Back Trouble

Travisthedog

I've been doing this 12 week fitness/strength/shape up challenge thing locally and this week is my last week - it's gone really well - until yesterday's session - the 2nd from last one. Doing a barbell press with bugger all weight and I felt a slight twinge in my lower back. Having suffered badly in the past with a dodgy back, I recognised the warning and backed right off but I think the damages already done. I can't lie down or sit without being in agonising pain. Walking is ok but I can't do that all the bloody time - nee to find a chiropractor and fast in the morning and pray I haven't done anything serious like a disc Ibuprofen doesn't even touch it - Need something far far stronger as I've been sat/stood in the lounge since 1am and it's now 4:40 Not a happy bunny - plus - 4 gigs this weekend......

Sambostar

Did it feel like it was it on your disc of to the side of it and are your legs working ok or tingling? Don't know where you are can recommend a guy in Southampton.

Best thing is digging I find for my back.  When I don't dig and just do hedge cutting and treework it gets weak and aches, but I make a point of warming up first.  It was killing me yesterday, but dug a 50 metres of 2 foot trench in what amounted to concrete clay, lying down  with about a foot of headroom in a shrub border and through 10 foot area of 15cm of concrete that I had to breakout first by hand with a sledge and a bar.  Thought it would kill me, but surprisingly I feel much better again.

TTony

It depends what damage you've done - a physio sorted mine out when I had a prolapsed disc. 

Like you say, it was agonising pain, so bad that the GP actually came out on a home visit and prescribed Diazepam & Cocodemol.  Had it scanned (BUPA did it pretty quickly)!and the consultant recommended surgery to slice the prolapsed bit of disc off (it was pressing against the nerves in my spine, hence the pain).  Intensive and expert physio managed to sort it instead - didn't really fancy a stranger with a sharp knife poking about around my spine!

Chiro might work for you - depends if you've got a good one ...

digitalscream

Yeah...scary story - my wife had a prolapsed disc like Tony's, but it went undiagnosed for 6 months (despite us telling them there was blatantly something more serious wrong than a twinge in the back). The disc burst, resolidified around the nerve bundle in her spine, and the result was emergency surgery where her heart stopped a couple of times on the operating table and she nearly ended up paralysed.

The good news is that's unlikely to happen, but for stronger painkillers try the maximum normal dose of ibuprofen and the same of paracetamol - that's what the doctors always recommend, and it works a treat for both the wife and I when we have back trouble. 

VimFuego

backs can be a right bitch, sometimes amputation is the only cure.

Travisthedog

Got an osteo appointment this morning - I prefer the softer approach of osteo over the cracking and bending of chiropractic

ToneControl

put some ice on first, and take an ice pack with you for the journey home

frankus

I have lower back problems from time to time and I've tried Doctors, Osteo, Chiro and self-treatment.

The doctor dosed me up on diazapam and I spent most of 2 days unconscious and dribbling.
The Osteo seemed a lot of money for a heat lamp and a giant tens machine.
After my back went 3 weeks before a grading, I watched the Lorimer Mosely TED video on pain and decided to treat myself:
I prefer the chiro - not for the cracking as that's a bit theatrical, but the posture advice, diet advice and such has helped.

holnrew

Diazepam is amazing stuff. Pretty sure I'm addicted though.

TTony

holnrew said:

Diazepam is amazing stuff. Pretty sure I'm addicted though.

I thought it was widely recognised as being addictive?  Take it for longer than a couple of weeks and ...

I only took it for long enough for me to get to the physio for her to be able to work her magic.  

marantz1300

I broke my back a long time ago.Well three vertebra,not the spinal cord.
Up the gym yesterday I was dead lifting 230kg.
Rest it and carry on with the weights.it will recover.

Grunfeld

Travisthedog said:

Got an osteo appointment this morning - I prefer the softer approach of osteo over the cracking and bending of chiropractic

Just a technical point:  physios and osteopaths manipulate ("crack") too.  All three professions have a range of techniques, hard and soft, which, to be honest, are very similar.  The "recipe" of techniques which get applied does tend to be somewhat profession specific though... so it may look like physios do one thing, chiropractors another, and osteopaths something else.  I've definitely come to the conclusion that the practitioner makes more of a difference than the job title.

But that aside... hope you get sorted soon!

holnrew

TTony said:

holnrew said:

Diazepam is amazing stuff. Pretty sure I'm addicted though.

I thought it was widely recognised as being addictive?  Take it for longer than a couple of weeks and ...

I only took it for long enough for me to get to the physio for her to be able to work her magic.  

Yeah, I had it for a few months several years back. 

Gassage

This might sound ...errr....gay.....but shove the highest strength ibrop up your jacksie. It's very efficient and also negates stomach issues....this is spoken by a former pro back row forward who lived on ibrup for a long time....it gets deeper into bloodstream and localised tissue

chillidoggy

Yes. It sounds gay.

mike_l

Chilli's going to try when he's home.......

Travisthedog

Osteo gave me a deep muscle/tissue massage (ooo er missis) and I'm cycling ibuprofen and paracetamol and codeine - plus liberal use of biofreeze.

Better night last night and certainly feeling more free today still bloody sore but that could be bruising from the osteopath of course

The good thing is she doesn't think I've done any lasting damage thank god

chillidoggy

mike_l said:

Chilli's going to try when he's home.......

With the amount of prostate exams I've had recently it'll be a doddle.

Hootsmon

ToneControl

Travisthedog said:

Osteo gave me a deep muscle/tissue massage (ooo er missis) and I'm cycling ibuprofen and paracetamol and codeine - plus liberal use of biofreeze.

Better night last night and certainly feeling more free today still bloody sore but that could be bruising from the osteopath of course

The good thing is she doesn't think I've done any lasting damage thank god

use real ice packs if you can - or a bag of frozen peas

biofreeze is not as effective

beed84

Back pain is horrible.  I've pulled mine twice and it was excruciating. Depending on the injury, although sitting and lying down might feel like what you want to do, walking and warming it up is one remedy that will help it get back to normal.  Medication wise, I was prescribed Diclofenac Sodium 50mg tablets and they worked like a dream.