Bad back advice

[JR]

On Friday night I was taking stuff down to the recycling box and just ever so slightly turned the wrong way and felt a twinge on the right side of my lower back. Hurt like hell yesterday, seemed to have improved this morning and has just become worse. Painful to get up from a chair or drive the car.

Using a heating pad and have taken Robaxcet but not a huge improvement.

Any advice out there?

 

[DyePack]

(1) Moist heat, not just a regular heating pad.

(2) Taurine.

(3) Glucosamine/chondroitin blend.

 

[DocTalk]

Basic back advice:

Bed rest for a maximum of 24 hours then activity as tolerated. Bed rest measn that and not propped in a recliner or on a couch. The idea is to get rid of gravity for a short period of time to allow the back muscles to rest. Anything longer tha n24 hours has not been shown to be effective.

Ice/heat/alternating to the painful area. Whatever makes it feel comfortable.

Drugs! Ibuprofen as an anti-inflammatory is a given. If more is needed, then a narcotic like hydrocodone (Lortab, Vicodin in the US) in association with a muscle relaxant. My favorite is Flexeril, but Soma and Robaxin also work.

Big warning sign: If you have problems urinating or controlling bowel movements, an emergent MRI is required to rule out cauda equina syndrome, where the viability of the spinal cord is at risk. Otherwise, imaging is usually a waste of time, money and radiation.

Follow up is usually a good idea. Physical therapist, family physician or chirpractor will work. My only concern with the latter is the extensive use of radiation and the number of repeat visits that are usually recommended.

 

[Songbird]

a half-gramme of soma ...

 

[JR]

Basic back advice:

Bed rest for a maximum of 24 hours then activity as tolerated. Bed rest measn that and not propped in a recliner or on a couch. The idea is to get rid of gravity for a short period of time to allow the back muscles to rest. Anything longer tha n24 hours has not been shown to be effective.

Ice/heat/alternating to the painful area. Whatever makes it feel comfortable.

Drugs! Ibuprofen as an anti-inflammatory is a given. If more is needed, then a narcotic like hydrocodone (Lortab, Vicodin in the US) in association with a muscle relaxant. My favorite is Flexeril, but Soma and Robaxin also work.

Big warning sign: If you have problems urinating or controlling bowel movements, an emergent MRI is required to rule out cauda equina syndrome, where the viability of the spinal cord is at risk. Otherwise, imaging is usually a waste of time, money and radiation.

Follow up is usually a good idea. Physical therapist, family physician or chirpractor will work. My only concern with the latter is the extensive use of radiation and the number of repeat visits that are usually recommended.

Thanks Doc.

 

[Sxysprtswrtr]

Ice packs ...  use plenty of those. My mom had a herniated disc and her doctor/chiropractor said a common misconception is that people tend to use heating pads and never think to use ice.

If you get those ice packs that have cloth on them, that's advisable for long-term use.

 

[cougargirl]

It's probably a back strain, and if that's the case, lie flat on your back on the floor, with your knees bent, to release the tension on your lower back. Go to the doctor, as well, the first chance you get. Muscle relaxers also help.

 

[joe]

Muscle relaxers help a lot of things get better.

 

[MertWindu]

Jumping Jacks, heavy lifting, and maybe start doing the twist in the middle of your living room.





Oh... advice for a bad back. Not...right. Whoops.

 

[Sxysprtswrtr]

Jumping Jacks, heavy lifting, and maybe start doing the twist in the middle of your living room.





Oh... advice for a bad back. Not...right. Whoops.

Are you pregnant Tex, and trying to have a boy?

 

[MertWindu]

Jumping Jacks, heavy lifting, and maybe start doing the twist in the middle of your living room.





Oh... advice for a bad back. Not...right. Whoops.

Are you pregnant Tex, and trying to have a boy?

Yeah, but I'm still in the first trimester, so I was trying to keep it at least a little mysterious. Thanks for blowing up my spot, sxy. Sheesh!

 

[Songbird]

Today at the gym I tweaked my left calf. I did StairMaster for 30 minutes and then did the eliptical for 5 minutes before beginning a 20-minute run on the treadmill. I got to the 17th minute when I felt something sharp and painful in my calf. It felt sort of like a tear or rip, or maybe just a slight pull, but I had to stop. It's definitely the first time I've ever felt this type of instant strain/pull/rip/tear.

I can walk on it as well as can be expected, but I can feel whatever I did by a twinge.

I've worked pretty hard the last 4-plus months to get in shape. Very hard. I'm not willing to stop because of this.

So, DocTalk, can't I just wrap the calf tightly and keep working out, or am I screwed?

 

[Buck]

Spread some carpet tacks and broken glass on the rug. Then roll around.
That's take your mind off it.

 

[Boom_70]

Don't recycle

 

[Songbird]

Spread some carpet tacks and broken glass on the rug. Then roll around.
That's take your mind off it.

I'll do that right after I gargle with Draino.

 

[Buck]

Spread some carpet tacks and broken glass on the rug. Then roll around.
That's take your mind off it.

I'll do that right after I gargle with Draino.

I gave him bad back advice.

 

[old_tony]

On Friday night I was taking stuff down to the recycling box and just ever so slightly turned the wrong way and felt a twinge on the right side of my lower back. Hurt like hell yesterday, seemed to have improved this morning and has just become worse. Painful to get up from a chair or drive the car.

Using a heating pad and have taken Robaxcet but not a huge improvement.

Any advice out there?

One thing that has consistently worked for me is this: Lie on your back on a hard (not carpeted) floor, bring your knees to your chest as much as you can and then kind of roll side to side. I learned this one from an NBA coach I used to cover who had back problems. Not long after he told me about it, I tweaked my back and was miserable. On a lark I tried it for about three minutes and then went back to what I was doing. About a half-hour later I suddenly became aware that my back didn't hurt any more.

 

[DocTalk]

Today at the gym I tweaked my left calf. I did StairMaster for 30 minutes and then did the elliptical for 5 minutes before beginning a 20-minute run on the treadmill. I got to the 17th minute when I felt something sharp and painful in my calf. It felt sort of like a tear or rip, or maybe just a slight pull, but I had to stop. It's definitely the first time I've ever felt this type of instant strain/pull/rip/tear.

I can walk on it as well as can be expected, but I can feel whatever I did by a twinge.

I've worked pretty hard the last 4-plus months to get in shape. Very hard. I'm not willing to stop because of this.

So, DocTalk, can't I just wrap the calf tightly and keep working out, or am I screwed?

Congratulations on the 4 month commitment..no need to lose your cardio, but it sounds like you'll have to modify your exercise regimen.

If you have a sharp pain in the back of your calf, it is likely a gastroc tear and not a huge deal, except that it responds best to rest. You need to make sure though, that the rip and the pain when you examine the calf is not where the Achilles tendon begins. Occasionally, you can partially tee the tendon and then completely snap it with repetitive use..this would be a bad thing and require surgery for repair. Presuming that isn't the case and the pain is in the middle of the calf, then ice and anti-inflammatories will be the mainstay of treatment.

Unfortunately, you'll also need to rest your gastroc, the main muscle that helps push off when you run. Bicycling will be a reasonable alternative and the elliptical trainer may work, depending on the range of motion needed. I would not exercise through pain, but I would stretch to the point that the pain occurred. If you're big into running, an alternative would be pool running with a belt or wetvest.

Regardless, if you've tweaked your gastroc, then it should only be a week or so, if you're good to it. Remember that time invested early in an injury pays dividends down the road.

 

[Idaho]

Oxycontin

I understand your favorite radio talker can hook you up real good.

 

[Buck]

Honestly, I don't know what help this is, but I stretch my back every day.
I'm 36 years old. I'd had a couple of injuries, but I'd never suffered any serious back problems.
However, a few years ago I started noticing stiffness. Nothing serious, nothing you would talk to a doctor about.
It was just a slight difference that I was perceiving.
Since then, I've been stretching it every day and it's great.
I've suffered a couple of pretty wicked injuries since — not to my back but that affected my back — and I think it helped with my recovery.