Back Pain

Viyonillornori

I'd like to talk about back pain and what to do about it.

Before I do though, I'd just like to say hello to everyone here on boards. I'm a new member, however, I've been a guest to the site for a long time. Glad to officially be a part of the community. Also I apologise if this isn't in the right section. It's the best fit I could find.

Back to the topic. For years I've suffered with minor back pain for a few years now, nothing serious. However, over the past year it's become more frequent and had been caused by doing simple things(cleaning about the house, walking around for an extended period of time etc.).

Back in September I was helping do a clear out, lifting boxes and what not and my back went. It was a few days before I was 100% again and I was relieved when it was gone. Then it went again, around October and lasted up until about New Years week. Again, happy it was gone but now it's back and I'm fed up with it.

I'd like to know who could I see or where I could go to get it checked out? I've tried painkillers and heat pads but they don't do very much. I'm in Dublin if it helps narrow it down.

Any help is appreciated. Sorry about the long post too.

Spook_ie

Obviously, none of us can give you actual medical advice, however, we may be able to tell you of our own stories with back pain. For me, my back has 'gone' twice - severe pain that went all the way down to my foot, and when it went the second time, I lost sensation, so I have had 2 microdiskectomies/laminectomy/forminectomy.

The best advice I would ever give anyone is to get an MRI, it really is the best piece of info you can get as it will be able to clearly say whether you have a disc problem or where your problem lies.

Viyonillornori

Spook_ie wrote: »

Obviously, none of us can give you actual medical advice, however, we may be able to tell you of our own stories with back pain. For me, my back has 'gone' twice - severe pain that went all the way down to my foot, and when it went the second time, I lost sensation, so I have had 2 microdiskectomies/laminectomy/forminectomy.

The best advice I would ever give anyone is to get an MRI, it really is the best piece of info you can get as it will be able to clearly say whether you have a disc problem or where your problem lies.

Cheers for the response. I should have stated that I was asking for info from those who have had similar problems in the past.

Anyway I might look into MRI. I just wasn't sure who I actually had to see to get to the bottom of things.

Spook_ie

GP's can organise MRI's - not sure if you have private health insurance to cover the cost. I've just had an MRI up in the Sports surgery clinic which was covered by my VHI, they were billed 195 euros for it. I've had both my back surgeries with Paraic O'Neill in the Mater Private & he did a great job. Having physio now up in the SSC & I've heard great things about their 2 Neurosurgeons Michael Kelleher & Martin Murphy.

marcus2000

I had what I would have described as a "sore back" consistently for about 2 years. I would have called myself pretty fit and active (gym a few times a week) and mostly ignored the soreness, as it seemed to be very intermittent. i had good weeks and bad weeks. It was never really TOO bad, just a nuisance - particularly standing in the one place, or early mornings.I kept putting down to sore muscles or something I must have done at the gym....it will go in a few weeks. Then I got to a point when I realised that this wasn't going to go away, so I started some physio.
it was unsuccessful. Some weeks I was told my movement was coming along, and the next it was sore again.

Anyway, i asked my GP to refer me for an MRI. I found out that i had two herniated discs in my lower back...My GP, and subsequently my specialist, told me that it was actually just wear and tear and not unusual. Apparently I was just unfortunate that it was impinging on a nerve, which was causing the pain. I was told to lose weight. (My weight is about normal, but I was told that regaining my fitness would help reduce pressure on the nerve) and to take up Pilates to strengthen my core.

I tried but had a few set backs, like days where it would be agonising and id need to lay on the floor. Id blame the exercise and stop going. (any excuse).

Its a bit infuriating, as the reason I quit exercise was because of the pain. But over a few months, I focused on my diet and doing a small bit of exercise, and pilates, and trying to get fit. And it seems to be working. I no longer think twice about tying my shoe lace....

I never found heat patches any good ....but I'd definitely invest in a foam roller. They helped with relief a lot. Anyway, you should get the MRI for sure, but I just wanted to throw in my story, as there were times when it really got to me but now, it's not something I concern myself with 'too often'. * unless Im asked to help out with some lifting ...

livemusic4life

Over four years and counting for me following a slip on ice where I really didn't think I'd hurt myself much until a week later when my back completely gave up on me. Couldn't walk, couldn't lie down, couldn't sit or stand. Admitted to hospital where I got an MRI and referred to a surgeon. Degenerated discs which they could do nothing for. Cue a visit to the pain management department for assessment. I can honestly say that they saved my life. I cried all day after my first appointment because someone listened to me, and comforted me and made me feel like I wasn't going mental. I firmly believe that if I hadn't gone to pain management that I would have ended up killing myself and that isn't an exaggeration. Although some of the procedures are a bit trial and error and varying degrees of success, getting epidurals, nerve blocks, denervation all offered me some hope that I could get some relief. Don't turn your nose up to a bit of proper pain medication and the magic healing powers of a hot water bottle!

janet1989

I am 20 years old and I have back pain. Is there many others my age suffering as well?

brettmirl

My back issues started when I was 21...all from lifting a bag of rubbish the wrong way!

In terms of treatment, everyone is going to have different causes and issues, so you really should talk to your GP in the first instance.

They may recommend medication, physio, MRI or refer you onto a specialist.

In my own case, I've suffered on and off for 15 years. Most of the time it's my own fault. Not exercising, slouching, lifting things incorrectly, bad posture, etc.

My latest bad bout started 12 months ago. Medication and physio was not helping, so my GP sent me for an MRI and referred me to the pain management clinic in St Vincent's.

In there I got two sessions of lumbar medial branch blocks, which sorted me out. Not a long term solution, as I will eventually need surgery for degenerating discs, but this stopped the pain.

I'm off the combination of pain killers & anti inflammatories now, but still go to physio once and week.

And I also do a pilates class weekly to help me on my posture.

Long story short, go to a GP, one you trust, and get sound medical advice.

brettmirl

marcus2000 wrote: »

Its a bit infuriating, as the reason I quit exercise was because of the pain. But over a few months, I focused on my diet and doing a small bit of exercise, and pilates, and trying to get fit. And it seems to be working. I no longer think twice about tying my shoe lace....

I never found heat patches any good ....but I'd definitely invest in a foam roller. They helped with relief a lot. Anyway, you should get the MRI for sure, but I just wanted to throw in my story, as there were times when it really got to me but now, it's not something I concern myself with 'too often'. * unless Im asked to help out with some lifting ...

Did you get a set of exercises from a physio?
I got mine to do me two different sets - one for when my back is sore which focuses on stretching mostly and another set when i am pain-free to help build muscle strength. It's also really worth while getting a physio to look over your exercise plan and in particular your technique to make sure you are doing them all right.

Heat patches I find quite good, but only for muscular pain. The best brand I find are ThermaCare - they heat better, and stick to the affected area better than any other branded ones I've used so far.

livemusic4life

janet1989 wrote: »

I am 20 years old and I have back pain. Is there many others my age suffering as well?

Mine started at 10 when i broke the end of my spine in a fall. I've been suffering bouts of it on and off for the last 23 years. But around 20 years old was a very bad time for me as i remember. I'm sure its a very common problem.

madmax72

Hi just wondering does anybody know what the cost of a spinal cortisone injection would be.I might have to get a second one into L4-L5 soon .I got my first by going public but don't think I can wait that long this time

chatjunkie

I got two but they were covered by aviva so not sure what the cost would be paying out of your own pocket. The aviva receipt said almost €1000 each. They didn't work at all for me and ended up with a two level fusion afterwards.

livemusic4life

madmax72 wrote: »

Hi just wondering does anybody know what the cost of a spinal cortisone injection would be.I might have to get a second one into L4-L5 soon .I got my first by going public but don't think I can wait that long this time

Yep, a grand is about right per injection, thats what my local public hospital told me they would cost as well as 70 euro for your half day bed. I was going to get a loan to go private as i was so desperate because of the pain i was in. When my specialist heard that i was willing to pay for an MRI and injections privately, he realised just how desperate i was and managed to push my appointment forward.

madmax72

livemusic4life wrote: »

Yep, a grand is about right per injection, thats what my local public hospital told me they would cost as well as 70 euro for your half day bed. I was going to get a loan to go private as i was so desperate because of the pain i was in. When my specialist heard that i was willing to pay for an MRI and injections privately, he realised just how desperate i was and managed to push my appointment forward.

any idea what the waiting times are for an injection.im not with a specialist at the moment just going through my physio and gp

livemusic4life

madmax72 wrote: »

any idea what the waiting times are for an injection.im not with a specialist at the moment just going through my physio and gp

Have you not been refered to a pain specialist? If not, the wait could be a while. I think i was waiting about 16 weeks.

madmax72

livemusic4life wrote: »

Have you not been refered to a pain specialist? If not, the wait could be a while. I think i was waiting about 16 weeks.

going to see my gp tomorrow.my physio has given up and wants me to get an mri.i had one done around 6 years ago and it showed a prolapsed disc.lived with it up until a couple of years ago when i got my first injection which my old physio was able to organise.had done well until last september when pain came back and muscle tightness in glute/hamstring and quad.the physio can only relieve the pain/tightness temporarily.will ask my gp about being referd to a pain specialist

livemusic4life

madmax72 wrote: »

going to see my gp tomorrow.my physio has given up and wants me to get an mri.i had one done around 6 years ago and it showed a prolapsed disc.lived with it up until a couple of years ago when i got my first injection which my old physio was able to organise.had done well until last september when pain came back and muscle tightness in glute/hamstring and quad.the physio can only relieve the pain/tightness temporarily.will ask my gp about being referd to a pain specialist

It really does depend on the waiting list of where you are referred to. If your gp is a nice old soul he might check the waiting lists in various hospitals for you and see who has the lowest. Good luck with it. Some gps don't give much weight to the pain management teams, but they are wonderful

Tarzana2

Can I ask, has anyone found that doing gentle exercises has helped their back pain?

I've had chronic back pain for a year now. It's not getting better at all and is just so tender to the touch. Painkillers help a little but not much. The best is Tylex but I don't want to use that much or longterm.

I had a period of serious inactivity before I got the pain and strongly suspect this is what caused my problems. I think I just have terrible muscle tone and bad posture.

But the idea of exercising is daunting even though some of them don't cause that much pain to do.

Anyone find it helped?

madmax72

I started doing Pilates with my physio.it has helped me no end would recommend it

Tarzana2

madmax72 wrote: »

I started doing Pilates with my physio.it has helped me no end would recommend it

Did you start off slowly? I'm a bit terrified!

brettmirl

Tarzana2 wrote: »

Did you start off slowly? I'm a bit terrified!

I'm doing Pilates at the moment too, but doing it at my regular Physio place.

What area are you in? It's always good to get recommendations instead of just picking a random place to go.

madmax72

Tarzana2 wrote:

Did you start off slowly? I'm a bit terrified!

My Pilates instructor is based in south Dublin and she has special classes for people with back pain

Sham Squire

Best advice you can get has already been given in this thread:
Go see your GP and get an MRI scan to see exactly what's wrong
Go see a Physical Therapist/Physiotherapist/Sports Injury specialist or similar to get some kind of proactive intervention to help get relief from the immediate pain (I recommend the Physical Therapist or Sports Injury guys from my own experience)
Get into Pilates or a Personal Trainer who can give you a tailored work out around building up your core in the long term

People will recommend all kinds of exercises and all of them can help (walking, swimming, yoga, pilates) but the reason for doing any of them is the same, you need to build up the muscles around the effected area to protect it in your everyday life. So, if (like me and lots of others chiming in) your injury is lower back (L4/5) then core work is what you need in the long term. Personal Trainer or Pilates would be best as they can target that area with every excercise.

Good luck and try not to lose hope. Suicide has been mentioned here already and it doesn't get mentioned lightly. Living with constant debilitating pain can take you to some very dark places. Always remember there's hope and do some long term planning around getting yourself fit again.

Tarzana2

Thanks so much for all the replies!

Yeah, I have to admit in the last few weeks, my mind has wandered to dark places. I think many people with chronic pain will understand that, as you begin think "What's the point of life without quality of life". I'm 31 years old, I don't want 40 or 50 years of this. It doesn't help that work are getting antsy about absences. I'll basically be using up my holidays this years to get it sorted. But if I get it sorted, it will have been worth it!

I'm also experiencing very serious breathlessness at the moment. Thankfully not heart related, but inhalers and steroids are not working. It's though the back pain might be playing a part, as it is mid back as well as lower and may be preventing me from taking in deep breaths as well as making me reluctant to cough due to the tenderness, which means my lungs are not being cleared. Anyway, as well as being very restrictive, the breathlessness is preventing physical activity at the moment, as I can't wait even slowly walk ten metres without getting out of breath. I should be able to do exercises on a mat though.

Anyway I digress. I don't know if an MRI will be ordered. I've had a back X-ray, which I'll get the results of tomorrow, but I know they are often unhelpful.

The consultant told me to hold off for now on organising a physio until we can just do a few more tests. Perhaps I should just stick to simple stretching exercises until a physio can advise me on suitable exercises.

Anyway, I wasn't looking for medical advice, just people's own experiences and your replies have been really informative. My GP was fantastically honest in telling me he could see I have poor muscle tone and posture and that this is likely worsening the pain and was maybe even the root cause. I know I was very sedentary leading up to it. I was very interested to know that I can help myself here.

deadanonymau5

marcus2000 wrote: »

I had what I would have described as a "sore back" consistently for about 2 years. I would have called myself pretty fit and active (gym a few times a week) and mostly ignored the soreness, as it seemed to be very intermittent. i had good weeks and bad weeks. It was never really TOO bad, just a nuisance - particularly standing in the one place, or early mornings.I kept putting down to sore muscles or something I must have done at the gym....it will go in a few weeks. Then I got to a point when I realised that this wasn't going to go away, so I started some physio.
it was unsuccessful. Some weeks I was told my movement was coming along, and the next it was sore again.

Anyway, i asked my GP to refer me for an MRI. I found out that i had two herniated discs in my lower back...My GP, and subsequently my specialist, told me that it was actually just wear and tear and not unusual. Apparently I was just unfortunate that it was impinging on a nerve, which was causing the pain. I was told to lose weight. (My weight is about normal, but I was told that regaining my fitness would help reduce pressure on the nerve) and to take up Pilates to strengthen my core.

I tried but had a few set backs, like days where it would be agonising and id need to lay on the floor. Id blame the exercise and stop going. (any excuse).

Its a bit infuriating, as the reason I quit exercise was because of the pain. But over a few months, I focused on my diet and doing a small bit of exercise, and pilates, and trying to get fit. And it seems to be working. I no longer think twice about tying my shoe lace....

I never found heat patches any good ....but I'd definitely invest in a foam roller. They helped with relief a lot. Anyway, you should get the MRI for sure, but I just wanted to throw in my story, as there were times when it really got to me but now, it's not something I concern myself with 'too often'. * unless Im asked to help out with some lifting ...

Ive lower back problems too and am seeing a physic for 2-3 weeks but Im starting to think he's not very good. Im considering getting an mdi.

How long until you gave up on physio?
Can I ask how old you are?
Did it take long for you to see a specialist?

madmax72 wrote: »

going to see my gp tomorrow.my physio has given up and wants me to get an mri.i had one done around 6 years ago and it showed a prolapsed disc.lived with it up until a couple of years ago when i got my first injection which my old physio was able to organise.had done well until last september when pain came back and muscle tightness in glute/hamstring and quad.the physio can only relieve the pain/tightness temporarily.will ask my gp about being referd to a pain specialist

How long have you been seeing your physio?

_Brian

Tarzana2 wrote: »

Can I ask, has anyone found that doing gentle exercises has helped their back pain?

I've had chronic back pain for a year now. It's not getting better at all and is just so tender to the touch. Painkillers help a little but not much. The best is Tylex but I don't want to use that much or longterm.

I had a period of serious inactivity before I got the pain and strongly suspect this is what caused my problems. I think I just have terrible muscle tone and bad posture.

But the idea of exercising is daunting even though some of them don't cause that much pain to do.

Anyone find it helped?

Exercise definitely helps.
However. You should seek proper advice before embarking on any exercise.

Civil Servant13

I've back and neck pain after an accident. I waited so long on the waiting list that I went private and saw a rheumatologist and lyrica is s wonder drug. Also neurontin. GP's can prescribe these. Worth a shot??

Tarzana2

_Brian wrote: »

Exercise definitely helps.
However. You should seek proper advice before embarking on any exercise.

I've been talking to a consultant and have been given a week's supply of very strong painkillers. (morphine) The idea is to get started doing gentle exercises and then when that supply runs out hopefully I'll be up and running! I simply can't exercise with normal analgesics at the moment. I just need something to initially push me as it's a vicious cycle of no exercise and ever-weakening muscles leading to easily strained muscles and more pain. Everyone in the hospital today was asking what happened, did I fall etc. Nope, it's idiopathic! I have slight scoliosis but apart from that there is nothing wrong with the bones of my back.

The breathlessness is obviously a huge barrier, but exercises on an exercise mat should be fine. The breathlessness is a whole other ish I'm slowly getting to the bottom of.

deadanonymau5

Can anyone recommend a place to get an MRI done? ill be paying out of hand since I don't have health insurance? My local hospital does it but I presume Id be better off getting it done somewhere else to get better advice/help?

Tarzana2

So, oxycodone didn't even work to kill the pain. Doing even simple exercises was painful.

I'm getting to end of the line, patience-wise, hope-wise. No painkiller has in any way worked to give me even a little bit of relief in the last year. Not paracetamol, not tylex, not tramadol, not oxycodone, not lidocaine patches, not any NSAID I've tried, nothing.

The pain is showing no signs of improving. It's the strangest pain, like I am constantly pulling muscles. That acute, newly pulled muscle pain all the time, in different parts of my back, unrelentlessly. I don't know what to do, and there seems to be not much more doctors can do. I feel so low. And it's being to put a strain on my relationship.

Sham Squire

deadanonymau5 wrote: »

Can anyone recommend a place to get an MRI done? ill be paying out of hand since I don't have health insurance? My local hospital does it but I presume Id be better off getting it done somewhere else to get better advice/help?

You'll need a referral to get an MRI done so go to your GP and they'll recommend somewhere. Most people I know (including myself) got theirs done in Euromedic in Dundrum but that may be geographical. Your GP will know where your best nearest place is but either way you'll need a referral from your GP to get one done anywhere as far as I know.

Spook_ie

Tarzana2 wrote: »

So, oxycodone didn't even work to kill the pain. Doing even simple exercises was painful.

I'm getting to end of the line, patience-wise, hope-wise. No painkiller has in any way worked to give me even a little bit of relief in the last year. Not paracetamol, not tylex, not tramadol, not oxycodone, not lidocaine patches, not any NSAID I've tried, nothing.

The pain is showing no signs of improving. It's the strangest pain, like I am constantly pulling muscles. That acute, newly pulled muscle pain all the time, in different parts of my back, unrelentlessly. I don't know what to do, and there seems to be not much more doctors can do. I feel so low. And it's being to put a strain on my relationship.

this might of use to some of you out there

www.sportssurgeryclinic.com/blog-research/blogs-infographics/407

2 & 3 item down the page.....

Tarzana2

An update from me.

My back pain worsened last week to the point that I could only crawl on all fours to get around my apartment. Went to A&E and got a back x-ray that showed two things - my bone density is lower than it should be and my lower spine is straighter than it should be. I also have slight scoliosis. So my spine appears to be a bit fecked. It must be considered fairly serious as an appointment was organised with the hospital physiotherapist for within two weeks, which I understand is very speedy in relative terms.

I'm still in agony, coughing is a nightmare at the moment and often when I stand, I get intense pain in my mid-back region.

I've been prescribed gabapentin (neurontin) but I really have my doubts about it being nerve pain, as I don't identify with a lot of the symptoms of nerve pain, and my back is very, very tender to the touch.

It's all a bit hellish at the moment.

deadanonymau5

Tarzana2 wrote: »

An update from me.

My back pain worsened last week to the point that I could only crawl on all fours to get around my apartment. Went to A&E and got a back x-ray that showed two things - my bone density is lower than it should be and my lower spine is straighter than it should be. I also have slight scoliosis. So my spine appears to be a bit fecked. It must be considered fairly serious as an appointment was organised with the hospital physiotherapist for within two weeks, which I understand is very speedy in relative terms.

I'm still in agony, coughing is a nightmare at the moment and often when I stand, I get intense pain in my mid-back region.

I've been prescribed gabapentin (neurontin) but I really have my doubts about it being nerve pain, as I don't identify with a lot of the symptoms of nerve pain, and my back is very, very tender to the touch.

It's all a bit hellish at the moment.

Sorry to hear that. When you first noticed you had back problems how bad was it? What was wrong?

My physio told me I have a straight back too. Mine just spontaneously was very sore, and was painful to stand, sit, get out of bed etc. Caused by weak lower back muscles Im told.

Tarzana2

deadanonymau5 wrote: »

Sorry to hear that. When you first noticed you had back problems how bad was it? What was wrong?

My physio told me I have a straight back too. Mine just spontaneously was very sore, and was painful to stand, sit, get out of bed etc. Caused by weak lower back muscles Im told.

I've had pain for about a year now. It's mostly been concentrated in the mid-back region so for a long time I erroneously thought it was chest pain. This is the worst it's been though.

Giving the gabapentin a proper go. No effect yet but I'm building up to the required dose and it can take a wee while, I understand. I know it doesn't work for everyone though. Panadol so far is the only thing to slightly take the edge off. Everyone asks me if I fell or had an accident. Nope!

I really feel dreadful though, my back just feels like it might collapse. Life is on hold at the moment and my job hangs in the balance...

Can I ask, has your back improved? If so, how did that come about?

deadanonymau5

Tarzana2 wrote: »

I've had pain for about a year now. It's mostly been concentrated in the mid-back region so for a long time I erroneously thought it was chest pain. This is the worst it's been though.

Giving the gabapentin a proper go. No effect yet but I'm building up to the required dose and it can take a wee while, I understand. I know it doesn't work for everyone though. Panadol so far is the only thing to slightly take the edge off. Everyone asks me if I fell or had an accident. Nope!

I really feel dreadful though, my back just feels like it might collapse. Life is on hold at the moment and my job hangs in the balance...

Can I ask, has your back improved? If so, how did that come about?

Sorry to hear about your job and serious back pain, it must be very tough!

My back pain started about 6/7 weeks or so ago. Don't know from what. The first 2 weeks it was very sore/painful, then went to a physio after the 2 weeks when it wasn't so bad. She said it was that I had a weak back, gave me some excercises and stretches to do. Went back after a week or so and got some more difficult ones to do. Im not sure they have made a difference. Ive a slightly stronger core, so hoping to build on that. Trying to strengthen my lower back with exercises is hard since its sore and I don't want to do more damage. I still get sore/pain when doing everyday things, like cleaning.

I noticed you said your back pain came after serious inactivity, I think mines the same. Sitting down way too long!

Tarzana2

deadanonymau5 wrote: »

I noticed you said your back pain came after serious inactivity, I think mines the same. Sitting down way too long!

Yeah, the doctors pooed pooed the notion, but they don't know just how inactive I was!

One thing I learned from this, is that doctors really so massively vary in their opinions. I've heard so many different things from different doctors!

mad m

Anyone ever try a chiropractor for lower back pain? As with a lot in here Ive lower back pain. Comes on all of a sudden for no reason and then I can be fecked for a day. Have it at moment, cant bend forward fully without pain going down leg, plus constant dull pain in my lower back down to my shin....

I'm booked into my local Physio tomorrow but have always wondered about a Chiropractor.

gerrard01

i am also a new member to this board.ie and i myself have been suffering terrible for long period of time with back pain i have being attending the pain specialist and my local gp and between the two of them both they could not get to the bottom of my issue and recently i got the courage to go the local chioprator over five weeks ago . my frist visit was a assigment and a few test and the second one was a my frist treatment and with the mri scan result from thye hospital the chiroprator was able to see what was causing the problem for all of this years my lumbar disc was all twiosted foe so long that was causing the discomfort and pain for so long.

gerrard01

chiropractior that i am attending are good

SarahMollie

Tarzana2 wrote: »

Yeah, the doctors pooed pooed the notion, but they don't know just how inactive I was!

One thing I learned from this, is that doctors really so massively vary in their opinions. I've heard so many different things from different doctors!

Hi Tarzana,

Sorry to hear youre struggling to much, I hope you find something that works for you soon.

I have to say, I agree wiht your inactivity theory, but would also couple it with bad posture habits (in my experience anyway)

I'm quite large chested even from a young age, and I think this started off my bad posture habits as I was self conscious. I'm also prone to bouts of extreme laziness

I've had niggles with my back for as long as I can remember (grew up riding horses so I've taken my fair share of knocks and falls). My back would become stiff and painful intermittently and I've just have to limit myself until I felt better.

I then developed a more acute version of the same issues when I first started working, and would see physios at the SCC periodically. They all said the same thing, strengthen your core, which I would for a while, and I'd be a lot better, but then I'd get lazy again.

I had another bout late last year (I'd recently taken up spinning and the one day decided to climb the sugar loaf) and the next day i was in agony. This worked for a while, but again Christmas came and I started getting sloppy on doing my exercises.

Then about 3 weeks ago, I slipped on a bathmat and did myself a proper mischief. I've never known pain like it. I went to A&E and they xrayed my back but seemed reluctant to prescribe strong painkillers even though I was crying my eyes out. They just said paracetamol and ibuprofen.

I went home and made an appointment with my previous physio. I've seen him about 5 times since it happened. My first session was the night after my fall and my bf had to practically carry me in as I could barely walk. I had muscle spasms going off like crazy, and basically everything hurt.

When my pain started to calm down he was able to diagnose me with a herniated disk at L5, and also sciatica resulting from it (numbness and pain in my lower left leg and foot, still not resolved) Right now he's optimistic that he can get back back to full health through physio but has talked me through the surgical approach at a high level in case his intervention in unsuccessful.

So far I'm feeling pretty good, back at work and surviving day to day. I have a desk job so I need to get up and go for a little walk every 20 mins or so, so that I don't stiffen up. I still have weakness in my left leg, for and ankle so have to be careful walking as I could go over on my ankle very easily given that I can't fully feel it!

I'm only 3 weeks post injury so its too early to tell, but I've done a bit of research and spoken to a lot of people. A colleague of mine had surgery on a similar injury last year and he can't speak highly enough of his Surgeon (Michael Kelleher at SCC - I think he was mentioned previously on this post).

If you have the luxury of private health insurance it seems like you can take a good bit of controll over your treatment, so get recommendations and don't be afraid to move if what they're suggesting isnt working for you.

septictank

Hi

Came onto this thread to see if i could get any advise but i guess I'm a bit older than most on here and problems can be different with age.

My BF has been complaining about his back for the last few months as most lads in their 50's who work in a job that involves hard manual labor often do.

After nagging from the wife, went to the doc and the news isn't great.

Prostate cancer often spreads after time to the back, and is a lot of the time the first sign that a man might admit that something is wrong.

So the news at the moment is bad for him, could change I hope, but I was wondering has anyone come across this before and have any advise.

I never knew about this before, go get a doc to check you out.

urbanachiever1

I wish to offer some advise to fellow back pain sufferers. This worked for me, it could for you. pm me if you want to know any more.

I was always surprised by the attitude of many doctors who were quick to prescribe pain relief or surgery without considering the root cause. It took me three years to figure out the best course of action for me. I know it will not work for everyone but it wont hurt to try.

I have two bulging discs in my lower back and I was in chronic pain for about three years. The pain inflicted upon every aspect of my life. I tried everything from osteopaths to physiotherapists and MRIs and everything in between as regards practitioners and diet. I languished on a waiting list for surgery for all that length of time also - in the end I didn't need it. From all the experts I spoke to and those suffering from similar pain I was told that surgery doesn't always work anyway and can indeed make a problem worse.
I took up swimming and it has changed my life. It may seem simple but it if you think about it, it makes sense. I have been told by most specialists that bulging discs are very difficult to cure - you can't just push them back into place or cut them out very easily. The secret is in building up your core muscles and the muscles surrounding the spine that will in turn support the spine and stop the bulging discs from protruding even further. I was told by one practitioner to build up my core muscles almost as a last resort - 'it might just work'. I tried yoga, pilates and other land based exercises but they only aggravated the problem and I stopped. When you stop exercising the muscles get flabby and then the discs are not supported causing more pain - you do even less exercise and its a vicious circle. Swimming ( frontcrawl or 'overarm' instead of breaststroke) allows you to exercise without putting pressure on the spine. The weight of your body is greatly reduced and the spine is decompressed. When swimming, your arm work actually pulls the top half of your body away from the lower half again reducing pressure on the spine and allowing you to work the relevant muscles.
It takes commitment - I swim regularly but when I miss a few weeks I can feel the muscles slackening and the pain return. Unfortunately the bulging discs will always be there but I have been relatively pain free for the last five years. I have my life back. Looking back on it I am amazed at some of the bad advice that I received from people who should know better.

I wonder has swimming helped anybody else and if anyone would be willing to give it a try.

mad m

@urbanachiver1,

See below. FairPlay and keep swimming


https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057840700