PleaseBlitz Posted April 20, 2006 Share Posted April 20, 2006 ChiefHogSkin seemed to get a lot of good advice in his Hamstring injury thread, so im going to give it a shot with my chronic ailment: a bad back. Many of you have probably heard me complain about it from time to time on this MB. Let me tell you, im 26, and its sucks having the lower back of an 85 year old man. Its been ****ed up (thats the medical term) for years, i definitely put too much stress on my lower back in wrestling and baseball in HS and wrestling in college. Now it hurts practically all the time. I cant stand for extended periods of time, i cant sit for extended periods of time, long car rides are a cast iron mother****er. Ive been trying to rehab it in the gym by doing a lot of lower back exercises, with low weights, to strengthen the muscles, but ive been doing this for 3 months, hasnt really helped. Any thoughts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iheartskins Posted April 20, 2006 Share Posted April 20, 2006 Have you see any reputable chiropractors? I've had a bad back for a long time as well. Stretching has helped it some, but I've always wondered whether seeing a back specialist could help more. There are a lot of back-quacks out there, but there have to be some good doctors that can help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
halter91 Posted April 20, 2006 Share Posted April 20, 2006 I've had back problems since I was in high school, the best way to get your back in shape is build up your abs. Also, I do go to a chiropractor, once in a while and it really does help. There are a bunch of exercise you can do as well to strengthen your back. PM me and I'll get them for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PleaseBlitz Posted April 20, 2006 Author Share Posted April 20, 2006 Have you see any reputable chiropractors? I've had a bad back for a long time as well. Stretching has helped it some, but I've always wondered whether seeing a back specialist could help more. There are a lot of back-quacks out there, but there have to be some good doctors that can help. Havent tried a chiropractor exactly because i think that most of them are quacks that failed out of real med school. I'll have to check into that and see if my insurance will cover it. Apologies to any chiropractors out there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rumrunner6900 Posted April 20, 2006 Share Posted April 20, 2006 Have you ever been diagnosed with a specific ailment? If not, it wouldn't hurt to go to your doctor and figure out exactly what is wrong. Then, perhaps some kind of physical therapy regimen may help. My father was in a construction accident and tore all the muscles in his lower back when he was younger. He has to learn a bunch of stretches and exercises b/c his back would "go out" and he couldn't move without extreme pain. He had to go through all the PT stuff and unfortunately it is messed up for life, but it definately did help. (And I know your pain. My back is chronically effed up from my job. I just hate doctors so I haven't taken my own advice yet...I need to go though, I know that!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mad Mike Posted April 20, 2006 Share Posted April 20, 2006 Sounds a lot like my story. I screwed mine up wrestling then later lifting kegs as a barback before I started tending bar and doing heavy lifting and hard manual labor. The stress and abuse just kept adding up. Eventually it caused me so much pain I was almost crippled. Turned out I had ruptured and re-ruptured a disc over the years. It caused permanent nerve damage to my left leg (it's partialy paralized) and the rupture was so big the doctor photograhed it as evidence of the longest rupture he had ever seen. Over 5". The moral of the story is see a doctor. Chiropractors dont have access to the types of imaging equipment needed to see if you have a real problem. Xrays just don't cut it. They don't show soft disc damage like ruptures. Really, get it checked out. Good luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jwpanic Posted April 20, 2006 Share Posted April 20, 2006 i feel your pain. i'm 25 and i groan when i''m leaning to look into the fridge. i've found that after a long run or game of basketball, nothing loosens me up like a hot bath, an hour with a heating pad, followed by some serious stretching. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Lamb Posted April 20, 2006 Share Posted April 20, 2006 One Word..........Percocet;) J/K I have tons of problems, knees, neck, back, shoulder and the list goes on. I may get some flak for this but I don't do anything for it. I just tough the pain out. I have a very physically demanding job and I play aggresive sports. I am not ready for any type of surgery so I just let the pain go. I soak in the tub, icy-hot and use heating pads. Seems to work for me. I'll wait until its too late, then I'll go to the doctor. If I can stand it that long. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PleaseBlitz Posted April 20, 2006 Author Share Posted April 20, 2006 One Word..........Percocet;)J/K I have tons of problems, knees, neck, back, shoulder and the list goes on. I may get some flak for this but I don't do anything for it. I just tough the pain out. I have a very physically demanding job and I play aggresive sports. I am not ready for any type of surgery so I just let the pain go. I soak in the tub, icy-hot and use heating pads. Seems to work for me. I'll wait until its too late, then I'll go to the doctor. If I can stand it that long. I bring a hot water bottle with me wherever i go. Home, car, office, car, back home. If i were to stop using icy hot, the price of their stock would fall considerably. :laugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DButz65 Posted April 21, 2006 Share Posted April 21, 2006 There are a few excercises you can do AT HOME to strengthen your lower back. All you need is a medicine ball, and yourself. My fitness instructor showed these to me. Lay face down on the ball (with your belly being your balance point) and balance yourself pretty good, keep both of your hands on the ground, and the tips of your toes. Then with your right arm, extend it out in front of you and up, hold it. While doing that, raise your left leg up and hold it. You WILL feel burning in your lower back, i did the first time trying it. Rinse and repeat then switch to the opposite hand and leg. Do this until you feel like youve accomplished something heh Of course do this when your HEALTHY again Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HOF44 Posted April 21, 2006 Share Posted April 21, 2006 My wife has had a bad back for a long time. She was a figure skater from the time she was about 10 till she was about 20. All those jumps took thier toll. She went to an orthepedist last week and had an MRI and apparantly one of her lumbar discs is almost gone. She start physical therapy tommorow. If that doesn't help in a few months the docter wants to do a disc replacemant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BayouBrave86 Posted April 21, 2006 Share Posted April 21, 2006 Mad Mike, my roommate had a case similar to yours. He ruptured his disc somehow last spring. He can't remember how but he thinks he did it falling on his ass on one of those nights he would get extremely drunk and forget what happened. Anyway, he just had surgery to repair it and he'll be walking with a cane for the next 2-3 weeks before he is fully recovered. He had been complaining about the pain that would flow up and down one of his legs, felt bad for him. Hopefully his surgery fixes it for him, he was taking percocets like it was his job. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Extreme Posted April 21, 2006 Share Posted April 21, 2006 Salonpas hot heat patch....works wonders on me, better than a heating pad. as for long term effectiveness, i'd sure like to know if you find anything out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashburnskinsfan Posted April 21, 2006 Share Posted April 21, 2006 A few comments: (1) get it checked out by a specialist (2) doing ab work will help prevent the injury recurring (3) you are a bit young to have disk and cartilage wear and tear but slightly older tennis and field hockey players I know have had fantastic results in eliminating back pain taking glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate supplements. Both are substances found naturally in the body. Glucosamine helps with cartilage formation and repair. Chondroitin sulfate gives cartilage elasticity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PleaseBlitz Posted April 21, 2006 Author Share Posted April 21, 2006 A few comments:(1) get it checked out by a specialist (2) doing ab work will help prevent the injury recurring (3) you are a bit young to have disk and cartilage wear and tear but slightly older tennis and field hockey players I know have had fantastic results in eliminating back pain taking glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate supplements. Both are substances found naturally in the body. Glucosamine helps with cartilage formation and repair. Chondroitin sulfate gives cartilage elasticity. Mmmmm, more chemicals. I think i have glucosamine laying around my house somewhere. I actually like substances NOT found naturally in the body. That way I know SOMETHING is going to happen. :laugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashburnskinsfan Posted April 21, 2006 Share Posted April 21, 2006 Mmmmm, more chemicals. I think i have glucosamine laying around my house somewhere. I actually like substances NOT found naturally in the body. That way I know SOMETHING is going to happen. :laugh: True ... but Jack Daniels isn't a perfect long-term solution, particularly if you need to show up to work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Posted April 21, 2006 Share Posted April 21, 2006 Chronic lower back problem is my middle name. L3,4, and 5 are all bulging and degenerating. They said it wasn't bad enough to need an opperation, but sent me to a pain clinic. The clinic did wonders, and I do fairly physical work every day. I'm not saying I don't get pain, but it's not a regular thing. I had a series of the eppadurals (SP) and 6 weeks of PT, three times a week. Trying to strenthin your lower back is all well and good, but you have to do as much if not more on your stomach. If the stomach muscles aren't in good shape, the back is left to stand alone so to speak. Weather you think you need to or not, drop about 10 lbs. That alone can make a huge difference. Proper stretching is very important every morning. The more flexable you stay, the better you will feel. I even stretch dureing the day sometimes if my back starts to bother me. Posture is extremely important too. I could go on and on, but the best advice I can give is see a doctor. Pain management clinics are very common, and I had about as good of a result as you can. You could actually be doing more harm then good. Now, I'm no doctor, but I slept at a Holiday INN Select last night :laugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PleaseBlitz Posted April 21, 2006 Author Share Posted April 21, 2006 True ... but Jack Daniels isn't a perfect long-term solution, particularly if you need to show up to work. We arent looking for perfect, were just looking for very good. :laugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bpoch Posted April 21, 2006 Share Posted April 21, 2006 Go get a massage. My wife is a certified Therapist and she does wonders for my back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PleaseBlitz Posted April 21, 2006 Author Share Posted April 21, 2006 Go get a massage. My wife is a certified Therapist and she does wonders for my back. Girlfriend got me one of those a while back. It worked great. For 5 days. I think im going to take everyones advice and get a doc to check it out. Goddammit I hate going to the doctors. Edit: PS. You are a lucky fella. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mbraun2 Posted April 21, 2006 Share Posted April 21, 2006 PleaseBlitz., I'm BayouBraves roomate who just had the operation. I had a ruptured disk at the L5S1 level however the pain wasnt centralized at the lower back it was radiating through my leg. I had occasional problems with the back but it just felt like pressure against my spine. My advice to you is to get an MRI asap. I am not sure what your symptoms are but if you have a herniate/ruptured/slipped disk (they are all the same). The long term risks can be paralysis, or incurrable chronic pain once the disk begins to cut the nerve root. Hope this helps a little feel free to contact me if you have any other questions... and to note, you aren't too young to have back problems, I'm 20 and had it diagnosed when I was 19. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkinsNut73 Posted April 21, 2006 Share Posted April 21, 2006 I've had a bad back for close to 3 years now. My daughters decided they wanted to play the piano, and a friend of the family offered to give us a very nice one for free. The piano may have been free...but it cost me my back:). Got into an awkward position moving it into the house and ended up in the most excruciating pain ever...in the history of mankind Ended up rupturing one disc and herniating two others. As others have said, go to the doctor - I actually went to a sports doctor. The MRI he sent me for revealed the exact problems with my back. From there he was able to determine the proper treatment. I ended up going for two cortisone injections (into the L5). Then followed that up with 6 months of therapy where they put me through various exercises as well as stretching me out on the torture table (30 minutes everyday with feet and arms fully extended and pulled every few minutes in order to straighten out my spine). After all that, I feel almost as good as new. I do have permanent damage in the left leg because I chose not to have surgery... but it's not bad at all. When you rupture a disc, normally the "jelly" in the ruptured part of the disc just dissipates over time...but mine formed a hardened ruptured disc which touches on the nerve. This has caused some minor loss of mobility in the leg... ...but I'm much better off than I ever thought I would be when I first hurt it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skinsbuck Posted April 21, 2006 Share Posted April 21, 2006 I can't tell you how important it is to see a doctor. Especailly an Orthopedic or Nuerologist (sp?). I had surgery in 93 after experiencing everything you just described. I'm not 100% and I still have pain from time to time. But, at 38, I still play softball (shortstop), basketball, bowling...you name it. If you have a disc problem it will not go away unless you see a doctor. You WILL do more harm than good. Go see a doctor before you do serious long term damage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Chaos47 Posted April 21, 2006 Share Posted April 21, 2006 In Vienna there is a doctor named Lee Bazzarone across from Madison High School. The man is a miracle worker. Go see him, he totally rehabbed my back a few years ago. After monkeying with several local doctors he was the answer!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redskinslovergrl Posted April 21, 2006 Share Posted April 21, 2006 PleaseBlitz...I hope that everything is ok with you. My husband has the same symptoms that you do. Unfortunately, the story doesn't end well. He was originally diagnosed with degenerative disc disease. Also, he was told that he has a F* uo back like you. He since has has three seperate surgeries and the last one being a fusion. He has been told that he is 28 % disabled. Doctors say he will never work again. This was a worker's comp injury. I suggest to you that you make people listen to you about your pain and the severity of it. I feel that the insurance company that we are dealing with has ultimately caused the end result of my husband's injuries. I think that if they hadn't drug thier feet he would never have had to have the fusion ultimately making him disabled. I just don't want to see someone else suffer if they do not have to. Just my opinions. Hope you get the help and treatment that you need. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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