Doctors and back pain

In My Humble Opinion
21

I had pretty major back problems a year or so back; it started off just appearing to be muscle tension, but then got progressively worse, and I got more and more hunched over, until by the point I had a diagnosis, I looked like I should be selling poisoned apples to unwary girls, or possible working as a bellringer.

After over 6 months of messing around, unhelpful exercises, weird diagnoses and enough codeine to take down a horse, an MRI showed the culprit to be a badly herniated disc, which I’d spent the last few months being told was unlikely due to my gender and age- 29 and female.

When I finally managed to get to a doctor (after almost a month of being unable to walk- I really put it off, because I really didn’t want to get surgery, but eventually it became clear I was risking nerve damage by carrying on as I was), he took a quick look at me and my MRI results, and declared me to be worse than anyone currently on the waiting list, so I skipped right to the top of it, and was admitted as an emergency case.

The next morning, I went in for a microdiscectomy, and had a ‘massive chunk’ (surgeon’s description) of disc removed. It was awesome, I’d been so hunched and walking with a stick for about 2 months, it was like I grew a foot overnight, and apart from the almost comical level of exhaustion caused by walking after a month in bed, the recovery was smooth, felt quick, and weirdly painless.

I had my first discectomyversary a few weeks ago, and I’ve literally had nothing but the odd twinge in the last year. Plus I now have an awesome scar, also known as the ‘really hardcore tramp stamp’.

Try whatever else first, but if it doesn’t work, for all the risks, surgery really can help- I’d do it again in a heartbeat.

22

I agree with going to a doctor or other appropriate professional just to get the diagnosis. I have slight scoliosis that was only diagnosed when I was about 30. I always had pain in my back on one side-the scoliosis had been putting strain on those muscles. I used to ride horses competitively and would always get screamed at for not sitting straight, I always tipped to the left, but to me it felt like I was straight! It helped a lot knowing there was a reason!

Light weight training to strengthen all the muscles in my back really helps, as do well-cushioned shoes. My back killed me when I wore shoes simply for vanity! Shoes aren’t your problem since pain happens when you’re seated, but maybe sometimes they contribute.

Good luck!

23

olivesmarch4th, you are describing me perfectly right down to the 50 lbs. I had a lot of trouble with an office chair that was exacerbated by lying on my back at night. Furthermore, the long drive to and from work made it worse. The only relief I got from my doctor (a DO) was a “back stretcher” machine. Essentially your neck is in a harness and the machine gently moved back and forth which tugs your spine a little each time. I get the same affect from using a an incline table.

I discovered from a therapist that my posture sucked. The more my back hurt the more I slouched and it was a self feeding event. So I bought an insert for the office chair and practiced good posture while sitting at work and in the car. To compensate for the problems lying flat in bed I do exercises to counteract it. While on my back I raise my knees up so my feet are flat on the bed and then push up so my butt comes up. I do the same thing without pushing up, just arch my back and alternate from side to side. I can actually feel the lower spinal joints pop a little when doing this. For me it’s usually from arching my right side.

I’ve gone to chiropractors but have had as much or more success with an incline table (inversion table) and my own exercises. I paid $100 for a folding model on sale. the idea is to get inverted and let your body weight pull your spine straight.

It took me years to figure out what was going on and what worked for me but I didn’t have any course of action to work off of. It was all trial and error. If your discs are slipping a little then you may be able to stretch things back out and exercise the right muscles to your advantage. It’s only been very recently that I learned the perfect flexing motion that seems to put things right immediately.

Best of luck.

24

Some years ago I suddenly developed a constant, stabbing back pain. It made me fear moving. Finally went to my GP & she suggested I had a pinched nerve, after a quick once-over in the exam room, no painful or expensive tests. She prescribed a muscle relaxer (to be taken before bed) & giant Advils. The morning after the first muscle relaxer the stabbing was gone–my back was mildly sore. After the pain was gone, I was to begin exercise…

Do see a doctor. And please be just as skeptical about anybody that you pay…