Anyone else out there have lower back pain? How do you deal with it?

[gimmethesimplelife]

Lately I have had issues with lower back pain and I have been taking Tramadol - which works well for me with pain, but I don't care for it's side effects and addiction potential. I have tried turmeric and fish oil and they seem to help some but the pain is still gnawing and still there.

The doctor that I visited recently via my Medicaid HMO wants me off the tramadol and wrote me a scrip for Gabapentin I think it was, which helps but the pain is still gnawing and still there. This doctor also put in a request to the HMO for physical therapy for me (which I am very pleased about) but I am still waiting to hear if I have been approved or not.

So - just wondering - is anyone else dealing with difficult lower back pain and how do you handle it? I'm really hoping to just ditch the Tramadol and find a less pharma solution.....And I don't like the fact that to handle a banquet serving shift, I pretty much have to take a 100 MG of Tramadol minimum. Rob

[catherine]

Stupid question, but how's your mattress?

[Teacher Terry]

I have had it for years and manage it mostly with going to the Chiropractor once a month and more if needed which is rare. Massage has also helped to relax the muscles. I have been in 7 car accidents so have had a lot of problems. We have a good mattress and I only use drugs if I am having back spasms. Then I use muscle relaxers & or pain meds but that does not even happen once a year. I also found out that certain things are guaranteed to bring it on so I don't do them.

[gimmethesimplelife]

Stupid question, but how's your mattress?Not a stupid question at all in my book.

I sleep on a secondhand futon that I bought for $40 in 2007. It is in very good condition and is flat and comfortable. I've gotten used to it and I'm thinking this is good for my back in general? I know there are much more comfortable mattresses out there but those prices? Not going to happen right away.....Rob

[cdttmm]

Another back pain sufferer here. I was in a skydiving accident about 20 years ago and have had back pain on and off since then. The thing that helps me the most is yoga. I try to practice 2-3 times per week and stretch on at least 3 other days per week. Now I only have back pain when I really ramp up my workouts to move to the next level of fitness for martial arts or ultramarathoning. Massage has never made a difference for me, unfortunately. I've never gone the prescription drug route because I have to be kind to my kidneys and liver.

[onlinemoniker]

I sleep on a secondhand futon that I bought for $40 in 2007.

I have NOTHING wrong with my back but when I was getting my master bathroom done several years ago I slept in the guest room on a really, really cheap mattress I bought because I knew it would rarely be slept on. It was new and looked good but every day when I woke up I felt like I had been beaten. It was horrible. And I never got used to it and slept on it for the better part of a summer.

If you are sleeping on a futon and are taking medications (rife with side effects) I would put a new mattress on the top of my priority list and try to get a new one pronto.

If your back hurts and you're sleeping on a "second-hand futon" that could EASILY be the cause of your pain.

[Alan]

I think that dealing with the symptoms rather than identifying the problem is a huge mistake. I had problems with lower back pain in my early to mid 30's. It turns out that it was our bed. When we replaced it with a firm mattress the pain went away. Now, 20+ years later, back pain is just a memory.
Do yourself a favor and ditch the futon for a nice, firm mattress.

[Rosemary]

I had severe back pain episodes in the past. Doctors did not help me. Physical therapists, however, were immensely helpful.
Ultimately I have come up with an assortment of stretches and activities that have kept my back feeling limber and good for about 5 years. Here's what works for me and the pain I've had, which centered around the sacroiliac joint most of the time. This is just to provide an example; obviously I don't know anything about your situation.

Zumba. All that moving of every single part of the body keeps the muscles loose.
Extended child's pose, cat/cow, pigeon poses (yoga). Also, stretching hamstrings.
Sitting less. I have a standing desk at home.
Pelvic Clock - this one (http://www.emr.msu.edu/documents/rehab/pelvic_clock.pdf) my physical therapist gave to me.
Also, loosening the piriformis muscles in the hips has helped my back as well.

[redfox]

Yup, I have a compressed disc in my lower back, just above my pelvis. I've kept it for rupturing by limiting the weight I
lift, how I lift, yoga, and a really good bed. I echo all the others have said: get a good bed. No, a great one. Would you hike in miserable shoes day after day? Sleep is fundamental to our immune system health, and back pain is so awful. Just do it.

[creaker]

I've had nice long space (actually coming up on 9 or ten years) without lower back problems - I used to have back spasms, my doctor drugged me which allowed me to ignore symptoms and progress to the point where I could no longer stand up straight. Chiropractor helped immeasurably, I've been doing yoga since (not a lot, pretty much once a week, but it seems to flex everything that needs flexing).

I could imagine banquet serving doing me in, though. I've learned to listen to my back and stop when it's time to stop. You don't have that option when you are working. When I have done more than I should, I've found icing it (warm wet cloth and ice pack, that way don't get jolted by cold) and ibuprofen to reduce inflammation help.

[ApatheticNoMore]

Lately I have had issues with lower back pain and I have been taking Tramadol - which works well for me with pain, but I don't care for it's side effects and addiction potential.

yea obviously one uses them for plenty real pain, but I think those meds can habituate and be a viscous cycle. My suspicion with opiates is they can actually cause a type of phantom pain in withdrawal even if the real cause of the pain isn't active (some on the intertubes seem to have that experience too). Tramadol seems to be somewhat of an opiate. Well I'm basing this on obvious opiates and I'm not going to say it's well researched, so take it with as many grains of salt as you like, but I have seen phantom pain in opiate withdrawal, back, legs, start hurting and goes away with long term discontinuation.

I was sleeping on a 30-40 year old or so bed (why? oh why not? - conserve resources, I considered the buy a bed every 10 years mattress industry propaganda :laff: - still probably is propaganda to need new that often). But I have to admit that I have less back pain since I bought a new bed (not that it was that bad before, not even bad enough to medicate with OTCs like NSAIDS! But I would awake with a back that was sore and felt all scrunched up mostly). Now I get minor pain from sitting too much all hunched over. The way too experiment with sleeping on a different bed (the PG way!) before buying a bed is obviously with a hotel bed.

[bae]

I am prone to nasty back problems, I find that a good mattress and lots of strength and flexibility training help immensely.

[Rogar]

I have smaller problems, but not big ones. During a flare up not too long ago I got a memory foam topper about an inch thick for my futon. I think it helped a lot and wasn't hugely expensive. I would be interested in replacing the mattress, but wonder if I would drop a few hundred bucks and then not be any better off.

I have friends who have had success with a physical or massage therapist. I do some gentle yoga to stretch and loosen the back, but I am not so sure it does any good.

[Gardenarian]

Stretching/yoga keep my lower back happy. Massage is wonderful, if you can afford it.
I have an old mattress - do you folks have any recommendations on a good mattress for your back?

[pinkytoe]

DH's chiropractor mentioned that having one leg slightly shorter than the other can exacerbate back problems as one gets older. A simple lift in one shoe can bring relief if that is an issue.

[Teacher Terry]

WE bought a sleep number bed 9 years ago and it was worth every penny. Each person can adjust the firmness for themselves. If you have a partner & get this buy a king size bed. People that have queens are not happy because when each person adjusts the bed different I think it is an issue when you sleep so close together. My chiro said it is the best bed on the market and will last 20 years. It does come with a 20 year warranty that decreases each year.

[Teacher Terry]

Also I exercise 3x's per week which really helps. Either swimming or walking.

[reader99]

Seriously, get a "real" mattress. My lower back pain is bad enough to limit what I can do in daily life. A futon is not the thing for back pain. I do best with a firm mattress for my back and a pillow top to take the pressure off my hips. Because of sinus trouble I'm soon going to try sleeping in a recliner. I hope it will also help my back and hips. Mattress and strength training combined are surely your best bets.

[gimmethesimplelife]

Well here is a hopeful update. I called the Medicaid HMO and I must say I am once again impressed - they approved me for physical therapy today. I am going to give this a try while I consider affordable mattress options. The mattress is going to be a bit of a stretch for me financially but I'm going to figure out the best way I can to make this work. Thanks for your advice everyone, I do appreciate it! Rob

[rodeosweetheart]

Well here is a hopeful update. I called the Medicaid HMO and I must say I am once again impressed - they approved me for physical therapy today. I am going to give this a try while I consider affordable mattress options. The mattress is going to be a bit of a stretch for me financially but I'm going to figure out the best way I can to make this work. Thanks for your advice everyone, I do appreciate it! Rob


Another thing to try is a supportive brace. I used when when I was having really bad back issues in my 30's and riding horses--truly did help a lot, and it's under a hundred dollars:
http://www.statelinetack.com/item/professionals-choice-back-support/SLT654250%20M%20BLK/?srccode=GPSLT&gclid=CMqs6r7U2LwCFQlhfgodFVwA1Q

[catherine]

The mattress is going to be a bit of a stretch for me financially but I'm going to figure out the best way I can to make this work. Thanks for your advice everyone, I do appreciate it! Rob

I would see if there are any freecycle.org groups in your area. I frequently see mattresses being given away there. (Or course, they would be used, so you'd have to be careful you're not trading a bad mattress for a worse one.)

Alternatively, Craigslist might be another good resource. My son got a barely used mattress from an older couple who bought the mattress for a spare room. I doubt he even paid $100 for it.

[HappyHiker]

When traditional medicine (shots, pain pills, muscle relaxants) failed to permanently relieve our lower back pain, someone turned us on tho McKenzie Method exercises....very simple..and quickly effective. Seems too good to be true? Not for us!

here's some info..ore you can search for and find a PT or chiropractor to teach you n=n their office:

[http://www.spine-health.com/wellness/exercise/what-mckenzie-method-back-pain-and-neck-pain[/B]

[George_H]

I guess lower back pain is a fact of life for all of us at one time or another. I heard on the radio that over 80% of people suffer from lower back pain.
I generally some joint mobility drills each day (I'm 53) but nothing directly for my back but rather the hips and every other day I walk. I stay away from twisting types of exercises and those stretches that don't keep pressure on the back. Whatever stretching you do there should always be some kind of tension on the lower back. You shouldn't just allow that SI (sacroiliac joint) to just "float."
And of course, there's always ibuprofen.

[Yarrow]

It would be good for you to know what exactly is causing your back pain. My sister had a doctor throwing pills at her right and left for her back pain that never got better. Finally, the doctor requested x-rays and then later an MRI. Wow, she had problems - herniated disks and severe spinal stenosis. But it was so good for her to know what was wrong and especially, to be very careful with her movements, etc. She actually had to go on SS disability after surgery that didn't help few years later. Before surgery she tried PT and epidural steroid injections which didn't help at all. She now at the age of 44 is in a wheelchair most days because the spinal stenosis has gone from low back pain to her absolute inability to walk but a few steps. Lots of pain for her..... People don't realize you can't always just change your mattress to feel better, lose weight, or have PT to fix your back problems. Sometimes no matter what you do - it is not fixable and you have to learn to live with the fallout. Sad to say. Spinal surgery has a high failure rate too. Some do well afterwards, others don't improve or actually wind up worse. My sister wound up worse, but as she said - she had to try, as she was already so handicapped that she wanted to give it a shot.....

[larknm]

When I get lower back pain I wear an elastic back support that has made mobility possible for me--got it from Cutting Edge Catalog (company now based in Santa Fe) and they still carry them and they last forever.

[Teacher Terry]

One reason there are so many failed back surgeries is because people have orthopedic surgeons operate. If you want good results only use a neurologist. 35 years ago when my hubby had a ruptured disc & could not walk we traveled to where a neurologist had a 90% success rate. A nurse we knew told us this and we followed her advice. Actually thru my work I have see tons of botched back surgeries and most done by orthopedic surgeons.

[JaneV2.0]

One reason there are so many failed back surgeries is because people have orthopedic surgeons operate. If you want good results only use a neurologist. 35 years ago when my hubby had a ruptured disc & could not walk we traveled to where a neurologist had a 90% success rate. A nurse we knew told us this and we followed her advice. Actually thru my work I have see tons of botched back surgeries and most done by orthopedic surgeons.

I think that's excellent advice--if you absolutely have to have an operation, I've read that's the only way to go.

[gimmethesimplelife]

Interesting update about getting a better mattress - I just found a used hotel furniture dealer that has used sleep number beds in full for $250. I'm thinking about it, I could swing this.....I am a bit long in the tooth for a futon anyway.....Rob

[Tradd]

Rob, do you really want to get a used mattress from a hotel, what with all the stuff about bed bugs in the last couple of years?

[Yarrow]

One reason there are so many failed back surgeries is because people have orthopedic surgeons operate. If you want good results only use a neurologist. 35 years ago when my hubby had a ruptured disc & could not walk we traveled to where a neurologist had a 90% success rate. A nurse we knew told us this and we followed her advice. Actually thru my work I have see tons of botched back surgeries and most done by orthopedic surgeons.


Actually it is a Neurosurgeon that you would want to see. And most doctors these days refer their patients that need spinal surgery to a Neurosurgeon instead of an Orthopedic Surgeon... My sister had her surgery done by one of the top Neurosurgeons in the USA. But still her surgery didn't fix the problem as she would have liked. However, she would be paralyzed by now if she hadn't had the surgery because her spinal cord was being so severely impinged on. She still has nerve pain and extreme weakness in her legs, but no longer needs to fear being completely paralyzed below the waist now, so in a way her surgery might be considered a success although she is in a wheelchair most days now.

Rob, I'm wondering why they have approved you for PT without knowing exactly what is causing your back pain. An x-ray or an MRI would be the next step before PT. You can make things much worse if you're not doing the right PT for whatever is causing your back pain. I've actually never heard of someone being referred for PT without a definite diagnosis of exactly what is causing the problem.... Or maybe you do have a diagnosis?

Teacher Terry, so glad your DH had good results. Most surgeries for just a herniated disc or ruptured disc are successful. DDD, Cervical and Spinal Stenosis are much riskier and complicated surgeries with a lot of hardware involved. My ex had a good result though with his herniated disc surgery. 100 percent cure for him.

And what Tradd said!!

[Aqua Blue]

I love my sleep number bed. I have Ankolosing Spondolysis and it is great to be able to change the setting as I need it. I don't see where buying a bed from a hotel would be any different than staying in a hotel as far as bed bug risk. The mattress doesn't really get won out like a regular mattress would.

[gimmethesimplelife]

I love my sleep number bed. I have Ankolosing Spondolysis and it is great to be able to change the setting as I need it. I don't see where buying a bed from a hotel would be any different than staying in a hotel as far as bed bug risk. The mattress doesn't really get won out like a regular mattress would.

I would agree with this. This may gross some out here, but I have always had used mattresses and for good chunks of my life, used bedding. Now I am at a point where I will shop for bedding in February - right around now is a good time to find it new and marked down very well at places I'd normally not shop at such as Macy's and Dillard's. The only time I have had a problem with bed bugs was my last season at the North Rim of the Grand Canyon and I was worried that I was going to have to throw away a lot of my things - I did throw out my bedding but all of my clothes I kept. I sprayed a lavender oil/water mix on the clothes and since I was in Vegas a few days after the season ended, I went to the Super 8 guest laundry and ran all my clothes through twice. In particular I was worried about a blanket I've had since 1988, bought in Mexico during a happy time in my life. I bagged that up with a clear garbage bag and then put it outside in the hot summer sun the summer of 2012 and when I unbagged it November 2012 - no bedbugs.

I guess what I am trying to say is that I've been there and done that and survived. Rob

[catherine]

I'm also not concerned about bed bugs in used hotel furniture.. in fact, thanks for the tip, Rob! Some may disagree, but I'd rather buy a used mattress from a reliable company selling used hotel mattresses than from most private parties. I guess my only question would be, how "used" is it? Again, you don't want to get something just as worn out as what you're currently using.

I hate to say that one of the things I love about my job is that I get to travel and stay in hotels, where I generally get a much better sleep than when I'm home!

[gimmethesimplelife]

Actually it is a Neurosurgeon that you would want to see. And most doctors these days refer their patients that need spinal surgery to a Neurosurgeon instead of an Orthopedic Surgeon... My sister had her surgery done by one of the top Neurosurgeons in the USA. But still her surgery didn't fix the problem as she would have liked. However, she would be paralyzed by now if she hadn't had the surgery because her spinal cord was being so severely impinged on. She still has nerve pain and extreme weakness in her legs, but no longer needs to fear being completely paralyzed below the waist now, so in a way her surgery might be considered a success although she is in a wheelchair most days now.

Rob, I'm wondering why they have approved you for PT without knowing exactly what is causing your back pain. An x-ray or an MRI would be the next step before PT. You can make things much worse if you're not doing the right PT for whatever is causing your back pain. I've actually never heard of someone being referred for PT without a definite diagnosis of exactly what is causing the problem.... Or maybe you do have a diagnosis?

Teacher Terry, so glad your DH had good results. Most surgeries for just a herniated disc or ruptured disc are successful. DDD, Cervical and Spinal Stenosis are much riskier and complicated surgeries with a lot of hardware involved. My ex had a good result though with his herniated disc surgery. 100 percent cure for him.

And what Tradd said!!You know, now that you bring it up I wonder why I didn't get an X Ray either, Yarrow. This seems to be a very valid common sense point to me. All I can say is that this insurance is Medicaid, perhaps there are restrictions in place on x rays? It's no biggie, I can have one done in Mexicali, I just have to find time to get there is the thing. I'd forgotten that being in school F/T can in a way be a lifestyle and is indeed time consuming. Rob

[gimmethesimplelife]

One reason there are so many failed back surgeries is because people have orthopedic surgeons operate. If you want good results only use a neurologist. 35 years ago when my hubby had a ruptured disc & could not walk we traveled to where a neurologist had a 90% success rate. A nurse we knew told us this and we followed her advice. Actually thru my work I have see tons of botched back surgeries and most done by orthopedic surgeons.My mother had cervical stenosis surgery done in January of 2012 and her recovery was very slow and very long. It was very stressful as it went so so so slow. But she's up and around now with better balance and the surgery seems to have done what is what supposed to do so I am glad. But this is not surgery to be taken lightly is what I have learned. Rob

[George_H]

I had a bad back injury decades ago. I know how everyone talks about a good mattress. I sleep on the floor. When my back was first hurt it would spasm uncontrollably. I needed something firm to sleep on and the floor was it.

[catherine]

I needed something firm to sleep on and the floor was it.

Now there's a solution that fits my budget!

[Gardenarian]

I often sleep on the floor as well. There is an old Indian saying - "don't make your bed so soft that you don't want to get out of it" (or something like that.) Anyhow, the floor is the only place I have been able to sleep when my back is in spasm.

[Gardenarian]

Here is a site (http://zafu.net/sleepergonomics.html)with some interesting reading on mattresses, futons, floor sleeping.