Back Pain

[REV2XHEART]

Today I was helping a buddy move some things. I grabbed on to something not to pick up but to kind of drag over. I instantly felt a twitch in my lower back that I have never felt before. I stopped doing anything for the rest of the day and was in some pretty decent pain. As of right now the pain is damn near unbearable when I move certain ways. Has me thinking I will never be able to dig out another snowmobile again and I am only 31! Tylenol and ibuprofen does not appear to be helping at all.

 

[Highfly]

When I say I feel your pain, I really do. I am a long time back pain sufferer. My doctor has given me strict orders NOT to do any heavy lifting. My disks are degenerative meaning wore down, I have an old bulging disk injury that has grown over and my facet joints are messed up. I am going to beone messed up old bugger.
I have tried pain medicine and for me is a joke, it doesn’twork. My Dad has some good pain killers (prescription AND a narcotic) that I have tried but don’t enjoy being half stoned. You do get a wicked night’s sleephowever and sometimes, a lot of times you really need it.
Most people have no clue what back pain is like until they have experienced it. Welcome to the family J. It sucks. Your body goes into “guard” mode without you realizing it. It’s you body’s way of trying to protect its self. It makes you use other muscles you don’t normally use so you give the others injured a rest. Hence the walking funny and getting up crooked.
I will say listen to your body. It is trying to tell you something. I’ll guess 95% of people have weak backs. It’s a part of your body everyone takes for granted but does nothing to protect it or keep it healthy. Stretching and exercising is key. Your abs play a huge role in supporting your back. Since I started running I have had very little back pain. One would think it would get pounded to crap but when you run you tighten your core and while very mildly you are tightening and working out your abs.
When I “tweak” my back it takes me at least a month to get back the way I was. Sometimes longer and life is hell for that period of time especially when you’re so messed up you can’t get comfortable when sleeping.
Sometimes it doesn’t take much. I’ve messed myself up moving an empty wicker laundry basket. The sliding to move something will get you everytime as well.
Rest up my friend. You might want to go see a Doctor. I don’tusually bother as they can’t do much other than prescribe drugs and that isn’tmy cup of tea.

 

[DaveB]

What Highfly said. Welcome to hell....'er the club I mean. I go through a "tweek" about once a year now. The last one hit me so hard I was on the floor and wondering how I was going to get to the can without pissing myself. Took about a week to get mobile, and a month to get 95%. You never get 100% now that you're in the club.

Robax Platinum....take 3 or 4. If that doesn't work, take 4 with a shot of vodka. Seriously. Those of us long time back sufferers know not to mess around with low doses.

Go to the gym. I'm not a runner and I'm not svelt...in any way. But I work out pretty regular. Keeping active and working the abs (yes I have them, they are just burried under a few gallons of Kokanee) really helps.

 

[DRD]

I've found accupuncture to work, might be the placebo thing though.

 

[X-it]

If you pulled some back muscles it is no big deal, lay flat on your back for 3 days and don't move muscle... 4th day get up it will feel terrible but by the end of the day your cured. Lay flat on your back lift your leg up if the pain is great it is your back muscles

 

[northern bear]

Yup not a fun club to be a part of. Brought a cr250 over backwards at about 50mph 6 years ago. Busted my tail bone and messed up lower back quite bad. Took most of a year for it to start feeling normal. You just learn to deal with it as there's usually nothing one can do about it. Pain pills work sometimes but only to take the edge off, and that's only cause you overdosed yourself. I find it's the simple things that aggravate it now. Sleeping on my stomach is the worst. Sneezing, hitting a bad bump on the highway, even taking a dump and straining a bit to hard. Strangely enough though a good day of hard work seems to work it out and it feels better. Good luck, hopefully it's just some muscle pain and temporary.

 

[TROLLCAT]

a chiropactor (spellin) used to fix me not so much anymore like DaveB said stay ahead of the pain

going for a MRI in sept and hoping there is a fix so I guy can at least move without the fear of pain

the chiropractor did wonders for me for along time good luck

 

[Trax 2 Treadz]

Go and see a reputable crackopractor they are miracle workers!!! I love mine!!! Talk to buck50 on here he is one and maybe able to point you in the right direction. He was able to refer me to a good one down here.

Good luck back pain sucks!! Like a few above have mentioned work on your abs. Massage will help too but again you have to get a good one not someone who will give you a glorified back rub!

Jan

 

[moyiesledhead]

I'd think about a hundred times about listening to Willy....then I'd ignore him!

Chiropractor is the only thing that worked for me.....and I tried it all. To try avoiding it happening again I wear a back support whenever I might be doing something that could tweak it again, especially working semi static on a concrete floor.

Welcome to the club. You won't enjoy it!

 

[Toyboy]

the muscles hold yer spine u need to make them stronger . chiro just want u to keep comming back and back ... there is a reason why a chiropracter wants u to sign there little piece of paper , cuz they can wreck u for life ... so i would think twice about those scammers

Any good chiro will tell you that if they can't fix you in three appointments they can't fix you. A massage first helps so that sometimes one is all that is needed. I have beeen going to bone crackers for years and even now it is a once a year thing when i tweak it really good. Otherwise just like Dave B said robax platinum and a shot of whiskey to kick it up a knotch and then i lay flat on my back and relax with a beverage until it loosens up. Then i roll around until i get it to click back to where it belongs.

Messed up three in my neck and three in my lower back and i am kinda like gumby now. My spine is way more flexible than it should be so it goes in and out easily.

TB

 

[REV2XHEART]

Yeah I think it depends on the quality of the Chiro you go to. I went to one today just someone I found online and that would take me. He stuck some pads on my back that vibrated for 10 minutes then said I need an x ray and I need to come see him twice a week for the next 4 weeks to get the 10 minute vibrator thing done. 15 minutes cost my 90 bucks. The only impression I got from him is that he wants my money or my insurances money which I don't think I have the best plan when it comes to this stuff.

I didn't go get the x ray I went and got a massage that seems to have helped. I am going to take it easy and maybe go for another massage. If I am still messed up next week there is another Chiro I will try.

I blame myself for this I usually go to the gym but after getting laid off a few weeks back I have just been a lazy SOB.

Good to know I am in a large club!

 

[Cyle]

Guess i'm lucky. Quite a few years back I tweaked mine really bad put me in bed for 1 day. Every now and again it hurts, sometimes more then others but most days it's fine. The only bad thing is sometimes sitting for a while it will ache like a SOB, have a tough time sitting to long a lot of times. But i'm a lot smarter about it now. No more stupid lifting or anything like that. Taking it easy and being smart should help wonders i'd think.

 

[Highfly]

This is the way I look at Chiro vs. Physio

Chiropractors crack your joints to reset the position and italso resets the muscle. Go enough times and the muscle will let go and eventuallyeverything falls back (no pun intended) into place. UNLESS you have back damageto disks. They will realign you but they do nothing to keep you in line and pain free.

Pysio works on getting any swelling gone by using heat andice to increase blood flow to the area then they work on the muscles to keepyou in line by making you strong and from it happening again. I have had somemanipulating done at physio.

I have had acupuncture. If I am not mistaken there are twotypes of acupuncture. One they poke you in the foot to relieve your head ache…..not so sure about that kind. The other is they work directly on the area youneed help in. That’s the kind I’ve had. I believe it works by the needle makes themuscle contract while its being poked. Once done the muscle releases and relaxes.

If you like pain you can go to A.R.T. Active Release Techniques.These guys will make a grown man cry…. I’m serious. While I didn’t cry I wantedto. A good explanation here… http://www.activerelease.com/ watchthe video clip.


And something new out is M.A.T Muscle Activation Therapy.

This is so new it’s not covered yet by health care. Again Ihave had it. If you want your body to perform you need every muscle firing inyour body and working as a team. I’ve never felt stronger after this therapy.

With most therapy’s you get out of it what you put into it.Do your exercises and Stretching.

EDIT....For some reason when I post on this site it puts some words together???? Eg. eventuallyeverything (see above). Not sure why it is doing this....

 

[X-it]

I have crawled out of the bush for 1k with a broken back, man i can't believe the chiropractor could not determine what type of injury you have.

 

[TROLLCAT]

about a 18 months ago I smashed my finger nail off with a hammer and my back didn't hurt for about a week I wouldn't recomend doing this

just sayin

 

[SledMamma]

OH CHRIS!! As someone said "welcome to hell"!! Actually, if you have never experienced anything like this in your life, there is hope for you. But be smart and listen to exactly what I say. (Now, we've met... so you know that I am at least 50% credible, no??? ). I will start by telling you that I have had back pain since high school- I have a scoliosis of my spine which makes one side of me about an inch shorter than the other. When you are rather tall, like me... this is the beginning of trouble. At 21 I hit a moose and it totally messed my neck, right shoulder and scapula because she kicked the ch!t out of my upper body and face with her feet as she lay dying on top of me. Shortly after was my first trip to the chiropractor, and I distinctly remember crying. 3 years later my quad came over backwards on me and crushed me on top of a large and very sharp rock. Pelvis cracked... So that pretty much takes care of my upper, middle and lower back.

The things I have found that work:


1) ICE: I know the thought sounds revolting, but the results are surprising and reducing the inflammation is really important.
2) Ibuprofen- acts as a pain killer and facilitates healthy blood flow to the area by reducing inflammation.
3) Active Rest (laying on the couch or a chair sometimes leads to MORE pain than getting active or going snowmobiling). I have found that in general, my back is going to hurt whether I lay on the couch or go snowmobiling, so I might as well go!!!.
4) Regular stretching is SUPER important.
5) When it is really bad, a GOOD chiropractor is important for realignment (I don't think you found a good CHIRO)
6) Myofascial release therapy: yup... it hurts. It helps your muscles that are holding your back tense and in poor alignment to let go.
7) Remember that these muscles got this way over time and getting them to release and let your body return to healthy alignment also takes time.

Last year after we moved to BC and I packed up the entire house by myself, my back got really CRAZY bad (because Jer was away making coin to fund the trek over the Rockies!) . After the move I went to the chiropractor 19 times in 4 weeks and the massage therapist a few times. The usual stuff was not helping. I was totally desperate: I am pretty active, in good shape and very diligent when it comes to my back and still I was getting no results... Emilie Mooreshead pointed me to a book called "PAIN FREE" by Peter Egoscue. The book was revolutionary and my back has not been this good in 15 years. His rationale makes perfect sense, (although I think he makes a few leaps that are a bit over-reaching) and the exercises he prescribes are super easy and super effective.

Treat this warning that your back is giving you seriously and fix it now before it becomes a real chronic problem! Good luck

 

[catinthehat]

And the decline into old age begins. lol Welcome to a rapidly growing club. As stated repeatedly a "good" chiro can work wonders, and not necessarily by manipulation or bone cracking either. Ask about alternate methods of treatment. Lately I have found going to massage therapy helps more and lasts longer than chiro. Good luck with whatever you do decide.

 

[sumx54]

What Highfly said. Welcome to hell....'er the club I mean. I go through a "tweek" about once a year now. The last one hit me so hard I was on the floor and wondering how I was going to get to the can without pissing myself. Took about a week to get mobile, and a month to get 95%. You never get 100% now that you're in the club.

Robax Platinum....take 3 or 4. If that doesn't work, take 4 with a shot of vodka. Seriously. Those of us long time back sufferers know not to mess around with low doses.

Go to the gym. I'm not a runner and I'm not svelt...in any way. But I work out pretty regular. Keeping active and working the abs (yes I have them, they are just burried under a few gallons of Kokanee) really helps.

What he said..... Go to the gym, stay active. I have broke my back. 4 lumbar vertebrae. Crushed two and compression fractured 2. I wrote a novel on back pain. Just don't get lazy and favor the important muscles. Work it, it's a good pain. I'm good to go now.... I think ?

 

[kbrunlees]

Find out what you have first!!!!!! Do the wrong thing and you are screwed for life, I found out that I have a bulged disk that tweeks every once in a blue moon and you swear to god that you have been shot. I was taking pain killers and muscle relaxants for a week and I wasn't getting better. Wife convinced me to see a Physio and they figured out in minutes what the problem is. They gave me some stretching exercises to do when I feel it coming and I am as right as rain the next day. The doctor did admit that back injuries are tough to figure out ( that is why they practise medicine). I wouldn't want a chiro looking at a muscle problem or a physio at a bone misalignment.

 

[Bullseye]

After wrenching my back a few years back....my lower back is always sore. I agree with most everyone here....my Chiro...said exercise and ice are very important. He also said to start the day by .....raising my knees to my chest (or as close as possable) and hold for 10 seconds before I get out of bed each morning. Change and do other leg. Do this 10 times for each leg. I guess it helps loosen the muscles in your lower back. He also said the strong your core(abs) are.....the better your back will be !!

I really don't help myself out to much......I fell out of a tree while camping two weeks ago. Trying to get the kite out the tree for the kids and branch broke and I fell about 8-10 ft on to rocks. Knocked the wind out of me pretty good.....layed there hoping I didn't break anything....but boy my upper and lower back ache now !! So been going to the Chrio and massage since then....sure helps !!!
Man, I can't believe I am getting old !!!! LOL