Back problems anyone?

[T Bone]

Sounds real stupid but this last Saturday I sneezed and something popped in my back. I have been a crippled man ever since. I can hardly straighten out and pull the shoulders back. I occasionally get a blazing pain that shoots to my toes that just about drops me. I've been on a steady diet of ibuprofen and been spending time in the jacuzzi. The ibuprofen improves things for a few hours at a time, but it doesn't seem to be healing.

I've always thought chiropractors are quacks, but I'm about to try it. It's been 5 days, I need to get on with life.

Anyone have suggestions?

 

[noharleyyet]

Sounds like you might've pinched a sciatic nerve. You have any L4 or L5 disc problems..that you know of?

 

[KyJoe]

T Bone I feel your pain. I am going in tomorrow for a operation on my spine. It was my chiropractor, not the doctors that found the problem, and then got me to the right doctor that I hope will fix the problem.

 

[wyomuledeer]

I broke my back about five years age. Since then I have popped it out twice. Once by sneezing and just the other weekend by lifting an empty cooler. Both times dropped me to my knees. I just took it easy for about a week and it was fine.

 

[Nealz]

Back problems?! Brother, this site doesn't have enough bandwidth to list 'em all. About 5 years ago, I herniated (sp. ?) 2 disks in my lower back doing stupid home improvement stuff. My doc, who is an avid backpacker, put me on stringent regime of physical therapy and back stretches and exercise. I feel great today and hunt and hike smarter, and better, than in my youth. I suspect like a lot of guys, including me, you may be reluctant to go whining to the doc about stuff... but it sure helped me. Yeah, Advil is a 'band-aid' in the short run but it sounds like you want a long term solution. Take care!

 

[Oak]

I suggest giving a chiropractor a try.

 

[shoots-straight]

I sneezed while standing on a saw horse, framing in the walls of a basement. Dropped the framing nailer, fell to the concrete floor and laid there for about a hr. I was able to take my apron off, crawel up the stairs and out to my scaffolding where I maneuvered up and hung up-side-down. It took the pressure of the disk, I hurt. I continued to do this and back exercises for a long time.. It eventually went back in. I now can feel when she's fixing to go out and make sure my posture is good. I also recommend taking glucosamine, helps a bunch. Back quacks will get you under a knife sooner.

 

[Ridge Runner]

Try getting a deep tissue massage. Lots of time what happens is that it is a muscle contraction around the nerve like NHY said. I have been plagued with back problems from working construction. Most people will run to the chiropractor everytime when most of the time it is just the muscle. I swear by the massage and some naproxen. Relief the muscle strain first then if you are still having problems maybe then the chiro. Never liked the bone crackers myself.

 

[A-con]

Bad chiropractors are quacks, good chiropractors are miracle workers that can find and fix problems that baffle regular medical Doctors.
Ask around, get some recommendations and find a good one, the sooner the better.
If ya happen to be near Fresno..........

P.S. according to my chiropractor, coughing and sneezing causes more back problems then everything else combined.



.

 

[Buschy]

T-Bone,

I have to agree with Oak, find a good chiropractor and give it a try. I didn't think much of them either until I was in a position similar to yours. I have needed them twice in my life and both times they were "miracle workers" as A-Con stated! Just my two cents.

 

[T Bone]

Well, thanks for the responses. The hurt is higher than the L vertebrae, just right below the bottom of the shoulder blades. I'll give in and try a chiropractor.

 

[Buschy]

T-Bone,

I hope it works well for you. Let us know if you get some relief.

 

[elk_hunter]

Ditto on the chiro comments...I recommend it, especially when you get a good one.

 

[DRAFTSTUD]

I have to go along with Ridge Runner on the Massage. I don't know if this will help, but it did lift my spirits. Hope you feel better soon. John
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=156622472787313429

 

[fowladdict]

Good Grief Draftstud...you are going to get me fired from my job!

 

[Silent But Deadly]

Sent you a PM. Your chiropractor probably told you that you need an adjustment and months worth of regular follow up treatments. Most of them will tell you this if you come in with a hang nail. If it was me, I would make an appointment with a spine surgeon. Surgery is only one part of their practice. Generally speaking, these guys are eons above chiropractors on diagnosing and treating back problems with methods other than surgery. You might only need one appointment with one of these guys to set you on track on how to take care of the problem. This would be much cheaper and less time consuming than 10 chiropractic adjustments which a surgeon would probably not recommend to you as part of your treatment. It would give you a much better peace of mind to go straight to the person that knows the most too.

 

[drahthaar]

Sent you a PM. Your chiropractor probably told you that you need an adjustment and months worth of regular follow up treatments. Most of them will tell you this if you come in with a hang nail. If it was me, I would make an appointment with a spine surgeon. Surgery is only one part of their practice. Generally speaking, these guys are eons above chiropractors on diagnosing and treating back problems with methods other than surgery. You might only need one appointment with one of these guys to set you on track on how to take care of the problem. This would be much cheaper and less time consuming than 10 chiropractic adjustments which a surgeon would probably not recommend to you as part of your treatment. It would give you a much better peace of mind to go straight to the person that knows the most too.

That there is the most hilarious thing I have read all day.

 

[Horn Seeker]

T,
I have been fighting back probs since I was a teenager... absolutely sucks... But.. I've kept it together.

The instant you feel that "pop" or you get a "tweak".. .get somewhere to lay down flat and put ice on it.. keep icing it off and on for a day or two and pump the Ibuprofen...

As around a bit about the local Chiro's... there are some quacks... but I dont think as many as there used to be. The Chiro's I've used dont try to sell monthly adjustments... they use massage and gentle tweaking to relieve tension and let stuff get in alignment.. then they say, dont call me back unless you are hurting again...

Good Luck Man..

Ice, Ice, Ice

 

[Silent But Deadly]

Good call on the ice. I had some achilles tendon issues that dragged on for almost a year. I then decided tor try to ice them; it took care of the problem in a matter of weeks. From now on, if I get unknown pain in muscles and joints, I try to apply ice after strenuos activity if I remember.

 

[DRAFTSTUD]

I try to apply ice after strenuos activity if I remember.

Me too, It helps shrink it back to a manageable size. John