Back pain

[colpol]

Car accident 25 years ago & compressed a bone in my back in a kind of whip lash injury. Generally I can go 18 months without any problem & then a lift or something stupid turns me into the hunchback of notredam

This morning - I jumped off a set of ladders & that's done it in. Feel as if whole back seized up. Had to do 2 hours as passenger in car earlier & had to get shoe horned out. On ibroprofen for both pain & anti inflammatory. Moving about seems to help but moving as if aged 25 years in 7 hours

Good thing is in 3/ 4 days I'll be fine for another 18 months ish

Anyone got any back pain remedys / similar situation which gets them through few days when stuff like this happens

[Zakalwe]

See your GP!

Whilst the majority of back pain will resolve itself with time (and back exercises usually help) your history and the fact the pain started with you jumping off a ladder means you ought to err on the side of caution.

[Abdullah71601]

I have four herniated disks. When they flair up I take four Alleve, wait two hours, then use my TENS unit. Works miracles.

You can't blast Alleve every day and still have working kidneys, but it knocks the pain down enough for the muscles to relax. The TENS unit does the rest.

[Audguy]

i had back problems the best thing for it was yoga i dont know if anyone has said this to you before but i highly recommend it.

[SearChart]

I'd use CBD oil to relieve some of the pain, not ibuprofen. My mother uses it to relieve her rheumatic pain in the back and hands, works like a charm and is not bad for you like ibuprofen.

[Abdullah71601]

Originally Posted by Audguy

i had back problems the best thing for it was yoga i dont know if anyone has said this to you before but i highly recommend it.

Anything that works your core hard is good for back pain. Strengthening the front helps the back.

[No.15]

I have a terrible back as well, multiple disk issues. i'll probably be in pain the rest of my life but here is what helps me.

Exercise and yoga, but this is preventative and won't help re injury.

otc painkillers/anti inflammatory ibuprofen and naproxyn sodium. I only take if I am real bad

As stated above Tens unit. I use mine all the time and it helps get the muscles relaxed and that is half the battle. It does not help nerve pain/weakness.

Don't forget to use ice. Ice can be great in certain situations and it is often overlooked.

Massage can sometimes help but it gets to expensive for me to do often.

good luck, I hope you get better.

[cop414]

TENS unit (I use the Icy Hot one) and OTC magnesium salicylate pills, used in conjunction with each other work absolute wonders for me.

** A shout to our own Rudd Van Driver who told me about the TENS machine, made what would have been 7-10 days of absolutely excruciating back pain into 2 days of very moderate discomfort, by day three I was pretty much 100%!** I can't recommend these enough. My chiropractor said that they "untie the knots" that most people try to muscle through which make matters worse.

Try a TENS unit, if it works get some extra batteries and pads so that you're able to use it at the first sign of back pain.

[GRB]

A neighbor of mine has back issues. He started using a Teeter back inversion table and swears by it.

[Snow-Dweller]

Had back problems for years. Find a good osteopath who understands your problem.

[OgSnowflake]

Medical marijuana, start with a strain that is a little bit less on the thc side and more cbd heavy. You'll have relief probably almost instantaneous and never look for a bottle of pills or an icy hot patch again.

[Abdullah71601]

Originally Posted by cop414

TENS unit (I use the Icy Hot one) and OTC magnesium salicylate pills, used in conjunction with each other work absolute wonders for me.

** A shout to our own Rudd Van Driver who told me about the TENS machine, made what would have been 7-10 days of absolutely excruciating back pain into 2 days of very moderate discomfort, by day three I was pretty much 100%!** I can't recommend these enough. My chiropractor said that they "untie the knots" that most people try to muscle through which make matters worse.

Try a TENS unit, if it works get some extra batteries and pads so that you're able to use it at the first sign of back pain.

I use an Alleve TENS unit I picked up at Walmart. It's pretty much idiot proof. I used to use a programmable unit, but this one does it all without much effort.

[cop414]

Originally Posted by Abdullah71601

I use an Alleve TENS unit I picked up at Walmart. It's pretty much idiot proof. I used to use a programmable unit, but this one does it all without much effort.

Agree, I'd never be without one again. I wish that I'd have known about these little miracles years ago!

[Abdullah71601]

Originally Posted by cop414

Agree, I'd never be without one again. I wish that I'd have known about these little miracles years ago!

I started using them after knee surgery eight years ago. The models you buy today are a lot more user friendly.

[Terrakot]

Here in EU we used to made Voltaren/Diclofenac injections in first day-two and when you can move - walk, walk,walk. Week after - swimming and gym with professional coach

[SemperFi]

I have two herniated discs, L4 & L5. If I aggravate them, maybe once or twice a year, I need to be off my feet for about two days with knees elevated. Usually that does the trick.

[superdog]

It can be one disc severely herniated, or multiple issues. Back pain is immeasurable.

I've been through gout, kidney stones, spiral fractures, steel rods, reconnected fingers, etc...

Back pain is like nothing else.

Before you do anything, review an MRI with your doctor. Yoga is great, coming from a yoga teacher of over 10 years, but certain postures can be detrimental depending on your condition.

Pilates is likely better. It was designed around a back condition.

Talk to a doctor first. Seriously.

[ejvette]

Had a severe herniated disk L4/L5 finally last fall I couldn't take the sciatic pain anymore down my right leg it was debilitating. I had the arthroscopic back surgery to clean up the disk and open up the passage where the sciatic nerves run I'm back to playing golf and pain free.

[machob55]

My Orthopedic doc gave me some back stretching exercises to do everyday about 1 hr after waking up. They are my life savers. You can download them from the net. Before that, I was doing acupuncture which also helped a great deal. Good luck, feel better.

Sent from my R1 HD using Tapatalk

[superdog]

Originally Posted by machob55

My Orthopedic doc gave me some back stretching exercises to do everyday about 1 hr after waking up. They are my life savers. You can download them from the net. Before that, I was doing acupuncture which also helped a great deal. Good luck, feel better.

Sent from my R1 HD using Tapatalk

Interesting. I found acupuncture to be nearly useless. Maybe my specialists wasn't so good.

[Abdullah71601]

Originally Posted by superdog

Interesting. I found acupuncture to be nearly useless. Maybe my specialists wasn't so good.

I looked into it last summer when my back went out. Most of the research I read attributed the placebo effect to improvements. Of course, if it makes you feel better that's all that really counts.

[Canook]

Originally Posted by ejvette

Had a severe herniated disk L4/L5 finally last fall I couldn't take the sciatic pain anymore down my right leg it was debilitating. I had the arthroscopic back surgery to clean up the disk and open up the passage where the sciatic nerves run I'm back to playing golf and pain free.

i too had the same operation about 20 years ago... i still get a bit of back pain in colder weather or jar it hard and if i lay flat on a hard surface for too long... all in all im fully functional again and no more sciatic pain.... that was the worst thing ive ever had to endure (18months prior to the operation)

Alot of people have no idea what true back pain is until they get to that point, and you realise you would rather give up a limb then have the constant pain that comes with it......

You have to take care of your back as it is vital for your whole body to function as a normal person.....

[machob55]

Originally Posted by superdog

Interesting. I found acupuncture to be nearly useless. Maybe my specialists wasn't so good.

My acupuncturist first placed needles and suction globes on the trouble areas of my back. However, after a period of time he removed those then he had me turn over and place some acupuncture needles in my legs and arms corresponding to the troubled areas of my back. That was the kicker. Pain completely gone for months at a time. I guess it just depends on the specialist as you mentioned. Good luck!

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[AzPaul]

May sound a little silly but using the 'Ab-Carver Pro' has worked wonders for me.
Since I started using it, not only have the frequency of painful herniations been cut, but my recovery time when I do get one, is about half what it used to be.

[greggsiam]

I've had back pains for years and used to get a muscle spasm once a year or so that literally made my knees knock and I would fall to the ground.

My solution was a good osteopath and stretching. For me, preventative stretching greatly helped to prevent muscle spasms, to the point it has been 5 or 6 years since I had one.

[uscmatt99]

I have occasional back pain and honestly it's worst for me after sitting all day at work. No injuries, and thankfully I've never had radicular symptoms of a herniated disc.

The two best strategies for me are to exercise when I can, and barefoot walking/running. Not so much to relieve pain, but to prevent it from occurring. Barefoot walking surprised me, as it has helped a lot, but it actually makes a lot of sense physiologically too. Heel striking on a relatively straightened leg sends all of the force to the articular surfaces of your knees and hips, as well as to the lumbar discs. Forefoot striking can only occur when the knee and hip are a bit flexed, so your plantar ligaments, calves, and quads all absorb some of this energy with less transfer to the joints and discs.

It felt awkward as hell at first and my calves were killing me, but now it feels more natural as long as I'm barefoot or wearing zero drop footwear. Not for everyone, but may be worth a shot.

[Ruud Van Driver]

Originally Posted by Abdullah71601

Anything that works your core hard is good for back pain. Strengthening the front helps the back.

This is solid (boom boom!) advice and really helps my back

Originally Posted by cop414

TENS unit (I use the Icy Hot one) and OTC magnesium salicylate pills, used in conjunction with each other work absolute wonders for me.

** A shout to our own Rudd Van Driver who told me about the TENS machine, made what would have been 7-10 days of absolutely excruciating back pain into 2 days of very moderate discomfort, by day three I was pretty much 100%!** I can't recommend these enough. My chiropractor said that they "untie the knots" that most people try to muscle through which make matters worse.

Try a TENS unit, if it works get some extra batteries and pads so that you're able to use it at the first sign of back pain.

Thank you, Tim

As the good Sarge has said, TENS machines are awesome and I wouldn't be without mine. I have a battery operated machine that my physio recommended:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

When Mrs Van D comes back out here next time, I'm going to have her bring me out one of those stick on patch types with no wires, like Abdullah and Tim are using. I want one that I can use in the office without having to worry about getting wires tangled everywhere.

As a side point, half the people in this world who think they have a bad back are most likely suffering from tight hip flexors (obviously excluding people with back injuries, etc.). Check out some stretches on YouTube, there's millions on there, and see if that doesn't help

[drgoro]

Feel better man, back pain is no joke. Start strengthening your core as others have stated. Another thing that really will help is losing weight if you're heavier.

[gmh1013]

Ive got 4 herniated disc plus severe arthritis on the two lowest....stenosis, Ankylosing spondylitis.....Had two back surgeries but the scar tissue has made it worse ....much worse.
Ive shrunk from 6.4 to 6.0 at 60 years old. Im hunched over from pain and cant stand straight anymore and use a walker around the house. I take 40mg a day methadone and 60mg a day norco which kills the pain almost in half....without the dope Im sure I would have shot myself or OD'ed on Heroin by now. Chronic pain will take its toll on you quickly.
On the subject of smack ive know people who had to turn to it because they cant get oxy anymore.....plus the heroin is 10x cheaper.....last longer and kills pain better.

[Abdullah71601]

Originally Posted by gmh1013

Ive got 4 herniated disc plus severe arthritis on the two lowest....stenosis, Ankylosing spondylitis.....Had two back surgeries but the scar tissue has made it worse ....much worse.
Ive shrunk from 6.4 to 6.0 at 60 years old. Im hunched over from pain and cant stand straight anymore and use a walker around the house. I take 40mg a day methadone and 60mg a day norco which kills the pain almost in half....without the dope Im sure I would have shot myself or OD'ed on Heroin by now. Chronic pain will take its toll on you quickly.
On the subject of smack ive know people who had to turn to it because they cant get oxy anymore.....plus the heroin is 10x cheaper.....last longer and kills pain better.

Yikes. That's the way my back felt last summer. I couldn't stand up and breath at the same time. I went the physio route instead of surgery. Glad I did.

My best friend is a neurologist. He tells me surgery never works long term. I'm sure there are exceptions, but the people I know have all had complications that caused them to regret the surgery.