Backache

[bruce hylton]

Tried to post this once and hit a wrong button. I had something pop in my lower back sunday and it laid me low. Chiropractor was going over x-ray with me yesterday and said he had seen worse in an 80 year old man. I am almost 60. Spine looked s shape one way and straight the other and according to him both were wrong. With the exception of one disk, I have spur like growths closing off the nerve openings. That is form top to bottom. A couple places seem to look almost solid with no nerve openings. He wouldn't do too much because I had pain killer in me. I have never been to a chiropractor before and Don't know weather to trust him or not, but it is all I can afford as I have no insurance. Bone sructure does not look like anything in the books I have looked at. May have had a broken neck at one point and possibly my lower back also. He was worried that if I Tried an inversion table, I might not be able to get off it. Any thoughts beside doctors and operations? Many thanks

[Hoover]

I have a similar problem. My spine was injured years ago, and the discs were going into the nerve root, causing a pinched nerve. I lost feeling in the left leg, and the back pain was excruciating. I had surgery to repair the discs. That was in Feb 2008, and I still am having difficulties.

Hopefully your condition improves, but you need to have it looked at by an orthpeditic doctor.

[cabinetman]

I crunched some vertebrae in the lower back in the 70's during a delivery and installation. I was transported to the hospital, and received traction for almost 2 weeks. Always thought I'd get a hernia instead with all the heavy lifting I did. Back then the prescribed surgery didn't have a high success rate, so I opted for the alternative of doing nothing. When I do some activity that is a no no, I get a sharp pain in my side like a knife going in.

What relieves the discomfort is to lay on my side, bring my knee up and on a pillow. My right side is the bad side and I lay on the left side. If I rotate my shoulders to the right, and force my pelvis to the left (like twisting) the pain subsides. I have learned to sleep that way. It helps a lot.

I also periodically lay on my back with a utility belt around my hips. On the front of the belt, I attach a rope and directly in front of the bed is a door handle that I hang a pulley. I thread the rope through and tie on about 20lbs and let it hang about 6" from the floor. It pulls up and towards my feet, which takes the pressure off, and makes me good to go until the next time I throw it out.

It's difficult to remember, but twisting while lifting can be hazardous to your health. The motto for the day... squat instead of bend.
.

[MikeMcCoy]

I feel for you. I spent a little over a year in a wheel chair 20 plus years ago but luckily had successful surgery. I'm your age and did found out over time that chiropractors are a case where older isn't necessarily better. YMMV but I have found that the newer generation of chiropractors are much more up to date on procedures than are the older gents.

[scmhogg]

I had neck surgery five years ago for a ruptured disc. The surgeon said that the spurs had cut into the disc. I had a great result. Back to tennis in six weeks and NO problems since.

I have had little success with chiropractors. I agree with Loring's signature line.... "If your only tool is a hammer, you tend to treat all problems as if they were nails."

Steve

[cgallery]

Lots of good advice already, but I will add my own .02.

Back surgery should be avoided at all costs. Many of my friends looking for a quick fix have undergone several procedures, and still suffer from chronic pain. There was a great book written by two neurologists that urge people to avoid back surgery. Too many botched jobs, they said. For some there is no alternative, but I'd absolutely consult a neurologist before I let anyone cut on me.

There are many books that go over the fundamentals of your spine and what is going on. Read-up, and find some of the books that cover some of the exercises you can do.

Walk. Walk a lot. As much as you can stand.

Get on a regimen of naproxen sodium (Aleve). Take it long enough for the anti-inflammatory aspect to do its thing. Don't stop taking it right as you start to feel better, but take it another few days.

Possibly visit your physician for even stronger anti-inflammatories.

A physical therapist and/or personal trainer can be very helpful.

My chiropractor did nothing for by back. But she was a hot lesbian, and insurance was paying for it, so I felt there was no harm. OTOH, many of them will show you abnormalities on your x-ray. Well, everyone has abnormalities. A chiropractor isn't going to be able to do squat about spurs.

Just exercise as much as you can stand and be leery of quick fixes.

[Richard in Smithville]

I feel your pain Bruce. I'm just starting to get back to normal from a severe lumbar strain 12 weeks ago. Being a different type of back injury, I'm not really qualified to comment except that non-agressive exercise can't hurt. As long as you are not in pain from it of course. No need to make things worse. If you can, core training should help.

[bruce hylton]

Today is the end of a rough two weeks for me. The chiropractor is a little bit tenative and keeps explaning about getting sore after a session. I must say that I have felt better a couple times when I left his office. I am a quick study on some things, so I am figuring out what makes me hurt and what seems to help. This is not the first time I have been down with back problems, just the first time that I have not looked for medical doctor help. I am a little week in the walking department yet as I have been using crutches to get around. Lawnmower hurts, chair without back hurts, sneezing or coughing hurts, etc.. But I am gaining slowly but surely. Managed to get 3 hours of uninterrupted sleep last night. Hard to believe how good it felt. Lucky that my wife is able to handle most of the day to day operation of the business and allow me to take it easy. Thanks for the good words and thoughts. Bruce

[L. D. Jeffries]

Back Pain & Other Places

I can sure share your pain. Years ago I had have several sessions with disc problems. Spent several sessions in hospital. Then suddenly it cleared up and haven't had a problem since with the lower back. Last fall I suddenly had a session of severe pain in my neck that progressed to my whole head. Enough to make me actually cry until the pain pills took effect. Had an MRI with Doc telling me it was a spur hitting nerves in my neck. After some PT it went away. Haven't been bothered since, 6 mo's. But am keeping fingers crossed. It was several times worse than the old back problems!
Hang in there and maybe it will cure itself.

[Uncle Cracker]

I don't know about you, but I think if it were me, I'd go get checked out by an orthopedist (an MD, that is)...

[JR]

An orthopaedist will always try the drug, therapy, surgery route. A chiropractor will always try the adjust and massage route.

I've had good success with chiropractors for things which require an adjustment. It helps right now. OTOH, if the problem is spurs or bulging disks, an orthopod is the way to go.

FWIW, I'm going to a class at my gym focused on abs and stretching. It is helping my back a LOT. I had done crunches and back extensions in the past, but a really driven trainer can lead you to do more than you would on your own.

JR

[cgallery]

Another thing that helped me was short bursts of traction. I would hang from the monkey bars on the kid's swing set, and from joists in the basement, and I'd turn side-by side counters and desks into parallel bars and lift myself, dangling my legs.

I cannot reiterate that walking and other exercises can be the key. If walking hurts and the pain doesn't subside or increases, you need to get your arse into someone that can do an MRI on your back and find out what the underlying problem is.

[Uncle Cracker]

Another thing that helped me was short bursts of tension.

You mean like trying to talk to my ex-wife?

[Pappy]

I know people that swear by chiropractors. Personally, I don't like them. I have 2 bad discs in my back and 3 in my neck. Add arthritus to the mix and I have still had a couple of them tell me they could fix me up. So can low level traction, but it is temporary.

I had a disc removed in '87 and the 2 bad ones in the back are above and below that one. Next step is a fusion of 4 vertibre. That will happen when I can't walk without assistance. Until then it is naproxen, a GOOD mattress, targeted stretches when I am hurting, and always being careful when I lift.

[cgallery]

You mean like trying to talk to my ex-wife?

LOL. I meant traction.