back pain

[coffeeman]

I would also like to mention a saying that is often quoted in medicine: "When you hear hoofbeats, think of horses rather than zebras". That is to say, common things happen commonly, and rare things happen rarely. A unusual or uncommon diagnosis may take several visits to diagnose, but eventually a good physician will find it. Don't give up after one visit - let the doctor know the first plan hasn't worked and give him a second chance at making the rare diagnosis - rather than jumping from doctor-to-doctor. However, if it appears the doctor has given up, it is a good time to switch.

So....if we are in Africa a doctor thinks differently than a doctor in a country populated by horses?

Ain't that something!

 

[kidr]

Just a reminder to all:
...
There are multiple ways to obtain relief since there are multiple reasons for back pain, running the gamut from muscle strains to arthritis of the bone to degenerative disc disease to herniated discs to compression fractures to metastatic cancer to infections (even tuberculosis) of the spine.

The worrisome signs for significant reasons for back pain (lumbar or cervical):
1. Sudden onset of pain associated with a high-energy mechanism (fall from height, car crash, etc)
2. Midline pain (rather than the muscle pain along the sides of the spine) especially when associated with night sweats and fevers.
3. Motor weakness of the arms or legs.
4. Urinary or bowel incontinence
5. Numbness/pins and needles of your "privates"
6. Loss of ****** function.

The last three are associated with a condition called "Cauda Equina Syndrome", where a ruptured disc pushes on the lower sacral nerves. This is a true emergency, especially if the symptoms are associated with a sudden onset during a high-energy activity. These nerves can't take a joke and can be permanently damaged within hours. I have been asking about the CES symptoms in my back pain patients for 25 years. I saw my first case about 9 months ago when a newly-married schoolteacher was playing basketball with his students. He jumped high and "landed crooked". It caused severe pain, but he played for 5 more minutes because he didn't want to show his students he was hurt. He knew something was up as the pain got worse and he felt like he needed to urinate but "it wouldn't come out", and he also whispered to me that "'it' isn't working any more". He had his MRI within one hour and it showed a complete rupture of the L5 disc backwards into the spinal canal - and it was totally squishing the lower nerve roots. He was on the operating room table within three hours of the injury. The worst part of my day (and he and his sobbing wife's) was warning him that some of the symptoms may persist after the surgery - i.e. "it" might not ever work again.

Please have significant back pain evaluated by a medical physician at least once. Chiropractors can do wonders with muscle and bulging disc problems - not so much with metastatic prostate cancer or multiple myeloma. I would (and have personally) used a PM&R (Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation) doctor.

SO the guy ruptured his disc, played some more, tried to pee ,couldn't , tried to have ***, "it" didn't work, had surgery , all in three hrs. Wow ! I was brought to the ER by ambulance Waited 12 Hrs. Got drugged out of my mind and sent home. Never even thought about ***. I really admire that guy.

 

[DocHeb]

Well, if you're from Maine the saying might involve moose, but one does need to adapt to what there is to adapt to...

 

[20 20]

Just a reminder to all:

DocHeb, I'm finally glad you jumped in :thumbsup: I was getting a kick out of all the professional help though :shocked:

There are multiple ways to obtain relief since there are multiple reasons for back pain, running the gamut from muscle strains to arthritis of the bone to degenerative disc disease to herniated discs to compression fractures to metastatic cancer to infections (even tuberculosis) of the spine.

:thumbsup: Ya gotta admit though the amount of pharmacist{those proscribing pils :laughing:} we have is HUGE :confused2:

The worrisome signs for significant reasons for back pain (lumbar or cervical):
1. Sudden onset of pain associated with a high-energy mechanism (fall from height, car crash, etc)
2. Midline pain (rather than the muscle pain along the sides of the spine) especially when associated with night sweats and fevers.
3. Motor weakness of the arms or legs.
4. Urinary or bowel incontinence
5. Numbness/pins and needles of your "privates"
6. Loss of ****** function.

After having a couple of back surgeries and an emergency neck disk replacement I understand this completely.

The last three are associated with a condition called "Cauda Equina Syndrome", where a ruptured disc pushes on the lower sacral nerves. This is a true emergency, especially if the symptoms are associated with a sudden onset during a high-energy activity. These nerves can't take a joke and can be permanently damaged within hours.

Permanent nerve damage comes from ignoring what is happening or taking BAD ADVICE{kind of like what you'd find on a tractor forum, answering health questions :drool::confused2: }

.

Please have significant back pain evaluated by a medical physician at least once. Chiropractors can do wonders with muscle and bulging disc problems - not so much with metastatic prostate cancer or multiple myeloma. I would (and have personally) used a PM&R (Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation) doctor.

I'd also like to add going to a chiropractor for the wrong type of back injury can also put someone in a bigger world of HURT.

Not trying to knock anyones opinion, but the wrong type of "help" can cause bigger issue's down the road.

 

[20 20]

Sorry folks, for being blunt, but this is a persons lively hood we are all chimming in on. I can only speak from my personal experience, GET PROFESSIONAL HELP!!!!!! You know what your body is feeling/telling you. Be carefull of all the drug runners out there also. Just taking pills for pain does not solve the real problem. Your body is in pain for a reason, it is trying to tell you something is wrong! Popping pills today may make you feel great, but sooner or later tomorrow will come and the pills may not help at all. You don't have to listen to me, I've only had a few back procedures done and a couple of surgeries, plus an emergency disk replacment in my neck. I just want to say Tractor forums are not ment to be doctors, so if you're in pain FIND OUT WHY, before you regret it??????????

 

[kidr]

If I read right, the OP did go to the doctor and got no help.(no comment). He was trying to find out how others dealt with pain. You don't have to be a doctor to share an experience, just like you don't have to be a professional tractor mechanic to share tractor repair experiences. I think the people who replied to this post are trying to be helpful, not doctors. If the moderators think the information on this thread is is harmful, then they should shut it down. As for myself ,I learned a lot from it and want to thank everyone who contributed. Dealing with back pain is frustrating. No one treats the whole person. everyone has a specialty. Think if you had to get your tractor repaired that way. One guy does fuel system, one does hydraulics, one does transmissions.......where do you go to diagnose a vague problem. That's why I say you need to find a healer if your doctor doesn't help you. Someone who will look at all your parts as whole. He may be an Md. he may not.

 

[Lineman North Florida]

I posted my experience and I hope it was in no way taken as medical advice, strictly my personal experience, no harm intended.

 

[MossRoad]

I posted my experience and I hope it was in no way taken as medical advice, strictly my personal experience, no harm intended.

But did you sleep at a Holiday Inn last night? :laughing:

I think everyone here probably has enough sense to seek professional help before trying to self medicate or self cure.... I think. :licking:

 

[dave1949]

A lot of good points around the issue. From DocHeb, 20_20 and Kidr too.

If nothing else, when others on the forum describe their ailments and fixes, we all become a bit more informed. Like MossRoad says, we need to think about how we will use that info.
Dave.

 

[Gizmo2]

I need to add a point here, I have lower back pain and the doctors have said I will have to live with it for the rest of my life. I would guess that would depend on how long I live and what new procedures come out before I die. But anyway, my lower back pain was severely aggravated by my blood pressure medicine, Avapro. It was just amazing how such a little pill could cause the lower back pain that it did.

 

[MossRoad]

I need to add a point here, I have lower back pain and the doctors have said I will have to live with it for the rest of my life. I would guess that would depend on how long I live and what new procedures come out before I die. But anyway, my lower back pain was severely aggravated by my blood pressure medicine, Avapro. It was just amazing how such a little pill could cause the lower back pain that it did.

I used to have extreme back problems that would take me down for two days at a poke. They would happen for no reason I could think of. I'd be walking in the halls at school, or up the stairs and WHAM! Down I'd go. My mom thought I was using it as an excuse to skip high school until I was headed across the street one evening to a beer party and WHAM! down I went in the yard. She finally believed me. Anyhow, the problems persisted. About 10 years ago, my doctors said I would have to live with it. They said I was getting nerves pinched between my cartilage and bones and about the only way to cure it is surgery, which has its own set of risks and downfalls. They said I would know when I wanted the surgery(meaning the pain would be unbearable). That's when I finally found a therapist that showed me the proper exercises to strengthen my core without loading my back. I still have pain occasionally, but have learned to recognize when I am over doing it or slacking off on my exercises. The change in my quality of life has been outstanding.

I am in no way saying your doctors are incorrect. Just suggesting you make sure you have asked them if you are capable of exercising to strengthen your core muscles. Just because it helped me does not mean it will help you. And when someone says they have back trouble you can be pretty sure no two cases are identical and each case is unique. So, I wish you well and hope you find a way to manage the pain. I know my back pain was no joy. :laughing: