Help with Back Pain Guys!

[gqchris]

Bet anything it is your Sciatic Nerve...smallest wrong move can trigger it, turning especially. Pain so bad it is crazy, shocking pain down either side of the rear end and leg sometimes all the way down to your calf and below...the main thing you can do is lay down and put 2 pillows under your knees, it typically goes away after 1-3 days. Pain killers help but the injury is still there. Ice it as well...once healed you have to drop stomach weight and start to do some very light crunches to strengthen the lower stomach muscles which in turn strenghtens the lower back area...I have lived with this for over 35 years and have it down to a science...

Yes it shoots down my left leg Papa. My whole left leg feels tight. If I turn or arch my back a slight way, it shoots down leg. I will keep on my weight loss and try crunches, but that seems like no way in hell I could even think about those right now.

 

[gqchris]

I have had 2 back surgeries both were a huge success. With that said I still need to manage it to keep it feeling good. My pain comes from tight hamstrings which lock my ass up tight which pulls and puts pressure on my lower back. The only thing that works for this is stretching and consistent deep tissue massage. You just need to find one that will work yore ass over good if you are like me...

This makes sense also. my hamstrings are so tight, and I have no flexibility at all! Thanks guys lots of great info here. Getting old sucks.

 

[gqchris]

I was in soo much pain at one time the only way I could get to work with my carpool was in the passenger seat reclined back all the way so I was laying down. Like you, mornings were the worst and I would loosen up as the day went on. I did see a couple chiropractors and had some success, the best was an elecrto-shock machine, not a TENS, this was stronger! Those sessions were 20 min, 2-3 days a week and added up really fast! The idea is to break down the tension in the muscles and slowly build up strength. It worked to a point. I then went to a small gym with a personal trainer. I was afraid to do anything that involved lifting or running. This trainer had me come in to his Pilates class and modified everything for me. Essentially, it was a stretching class for me that led into some resistance training that did build up my core muscles. I was also taking turmeric pills for a couple of months, its a natural anti-inflammatory. I havent been to the guy in probably 8 months and still feel good, havent been taking the turmeric either. Lately I have been stiff again and I know what I need to do. I will swear by that damn Pilates class, as gay as it sounds, it helped me.

Thanks brother, I have no problem going to Pilates and being gay if it gives me relief. I will try anything at this point. I agree this is all related to flexibility and just out of shape.

 

[4Waters]

Yes it shoots down my left leg Papa. My whole left leg feels tight. If I turn or arch my back a slight way, it shoots down leg. I will keep on my weight loss and try crunches, but that seems like no way in hell I could even think about those right now.

Does it shoot down the back of your leg

 

[HALLETT BOY]

Try Radio Frequency Ablation, ask your Dr . Has done wonders for my pain relief.

 

[JD D05]

This makes sense also. my hamstrings are so tight, and I have no flexibility at all! Thanks guys lots of great info here. Getting old sucks.

I also have a stim machine that helps a lot.

Amazon.com : Electric Stim

www.amazon.com

 

[Tamalewagon]

you are correct ... if that is the case, it may not even be his back. it could be sciatica. i had to deal with this quite a few times. i went to the chriopractor a couple of times without any signs of getting better.

i did some reading on sciatica, and one of the most highly recommended things was to go walking. walk about 2-3 miles a day (do only as much as you can of course).

i started walking 3 miles (almost daily) with my wife down to my local 7-11. sure enough, within a weeks time, the pain was gone. haven't had any issues since.

This^

Walking has helped my back pain a great deal. Not moving will make it worse, not better.

 

[PaPaG]

Yes it shoots down my left leg Papa. My whole left leg feels tight. If I turn or arch my back a slight way, it shoots down leg. I will keep on my weight loss and try crunches, but that seems like no way in hell I could even think about those right now.

Best sports doctors in the world in my opinion (Jobe medical center) Docs told me I would need surgery for two of my discs and to fix the nerve issue but if I could take the pain try to deal with it instead of the surgery because of technology the surgeries get better and better every year, he actually said I don't think I need your 40k right now if you can handle the pain and learn how to manage it so you don't trigger it.....fast forward 35+ years, pain still happens the same once or so a year but after all these years I know how to easily deal with it and I can actually feel when I am going to get it to start to hurt with a few warning shocks down my back and legs so I back off of what I am doing and the flair ups rarely get severe like they used to...I had a buddy do the surgery and he cannot walk normally now without extreme pain...had other buddies do the surgeries and they are good as new...a crapshoot in my opinion...deal with it if you can...hope you heal quickly.
LAST BUT NOT LEAST, I got one of those Jeeter inversion tables and when I wake up in the AM and if I slept a bit wrong and I am in any back pain what so ever I get on that thing for 3-5 minutes and come off it walking like new...amazing if you ask me...would never have believed it until I tried it....

 

[HBCraig]

I also have a stim machine that helps a lot.

Amazon.com : Electric Stim

www.amazon.com

x 2

If you get this make sure you get the "interferential" stim unit

 

[warpt71]

Thanks brother, I have no problem going to Pilates and being gay if it gives me relief. I will try anything at this point. I agree this is all related to flexibility and just out of shape.

Like others have mentioned, mine was/is sciatica, and I could feel it all the way down to my big toe, like underneath the nail! Another tip I was given was to place a roll of paper towels behind my lower back when I was in the car. I knew from x-rays that my lower back bulged out instead of curving in towards my stomach, all lack of muscle. I needed that roll towels to push my back back in.

Its going to take a combination of things because everyBODY is different. Back pain is not joke! Dont give up and try and sit this one out, you gotta move and activate those core muscles

 

[gqchris]

Does it shoot down the back of your leg

Yes, back of leg, all to about the calf

 

[jetboatperformance]

Suffered with "mad" sciatica and lower back issues (L4/L5/ S1 for 6 months after simply picking up a trailer toungue around December , Daily pain meds (OTC and scripts) helped , best relief at nite was Tens machine (electric impulses) also had two spinals (helped for a day each time) then.... it (the herniated disc) corrected itself dont know why or what but wow ! I have a great customer (noted local famous nuero surgeon and not my Doc) who said sometimes this happens.... Being very carefull , the relief without meds is BLISS

 

[4Waters]

Yes, back of leg, all to about the calf

That's sciatic L5 S1, I fuked mine up in '08 5mm herniated disk, 2 cortisone shots and a some physical therapy and I am doing good now. I still hurt every day but very tolerable. I see a chiropractor every month unless I over do it then more. Find a sports chiropractor as they tend to do things a little different.

 

[JM21]

I am Sitting in the waiting room of my orthopedic doc right now after throwing my back out for the 1000th time. I have degenerative disc disease from racing motocross my whole life. Really bad on S1, L5, L4. I refuse to do a fusion surgery.

I am currently discussing an “A2M” injection. Research it. Perfect for people with arthritis or degenerative disc disease.

Also the new surgery is called a “discectomy”. They take your old disc out, shave the nerves so no more hitting the bad areas, then insert a carbon fiber disc permanently. 2-3 weeks recovery and you walk out of the hospital the day after surgery.

I first heard of both of these deals in February of 2018. The procedures have come a long way.

I am 43 and don’t expect this to get better on its own.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[JD D05]

I am Sitting in the waiting room of my orthopedic doc right now after throwing my back out for the 1000th time. I have degenerative disc disease from racing motocross my whole life. Really bad on S1, L5, L4. I refuse to do a fusion surgery.

I am currently discussing an “A2M” injection. Research it. Perfect for people with arthritis or degenerative disc disease.

Also the new surgery is called a “discectomy”. They take your old disc out, shave the nerves so no more hitting the bad areas, then insert a carbon fiber disc permanently. 2-3 weeks recovery and you walk out of the hospital the day after surgery.

I first heard of both of these deals in February of 2018. The procedures have come a long way.

I am 43 and don’t expect this to get better on its own.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I have had 2 micro discetomy's both worked out very well.

 

[Duramax]

So it seems like every year I get a back pain episode! Its almost like clockwork. The last three days have been a living hell. Let me just start out by saying you guys that live unfortunately every day of you life with this pain, you have my condolences. I cant imagine dealing with this daily. I just cant fathom it.

So Friday, Im looking in a boats engine room and twisted towards the bulkhead looking for a switch. I did the bend over leaning twist action! Well, didn't hit me till bout 20 minutes later. Holy hell! Couldn't even walk. This was three days ago. Today, (Sunday), still having trouble even moving. Its my lower back. Feels like muscles just spasm'ed. Even down my legs. Doesnt feel like my spine or bones per say. Just a muscle tightness and EXTREME pain! I been popping Tylenol 3's with Codeine, not even denting it. Been icing it. Been using ICY Hot patches. Nothing works. What do you guys use? Its hard to even sleep. Bout to go out and buy a cane so I can get some errands done. Cant bend over to pick things up. It just hurts like hell. I tried the Chiropractor last year year, but felt like he was just trying to get me to go to more sessions, and was a little too "holistic" for my tastes. Not that Im against natural remedies, but he was a little out there. Open to all suggestions. Thanks guys!

Chris

All my years racing and such, my back, like everything else on me is getting f**ked up. My sciatic also seems to be getting worse, and it always flares up with stress. What helps me is 600mg of Ibuprofen, stretching, and then get yourself a TENS unit. Mine TENS was a couple hundred bucks, but now they have them super cheap. The better ones like mine are pretty bitchen, as you can adjust all kinds of parameters...Sometimes I keep mine on all day at the desk.

Don't fucking touch Oxy. Ibuprofen works just as good, if not better.

 

[gqchris]

That's sciatic L5 S1, I fuked mine up in '08 5mm herniated disk, 2 cortisone shots and a some physical therapy and I am doing good now. I still hurt every day but very tolerable. I see a chiropractor every month unless I over do it then more. Find a sports chiropractor as they tend to do things a little different.

Yup, l5 - S1 is what my MRI shows also.

 

[500bbc]

This makes sense also. my hamstrings are so tight, and I have no flexibility at all! Thanks guys lots of great info here. Getting old sucks.

Try getting Rolfed it will pinpoint your pain to structural as opposed to muscular. If muscular it will fix it. It pinpointed mine before I had my surgery, relived all the muscular problems but couldn't touch the source, one of multiple herniated discs.
Also try alternating ice and heat a few times a day, ice no more than 20 minutes then heat, do it twice at a time. I just went through three days of flare up, worse I've had in the twenty years after surgery, ice and heat cycle worked.

 

[JM21]

I have had 2 micro discetomy's both worked out very well.

Could you share more info? What discs? Where did you have surgery (hospital/doctor)? How was your recovery? How old are you? Sorry for all the ?’s but I would love to hear first hand experience.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[gqchris]

All my years racing and such, my back, like everything else on me is getting f**ked up. My sciatic also seems to be getting worse, and it always flares up with stress. What helps me is 600mg of Ibuprofen, stretching, and then get yourself a TENS unit. Mine TENS was a couple hundred bucks, but now they have them super cheap. The better ones like mine are pretty bitchen, as you can adjust all kinds of parameters...Sometimes I keep mine on all day at the desk.

Don't fucking touch Oxy. Ibuprofen works just as good, if not better.

I just ordered a TENS off Amazon. This sounds like a lifesaver!

 

[JD D05]

Could you share more info? What discs? Where did you have surgery (hospital/doctor)? How was your recovery? How old are you? Sorry for all the ?’s but I would love to hear first hand experience.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I am 37

When I was 20 years old I had my L4 done by a neurosurgeon named Charles Rich. They trimmed the disc and removed a piece of fractured off vertebrae. At 36 I had the same exact procedure on L5, L4 still looked great, also performed by Charles Rich. This recent one was at Park City UT hospital. The recovery is really simple, you basically stay put in one spot besides going to restroom etc for a week. No lifting anything for a month and nothing heavy for 3 months. After that you should be good to go.

Charles Rich also did Tiger Woods. The key is going to a good doc and I would personally want a neurosurgeon.

 

[Tooms22]

You might want to do some research on spinal cord stimulation. I know a couple docs that do it.

 

[Duramax]

I just ordered a TENS off Amazon. This sounds like a lifesaver!

Good for you. You will play with it enough and get it dialed in. The patches are hard to keep stuck sometimes, but that's it. Yeah, getting old sucks.

 

[rivermobster]

So it seems like every year I get a back pain episode! Its almost like clockwork. The last three days have been a living hell. Let me just start out by saying you guys that live unfortunately every day of you life with this pain, you have my condolences. I cant imagine dealing with this daily. I just cant fathom it.

So Friday, Im looking in a boats engine room and twisted towards the bulkhead looking for a switch. I did the bend over leaning twist action! Well, didn't hit me till bout 20 minutes later. Holy hell! Couldn't even walk. This was three days ago. Today, (Sunday), still having trouble even moving. Its my lower back. Feels like muscles just spasm'ed. Even down my legs. Doesnt feel like my spine or bones per say. Just a muscle tightness and EXTREME pain! I been popping Tylenol 3's with Codeine, not even denting it. Been icing it. Been using ICY Hot patches. Nothing works. What do you guys use? Its hard to even sleep. Bout to go out and buy a cane so I can get some errands done. Cant bend over to pick things up. It just hurts like hell. I tried the Chiropractor last year year, but felt like he was just trying to get me to go to more sessions, and was a little too "holistic" for my tastes. Not that Im against natural remedies, but he was a little out there. Open to all suggestions. Thanks guys!

Chris

My story. I was about the same as you...

Finally had my wife drive me to Kaiser and basically told them, I'm not having this happen again. Fucking Fix This!!!

They did xRays and and MRI and diagnosed the cause.

Then the sent me over to the back specialist, and he looked at all the results and gave me specific exercises to do.

I haven't had an episode since. That was 10 years ago.

Now I have other issues in my legs related to it. Pain caused by arthritis in my back at the injury spot.

Went to a high end sports chricopractor here in Glendora. He was honest and said he Cannot fix it (it's not possible, no matter what anyone says), but he did say he could make the pain go away. Massive time commitment on my part. Three days a week in his office and exercises (PT) every day for at least six months minimum.

Now that I'm retired, I might just give it a shot.

Key is getting the problem diagnosed, so you can see what's causing Your pain.

Don't throw darts at your back. Good luck!

 

[USMC2010]

A bad sciatic injury is what ended my Marine Corps career 10 years ago. I just finished a few visits with a chiropractor to adjust my hips. I still and will always have some pain but it's far better than it was a couple months ago.

 

[Looking Glass]

All my years racing and such, my back, like everything else on me is getting f**ked up. My sciatic also seems to be getting worse, and it always flares up with stress. What helps me is 600mg of Ibuprofen, stretching, and then get yourself a TENS unit. Mine TENS was a couple hundred bucks, but now they have them super cheap. The better ones like mine are pretty bitchen, as you can adjust all kinds of parameters...Sometimes I keep mine on all day at the desk.

Don't fucking touch Oxy. Ibuprofen works just as good, if not better.

The problem I have with the same deal as yours is the Ibuprofen can destroy your Kidney's. I found that it took more and more to accomplish the same relief and then warned about messing with this.

I'm sure you are aware of it, but it seems handle issue just to trade off to another one.

 

[4Waters]

The problem I have with the same deal as yours is the Ibuprofen can destroy your Kidney's. I found that it took more and more to accomplish the same relief and then warned about messing with this.

I'm sure you are aware of it, but it seems handle issue just to trade off to another one.

Correct Ibuprofen/Advil is hard on the kidneys and Tylenol is hard on the liver.

 

[USMC2010]

If you don't have one, get an inversion table. It takes some getting used to but is very good for the spine.

 

[stephenkatsea]

Our spines, spinal columns and spinal cords are extremely intricate, complex and individual.

 

[rrrr]

Try Radio Frequency Ablation, ask your Dr . Has done wonders for my pain relief.

I'm going in later this morning for that treatment, it's called a rhizotomy. I have significant ridiculopathy (nerve impingement) on my C5-7 vertebrae, which is making both my arms numb from the shoulders to the fingertips.

If it doesn't work, I'm going to have surgery. The procedure is similar to an anterior access disc fusion, but instead of fusing the vertebrae together, a 3D printed titanium cage is inserted in between adjoining vertebrae and screwed in place.

This is a relatively new procedure, and has proven to be a superior option over fusion.

I really should have hired a stuntman to fill in during the fun times of my youth which have resulted in significant orthopedic events. This shit is getting old.

 

[Demoman]

My Sciatica flares up terribly a few times a year with pain down the back of my leg to my feet, tingly toes etc. I go to a Mexican Sobrador here in Escondido that rolfs my back and sciatic nerve. He pushes all of the liquid from the inflammation along the nerve into a ball on the back of my calf and hamstring. Then he puts a little dab of Vaseline on that spot, lights a match and sticks it in the Vaseline like a birthday candle. He then swizzles some alcohol in a cup and slaps the cup down over the lit match causing the skin in that area to suck up into the cup and it pulls the inflammation thru the skin. I know I know it sounds crazy. He does this same treatment on the backs of my calves, hamstrings and lower back. This eliminates my sciatic pain instantly and completely for about 8 or 9 months. I let the chiropractor adjust my spine but this guy is the only one who can instantly make the sciatic nerve pain disappear. I obviously have bad discs and may need injections or replacement down the road but this treatment is a nice option to have to keep the pain under control for the time being.

 

[Wedgy]

Started 4 months ago, don't know what happed, but it sucked. All of the above painwise. PT, Chiro, massage., tens unit, massive ice packs. About halfway better. Lost the muscles that tippy toe, heel walk. Gone. Trippy. Pain and muscle spasms are better, but. Walking is a bitch. Did take the boat out Labor day, bitch to swing a leg to get in on the trailer. Doc would shit, if he knew.

No inversion yet, but had one before. Massage is just as good as Chiro. Did 4 traction sessions too.

Well hope you all are better.

Right now Orthopedic Sturgeon says I need a 4 level fusion. L4 up. Getting second opinion, sent MRI, CT scan, report to my group Radiologist/Neurosurgeon. See what they say.

Rear-ended in 07, NASCAR freeway collision in 08, didn't help.

Watch out for the other guy!

 

[jetboatperformance]

Reading all this , I just recalled A Sunday a while back pain was brutal so I got in touch with a massage therapist (works from a back cracker office) soooo she say sure come by , I did to shorten the story I walked out after an hour Thanked her and later told my wife "She bruised my ass" , Honestly my butt hurt worse than the sciatica

 

[Wedgy]

Yeah, they can dig too deep sometimes. They go deep on the athletes !!

I tripped yesterday and went down. Tae Kwon Do training helped, but I still jacked my back up. Turned out to be a good thing,, Chiropractor got me in, he and his assistant got me back to normal, way better than before. She pulled on each leg while He adjusted my low back. 4 pulls in different positions.. What a difference. My left side had been locked up for a while. Dayum. Sore AF, but walking way better now.

He read the radiologist's report. " Anytime you're talking about greater than a 4mm bulge, all I'm doing is buying you time..."
"The key is to get on it as quickly as possible."

Trying to keep it to a minimum, but.. So glad I fell down!!