Back Pain?

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I have to agree with Yoga and massage, but I really recommend Tai Chi. It's worked for me for decades while the doctors were telling me I'd never walk again without surgery after an industrial accident. I have NO disks left in the lower one third of my back, so the muscles must do what the disks used to do.

BTW the surgery they recommended had only a 50% success rate and the other 50% end up in a wheel chair ... stay far away from doctors bearing knives ...
 
Ab and lower back strengthening exercises help me. Try one of those large beach ball looking things at the gym. They stretch my back and strengthen my core like nothing else.
 
A back issue is amongst the most serious and recurring possible; my Mother underwent three separate back surgeries in attempts to ressurect her health; a simple vertebrae fusion, a spinal fusion and then a subsequent removal of the spinal fusion properties, because in each case there was no improvement. She was an extreme situation, obviously, as she was only 5'4", 110 pounds with little-to-no muscle. . .that said, I learned quite a bit about back maladies during this whole recovery process.

In short, an MRI, a CT Scan and XRays should be done (provided you have good insurance/coverage) because each will reveal different insights into what may be the source of your back pain.

The largest factor to remember is that your back is involved in EVERYTHING you do, from sitting to walking to standing. Lying down is the ONLY way to fully allow your back to recover, and each twist & turn will further agitate whatever it is that's bothering you.

The best thing you can do at this point - assuming the malady is not too serious - is stretch and strengthen your back on a daily basis, not to the point of pain, but to the point of exertion. That, supplemented by a sustainable diet and limitation of exertion should help you get back to a somewhat 'normal' level, and hopefully preclude any serious issues in the future.

PM me if you need more details, I dealt with my Mom's situation for about ten years from minor to major and have some additional insight/knowledge that may help.


Ev
 
Read the book Treat Your Back Without Surgery

For me

cortisone epidural shots + back exercises + shoe implants + Arcoxia (etoricoxib is now available in generic) + muscle relaxing cream + ice pack

I don't do my exercises like I should, so I get considerable pain a couple times a week. But a good ol' arcoxia + ice pack does the trick.


I also strongly suggest a good Simmons bed. I actually like their 'Backrest' better than their beauty rest, but both are similar in quality and price.
 
majorbta said:
How do you like it? I've been thinking of getting one.
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It works for me. But as I'm discovering (just in this thread alone) as everyone's pain is different, everyone's CAUSE of pain is different and that should be seriously examined before trying to find a solution.

I need the table because it lengthens my back enough so that I can self align (I sit and twist and it all pops back into place) before the table I couldn't pull my back out enough to twist it back into place if that makes sense. It was all kind of crumbled together.

So I walk for at least an hour to get muscles warm, slowly stretched (NEVER cool stretch your muscles!) -> Do the inversion chair to elongate -> Self align (again if you can't do this yourself, get a chiro or a DO to do it for you). If I can do this everyday it keeps me about about 97% pain free.
 
turbolapp said:
It works for me. But as I'm discovering (just in this thread alone) as everyone's pain is different, everyone's CAUSE of pain is different and that should be seriously examined before trying to find a solution.

I need the table because it lengthens my back enough so that I can self align (I sit and twist and it all pops back into place) before the table I couldn't pull my back out enough to twist it back into place if that makes sense. It was all kind of crumbled together.

So I walk for at least an hour to get muscles warm, slowly stretched (NEVER cool stretch your muscles!) -> Do the inversion chair to elongate -> Self align (again if you can't do this yourself, get a chiro or a DO to do it for you). If I can do this everyday it keeps me about about 97% pain free.
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Which one did you buy? I was looking at something called "Teeter".
 
I get back pain just from being a fatass. I need to exercise my back more. Or quit eating so much delicious food. Or both. But I'll probably do neither. Fuck it, it's worth it.
 
I had a herniated disc removed courtesy of the marine corps about 5.5 years ago. Made a huge difference for me. I still have dull pain now and again but the shooting pains and complete numbness of my leg are gone.

I know I'll never be 100% again but I'm ok with that. It did take about 2yrs after I first started complaining about it to get the surgery though. I was however a reserve. Not sure if it would have been better or worse on active duty.
 
jmacek07 said:
I had a herniated disc removed courtesy of the marine corps about 5.5 years ago. Made a huge difference for me. I still have dull pain now and again but the shooting pains and complete numbness of my leg are gone.

I know I'll never be 100% again but I'm ok with that. It did take about 2yrs after I first started complaining about it to get the surgery though. I was however a reserve. Not sure if it would have been better or worse on active duty.
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Only took you 2 years? Hell it took me the better part of 4 years AND being stationed in an area where I go to a civilian doc instead of an on base one just to get an MRI. The military is pretty good at major injuries they can see (cuts\broken bones\etc) but if you LOOK "ok" to the average joe then hello marginalization!
 
this_guy said:
Ab and lower back strengthening exercises help me. Try one of those large beach ball looking things at the gym. They stretch my back and strengthen my core like nothing else.
Click to expand...
actually the best exercise for your back is deadlifts. totally safe if done right. they not only strengthen your back and posterior chain, but will help you get a ripped stomach faster than crunches. strong erector spinae and abs = no back pain. still not good to sit all day though.
 
Anybody deal with having one leg slightly longer than the other? Most noticeable when walking, a slight limp... Leads to back pain, shoulder blade pain, hip pain, pretty much you name it... ya pretty much SUCKS
 
I picked up an inversion table off of Amazon for $130 for my father a few months ago. He's got a very bad back with a pinched nerve and I have a herniated disc that causes some god awful pain.

Start out at 5 minutes a day and then move up to 7-10 minutes/2 times a day. Don't just hang there... twist, do crunches, leg grabs etc. You will feel so much better in about a weeks time it's ridiculous.

It's well worth the little bit of money and my dad thanks me every day for it... You also save a bunch from not going to the chiro/PT numerous times a week.

Here's the one I got (not an affiliate link) [ame=http://www.amazon.com/Deluxe-Folding-Fitness-Inversion-Table/dp/B0017VXC3I/ref=sr_1_12?ie=UTF8&s=hpc&qid=1241411875&sr=8-12]Amazon.com: Pro Deluxe Folding Fitness Inversion Table: Health & Personal Care[/ame]

It's only $95 now... damn.
 
I've had several folks suggest those inversion tables, the PT guys were talking about getting the military to shell out for one for me - perhaps I'll go back one last time to try and get them to push that through. Hell if I let them shock me\ultrasound me again though. One or both of those things appears to SERIOUSLY aggravate the pain.
 
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