Help ive done my back in

[rimexboy]

Hi all
well the heading says it all really.

I was walking along in my back garden with a square pallet under my arm (to get jumbo bags dropped on to out the front) and i tripped on a piece of wood on the floor...

over i went like a sack of spuds first to the right with my ribs taking the full force of the pallet then once that had hit the floor, i then twisted round and over to the left.

To be honest my ribs gave me great pain for about 6 weeks then they have cleared, but only then my back has started to kill (best description) me.

I really dont know what to do for the best some days are good but most are bad,
ive been to my doctors, he gave me some cream, that was no good, i went back he sent me for X ray on my hip and said its arthrites, i did not aggree and asked to be refered to a specialist, they say ive got a trapped nerve.

While all the above was going on i have also been going to an ostherpath which seems to help a little.

Family and mates have noticed that im listing to one side, not forward or backwards but my hip bones now seam to be diffrent hights, i feel like i need to be twisted or clicked.

All the people ive seen about it apart from my doctor have asked if ive had an MRI scan, which i have not.

Im feeling quite angry with my self as i normally am very hot at keeping the work area tidy and free of any clutter but it just goes to show how easy it is to hurt yourself.

Has any one got any suggestions as to what i can do please.

[Tommy]

One of the blokes I work with had a car smash a few years ago, and as a consequence can only move his head maybe 10 degrees left or right.

He went for acupuncture, and says despite feeling queasy for an hour after, he had no ache or pain from his neck for a good fortnight. Goes every so often, and reckons its made more progress than scans and painkillers.

[lutonlagerlout]

this area is fertile ground for osteopaths, chiropractors, and the like. is there nothing else the doctor can do for you?
feel for you though back ache is murder so i hear
LLL

[seanandruby]

My back goes from time to time. Only a dr can advise as to what you should do. But i find ibuprofin, rest, heat and massage help a lot. I also walk about as much as i can as sitting down can aggrevate it. You can get a set of exercises to do off line that help once the pain has gone, to prevent it reoccuring. Best see Dr tho'.

[rab1]

my old gaffer threw his back out picking up a drawing, swooped down and lifted it up and then couldnt move. doc said that its all about setting your body up for the lift. ???

[Bob_A]

I've been to an osteopath before. It's not cheap at £45 for 30mins but it has worked for me after one or two sesssions.

[rimexboy]

Cheers all
im still going to the osteopath, he gives me electro treatment and accupuncture been about 7 times now and will keep going as it seams to help.
just waiting for physio at the hospital....

just concerned that im not going to lean list to the left for the rest of my days...

cheers simon

[enigmaenigma]

The listing might be a result of over compensating or avoidance, where you have adapted your gait to avoid any pain. Have you not asked your Dr to refer you to a physiotherapist, as they can work wonders and help evaluate posture and the like?


Also ask the Dr to explain what they mean by arthritis, as you may be like me and have degrading in certain parts of the spine / lower spine. Because certain Dr’s describe it differently, some will say I have disc degeneration in L4 and L5, others might use the umbrella term arthritis and some are just down to earth and simply call it wear & tear instead.


From personal experience, and as someone who has suffered for many years with his lower back, I can’t sing the praises of the physio enough. I thought it was a fob off, but they know their craft and it extends further than the “silly daft exercises� that I thought it was.

[bodgeitandscarper]

Whatever you do dont stop working!! just keep plodding along.

If your twisted to one side i would have thought that would be the muscles contracting?

Doctors no nothing regarding backs i was told to have six weeks off work only to find out that was the worse thing i could do.

[Tony McC]

I permanently destroyed my lower back almost 12 years ago now, and the only 'medico' that did anything of any value was a Chiropracter. Jayz, he hurt me terrible, but the next morning, I had pain-free movement for the first time in days. However, the effect was temporary and when I went back, he diagnosed the actual true cause of the pain a whole 9 months before the witch-doctor at Warrington Hospital managed to do so. In the light of his unofficial diagnosis, he refused to treat me further, because he knew it would make things worse in the long term. At least he was honest, which is more than could be said for the witch-doctor.

My missus slipped a disc 3 years ago, and determined that she shouldn't suffer as I did (although her injury was minor compared to mine) we paid for private consultation and this time, the guy recommended acupuncture. "Have you ever considered acupuncture, Mr McCormack" asked the practitioner as she slid a 6 inch needle into Mrs Taz's arse? I had, but watching those needles had caused a re-think.

Anyway, within a fortnight, Mrs Taz was back to what passes for normal. She wasn't 100%, but she was walking and leading a life, whereas I'd been confined to bed for 12 months and told I'd never work again.

She swears by the needles now, so it may be worth investigating, whereas if I ever found myself in that situation again, I'd be straight off to the chiropracter.

[rimexboy]

blimmey
i did think if i said on here that some of you guys would also suffer bad back problems.

at the moment im still going to private osteopath every week and am waiting till the 17th for my hospital physio..

below is the letter that i got ... which i dont really understand to be honest..



cheers simon

[Tony McC]

The whole point of those letters is that you're *not* supposed to understand them. Basically, it means you have back pain low down (3rd and 4th vertebra) and that you've been poked and prodded all over your backs and legs to see if you're paralysed, and the good news is that you're not. I'm sure you feel so much more at ease knowing that!

Flexion based exercises means bending and doing the silly "Flying Superman" routine, which does buggerall for your back but doesn't half amuse the kids!

Be careful with the amitriptyline: it's not the most pleasant of drugs. I'm also mildly surprised they didn't suggest valium/diazepam as that helps prevent the muscles from going into spasm.

Next patient please.....

[cookiewales]

Hi - Some bed time reading from my wife.....

The back is a complex structure consisting of:

* 24 small bones (vertebrae), that support the weight of your upper body and form a protective canal for the spinal cord.
* Shock-absorbing discs (intervertebral discs) that cushion the bones and allow the spine to bend.
* Ligaments that hold the vertebrae and discs together.
* Tendons to connect muscles to vertebrae.
* A spinal cord, which carries nerve signals from the brain to the rest of the body.
* Nerves.
* Muscles.

The lower part of your back is known as the lumbar region, which is made up of five vertebrae, known as L1, L2, L3, L4 and L5. The lumbar supports the entire weight of your upper body (plus any extra weight that you are carrying), and it is under constant pressure, particularly when you are bending, twisting and lifting.

L4 RADICULAR PAIN: from
http://www.chirogeek.com/003_DERMATOME-THEORY.htm
If the L3 disc herniates into the 'lateral recess' (which is where it usually does) and compresses / irritates the descending L4 nerve root, the patient may suffer an L4 radicular pain (aka: L4 root-pain, or L4 Sciatica). Fig. # 6 shows the regions in the lower limb where the patient will most likely suffer the symptoms of L4 sciatica (2). As you can see, the majority of patients (75%) suffer the burning, stinging, and numbing pain of sciatica in the top and inner surface (dorsum) of the foot, the outer-front of the leg, and the bottom of the big toe. These pains are the result of damage and irritation to the 'sensory portion' (portion of the nerve root which connects to skin) of the nerve root.

This should explain why they have recommended amytryptilline for the nerve pain in your hip/right hand side:
http://www.painconcern.org.uk/pages/page95.php

Basically they can only provide an accurate diagnosis with a MRI scan - keep up the exercises and you should see some improvement. Good luck :;):

[lutonlagerlout]

not sure about why but i have never had persistent back pain (when really i should have) I put this down to all the men in my family having really short legs and arms

I dont know the physics but i am 5' 11" and only have a 28:" inside leg, all my relatives are like this
all my uncles and dad did physical work and none got back ache,whereas my bro in law who is a desk jockey has lost 2 vertebrae through sitting down???

go figure

sod's law says i will pull my back tomorrow

god forbid

LLL

[rab1]

you`ve tempted fate now ???