Lower Back Pain

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mgobluetx12
mgobluetx12 Posts: 1,326 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I have 4 degenerated discs in my lower back and was in severe pain all the time and unable to exercise until my doc found the right combo of meds to prescribe. So now I'm able to exercise, but the more I workout, the more my back hurts. Not to the level I was before opiates, but pretty bad. I'm on a heating pad every single night and had hoped losing weight would allow me to come off the meds. Even walking makes it worse. I'm really not sure what to do and not exercising just isn't going to work for me.

Anyone else dealing with lower back pain when they exercise?

Replies

  • 77tes
    77tes Posts: 7,975 Member
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    Bump -- hoping someone has a solution. My hubby is really suffering at the moment.
  • chubbygirl253
    chubbygirl253 Posts: 1,309 Member
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    I threw out my back again 3 weeks ago just from bending the wrong way to pick up a rubber band off the floor. Still worked out every day. Funny, I couldn't stand straight, walk upright, and struggled to wipe my own bum, yet I could do the elliptical virtually pain free. Also water aerobics felt so good. Anything in the water does because you are weightless in the water. I stayed in every day till I was pruney. I really recommend you start yoga. It's helped me sooooo much I can't even tell you. And there are modifications you can do for low back pain or just about any other injury/disability. good luck!
  • mariagabriella
    mariagabriella Posts: 267 Member
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    my back pain wasn't nearly as bad as yours... but I used to do swimming, aqua aerobics, and pilates until I improved my core strength and was able to do more..

    what about hydrotherapy?
  • LAMypie
    LAMypie Posts: 127 Member
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    Ditto on the Eliptical and the water. ANYTHING in water is good exercise since every movement is met with resistance. Our Y has a "therapy" pool that is heated to bath water level. I go in there after workouts or if I'm hurting more than usual. I haven't ventured into yoga yet, but I know lots of ppl who swear by it, and I would like to start. I need to get my core and back strength up. I've had back issues my whole life. Take it easy while finding what works for you. You don't want to make the thing worse. You can do it!
  • DaphneAtx
    DaphneAtx Posts: 153
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    bump

    I have problems with this too.
  • fluffytuf
    fluffytuf Posts: 12
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    Aww, lower back pain. That caught my eye. A wrong move during my gardening in July and I've been "laid up" with excruciating back pain for almost 3 months. "Laid up" isn't an appropriate term because there is no position that is possible without pain. Doctor assumed it was muscular related, told me to relax (ha) and take something for the pain. Two months, many bansee yells, lots of tears and increasing pain later, and chain-poppiing Vicodin, he finally orders an MRI which showed 3 bulged discs and one torn (ruptured). From what I learned the disc contents inflames the whole spine and nearby nerves (spine treats it as toxic), but improvement should come as it is absorbed into the system with time, unless outter disc covering is pressing on nerves, then a neurosurgeon is needed, if sever pain continues, to do a microdiscectomy (or something like that). The last 3 weeks have improved to where i can now sit, ride in a vehicle, stand, and even (ouch) walk a slow treadmill...none of which is painless, but much bigger improvement. I only take the anti-inflammatory Advil a couple times a day, with 1/2 Vicodin on side if something flares it up. Physical Therapist says swimming pool is the best medicine, but our only pool is the high school and it's quite cold, clenching me up. Hopefully you have a warmer pool nearby. I can see how some Yoga positions might help. Lower back pain is one of the most common complaints, but if it is severe, incapacitating, causes leg weakness or pain, it is helpful to get some type of imaging, although the treatment is about the same. Good luck, and join the club. Hoping you will find resolution.
  • m0ll3pprz
    m0ll3pprz Posts: 193 Member
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    Hi there! I feel for you. I just found out I have the same issue in my lower and upper back. I went to the dr. for a well check and they told me I shrunk an inch!!! I seriuosly wanted to cry becuase I thought that would happen for a very long time! So then I go to my chiropractor and he docks another 1/2 inch! He reccommended exercise and I got started right away! I have a lot of pain but I think it's mostly due to the fact that my muscles are readjusting and they were tweaked to begin with so it always pulls me out of allignment. I found that a light jog helps my spine to feel warm and lubricated.

    Have you tried to switch between heat and icing? When my back is inflamed I find ice to be really helpful. It takes 15 minutes to penetrate and start working, same with heat. Sometimes the heat makes me swell more so I don't get any relief. I also bought a roman bench and I hang my back over the bench to help my spine to decompress. I love how much better it feels after. I have to get in the habit of doing it everyday though. My chiropractor also said to use Boron as a supplement. Apparently, it rebuids bones and can reverse the damage in some cases. Look for a back suppliment that has Boron! Good luck!
  • mgobluetx12
    mgobluetx12 Posts: 1,326 Member
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    Thanks everyone. Sad to see you in pain, but I'm glad I'm not the only one struggling with this. I haven't been icing my back, just using heat, so maybe I should try that. Water aerobics is a great idea. There's a gym not far from here with a big pool, so I like that idea. I have been using the elliptical, but it's so boring and I am craving variety, but I guess I just have to work with what I have and we have an elliptical machine here at the house. Thanks for all the suggestions!
  • Aviva92
    Aviva92 Posts: 2,333 Member
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    ugh, lower back pain is the worst. i hurt my back in june lifting boxes at work and the pain wound up going down my legs and making an old knee injury act up more than usual. i didn't wind up going to a doctor for it due to laziness. at first i couldn't exercise at all. now i seem to be able to do elyptical and some weights.

    i used icy hot. it helped some. also crying.

    life is pain.
  • Aviva92
    Aviva92 Posts: 2,333 Member
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    From my experience, it just has to heal itself and losing weight won't really help. I wasn't overweight when I hurt my back. I just don't have a very strong back. Others might be different though.
  • mgobluetx12
    mgobluetx12 Posts: 1,326 Member
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    From my experience, it just has to heal itself and losing weight won't really help. I wasn't overweight when I hurt my back. I just don't have a very strong back. Others might be different though.

    That's SO discouraging, but I know you're probably right. I remember not being able to do some basketball drills in high school 20 years ago because of the shooting pains in my lower back. This is just something I have to live with, but it really sucks that it's both affecting my workouts and hindering my weight loss.
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,081 Member
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    I agree with the person above who said "strengthen your core". You could Google core exercises, but the best solution is to get a referral to a Physical Therapist who can prescribe a core exercise (or other appropriate exercises.) It's what helped me - I also have herniated discs in my lower back. Short of surgery, a strong core is the best treatment. You can't stay on opiates, it's not practical or safe.
  • hausofnichele
    hausofnichele Posts: 531 Member
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    I am. I have a few herniated discs L4/L5 L5/S1. I do what I can when I can. It's very irritating and when I have my 'better' days I might overdo it but I feel so restless when I'm down and out, so when I can move I do as much as humanly possible. I wish there was some magic advice to give but I can't even handle pain meds. I take each day as it comes and hope for the best.

    My mother in law just had surgery this morning for the exact same issue I have. I'm anxious to see if it helps her. I feel like I'm going to need surgery at some point :/
  • Aviva92
    Aviva92 Posts: 2,333 Member
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    From my experience, it just has to heal itself and losing weight won't really help. I wasn't overweight when I hurt my back. I just don't have a very strong back. Others might be different though.

    That's SO discouraging, but I know you're probably right. I remember not being able to do some basketball drills in high school 20 years ago because of the shooting pains in my lower back. This is just something I have to live with, but it really sucks that it's both affecting my workouts and hindering my weight loss.

    I could be wrong. I didn't exactly go to a doctor for my issue this time. I've gone in the past when they just told me to take advil.

    Yeah, it really sucks when you want to work out, but can't. Even when I can work out, I can't do anything crazy.
  • Inforthelonghaul
    Inforthelonghaul Posts: 33
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    Hi
    As someone who has had a microdiscetamy and two lateral decompressions at L5/S1 I can speak from a degree of experience.

    Firstly you need to a thorough examination to determine the exact cause of he problem. This would probably entail MRI and CT/CAT scans. The MRI is the most effective for determining the cause of the problem.

    If the problem is one of something like a protruding disc or collapsed vertebra then surgery is probably the best option, though some herniated discs do heal themselves. Reliance on pain killer is ok to a point but you will soon start to desensitise and require progressively more powerful drugs, not a good slippery slope especially as opiates can have significant impact on other aspects of your life.

    A further problem of relying on pain killers is that you are not addressing the root cause of the problem, potentially leading to permanent problems that no amount of surgery at a later stage will cure.

    If you do end up going for surgery select your surgeon wisely, remember he spinal cord is an extension of your brain!

    Losing weight may help the issue, if not it will certainly benefit you longer term I.e.health, fitness, require less medication, aid quicker recovery and make any surgeons job a lot easier.

    As for exercising whilst suffering, in my case, it was a matter of willpower and drugs v pain. Your choice.

    The prognosis can be very good, I exercise twice a day, one session of HIIT on a stair climber and one session of weights five days a week. I am unable to run due to the impact in the spine or lift heavy weights through the spine, but apart from that I lead a fit healthy and active life, recently returned from climbing a 6500 m mountain. Yes I do still pain killers on occasional days but they are few and far between.

    Good luck with whatever happens, remember there is light at he end of the tunnel.
  • GypsysBloodRose26
    GypsysBloodRose26 Posts: 341 Member
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    my back pain wasn't nearly as bad as yours... but I used to do swimming, aqua aerobics, and pilates until I improved my core strength and was able to do more..

    what about hydrotherapy?

    This. I fell and injured my back to the point I couln't stand for more than a minute or two without wanting to curl up and die from the pain. Swimming, shallow water aerobics, and deep water aerobics were a major life saver for me.
  • mgobluetx12
    mgobluetx12 Posts: 1,326 Member
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    Bomber - I've had an MRI, but never a CAT scan - should I get one? I never thought to ask about the reason for the degeneration of these lowest 4 discs in my spine. I guess they've just said it happens to some people. Not much of a reason.

    I have progressively gotten on stronger medication. I started on vicodin, then went to percocet and am now on fentanyl. Part of my reason for wanting to lose weight is to get off fentanyl eventually, but I'll have to wait another 50lbs to see what shape I'm in.
  • Inforthelonghaul
    Inforthelonghaul Posts: 33
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    Bomber - I've had an MRI, but never a CAT scan - should I get one? I never thought to ask about the reason for the degeneration of these lowest 4 discs in my spine. I guess they've just said it happens to some people. Not much of a reason.

    I have progressively gotten on stronger medication. I started on vicodin, then went to percocet and am now on fentanyl. Part of my reason for wanting to lose weight is to get off fentanyl eventually, but I'll have to wait another 50lbs to see what shape I'm in.

    Added you as a friend so we can discuss off blog.

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