OT: I think I need a backyotomy

[Lettucexxxx]

Reached down to snatch a soft icechest half full of water.....I had the strap half way up, about to hook it on my shoulder when the sniper shot hit me.

It has progressively got worse and I gutted it out fishing a little yesterday....but today I woke up and couldn’t move, stand up, ****..nothing.

Ive taken flexorrelaxer....I’ve taken a 7.5 HC.....it has helped very little.

Kinda thinking I have a bad O ring in there.
Its constant..... With spasms, if I move fast or look down

WTF did I do to myself? Middle Of my back, right on the spine.


Sunrise was beautiful in Grand Isle this morning. Worst ride home ever.

 

[MStateU]

Probably too many birthdays.

 

[RocketDawg]

Might've ruptured a disc. It doesn't take much.

I did something similar 14 years ago when I picked the cat up wrong, and it's still a major issue and always will be. Turns out I had degenerated discs, and that was just the straw that broke the camel's back.

 

[Lettucexxxx]

****. Still hoping mines muscular

 

[CreekFishin]

Go see a GOOD chiropractor. Best if it's a trusted referral. I had a chiro really fix a nagging back issue with a couple of adjustments. That was 20 years ago.

 

[SyonaraStanz]

Go see a GOOD chiropractor. Best if it's a trusted referral. I had a chiro really fix a nagging back issue with a couple of adjustments. That was 20 years ago.

Careful with a chiropractor. If he’s not doing an MRI, he’s playing with fire (within your back). Go see a doctor for an MRI and diagnosis. More than likely you have a bulging disc. Rest, anti inflammatories and muscle relaxers always have helped me. Takes a few days though. I have experienced nothing more humbling than lower back disc issues. You go from feeling like a badass to a cripple in a second. Good luck.

 

[UpTheMiddlex3Punt]

I thought this said Brackyotomy

 

[Eleven Bravo]

I know exactly why you call it a “sniper shot”-that’s exactly what it feels like. It comes out of nowhere with no warning. I always tell people it feels like electrical voltage. I’ve been dealing with this off and on for 35 years. Numerous MRI’s over the years have confirmed that I have 4 herniated and bulging disks in my lower back (L2-L5). Steroids immediately following an “episode” work better than anything else. What has more than likely happened is that one of the disks has moved ever so slightly and contacted a nerve (or nerves), causing your muscles to tighten up in an attempt to “protect” your spine. As you lie still or sit these muscles get tighter. The best thing you can do if you can get on your feet is to keep moving. Start walking as soon as you can. Muscle relaxers don’t help very much at this point.

My sister is a physical therapist and she has helped me greatly over the years. She has told me repeatedly to stay away from agreeing to surgery because herniated disks rarely require surgery. You need to stop bending at the waist-bend your knees. I’ve had to learn how to properly lift, and to change the way I do a lot of things. She also warned me to stay away from chiropractors. I was hurting one time so bad when I lived in Texas that I said to hell with it and went to a chiropractor. The guy tried a couple of things and then excused himself for a few minutes and came back with the business card of a doctor at Baylor in Dallas. He got me an appointment with the guy for the following week. It would normally take several months to see the guy but he knew him and got me in. The chiropractor told me straight up that he was afraid that he could seriously injure me or even paralyze me! Scared the 17 out of me. I went to the neurosurgeon at Baylor and he ordered a number of MRI’s and found out exactly what was going on with me. Dude told me that the only thing he could do to fix my spine was a 4-5 level fusion and that he would not do that to a man my age (42 at the time). I’ve been to 2 neuros since and still haven’t had surgery. It has gotten less problematic as I’ve gotten older. In addition to the herniated disks I also have spinal stenosis and degenerative disk disease.

There’s a book out there somewhere called “Treat Your Own Back” that is excellent. It shows you some simple exercises that you can do about 3 times each week that I swear by. The exercises have helped me more than anything. Good luck to you...

 

[ckDOG]

Not a smart *** question...

Are you overweight or obese? If so, dropping some lbs will be as beneficial as whatever a good chiro will help you with.

 

[Chris Mannix]

Treat Your Own Back is worth it, the stretches work and it is the only thing in a decade of pain that ever helped. My wife found it and I just thought no way these simple stretches will help over the several doctors we went to, I will be damned if after a week of the stretches I was doing better than I have before.

 

[patdog]

Can't emphasize proper stretches enough. Occasionally, my back seizes up and I can barely walk for days. My physical therapist gave me some stretches to do. I do them every morning, takes about 5 minutes. It's gone from being a once every couple of months problem to once or twice a year.

 

[Lettucexxxx]

I know exactly why you call it a “sniper shot”-that’s exactly what it feels like. It comes out of nowhere with no warning. I always tell people it feels like electrical voltage. I’ve been dealing with this off and on for 35 years. Numerous MRI’s over the years have confirmed that I have 4 herniated and bulging disks in my lower back (L2-L5). Steroids immediately following an “episode” work better than anything else. What has more than likely happened is that one of the disks has moved ever so slightly and contacted a nerve (or nerves), causing your muscles to tighten up in an attempt to “protect” your spine. As you lie still or sit these muscles get tighter. The best thing you can do if you can get on your feet is to keep moving. Start walking as soon as you can. Muscle relaxers don’t help very much at this point.

My sister is a physical therapist and she has helped me greatly over the years. She has told me repeatedly to stay away from agreeing to surgery because herniated disks rarely require surgery. You need to stop bending at the waist-bend your knees. I’ve had to learn how to properly lift, and to change the way I do a lot of things. She also warned me to stay away from chiropractors. I was hurting one time so bad when I lived in Texas that I said to hell with it and went to a chiropractor. The guy tried a couple of things and then excused himself for a few minutes and came back with the business card of a doctor at Baylor in Dallas. He got me an appointment with the guy for the following week. It would normally take several months to see the guy but he knew him and got me in. The chiropractor told me straight up that he was afraid that he could seriously injure me or even paralyze me! Scared the 17 out of me. I went to the neurosurgeon at Baylor and he ordered a number of MRI’s and found out exactly what was going on with me. Dude told me that the only thing he could do to fix my spine was a 4-5 level fusion and that he would not do that to a man my age (42 at the time). I’ve been to 2 neuros since and still haven’t had surgery. It has gotten less problematic as I’ve gotten older. In addition to the herniated disks I also have spinal stenosis and degenerative disk disease.

There’s a book out there somewhere called “Treat Your Own Back” that is excellent. It shows you some simple exercises that you can do about 3 times each week that I swear by. The exercises have helped me more than anything. Good luck to you...

good stuff, thank you

 

[Lettucexxxx]

Can't emphasize proper stretches enough. Occasionally, my back seizes up and I can barely walk for days. My physical therapist gave me some stretches to do. I do them every morning, takes about 5 minutes. It's gone from being a once every couple of months problem to once or twice a year.

PM me a couple of these stretches.

i will look for this book ASAP

 

[PineGroveBully]

I have major back problems from a car wreck 22 years ago. I had never heard of the book but thought it couldn’t hurt anything and just bought a used one on ebay for less that $6.

 

[Lettucexxxx]

I have major back problems from a car wreck 22 years ago. I had never heard of the book but thought it couldn’t hurt anything and just bought a used one on ebay for less that $6.

Aw hell, thanks for heads up, fellas

 

[jethreauxdawg]

To pile on to the stretching comments

I’ve been having similar lower back issues lately. Going on for a month at various intensity levels. Sometimes I’d feel mostly normal, then boom, almost drop me to my knees while walking. Two things have helped me. Hanging upside down and swimming. For best results, do them separately. I tried swimming laps because I wanted to exercise, but was afraid of putting any load on my back. Walking hurt and I didn’t want to chance lifting weights. I think it really helped gently stretch my back. Swimming every other day for a week and hanging upside down (you could do this over a table if someone holds your feet) have made me pretty much 100% again. I felt noticeably better after the first time I swam.

 

[patdog]

Here are some good ones.

Link

I also add a double knee to chest to #2, and do some hamstring stretches as well, like this:

 

[PartTimeGenius]

I'm only in my 30s and I've been there. Ended up having surgery a couple years ago. Tried stretching, PT, and finally after it continued to get worse (I couldn't even stand from a seated position without first laying on the ground for several minutes) I went to Columbus ortho to see specialist. The last day of PT I couldn't get from my truck door into the clinic. The PTA came out and said, YOU LOOK TERRIBLE----to which I said, UHHH YEAH! Bulging/Ruptured/herniated disk. 2 options at that point 1) Get a shot for pain (shot does not fix the issue) 2) Surgery to correct the issue and walk out out after.
I was in so much pain I elected surgery. I walked out after surgery.

For me, the nerve pain and muscle spasms were the primary pain issue. It felt like being shot in the back every time I tried to stand, followed by that post-high school football game full-body cramp that you couldn't escape. Miserable is an understatement, and I can handle pain.
I went from late 20s and fearless to early 30s and a shell of my old self. I still have the occasional flare up. Wouldn't wish it on anybody.

 

[$altyDawg]

TENS devices are worth their weight in gold as far as I'm concerned. Lower back pain is what caused me to buy mine, but I use it anytime I get soreness in my neck, shoulder, etc as well. Best $30 on Amazon I ever spent.

 

[Lettucexxxx]

I'm only in my 30s and I've been there. Ended up having surgery a couple years ago. Tried stretching, PT, and finally after it continued to get worse (I couldn't even stand from a seated position without first laying on the ground for several minutes) I went to Columbus ortho to see specialist. The last day of PT I couldn't get from my truck door into the clinic. The PTA came out and said, YOU LOOK TERRIBLE----to which I said, UHHH YEAH! Bulging/Ruptured/herniated disk. 2 options at that point 1) Get a shot for pain (shot does not fix the issue) 2) Surgery to correct the issue and walk out out after.
I was in so much pain I elected surgery. I walked out after surgery.

For me, the nerve pain and muscle spasms were the primary pain issue. It felt like being shot in the back every time I tried to stand, followed by that post-high school football game full-body cramp that you couldn't escape. Miserable is an understatement, and I can handle pain.
I went from late 20s and fearless to early 30s and a shell of my old self. I still have the occasional flare up. Wouldn't wish it on anybody.

these are exactly my symptoms. I’m trying to go back fishing in a couple of days...I hurt it Thursday evening...

if it’s not drastically better by Wednesday, ima go to Dr.

 

[PartTimeGenius]

I actually had my first issue a couple of years prior when bending over to pet the dog. At the time Dr just said muscle spasms. Got some relief after 2 or 3 days and slowly improved. It would "Ping" me every so often when I'd bend over for something, and be stiff when getting up off the couch. The final straw was some heavy lifting around the yard. After that I knew I had a serious problem. I lasted another 6 weeks or so, progressively getting worse, before I finally decided to go to the specialist.
Some humor in it all (after the fact) was that there were multiple times I got out of my truck in the rain and got stuck outside. I had to lie down in parking lots either on hot pavement or in wet areas before I could go into any establishment (home, work, restaurant, store). I started carrying a small camping pillow with me to throw down before I went to the ground. I also quickly learned which restaurants in town had good clean floors or benches inside.

Hopefully you don't get that far Lettuce....

 

[Dawgology]

Here's a good link to a video of stretching techniques. I would follow it VERY closely.... to learn the techniques. (nsfw)

https://rb.gy/kbdqym

 

[Lettucexxxx]

Here's a good link to a video of stretching techniques. I would follow it VERY closely.... to learn the techniques. (nsfw)

https://rb.gy/kbdqym

Welp now I have a hurt back, tennis elbow and carpal tunnel

 

[Maroon Eagle]

I keep reading that as Brackyotomy. **

 

[Center Z]

Buy this, read it, study it, live it. Lifesaver for me.

https://www.amazon.com/Treat-Your-Back-Robin-McKenzie/dp/0987650408

 

[RocketDawg]

I actually had my first issue a couple of years prior when bending over to pet the dog. At the time Dr just said muscle spasms. Got some relief after 2 or 3 days and slowly improved. It would "Ping" me every so often when I'd bend over for something, and be stiff when getting up off the couch. The final straw was some heavy lifting around the yard. After that I knew I had a serious problem. I lasted another 6 weeks or so, progressively getting worse, before I finally decided to go to the specialist.
Some humor in it all (after the fact) was that there were multiple times I got out of my truck in the rain and got stuck outside. I had to lie down in parking lots either on hot pavement or in wet areas before I could go into any establishment (home, work, restaurant, store). I started carrying a small camping pillow with me to throw down before I went to the ground. I also quickly learned which restaurants in town had good clean floors or benches inside.

Hopefully you don't get that far Lettuce....

As bad as mine is, it's never been that sudden or that bad. If I sit, there's not a lot of pain. I just can't walk very far - lower back, hips, and sometimes legs have excruciating pain. I had season tickets for football for many years, and toward the end (last year was the first year I didn't buy them) I got a handicapped pass for a BDC lot. Even that relatively short walk was miserable, and some of the handicapped lots are really several blocks away. Anyway, I've avoided surgery so far because I've seen so many that turned out worse than when they started. And the recovery time is 6 months to a year. The back with all those nerves is extremely complicated.

 

[RocketDawg]

Paperback on Amazon is about $10. I just ordered one, in case it helps.

 

[RocketDawg]

Here are some good ones.

Link

I also add a double knee to chest to #2, and do some hamstring stretches as well, like this:

You're better looking than I imagined ....