Back pain...

[Bird]

I'll be taking my wife to a 10 a.m. appointment at the surgery center this morning where they'll put her to sleep and do three injections in her spine to hopefully relieve her back pain for another 6 months or so, as I mentioned in post #7 of this thread.

Last week, I started waking up in the morning with some back pain. After about 3 mornings of that, I lowered my Select Comfort sleep number bed from 75 to 65 and no more problem.

 

[timster2]

I finally sought a surgeon when I couldn't walk. Chiropractors helped but did stop the progression of a herniated disk. The surgeon did a lumbar laminectomy which relieved pressure on my spinal cord. A few days later I was walking again. The surgeon said the longer you put off the surgery the less effective it will be. If you wait you loose even more.

I was good for a few years, however, the pain is coming back. I can sit and work no problem just can't stand or walk any distance. A walk to the mail box a hundred yards or so round trip requires ten minutes or so of sitting time for the back to calm down. I think its time to see the surgeon again.

When I was young and indestructible I did a lot of heavy lifting as a heavy equipment mechanic. I'm paying for it now. If it wasn't for pain killers I would be totally useless.

 

[Western]

With the Stenosis, i can usually sit down for a minute and that does it for a while. When a nerve gets "pinched", that seems to last 1-3 days, sitting helps, but I have to find the right angle even then.

I have used the stretcher and they do work very well, usually last me a week or 2. The PT at the Surgeons office does it much better, than I have myself using a lesser quality machine, I haven't tried the "hanging one.

Bird. hope things go as planned. I was given that option (injections) for the "next step", but I 'd rather do as you did and just have to release some air:laughing:

 

[dmccarty]

A year or two back I was standing around waiting for a meeting listening a couple of old guys talk about their bad backs. Better to be an old guy with a bad back than a young guy with a bad back.

One guy was talking about a doctor visit about his back. He did not want to do the surgery and the Doc said that was fine and to come back for the procedure when he could not longer handle the pain.

Which is what the guy did. I think the advice was good advice.

A neighbor had back surgery last year. Danged near killed him with an infection. As it was, he lost a kidney and was in the hospital and nursing home for almost a year. He finally got better enough to go home but then had another setback and went back to the hospital. The docs wanted him to go to a nursing home but his wife said no, he is going home where she could care for him.

Sad thing is that both he and his wife just got married in the last five years or so after dealing with long illnesses of their previous spouses.

Later,
Dan

 

[Depmandog]

Back pain. I have had back problems since 1985. Lifted a transmission off the ground from an oil distributor truck - playing he-man. Felt something squeeze in my lower back. Issues started shortly thereafter.

Used to be the chiro could fix me up when I had a flare up, but in 99, something popped, and I was is the worst pain of my life (sciatic) Took there months to finally get the operation. The surgeon removed a bone fragment that had imbedded in my sciatic when my disc herniated. For the next year, all was good. Pretty much babied my back - then wham - pain is back..although not quite as intense.

Went to a parade of specialist surgeons - no one would operate. Scar tissue. No one will operate on scar tissue - afraid of causing spinal meningitis.

Was referred to pain management. Since 2000, I have had 13 epidural injections, usually 3-4 at a time. I am on my second neurostimulator implant for pain control. Currently take two different narcotic pain meds including morphine. In addition to that, an anti depressant that has a pain relieving side effect and a muscle relaxer.

I am stiff as a board in the mornings, and it takes me a while to get going. If I can keep my pain level at a 5 on a ten scale - its a good day.

Still working, by the grace of God was able to secure a position where I work from home. I do have some travel, but the company bought me a full size truck - which is actually more comfortable than any chair I have at home. Some days I just can't go, but my work is flexible - and if I am laid up in the morning, I make up the time at night.

It could be worse...and fully expect it to get that way as part of my problems are degenerative. But this is the hand that I was dealt, so I am just going with it.

The message - take care of you back - oh you don't know how many times I have thought - if I hadn't picked up that transmission...

 

[foggy1111]

^ Ouch! Hang in there.

My back story is somewhat similar....but I lifted tree stumps. Seems I felt I was bullet proof in my youth. It may only take one incident to hang with you for a long time.

I had surgery a year and a half ago. Instant relief from what was debilitating pain over a 4 month period. I lost some feeling in my thigh....but have little complaints. The surgery was a big success for me. Seems a good surgeon has so much more info going into surgery these days with all the images and such.

Lately my back pain is what wakes me up each morning. Feels like the muscles get tense. I need to get into my back exercise routine again.

I back away from the heavy lifting these days.

 

[dmccarty]

...

The message - take care of you back - oh you don't know how many times I have thought - if I hadn't picked up that transmission...

+1000000000000000000000000000000000000000 :thumbsup:

At least your trouble started with a Tranny! Real Man Lifting!

<Insert Tim the Toolman> Ho Ho Ho<\Insert Tim the Toolman>



I messed up my back TILING a bathroom.

I too thought I was bullet proof.....

Later,
Dan

 

[Lloyd_E]

This does not look good for me...

Last October I tried to shinny a long further onto my loader forks.( I apologize if I posted this earlier in another thread...) I felt something "pop" in my lower back - right side - just above my butt. I fell over the log and slowly got up - pain was intense - like hitting your thumb but worse! I continued to work another 5-6 hours. Job needed to get done. Next morning ended up in emergency because I could barely move and we were supposed to drive to Boston that day. Started the drive, well medicated. Don't remember much of the trip down.

Returned home and sought help. Did physio for 5 sessions - nothing. Saw a sports medicine Dr. after I had x-rays. No slipped disc or fractures. Eased up a bit. The irony is that when I would start to work - like pile wood or split wood or move and build stuff - the pain would go away but as soon as I stopped the pain would come back. The pain has lessoned over the months, moved from my back down my leg and up again. I started to see an osteopath about two months ago - about 7 sessions. Things started to look good until she really twisted me two weeks ago. The pain is back differently and is lower in the back and down my leg 24/7. I am booked to see her tomorrow but we are going to have a little chat.

Of course I haven't stopped - continue to do stuff - things need to get down.
Everyone thinks it is a severely torn ligament. I can do certain things like twist sideways, tie my shoes, kneel and get up without pain...

So - those of you that have had torn ligaments and muscles tell me your story. What did you do to recover and how long.

Sorry for the ramble... can't do much...

 

[Western]

Lloyd, sounds very similar to what I experience. If I hurt on the left side, the left leg tingles or the toes even go numb, but the pain at the lower spine is intense. Same for the right.
I finally went to a spinal surgeon and he said (posted early in this thread somewhere) I have onset of early Stenosis, likely due to poor lifting habits or early damage such as you elude to. So far he has told me to deal with it best we can without surgery, best thing he has done so far is had the Physical Therapy dept put me on a "body/back " stretcher, that gives me immediate relief and last several weeks.

Next recommended is the "shots", as some of the posters here have mentioned then surgery, but as he said and (several guys here have had it), the surgery is procedures now are much better.

When those nerves get agitated, it can be a nightmare. I have had day's where I can only sit in one way, If I stand in one position for a while it starts. Strange thing is, if I stay moving and not in the same stance, i do quite well.

 

[dmccarty]

...
So - those of you that have had torn ligaments and muscles tell me your story. What did you do to recover and how long.

Sorry for the ramble... can't do much...

I have messed up my upper back twice, once tiling and then moving retaining wall blocks before I was completely healed. A traffic accident really messed up my neck.

With the first back injury I went to a sports medicine doctor who filled me up with drugs, Hydrocodone, muscle relaxer, and 800mg of Motrine I think. Seems like there was something else. It sorta took the pain away but I was a sleeping, drooling blob on the couch for a week. When my manager called and mentioned short term disability I got off the couch.

The wifey was nagging my to go to the bone cracker but I refused. The back slowly healed but I was in pain for months. Then I pushed too much with the retaining wall blocks. The pain was increasing, I did not want the meds so I went to the bone cracker....

After the car accident I went to the bone cracker and a MD. The MD said the bone cracker is what I needed....

What I learned though all of this is that inflammation causes pain. Pain causes more inflammation. Repeat. You have to stop the pain and/or inflammation to feel better and to heal. The bone cracker had me use ice packs every hour for seven minutes for as many hours a day as I could. It worked. He had me on Ibuprofen to help with pain and inflammation. I thought he was nuts when he sent me home with no treatment until he say the Xrays. Figured I was on heavy drugs last time and this guy wants me to use ice and headache pill?

It worked though! :thumbsup:

Because of the car accident, the wifey has had two shoulder surgeries. The Doc had her use one of the ice machines that you connect to your shoulder to run cold water to the site of the operation which help reduce pain and inflammation. Along with the heavy pain meds she was using Ibuprofen and Acetaminophen to help with pain and inflammation.

For us, the drugs, over the counter or prescribed, just bought time for the body to heal. Healing took months at best and a good year or so for some of our injuries. It is VERY hard if you have chores to do, to do nothing, or at least limit what you do physically. In the end that is what I had to do.

I pulled my ankle tendon as a teenager. That took years to fully heal. The ankle would be fine and then it would be injured again. It took years but it finally got better and is no longer a problem.

Hopefully the Doc can help you manage the pain to reduce inflammation to give you time to heal.

Later,
Dan