View Full Version : Lower back injury
I first hurt my lower back when I was in my 20's. 11 years ago, I was lifting a box at work & damaged some facets that resulted in serious pain. It appears that I've re-injured myself, yesterday in the garden. Advil alone is not making any impact on the pain, and I cannot stand or walk without extreme pain. Very frustrating.
I was able to get the pain under control last night with a combo of advil, cannabis, ice/heat, gentle massage, and the hot tub. Went to bed pain free. 4 hours later I turned over & woke, again in intense pain. Got up so as not to wake DH, who has a cold, & here I am, awake & miserable. Dammit all.
Sad Eyed Lady
11-25-12, 11:51am
Please be careful redfox, as you know back injury cannot only be painful but very serious. DH injured his back at work over 20 years ago and it STILL affects his lifestyle today - things he just cannot do that are so frustrating to him. Then, if he is feeling like he can do something, (and sometimes it can be something very simple), then it can start again and he is faced with another long recovery. Have you tried chiropractic? Is this muscle or spine related? Is sciatica involved? If you are having sciatic pain we learned that lying on the floor with a tennis ball under the hip on the painful side, (right where you back pocket would be), helps. Doesn't cure, but does help. Hope you are feeling back toy our "old self" soon!
that sucks, redfox! I guess I'd repeat what worked before and hope it calms down. Seems like when your back hurts, it supersedes everything else.
HappyHiker
11-25-12, 12:15pm
Ouch, I know that hurts..been there, done that. A suggestion is to get your injury evaluated by a physical therapist or chiropractor who utilizes the McKenzie method of exercises. These exercises, when appropriate for the specific back injury, can greatly reduce the time spent suffering in pain.
Worked for my DH, as well as a friend's husband. Worth checking out...they relieve the pressure and pinching on the nerve that is the cause of much back pain.
Here's a link to more info on McKenzie exercises and evaluation: http://www.spine-health.com/wellness/exercise/mckenzie-therapy-mechanical-low-back-pain
I went through an episode of that a number of years back. Went to doctor, got some intensive drugs and not much instruction. After realizing I had spent 2 weeks completely drugged up (I said they were intensive drugs) and I was now at the point where I could no longer straighten up, I went to a chiropractor which really made a difference. I've also been doing yoga for years (not intensely - I don't do much beyond my once a week class).
I'd definitely get things checked though, even my chiropractor took x-rays to look for damage before doing anything.
All the stretching exercises they give help but, the one the helped my pain the most was a really simple one that
looks a lot like the McKenize ones.
They say to do it on the floor but I was at a point were I could not get down and up so did it on the bed with head at the foot of bed.
Lay down with a small pillow or roll under neck and mid back whatever size makes you feel really comfortable.
Put feet up on pillows or resting on head board (it doesn't seem to matter if knees are bent or straightened) whatever works and stretch arms out like you are nail to a cross (I know this is how it feels right now anyway...lol)
Lay like this for 2---5 minutes however long you can. It easy and stretches out the back.
I could not even lay on my back this long before without my left leg going into major pain mode.
It won't help everything but it is worth a try and I have asked the therapist and she says it can't hard.
Thanks, all. Went into urgent care after screening with a consulting nurse. Verified that this is indeed muscle spasms. Got muscle relaxers and kick ass ibuprofen. Hot tub heating, and I've dosed with a small amount of cannabis - in the form of organic ginger walnut brownies I made last night. Will save muscle relaxer for sleep time.
Walking & gentle stretching is my cure... Along with acupuncture, booked for Tuesday. Thanks for being there for my early morning lament. Funny how feeling heard helps...
Magnesium and valerian are my muscle relaxers of choice; maybe in a few weeks I'll add cannabis to my armentarium. I'm glad to hear you're feeling better, redfox.
Magnesium and valerian are my muscle relaxers of choice; maybe in a few weeks I'll add cannabis to my armentarium. I'm glad to hear you're feeling better, redfox.
I know an herbalist who makes tinctures. HMU if interested!
JaneV2.0
11-25-12, 10:58pm
I know an herbalist who makes tinctures. HMU if interested!
Thanks. I've read it may be a year until distribution is set up. It's been so long since I've indulged I'll probably go catatonic. (insert horizontal smiley here)
awakenedsoul
11-25-12, 11:16pm
There's a really good book called Mind Over Back Pain. I read it and it cured me. He's written a few books. I think another one is Understanding Back Pain. He says that he noticed as a doctor that his patients with back pain all had the same personality type: conscientious, high achieving, competitive, self centered...I forget what else. He believes that back pain is psychological, and is due to repressed negative emotions. He also says it's tension.
I recognized all this in myself, and let myself release a lot of grief by crying. He also advises telling the pain to leave. It sounds, weird, but if you are psychically open, sometimes you sponge in negative energy. It's like a psychic thing. I told the pain in my hips, "Get off me. You can't hang out here anymore. Go somewhere else." It sounds crazy, but I felt a shift. He says that a lot of people with back pain don't have a structural problem on the xray. They become afraid to do anything, for fear of throwing their back out. He says to keep exercising and stay in shape. I agree with this. When I stopped working out because of my back and hip pain, I went downhill fast, due to weakness.
Hope you feel better.
redfox
Try the stretch I suggested it won't hurt and can only help it was a small miracle for me at least for
being able to lay on my back.
Let me know if it helps you.
I second the exercise recommendation. I can always tell when my back muscles are getting weak because I start getting lower back aches and pains. Getting back to my regular ab/back and stretching routines usually makes it go away quickly. DH also has a definite correlation between weight/fitness and lower back pain -- he has an actual spinal problem (spondiolysthesis, where one of the vertebrae has slipped forward significantly), but getting his weight down and building strength and flexibility usually addresses any pain pretty quickly. Understand it doesn't work for everyone, but worth a try.
lhamo
Gardenarian
11-26-12, 6:44pm
Awakened soul - are those the books by Dr. Sarno? I found them very helpful too; they gave me a real feeling of control - though I still feel the psychological aspect is just one piece of back pain.
I find that when I'm in spasm the best thing is 600mg of ibuprofen as needed, plus lots of yoga stretching and walking. Doctors always recommend ice but I've never found that helpful. DH likes whiskey ("Mother Nature's medicine", he calls it. Makes me nauseated.)
I need to do yoga every day to avoid back pain - at 54 this is no longer negotiable for me.
awakenedsoul
11-26-12, 8:27pm
Awakened soul - are those the books by Dr. Sarno? I found them very helpful too; they gave me a real feeling of control - though I still feel the psychological aspect is just one piece of back pain.
I find that when I'm in spasm the best thing is 600mg of ibuprofen as needed, plus lots of yoga stretching and walking. Doctors always recommend ice but I've never found that helpful. DH likes whiskey ("Mother Nature's medicine", he calls it. Makes me nauseated.)
I need to do yoga every day to avoid back pain - at 54 this is no longer negotiable for me.
Yes, Gardenarian. They really were life changing for me. As a dancer, I have seen so many former dancers hobbling around saying, "I have to bend my kees to lift," "I can't twist," I can't do yard work anymore,"...etc. I need to exercise every day, too. I do mostly yoga, but also bike, walk, and do Pilates. Sometimes I'll do the Luigi warmup or some Russian Stretch and Strengthen exercises.
When I had to leave the love of my life in Vienna, my back went into spasm. It's interesting how the emotions affect the body. I think most people with back pain would benefit from emotional release. I also find I am very affected by my surroundings and remember redfox mentioning being in her sister's home in a previous post. I believe it's all connected.
Sorry you're going through this, redfox, but this thread has so many interesting suggestions, so hopefully it will help many out there in cyber-land.
Coincidentally I had a mild lower back sprain this weekend. I treated myself to a pedi, and the salon had a chair with a rolling back massager which I used for about 30 minutes. That helped a lot! am now wondering if I can write off the pedicure as a medical treatment ??
You may want to minimize the heating that you are doing, ice may be better. You may be making something inflammed more inflammed by heating it (ie hot tub)
I had debilitating back pain for decades until I got an elastic, magnet back support from Cutting Edge Catalogue. I wear it wheneer going to do something hard for back or if I have hurt back. It always solves it.
I am much better. I forgot that I was being careful two days ago, and tweaked my recovering back just a bit, and am back to lifting nothing heavier than 5#. The doc gave me the go-ahead to tub, which is helping; ice is apparently most helpful the first 24 hours, and after that, heat is good, for this back, anyway. I cannot stay in bed longer than 7-8 hours before I start to hurt, so am feeling a bit underslept. I have been able to nap mid day, which helps that. I REALLY appreciate all the advice & compassion! Life in a fallible body, and an aging one at that... off to sleep now!
Wildflower
12-3-12, 5:44am
Glad you are doing better, redfox. I am happy for you! I have terrible chronic back pain and a MRI is now showing both cervical and spinal stenosis. Doctor said it is severe and is impinging on my spinal cord causing me lots of neurological problems too. I've been through alot of alternative things trying to fix it, but looks like surgery is probably in my future. Doctor said the cervical stenosis can progress to paralysis. Scary stuff!
Glad you are doing better, redfox. I am happy for you! I have terrible chronic back pain and a MRI is now showing both cervical and spinal stenosis. Doctor said it is severe and is impinging on my spinal cord causing me lots of neurological problems too. I've been through alot of alternative things trying to fix it, but looks like surgery is probably in my future. Doctor said the cervical stenosis can progress to paralysis. Scary stuff!
Sorry to hear about that diagnosis for you, Wildflower. For what it's worth, my dad had back surgery and was so much better afterwards it was like night and day. I'm wishing the same for you if you go through that.
Sorry to hear about that diagnosis for you, Wildflower. For what it's worth, my dad had back surgery and was so much better afterwards it was like night and day. I'm wishing the same for you if you go through that.
Ditto, all around. Blessings, Wildflower.
Wildflower
12-4-12, 3:56am
Thank you both. :)
Well, health stuff is kicking my a$$ this week. Back pain flare-up, remedied by two fabulous but expensive & out-of-pocket massages, and an invoice for the radiology diagnostics which are not being covered due to my high deductible. Then I had more vaginal bleeding today, and realized that the upcoming biopsy will also not be covered until after I meet my deductible, and then only at 50%. Oh he//. I have a private pay policy as a self-employed person, as it was what we could afford. Now I have to factor in more debt to my aready high stress medical needs. This just freaks me out...
Sending you hugs, rf, but if I could I'd send hundred dollar bills instead :(
I'm waiting on my back pain invoice too -- no hurry, guys, really!!
When I had to leave the love of my life in Vienna, my back went into spasm. It's interesting how the emotions affect the body. I think most people with back pain would benefit from emotional release. I also find I am very affected by my surroundings and remember redfox mentioning being in her sister's home in a previous post. I believe it's all connected.[/QUOTE]
The lower back is the root chakra....hosts the unresolved family/tribal issues and emotions. If it is only muscular, I would definitely suggest a massage treatment (not at a Massage Envy) with a therapist trained in Neuromuscular Therapy or Trigger Point Therapy. I also second doing a lot of stretching and drinking at LEAST a gallon of water every day...especially if you are over 50 years old.
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