BACK PAIN & going to the ED

Blee O'Myacin, BSN, RN · Jul 20, 2008

i, once again, threw out my back. this is getting ridiculous!!! unfortunately i have not had insurance in 13 years until just recently, but that's about how long this has been going on. this time is the worst! i can't lay down, i feel like if i move an inch to the left i'll be paralyzed (yeah, it hurts that bad!!!) i went to the ed last night and they gave me soma and ibp 800mg...no help at all!!!
i know you can't give medical advice here, but my question is...if i go back to the ed will they maybe do xrays or even an mri and see if it is something more serious than their original "muscle strain" diagnosis or will i just be wasting my time? do your ed's do that?
i know muscle pain!~this is bone (discs) i am sure of it!

follow the discharge and follow-up instructions that you were given in the ed. back pain is debilitating - i had disc surgery two weeks ago. the ed is only there as a quick fix - you may get some relief until you see the specialist, but that's it. most ed's don't do mri's - the ed i work in only does x-rays to make sure the bones aren't broken and you are expected to follow up. so do it. make an appointment and get this taken care of. also, the back specialist will see to long term pain control.

i hope you feel better soon.

blee

coltsgrl · Jul 20, 2008

Blee....thank you, how are you feeling since the surgery? Did it help (that you can tell so far)? I'd pay anything for someone to fix this! :scrying: Above the pain, it is just so unnerving not being able to do anything!!! Best wishes that you recover soon!

Roy Fokker, BSN, RN · Jul 20, 2008

will i just be wasting my time? do your ed's do that?

you would be wasting your time.

i'm sorry you are in so much pain and discomfort - but follow up as the d/c note recommends.

like blee, my ed doesn't do mris either [edit: unless it was something acute/status change type scenario] and chronic pain management isn't a priority.

hope you get some good help soon.

cheers,

Dixielee, BSN, RN · Jul 20, 2008

Ditto from another ER nurse. The ER is for acute problems, and since this has been an ongoing issue, you need a primary care physician, neuro or ortho to do follow up, whatever your insurance will cover. Then they can schedule the MRI (which sounds like what you need), and then look into plans of treatment at that point.

A plain x-ray will probably not tell you much, and even if they find something they will want an MRI. We have done MRI's for back pain but there are usually extenuating circumstances, like sudden onset of incontinence, paralysis, or acute change in symptoms.

Good luck getting this under control, back pain does hurt. I have always thought our backs were a design flaw in an otherwise pretty good body!

kmoonshine, RN · Jul 20, 2008

Agree with the other posters, no MRI would be done unless you had signs of cauda equina. Xrays probably wouldn't show anything since there wasn't any injury (such as car accident --> immediate back/neck pain).

I threw out my back twice - and I was miserable! It took me 2 months for the pain to completely go away. I remember laying on the couch, planning on when to use the bathroom because it would take me forever to get there. My husband had to pull me out of bed and dress me; I felt so useless. I have a very high tolerance for pain (for example, I've endured dental work without local anesthetic; can't compare it to childbirth because I have no kids), but my back pain was unbearable. So I do sympathize with your pain.

The goal of the ED is to rule out anything that would be life/limb threatening, and to stabalize the patient so they can be admitted or sent home. Since ED's cant follow-up on care, there's little that an ED can do for back pain.

Dolce, RN · Jul 20, 2008

I'm sorry you are so miserable. :crying2:

Hope you are able to get into a specialist quickly.