Chronic low back pain...anyone plagued with it?...z

[Zoigal]

[elocs]

1. No more. I had a herniated disk 12 years ago, had surgery & no more pain.

I spent one day in the hospital, went home with a bottle of pain killers but never took a one of them. I have ibuprofen but usually the bottle expires before I can use them all.

I feel very, very fortunate.

[snacker]

15. That's the exact same, positive experience I had....

so much pain before surgery (I couldn't sit or stand for more than a few seconds)and was completely pain free after.

[elocs]

16. Mine was the infamous L5-S1, worst pain I've ever known down the sciatic nerve in my right leg.

I also couldn't stand up or sit down. Too bad I wasn't religious because I could kneel.

I had a neurosurgeon who had just come to my hospital from the Mayo Clinic and he was great. The day after I got out of the hospital I was walking a mile (total) in a day.

My was a work injury so I was covered by worker's comp and was out of work for nearly 4 months. My weekly comp checks were just $25 less than my take home pay and was nontaxable. I also got about $5000 in compensation and still have most of it.

So outside of the hellish pain it didn't turn out so badly.

[lib2DaBone]

18. MIne too. L5 / S1.. very common in men over the age of 40.

I had artrhoscopic surgery and had the discs repaired. Thank god I was working at the time and I had insurance. It cost $40,000. ( If I had no money.. and I would be crippled..)

I have no insurance today. because I am self-employed... I only work 80 hours a week but no way can I afford insurance.


What a great health system we have.

Health care for those who can afford it. No money?.... No health care.. it's just that simple.

[mopinko]

20. my c4-6 fusion cost

$100,000. i cannot imagine what it would have been like if i hadn't been able to get it fixed. i was in so much pain by the time i had the surgery i could not get out of bed.
lower back surgeries are less complicated.

[gateley]

2. Yes, but mine can be addressed w/exercises --

I'd had a tumor on my sciatic nerve, had it removed. Then I started experiencing pain on the OTHER side of my spine - self diagnosed it as the same thing.

My doctor said for some reason he got the feeling it wasn't and sent me to a physical therapist. Now, had I not really liked and trusted my doctor, I probably never would have gone. AND, if I'd looked up the exercises on the internet before hand, I would have dismissed them, convinced they wouldn't help. BUT, amazingly they "cured" it and when it rears its ugly head again (usually due to posture, I'm guessing) I can whip myself back into non-pain.

Just try lying on your stomach for a while with enough pillows under your torso to be kind of arching your back, if that helps, PM me and I'll send you a link to the other exercises. Trust me, they're fast and don't require any exertion.

Do you know what's causing your problem?

[Blue_In_AK]

3. I'll give you a plug for my daughter and son-in-law's business.

My husband and I (we're both in our mid-60s) did this for 90 days, and my husband who suffers from low back pain felt immensely better. I didn't have any particular issues I was working on, but I noticed I was sleeping really well and my neck and shoulders loosened up a lot. Now whenever I've got a little stiffness, I just roll it out a little bit.

Here's the link. Just navigate around a little bit -- there's lots of useful info under the "blog" tab.

http://www.bulaball.com/

[CTyankee]

4. Lately, I'm having it and I chalk it up to being not too active and also being old.

I think I would benefit from some strengthening exercises. Anyone have any good ones?

[rurallib]

5. I have been rolling on tennis balls for years

a friend suggested it.
Mine have a couple layers of duct tape on them for stiffness.
I need to use them daily to keep the pain away.
Couple balls, just above the hip.It first took about a month to relieve the pain, but progress was noted daily.

[Blue_In_AK]

22. Another fan of rolling on balls!

It really, really works.

[patrice]

6. Could just be strain, really! - It's something you could google, but my first husband had that . . .

Please go see a professional as soon as possible.

[grasswire]

7. I just read a newspaper article yesterday saying that massage...

...was the most helpful treatment of all to alleviate pain. Better than painkillers.

[thatgemguy]

8. I'm cursed with low back pain.

I have an intrathecal morphine pump implant, and get injections to help somewhat.

[Liberty Belle]

9. Chiropractic helped me.

[Kali]

10. it's the price we pay for walking upright

there are treatments, but bottom line is poor "design"

[DesertFlower]

11. yes. i have scoliosis which has gotten

worse over the last 6-7 years. before that i kept it under control by seeing a rolfer every few months.

i have a pilates machine which i use 2-3 times a week. at least it keeps me flexible. i take ibuprofen and when its really bad like last night i take vicodin.

[tanyev]

12. How are your feet?

I got some Haflinger clogs (mold to your feet like Birkenstocks) that I wear all the time when I am at home. Fixed all the foot and back pain I was having.

[CountAllVotes]

13. yes

I have a very bad back. Lots of pain in the lower back especially.

I was told about these patches you can obtain via a doctor's RX.

They are called "Lidoderm" patches. You can put up the 3 of them on at a time and you leave them on for up to 12 hrs.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0000235/



They help quite a bit, especially if you use them prior to going to bed so you don't have the horrid pain at night and you don't wake-up ridden with pain. They do not get rid of the pain, they only make it a bit more tolerable.

On a sad note: These patches are made in Japan - not sure if they are still available. Other big negative about them is the price. I was getting them by the case (a 3 month supply) for awhile and the cost was over $1,000.00/case.

However, if you get a case of 180 of them, you could drag it out and perhaps make a case of them last for 6 months or longer.

If you have health insurance that covers RX's, it might cover them.

Best of luck dealing with the pain and the cost involved. :(

[I hate liars]

14. I had lower back pain for over 10 years...

...and it got so bad I almost went under the knife, after visiting several chiropractors and neurosurgeons. But after 6 months of back strengthening exercises and stretching every day, the pain went away one day, like a light switch turned it off. I get occasional twinges when I lay off exercising and stretching for a week or so, but mostly, I've been pain-free for over 10 years.

There are lots of possible causes for back pain, so I don't want to portray my situation as typical. But I'm glad that I decided to stick with exercises and stretching, rather than take the back surgery route. The most important aspect for me, I believe, was stretching my hamstring muscles. If your pain isn't completely debilitating, it might be worth a try.

[elfin]

17. Scoliosis, Degenerative Disc Disease, Stenosis

Spondylitis(sp?), Osteoarthritis ALL concentrated in lower back. Whenever any med professional sees my Xrays, I am asked "Do you have any numbness in your legs or any bouts of paralysis?"

Couldn't walk (except hobble with a walker to the bathroom) two years ago after I did just a bit too much in preparation for a family reunion. Plus, I lost feeling in one foot and had sciatica as a cherry on top.

Two neurosurgeons said complicated surgery - one ortho/spinal doc. said "Walk IN Water." "Don't return to me for surgery until you are much worse than you are and are prepared for possible death or paralysis." Because he was the head of that department at the Medical College, I listened to him.

Joined a health club with a heated therapy pool and spent nearly 3 months 4 times a week walking IN water for 40 minutes a time. Between getting ready, going there, walking, changing clothes and coming home, the day was shot.

Gradually got off vicodin, muscle relaxants and prescription strength Naproxen. Now am really good and weaning myself off of one to two Naproxin (Alleve) a day.

I can walk! I can do nearly anything I need to do! I was so scared.

So glad I could take the time (retired) and had the resources to have some extra help during my ordeal.

Now each morning, I do my exercises and stretching and allow about 2 hours before I get on with an active day, which includes a 40 minute walk on land.

I have ALWAYS had low back pain and still can feel it, but so far so good.

Naproxen (Alleve) works for me, but my docs say to stop it if possible due to potential problems from long term usage.

So --- if you can --- WALK and WALK IN WATER -- doesn't matter what temperature. A cold lake will do this summer, if it is available.

It works, given time.

[applegrove]

19. I had low back pain before I went on an SSRI pill. Once I went on that pill, back pain was all gone.

[Zoigal]

21. Thanks, everyone, for your suggestions. Happy for those of you

who have found relief. Empathy for everyone else.....z

[otohara]

23. Work On Your Tummy Muscles

weak muscles = weak back = pain

[BryanDavis]

24. Chiropractic

Try chiropractic.

I have kyphosis and the doctors did nothing but shrug and offer physical therapy. Chiropractic has diminished the problem and given me increased range of motion.

[McCamy Taylor]

25. Most common and costly single medical problem in the US (after colds and allergies).

Get in line.

[Warpy]

26. Mine comes and goes

Most of the time I just slap some ice on it at the first twinge and that takes care of it. If it hangs on for a while, I do ice, slow stretches, and take Flexeril if I get really desperate.

It's been stable since the first time it happened when I was 22.

[Codeine]

27. Upper back pain for me, just between the shoulder blades.

Grocery is a rough industry on the back and shoulders.