Here's the back story, when I was in Junior High, I was diagnosised with Scoliosis. My spine is crooked and I was told not to do heavy lifting for the most part. Forward to nowadays, I spent the last 3 years hauling fridges up stairs, and before that, helped my pops fix up his house, hauling heavy stuff all over the damn place.
Currently, I'm back in LA fixing up my folks' place, and hauling furniture on the side for the extra cash. I've worn a backbrace for a long time now, but the last 4-5 days, I've had really, really bad pains in my upper back, in the part of my spine closest to my left shoulderblade. I have a ridiculously high pain tolerence (seeing as over 50 tattoos later I don't have one complaint, that'll tell you something). I've had slight pinching in my back before, but this is hitting the point where I wake up at 8 and I'm okay, but by 2pm, I'm in a lot of pain. It's made me pretty short tempered, angry all the time, and I've been drinking twice as much by 4 pm just to make it go away (works pretty damn well).
This is honestly scaring the hell out of me, as I've had a couple of friends herniate discs from doing construction. One won't do surgery because it crippled his dad (now he's a pill popper), and one was supposed to go through it, but I haven't been able to get a hold of him for over a year now.
I'm sure a few folks out on FTE have had to deal with all this, as the majority seems to be the working class here. Any info or help will be greatly appriciated. This is seriously scaring the hell out of me. Hell, I drove down the highway today, and my truck's shocks are shot, so every bump was just kicking me in the spine really bad.
Thanks folks,
Taylor

 

If it is that high up you might have a pinched nerve in your neck.I thought I had a torn rotator cup for almost a year and tryed everything I could find but one day of phyical therapy and I was 90% better and a few more times and my shoulder dosn't bother me.My neck and back are toast and nothing can be done to fix it go get checked by a doctor it might be something as simple as a few exercises you can do to help with the pain.

 

I broke my lower back when I was 22. It gives me los of pain. It got real bad the first of this yr. I took 4 wks of PT. It really helped.

 

A jacuzzi will help, walking the length of a pool that is at least 4 feet deep will help. A pool will soften the blows that you normally get when walking on ground. The water resistance will also help. The hardest mattress possible will help. Lying flat on a hard floor will help. Aleve will help. I have spinal stenosis, and all of this helps. You can join a health club for a nominal fee, if it's just for a short time...look at the pool before signing up. If you join, stay away at peak times after 3PM...too many brats playing in the pool. Go early, most open at around 7AM.


Are you a vet? Call the closest VA (WLA-Wadsworth), and see if they have anyone in your area that gives PT.


And...be careful about getting any physical therapy from private concerns. Choose wisely. Some Chiropractors here in LA LA Land (the strip mall type) are only interested in insurance money, and few if any have trained personnel. Been there, done that.

 

I think it hurts more because you have damaged something and the muscles around it tense up to protect that area.The nerves get activated and cause all sports of feelings ..That's how the body works.

The more you do to aggravate it the more it will hurt from the natural body reaction.

You need to stop aggravating the area ..allow the muscles to relax ..the area to heal and then moderately exercise to build strength up again.

 

The pain is in my upper back, and friend of mine also suggested it might be a pinched nerve. I'll probably look into a doctor in the next week or so if it doesn't get any better. Luckily this week I don't have much to do, work wise, so I'm taking it easy (well, I have to make a run to the junkyard at some point).
No Bill, not a vet. And no medical insurance, that's why I'm holding out to go...
Thanks for the replies folks, I know it might not be something serious (yet), but I need to do whatever I can to prevent it from becomes a serious problem...

 

I know a doctor can be a costly proposition, but an accurate diagnosis and effective
treatment can save the costs of treatments that mask the symptoms. If you do see
a doctor, and he prescribes a costly medication, I know of some sources for low-cost
prescriptions, if that would help. I've had to do without insurance for periods of
downtime, and it takes some creativity.

 

I have put off back surgery for years because of the horror stories I have heard. Read my post on "Doc have me on scripts for 10 years" and you will find out that I am damn near crippled right now due to Statins.

I find the only relief I get is from a "Quack-o-practor" Chiropractor. Never believed in them 'till a few years ago. I do need to state that the guy I see now does not "CRACK" my back, he puts me on a table and I get what is called passive stretching (*** distraction). Man does it feel good!!!!

Try this very cheap trick. Ice, Ice Ice, Ice. Take a baggie and double it up, fill it with ice. Wrap a dish towel (nothing too thick) around it and apply to the area. Do this as much as possible. I apply ice to my lower back when it hurts really bad most of the day for a day or two. Helps me a lot.

If the ice becomes painful, add more of a layer between it and your back. You would be amazed how well this works. Hot, moist compresses do nothing. The Ice reduces swelling and will stop any spasms you may be having. JMHO


Oh and

He is dead on! Let it heal. Try the ice, its cheap!

 

Heres a few helpfull tips:
1. Stop lifting! The doc said not to, you did anyway, now your back hurts
2. Dont listen to anybodys "educated guess" go see a doctor. Dont listen to anybodys "home remedies" go see a doctor. Dont listen to someone who had a similar story and now thinks they know how to help you, go see a doctor.
3. Go see a doctor.

Oh yeah and one more thing, make sure you get checked out by a doctor. This is your spine were talking about. This isnt a sore shoulder or a nasty cut that may need stiches. This is a spinal cord that is already out of wack. You were warned not to do heavy lifting and you did, now your back is in pain. This shows you that the doctors arnt bull****ting you, they said this would happen and it did. Now cut your losses, and go back to them. Hopefully with time and maybe therapy you may stop damage.

Also keep in mind that just cause you may make the pain temporarily go away dosnt mean youve fixed the problem. You gotta do that whole "what will my back be like 10yrs-20yrs down the road" kind of thinking. You may feel better in like a few weeks but what happens when you throw your back out at any given point from now?

 

i agree with the 3 things listed above

 

I have been getting epidurals and it really makes a difference. here's a link to my docs website, it has a lot of information regarding the epidurals, maybe it can help you.

http://www.integratedpainspecialists.com/epidural.html

Cheers!

 

I6Power, of course he should see a doctor. He should see two as a matter of fact. I think what we, or at least I was saying is what helps us/me!

My experience is: here take these pain killer, muscle relaxers and anti-inflammatory's.

Well, FOR me, they just masked the pain and made my situation worse. My doctor has said many, many times, "If the Chiropractor helps you, go for it, just make sure you ice it down to reduce any swelling."

Again, jmho!

 

If anything of post #9 was directed at me:

You don't have to be an actual doctor to understand how certain parts of the body work

Some things mentioned in this thread is basic first aid.

Of course seeing a doctor is the natural thing do and in most cases is required.

I have had so many injuries in my life I can diagnose myself. f

 

If you call a doctor to make an appointment, the doc will prolly want you to have full body X-rays taken beforehand. This cost me $125.00 several months ago. You will get copies of all the slides, and the x-rays can be emailed to any doc, because they are kept on a computer.

 

True, but most things in life have more to it than meets the eye. The more you dig the more you learn. Who is it that once said "If i know anything than it is that i know nothing." You may read something tomorrow that proves your advice to be damaging.

The spine is extremely sensitive and can easily be permanently damaged. This is why i stress going to see a doctor, especially if he has an existing problem with his spine. Despite everyones good intentions, said advice could turn out bad.

I assume that hes just asking for general opinions anyway, but would you go onto a doctors forum to troubleshoot your ford? I wouldnt.

Thats exactly what i was advising against. Theres probably a lot of things that could cause a back to hurt, one thing that works for you may not work for him, in fact it might make the situation worse.

But hey what do i know im not a doctor.

I dont mean to insult anyones intelligence i know you guys are smart. Im just looking out for my FTE brethren.