl · Nov 22, 2008

BrandonLovell said:
I know the pain you are talking about.. Kev post #2 has an excellent point! One of the biggest things that helped me is stretching my quads, hamstring, ect. This is because it pulls on the lower back. It has been my biggest relief!

As far as Chiro's are concerned, Kev was right on too. They are all very very different. I have found some that some that really helped and others not so much. Acuputure seemed to helped the short term back pain but nothing permanent! It is also an expensive option. Hope you get better!

Thanks Brandon!! I am not sure I have the patience to chrio shop, but will definitely get on those stretches... appreciate the advice.

OT/Back pain relief?

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