Just Plain OW!!

Was putting my son in the bath tub last night and threw my back out. Holy mother of god that hurt.. can't bend over, can barely walk.. spent 15 minutes this AM trying to figure out how I was going to "go".. Had to tell the boss that I needed to work from home today.. *sigh*.. this sucks.

Hope no one has to do go through this. All I can say is after I'm healed up, I'm going to put some excercise routines together to strengthen my stomach and my back again. I used to be in really good shape. Time to get back there again.

 

Back prob`s are absolutely no fun. Good luck with it and don`t hesitate to call the doc, Believe me I know. I missed 6 weeks of work twice but the doc and the chiropracter put me right, along with the lil goodies from the pharmacy. It`s been 7 years since the last time so I guess they knew what they were doing. Again...good luck and hope you`re better soon.

 

Yeah. The doc is a must at this point.

I know a guy that did not see the doc for the original injury and has currently been off work for a year!

Sooner is better when it comes to your back! Get well soon!

 

Yeah...after the last year and a half off work and two back surgeries...I would definately go see a chiropractor atleast!!!!

Unfortunately for back injury people...you'll find that morning is the absolute worst time!!!! You would think that laying there resting all night would help it...but...instead it gets stiff!!!! The lower back area is NOT very fluid in the blood flow...so therefore when you don't move, no blood gets to the area muscles and it gets stiff!! Ofcourse...if you can't move...you can't move!! If you would like I could explain to you some stretches that you do in the morning a soon as you get up (I do them in bed before I even get up!!) and it helps get things ready to move!!

Whatever you do...DON NOT take muscle relaxers!! It will only cause possible more problems if it is indeed related to the spine!! If it is spine and not muscle (which going to the doctor will better determine)...then taking the muscle relaxers will cause the muscles, in the area of the problem, to not support the spine, which in turn, will possibly cause more problems!! Odds are you just need an Anti-inflammatory (Ibuprofen, Aleve, Celebrex, etc. ) and if it is bad enough then the doc might actually give you some candy (if you know what I mean)!!

But anyway...if you want some pointers on stretches, that my therapist taught me...then let me know!!!!

Roger

 

I sprung mine back in April. Ice works for me (20 mins at a time), and back in shape is not fun to accomplish.

At least you can work from home....

 

Yeah, back pains, is something I'm also very familiar with. It's usually not heavy weights that do the injury, because you're normally braced for them. It's usually when you're busy and not thinking about things, and you just happen to twist or pull the wrong way at the wrong time.

If it's a sciatic nerve that's pulled, it can be really devastatingly painful and takes a while to heal. I agree with seeing the Doc. A.S.A.P.

Hope you heal up soon, Jim.

 

If you do this...you are supposed to do Ice for 20 mins and then heat for 20 mins!! this helps loosen the muscles to relieve stiffness!!

Roger

 

Damn Kodo...I feel your pain. (I'm in flare up mode myself so we can suffer together) As you know I am permanently disabled due to back/neck problems and used to work in a Dr.'s office that specialized in the treatment of back injuries so hope the below info helps.

- Go to the Dr's so they can do any x-ray and determine what exactly is going on there. Some herniations won't show up in a standard x-ray so you may need to have and MRI or CAT scan done. It is imperative to your future heath that you get this diagnosed so you can follow the best course of treatment to heal properly.

- The first 24 - 48 hours after an injury such as yours you should apply ice-packs...20 minutes on, 20 minutes off in order to help reduce swelling. After the 24 - 48 hour period start using heat packs in the same manner.

- Take an anti-inflammatory such as motrin to help with pain AND swelling if you can take it without difficulty re: you're not allergic like I am and end up in the hospital ER

- Low doses of things like muscle relaxers and xanax, both for short term use are very beneficial in helping to relax the muscles that in most cases are preventing the subluxation/herniation from returning to a natural state. If the muscles don't relax even chiropractic manipulation can be a waste of time as the rigidity causes the subluxation to move back into a painful state or, like me, the rigidity will result in the chiropractor not being able to manipulate my spine at all cuz the muscles have locked everything up. No fun at all, and drastically extends the period of time it takes for me to recover from a flare up. When I get locked up like that I usually have to take flexaril or xanax for 3 days (sometimes a week) before things loosen up enough for the Dr. to be able to adjust me. I truly hope you never reach that point....you're a lot younger than I am!

- If it's sciatica (L5/S1 range herniation) they tend to take the longest to recover from and as you already said...you need to strengthen your back and abdominal muscles. There are various stretches and exercises that can be done to help your injury heal and prevent it from happening again but it's a case by case basis. What may work for one won't necessarily work for the next so don't do any stretches/exercises unless your Dr/therapist/chiropractor specifically states it would be ok for you and your particular injury. Additionally, they usually (depending on the location and severity of the injury) recommend you not try to do any form of stretching for at least a week while swelling is reduced and healing gets under way.

I wish you the best of luck and really hope this is just a one time deal for you.

 

I'm doing ice pack 20 on 20 off (put it back in the freezer then). I stretch a bit and VERY slowly every hour. Tried to make an appt today to see the doc, but their phone was busy for hours.. so I'll try to get in tomorrow.

Thanks for the tips I'm just taking it easy.. even sitting hurts.

 

Oiy...I feel so bad for you. If you are doing 'cat' stretches that shouldn't make anything worse and might give you some relief but if you are doing twisting at the waist stretches (side to side or bending to the side) you could actually make it worse even if it might feel ok at the time. Please be careful Jim. *hugs*

 

Sorry to hear you are in pain Kodo. I did something similar last week, only it was in the zuchinni patch and I really hurt my tailbone. Once before I visited the doc after such a problem and he actually made it worse, bending an stretching my legs with no real knowledge of chirpractics. Go to a back specialist if you go to anyone at all. Keep taking anti-inflammatory pain meds, like ibuprofen. That will help reduce muscle spasms which cause the pain. Also keep as mobile as you can. It is a myth that you are best lying down for a bad back. You will just seize up more.

Hope you feel better soon buddy

 

Both my chiropractor and my doctor have said that you should NEVER put heat on a new injury. If after a few days it's still bothering you, then maybe a heating pad (15 minutes on, 45 minutes off). Going directly from cold to heat like you suggest will actually damage the muscle more, since it's taking it to extremes.

 

Probably should have made that more clear, huh!! Woops, my bad!!

I didn't mean, straight from one to the other!! Like you said Sgt....about an hour in between!!

I have also heard mixed emotions on that from many different doctors, but that seems to be what they all tell my wife at work!! (she works at an orthopedic clinic)

And like Lev said...keep the Anti-inflammatories in your system!! If you let the time lapse too long, it takes about 2 hours for the meds to effectively get routed back into your system!!

Roger

 

Actually, what I said was to use the heat for 15 minutes and leave it off for 45 minutes before putting heat back on. I would NEVER recommend going from heat to cold with less than about four hours between them. Actually, I would never recommend going from heat to cold at all.

 

I am so sorry to hear this happened to you. I have never experienced this and never want to by what I have read.
You take care. Get to a doctor and listen to what you are told to do.http://www.ageekiam.com/images/smilies/biggrin.gif

Gal

 

This is gonna get a lot of people upset, but DON'T LET THEM TAKE YOU TO A CHIROPRACTOR!

See a Doc, and a Physiotherapist.

Disclaimer: Above advice based on personal experience only. Take it or leave it.

 

I've heard it both ways. Probably the best thing is to check out the chiropractor before you go to them. A chiropractor saved my Dad's life (and I suppose mine as well since it was before I was born ) He had dove into a lake and didn't realize it wasn't as deep as the last time he'd been there. He broke his neck. The priest came and gave him last rites and everything. Mom says a chiropractor on staff at the hospital came in to see him and said, "I hope I don't get in trouble for doing this, but..." and popped something back into place in my Dad's neck. He lived and along came my brother and I. I'm pretty grateful. A chiropractor that I've seen was also very helpful. She did a lot of physical therapy along with chiropractic manipulation. Did wonders for my back. When I feel it start to get goofy again, I do the stretches and exercises that she recommended and I'm back to myself in no time.

But, like I said, I've heard horror stories too...

Hope you're feeling better soon Kodo!

 

Kodo, I am feeling a little guilty right now. I have been poking a little fun at you now and again so now I feel bad about it.

Just so you know, I was just kidding. I sincerely do hope you feel better and "up to snuff" again real soon. Heal quick!

 

Feeling much better today. It's still hard to get up and sit down. I have about 15 more degree's of bend than yesterday but I'm not pushing it. 20 on and 20 off with ice.. here I come

Gonna work from home again today.. thank god for technology

 

The most minor of things can cause significant back problems. Don't push it, Kodo; take it easy for a few days. Seen a doctor yet?

Glas your feeling a little better. http://forums.majorgeeks.com/images/smilies/smile.gif

 

Not pushing it at all. Going nice and slow..
Dr's appt on thurdsay morning.

 

Bah! I SAY WORK OUT! RUN AS FAST AS YOU CAN, DO SITUPS! DO SLAVE LABOUR FOR EGYPTS PHAROAS!!!!!!

 

of all the silly things..

I was laying on the floor stretching my back out and my son came and jumped on me.. and I felt my back crack.. and it was like euphoria.. not all the pain is gone, but it feels crap loads better than it did earlier!! My son.. the 2 year old chiropractor..

 

Awesome!! You'd better start saving for his formal training so he can get certified now

Glad you are feeling somewhat more comfortable Kodo

 

LoL! Since you threw your back out helping him, it's only right that he came fixed back up for ya.

I'd still get the Doc to do another set of x-rays to make sure everything is okay. Good news, anyway, Kodosan!

 

Sometimes things I read just make me laugh, and this made me laugh. I bet you had the look of fear on your face as he launched himself at you.

 

Glad you are feeling better Kodo, back probs suck.


Did you get to do any of these suggestions?

"Bah! I SAY WORK OUT! RUN AS FAST AS YOU CAN, DO SITUPS! DO SLAVE LABOUR FOR EGYPTS PHAROAS!!!!!!"

Ya never know...

 

My God.. you have no idea.. All I could think of was
1. Dropping him
2. My back getting worse.

In that order.

@lostkiwi:
No, haven't tried THAT idea yet.

 

Well just take it easy anyway for the next few days, I always start feeling better and over do it and end up right where I started.
I like the back exercises I have been doing, comes from going to physical therapy with my son, they gave me a lot of tips.

 

they should make tubs that raise and lower like those chairs on tv..lol

 

Still feeling better today Jim?

Have you tried sitting on a ball ? That's what I do when I'm flared up and it really helps b/c it usually hurts to sit at all when things are aggravated. What's great about them is it forces you to sit up straight or you'll fall off...yes, I did fall off once when I had the flu LOL

You can even get a Balance Ball Chair now so you don't have to worry about the ball rolling.

 

Feeling tons better. Still pretty sore and I don't quite of 100% mobility but it's leaps and bounds better than the previous days.

 

Sure hope your back is getting better. Sometimes, tincture of time is all that helps (unless your 2 y.o. jumps ya).

Is it getting you out of any of your household chores? Play it to the max.

Tell all your friends and buddies that you were injured in the war. The boudoir.

he he.

 

Glad to hear you are feeling a little better!

 

Glad to hear the back is coming around (as it appears)!!

What did the Doc have to say!!??

Roger

 

I've got a back problem of some sort, I've had it for a few years now and I've had x-rays, it's like some curvature of the spine or something like that. But it hurts like hell. Makes it really hard for sitting in front of the computer for a long time (Part of the problem is the crappy chair I sit on).

I hope your back turns good. And stays good.

 

I thought you were going to say "I heard my back crack and now I have a broken vertebra."

LOL I can hear you now "My son, the Doctor"

 

I've been having back problems all week - stupid camping beds that don't support you AT ALL.... my neck was killing my yesterday, after some ibuprofen its a little better, and my step dad cracked it like hell yesterday. It was like jumping on a pile of soda cans!

I've got a slightly wonkey back anyway, which gets very painful from time to time, and its nasty. I feel for ya Jim. Combined with a frozen nerve in my palm thats the worst back pain I've ever had.

Keep safe mate!

 

What mr Pewty said