I'm in PAIN!!!

[IanBorthwick]

So after working my butt off for weeks without a break my back finally said STOP! I am at home today rather than working and doing my best to recuperate. I saw my chiropractor and I'm laying on an icepack trying to get some relief. When I was 17, and working at JCPenny(vile place, I hate the memory of how hard I worked for 4.25 an hour) I was made to work as if I was already 18 and I got hurt. BADLY. They herniated 3 disks in my spine and squashed another. Back then Workers Comp was not what it is today and my mother would not let me pursue legal issues. I went back to work after a month of "therapy" and have never been the same since. Now it's been years and I am still dealing with the repercussions of not being allowed to see my own doctor and such and on days like this it's hard not to be bitter about it.

So send healing thoughts my way if you can spare a moment.

Thanks.

[DuckiesDarling]

Sending some good thoughts your way, Ian. The ice will help but remember not more than 20 minutes every couple hours. Do NOT use heating pad as that will make you feel better but cause more problems when things tighten back up. You can use moist heat though, if you can get into a nice shower let the warm water kind of massage your back, alternately you can wrap a moist towel around a heating pad and use that. Alternate with the ice and it should not only relieve the pain but also reduce any swelling that is going on around those discs.

[gfofbiguy]

I'm sending you healing thoughts, Ian. Also, I work for a neurosurgeon and he is very conservative in his treatment of his back/spine patients. He recommends to at least 90% of his spine patients that they take ibuprofen up to 800 mg up to three times a day (with food) for three day intervals to help with the inflammation (if you are able to take ibuprofen).

He also recommends his patients to purchase the book: "Treat Your Own Back" by Robin McKenzie (there is also "Treat Your Own Neck" by the same), and even go to McKenzie-based therapists.

I hope you are feeling better soon, and try DD's suggestions as well.

[Cowboy51]

I agree with the above two posters. Usually when my back acts up, I take an anti-inflammatory and soak in a hot bath. After a couple of days of that and I don't feel so stiff, I go get a massage. Sending healing thoughts your way and hoping you feel better soon.

[NotLostJustWandering]

Prayer sent.

[Doggiestyle]

I used to visit a chiropractor, now I do not! I occasionally have a lower back pain and sometimes pull my lower back out of kilter, and that hurts. I was having a "in pain" episode once and just happened onto a promotional that a chiropractor was having and I wound out signing up for their "therapy package" and so then they did a bunch of X-rays and did a lot of explaining and then did a "adjustment" and WOW, did it ever do me wonders!!! I could walk straighter, had better balance, and felt like my back could seemingly move a lot smoother. Then, after the initial adjustments, the chiro-doc put me on what they called a "maintenance program" where I would come in twice a week for a regular adjustment. They would insist that you do it this way in order to keep your back in alignment and "feelin groovy".

Like I said things were great at first. They did indeed help and my back felt great,,,, for a while,,,, then after 6 - 8 - 1year or so?? (I cannot remember how long it took, been a while since then). My back would start hurtin and I would go into the chiropractors office and he would adjust me. That would seemingly help but the pain would never go away, and it seemed like the more he would adjust, the worse my back-bone would get.

The chiro-doc's adjustments would make my back feel different, and when you have a sore back, different may seem better at first, but it's not fixed. After their adjustments the pain would die down to a low roar, but would later return even worse than before.

I have taken this trip twice in my lifetime, with 2 different chiropractors. They would use the same sales pitch and would tell me what disaster would await me if I didn't follow their program, like they said that I should (they must have went to the same school). And that was to come into their office twice a week for the maintenance adjustments. With both chiro-docs, the end result was the same, which was great at first, but later on, a pain in the ass they became. After the second go around, I was almost to the point of taking cortisone treatments, was discussing it with docs but the pain sorta slowly went away and I really didn't need the cortisone.

It's been a while since I have been to a chiropractor. I would like to go because I feel like they could do me some good, except I am of the opinion, that maybe twice a month would be a more suitable maintenance program. But lets face it, they cannot make near as much money with a program like that. Which, in my opinion, is why they insist on a twice a week thing.

It seems to me that an adjustment twice a week would inflame your back-bone joints and cause the very problem that the adjustments are supposed to take care of. Or at least, that has been my experience with chiropractors.

Question to all??? Has anybody else had the same problems / experiences?

Your friend, :doggie:



I would also wish to add that your pain in the back to get better, and stay better Ian B
I know what it's like to be "down on your back",,,,, it does hurt. As a matter of fact any movement hurts then, I mean that your totally disabled, ya know?




.

[nudebiguy]

I get a pain in the back as well-I find Robax eases it-relaxes the muscles and makes it a bit bearable. It is non-prescription, not sure if it is available in your state. Good luck

[NotLostJustWandering]

Doggie: you have to be very careful who you go to for chiro care, and IMHO chiro should be supplemented with massage. Find a practice that combines both.

I've heard quite a few chiro horror stories; guess I've been lucky. I've been on chiro treatment twice and got permanent cures. Once was for a pinched nerve that developed from computer work in a very non-ergo environment together with the stress from my father dying and flying a red-eye to Arizona for his wake. The second time was from chronic back pain, again from computer work.

I dated a very good chiropractor once and got some delicious free adjustments. Had no chronic condition and developed no dependence on the adjustments.

I think chiro work is often ineffective because chiropractors forcibly move bones without treating the muscles that attach to them. When a bone is out of place the muscles get used to holding it in that position, and if their tension is not treated, they may pull the bone right back. I've experienced this directly; felt a bone snapping back out within hours of the chiro treatment. This is where massage comes in. The muscles should be massaged before the adjustment. This has two benefits: it makes the adjustment easier, requiring less force and thereby reducing chance of injury, and it gives the muscles a clean(er) slate, ready to adjust to normal posture with the adjustment rather than trying to revert to the abnormal position.

And yes, chiropractors certainly have the temptation to over-prescribe, and only the ones with the best integrity know when to stop. Those insurance bills and licensing fees are hefty.

[Cherokee_Mountaincat]

Aw Ian, I sorry your back hurts, Darlin. Follow the Ladies' advice and take it easy for a bit, let that swelling and inflamation go down. Take care Hon.;)
Cat

[IanBorthwick]

I'm doing a little better, but have no Ibuprofen in the house...I'll get some later. My problem went untreated after the Doctors that worked for JCPenney got their mitts on me..they did everything short of surgery and it took a long time for my Chirpractor to undo the damage...unfortunately, after 3 spinal injections the damage was well set and irreparable. He's done a massive amount to making me mobile again, and I found that most limiting factor is my BED and my PILLOW. When those are not in great shape, I am in agony. I put boards under this mattress(1 year old and sagging already, and forget the warranty they all lie! Unstained and still they won't replace it) and I am waiting on a cervical pillow from my Doctor, but he's not been on the ball since June...which is when I was in a car accident. That's what makes me kind of weak right now.

Lady plowed through my car like I was an optical illusion...she crossed the merge lane and smashed through my car and tried to escape, but the Traffic Around LAX wouldn't let her as well as the cop on the motorcycle who watched it happen.

Anyway, my Chiropractor is a bit lax on getting the pillows, as I have four already paid for from the lady's insurance...but the company that crafts them is holding up the order. No idea why. I must have turned over onto my face in the night and that's what made this excruciating.

I'm gonna go beg some Ibuprofen off the neighbors now....

Seriously, sometimes I feel like this injury robbed me of my youth, because I went from fit and in fighting form for martial arts, to shut in while trying to pay my own way through college because of this. I'm not bitter, but I am wondering what my life would have been like without it.

[Realist]

Ian,

I hope you get straightened out before you got too old. I'm 70 and have to deal with bad bones, joints, and back. I was blessed with hereditary problems from my mother's side of the family. I never thought I'd live this long...anyway!

My dad was 93 when he died and never had a sign of back trouble.

Good luck with yours!

[Doggie_Wood]

Doggie: you have to be very careful who you go to for chiro care, and IMHO chiro should be supplemented with massage. Find a practice that combines both.



And if you do this (or one or the other), be sur to drink lots of water to flush your system (body) of the toxins released from the chiro/massage sessions.


Ian - so sorry to hear of your pain. My best thoughts for your recovery are sent.

Doggie :doggie:

[DuckiesDarling]

Awww, Ian, I love my cervical pillow. You can find them at DME stores sometimes but if he is getting them from the same place my doc ordered his then you are getting a good one. I know we always tried to keep a few on hand.

Ibuprofen is great, just remember the prescription strength is 800mg, you can duplicate that with four otc pills as they normally come in 200mg each. Drink plenty of water and rest as much as you can.

[darkeyes]

Lil ti ifya get 2 much pain.. dependin on the tabs take 2 diff kinda pain killers. Take one non codeine or paracetamol based at one time an then one codeine or paracetamol based in between the times of the non codeine or parcetamol based... if in doubt hav lil word wivya quack.. but its quite commonly advised an offered over here for partic bad pain.. the main thing is not to overdose on any particular drug.. paracetamol can be pretty lethal...

Non codeine based Ibuprofen and CoCodamol are a good combination 2 take alternately if me membas correctly...:)

[DuckiesDarling]

Hugs ya Fran, but Ian do not take acetaminophen it won't do anything for the inflammation which is causing the pain. Get the swelling reduced and pain should ease. But combining the ibuprofen with acetaminophen can lead to some nasty complications. Ibuprofen and other NSAID's are what you need to reduce the swelling and they do have a pain reliever in them as well.

[Canticle]

Oh, Ian, you have my sympathy. There is nothing more debilitating than a bad back, whether the problem be muscular, spinal, or neurological. The pain endured, can only be understood, by another person with a back problem. I have had pain shoot upwards, sideways, heading south and down my sciatic nerve and each time, excrutiating enough to make one scream.

I think Realist is correct in saying, that we can have inherited back problems....perhaps just a weakness in that particular area and for women, carrying and bearing children does not help. I certainly know that my mother had a very bad back, but her problem was not the same as mine,

My back problem is muscular and people who have mentioned Ibuprofen based medication and Fram mentioning Cocodamol (the blessed Cocodamol), are all giving good advice and DD is correct about any ice pack or heat treatment. It's a bit like the dentist numbing the area around a tooth. Something far more subtle than extreme cold and heat is better.

Way back in March 2005, the 22nd to be precise, because we never forget something like that, my back had steadly been getting bad....again. On that day, I was in my kitchen, when the muscles in my back, simply gave way. That was scary. I had to drag myself to the 'phone to contact my son and dialled the wrong number. I am ever thankful to the wrong number, for phoning for paramedics and my son. Thankfully, this scary scenario hasn't happened again, but it is always threatening to do so. One has to be so careful.

About three years prior to 2005, I ended up in ER, when visiting my mother in law at Christmas. Every muscle in my back and in my legs seemed to go into spasm. The doctors gave me Valium, which made no difference, Morphine, the same and made me sick. Then they decided to try a combination of Cocodamol and Dyclophenic Sodium. Miracle happens. When the ambulance took me back to my mother in law's house, I walked from it...needed no stretcher, or chair. So I am a big fan of Cocodamol and Ibuprofen based medication, but only to be taken for as long as one sensibly needs to. Then stop. But always know that they are there if the pain gets really bad.

I think massage must help a lot, though I have never gone down this road, or had any other form of treanment. One thing which does seem to do amazing things for back pain (as long as you don't mind the aroma), is lavender oil, used in a carrier oil and just massaged into the offending area. Plus a few drops in bath water. Everyone I know, who has tried it, has had some relief and anything which may help, is a good thing.

So, there are plenty of us out here who know that misery of back pain, Ian and totally identify with how you must be feeling. Rest well, but also keep mobile....keep your back warm, but not too hot and no extreme cold or sitting where there is a draught.

Take care.

[IanBorthwick]

Ok, update. I went to work, had to do it I know it sounds stupid but I don't work I don't eat and it takes more than a month for me to get paid for work I've done. While loading some demo items and my table I twisted my back to try and stretch and KER-CHUNK! my back finished moving back into place after my Chiropractors start from yesterday. No more agony, but it's tight as a drum still.

Thank you all for your healing thoughts and caring.

When my new microphone arrives I am going to sing something special for you all for Halloween! Hope it gets here soon!

[BiCycler]

Ian, I feel for you. Wait a minute, that's my back. I've been home from work for four days this week writhing. I know of what you complain about. For me, the initial injury happened the day my daughter was born. I lowered her mother to the floor from a standing position after the baby started crowning. Not wanting to drop her and a bit pre-occupied with getting things done quickly, I lowered her as gently as possible to the ground and did some damage to my back. I proceeded to deliver our daughter with lots of help from mom and advice from the ambulance dispatch I had put onto speaker phone. Bless Laura the paramedic dispatch operator for her calm and cool directives. The two of us became three before anyone else arrived. I cleared my daughter's mouth and did an apgar before the paramedics arrived. All turned out to be well and she is a healthy 17 year old today. My back pain did not manifest until about two days later and has recurred many many times over the years since. I hate the pain. As I sit here having trouble even typing because no position of sitting, standing or lying down relieves the pain, I think of two things; how glad I am for my daughter's birth and for being able to help bring her into this world and how much I appreciate what chronic pain must mean to some who suffer all day every day from it.
I hope your back heals up quickly, Ian, mine too.:flag2::rainbow: