BACK PAIN sufferers and conquers

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Replies

  • Grimmerick
    Grimmerick Posts: 3,342 Member
    WOW I just now realized I put conquers instead of conqueror's.....................I hate it when I do that.
  • levitateme
    levitateme Posts: 999 Member
    I have had recurring sciatica since I was bout 17 and it has been pretty debilitating in the past. To be honest, I haven't had any issues with it at all since I've lost weight. Seems like when I am overweight it is more likely to act up.

    I also agree with other posters who said strengthening the back/core. I do back extensions, knee raises (hanging from a bar) and a few bootleg pilates moves to work on my midsection.
  • Grimmerick
    Grimmerick Posts: 3,342 Member
    Thanks for all the great info Guys!!
  • Veil5577
    Veil5577 Posts: 868 Member
    I had a disc herniation in my lumbar spine. I tried EVERYTHING... chiropractor, physical therapy, medicine. Ended up on Lyrica and Percocet which made me gain 80 lbs. Finally I demanded surgery. Since the fusion, I have not had one single problem. I am so glad I had the surgery, and the surgeon told me it was a good thing I did, because my spine was a mess.
  • AddieOverhaul
    AddieOverhaul Posts: 734 Member
    I have mild scoliosis, disc degeneration in the lower spine, and bone spurs there as well. Apparently the bone spurs are the worst part. I've had back pain for years. What has helped me manage it (and I'm still a work in progress) involves:

    - lost weight
    - yoga and walking (when I don't do yoga for a while it really starts acting up. I also just ordered DDP yoga so happy to see some people on here recommending it).
    - I see my chiropractor once a month or more when needed (he also is a kinesiologist and practices Active Release Therapy and he completely cured the upper back and arm problems I had after an accident)
    - I see my massage therapist for one hour once a month or more as needed
    - I am now working on strengthening my core and it already seems to be helping. I do some exercises my chiro gave me almost daily as well as a bunch of hip opening stretches because my hips are tight which causes pain in my lowerback too.
    - I also put a heating pad on my lower back most nights for an hour while I watch a show.

    Luckily for me I get quite a bit of coverage for chiro and massage through my work benefits. Good luck!! Activity, stretching and strengthening the core are really key.
  • MinnesotaManimal
    MinnesotaManimal Posts: 642 Member
    from sometime in my teens onward I had tremendous debilitating back pain and the doctors told me after reviewing several years of MRI images that I had degenerative disc disease. Around 28 I was walking with a cane and was rotating between percocet and vicodin with muscle relaxants and was told I needed to wait till I was older and have a spinal fusion but until then to manage the pain and avoid heavy lifting. I had a desk job and had slowly gained weight up to 240 lbs and couldn't handle it any more. I Had never been active and wanted to shed the pounds. I started c25k and found that if I took my pain meds, I could run! I dropped to 200 lbs and found I needed less and less pain pills. I set a goal when I turned 29 to run 30 miles on my 30th birthday.

    you know what. thats not what you asked.... end story. tl:dr

    I started strong lifts and had a few episodes that set me back to using my cane -
    but I have now been pain med free for nearly a year now ( I just turned 32) and I squat 240 and deadlift 280. Sitting around was the worst thing I could have ever done for my back and back pain. Sure some day I might still need help but for now strengthening my back and core has done more than 15 years of physical therapy and pain meds ever did.
  • marcia724
    marcia724 Posts: 180 Member
    I've had back surgery... I had a huge bulging disc between L4 and L5. I had a discectomy where they trim the disc. I got GREAT relief from it and would recommend it to anyone.

    Even though it's scary to exercise when you have a back back....it's extremely important! I even did body pump and worked up to decently heavy weights! My back felt the best when I was doing that. It stretched out the muscles and built my core. Tell him to think of working out like medicine!
  • Suz_8589
    Suz_8589 Posts: 146 Member
    I was in a car accident 1 1/2 years ago. I have constant back/spine/neck/and shoulder pain. I just started easy learning my boundaries. Walking was good because I have bad posture (says the pt people). Just being strong in your core back and shoulders with walking will help him. I tried injections In my neck, couldn't move each time for three days. Pt helped strengthen but got to a point where they couldn't help anymore. Ice,heat, and a Tens unite is what helps me the most these days. Meds also help but aren't the best obviously.

    If you have anymore questions, I'm an open book!
  • MzFyreKitty
    MzFyreKitty Posts: 93
    I have severe debilitating back pain to the point where I have to use a power scooter to get around for distances of more than a few feet. My leg goes numb down to my heel and I have a hard time lifting it do to my back and even sitting more than a short period causes excruciating pain. I saw a "back" specialist and he recommended that I get RFA (Radio Frequency Ablation and I am meeting with a pain specialist in regards to this. Nothing else has worked for me, but as a disabled RN, I would not think of having surgery. I have had many friends, past patients and acquaintances who have had it (including our next door neighbor who can never work again due to having surgery which made his back even worse) with negative results. I don't think that I have ever met anyone who had favorable results but that doesn't mean some don't, of course.

    Here is info on RFA in you are interested. IF I can ever get in to have it done, I will let you know how it worked for me. I have a contact who had it done and said it worked extremely well for her and lasted over 2 years with no pain. Two years without pain would be a miracle for me at this point!

    http://www.webmd.com/pain-management/radiofrequency-ablation
  • stanthom
    stanthom Posts: 13
    This site has excellent information for relieving back pain.

    http://www.drbookspan.com/BackPainArticle.html
  • mandybear014
    mandybear014 Posts: 209 Member
    I agree with the responses on here. I have mild scoliosis and two moderate back injuries, one from a car accident in 2010 (ouch) and the other from a slip and fall accident down a flight of stairs in 2013 (ouch again). I am thankful that both injuries didn't require surgery and I am was able to recover with PT and ice packs after a few months. Lossing weight this year has helped me significantly with my back and I don't have to visit my chiropractor as often as I used to for my scoliosis. I would suggest (for your husband) focusing on walking now, then stretching and after awhile working on core strength.
  • MagnumBurrito
    MagnumBurrito Posts: 1,070 Member
    from sometime in my teens onward I had tremendous debilitating back pain and the doctors told me after reviewing several years of MRI images that I had degenerative disc disease. Around 28 I was walking with a cane and was rotating between percocet and vicodin with muscle relaxants and was told I needed to wait till I was older and have a spinal fusion but until then to manage the pain and avoid heavy lifting. I had a desk job and had slowly gained weight up to 240 lbs and couldn't handle it any more. I Had never been active and wanted to shed the pounds. I started c25k and found that if I took my pain meds, I could run! I dropped to 200 lbs and found I needed less and less pain pills. I set a goal when I turned 29 to run 30 miles on my 30th birthday.

    you know what. thats not what you asked.... end story. tl:dr

    I started strong lifts and had a few episodes that set me back to using my cane -
    but I have now been pain med free for nearly a year now ( I just turned 32) and I squat 240 and deadlift 280. Sitting around was the worst thing I could have ever done for my back and back pain. Sure some day I might still need help but for now strengthening my back and core has done more than 15 years of physical therapy and pain meds ever did.

    You got some big balls picking yourself up like that. Well done

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