Back Pain and Nursing?

[BlackCat04021983]

I was going to post this in with my other post about weak stomachs but forgot to so decided to just do a whole new thread. In March of 2005 I was helping my aunt move a wardrobe and got a sharp pain in my lower back, it hurt so bad I called my husband to come get me cause I could hardly walk, went home found that it just kept hurting went to the ER the ER doctor told me that I probably had pulled a muscle put me on med and sent me home. Then in May of 2005 it was bothering me again I went to a Urgent Care Center the lady there said she thought I had just pulled muscle sent me home and told me to take Aleve for the pain. I had a feeling it was something else, so I went to another Urgent Care Center the next day. He order a MRI so I had the MRI on May 28th and it showed protrusion of L-5 S-1 pressing on my sciatica nerve, both orthos I seen would not go the route of surgery because they didnt feel it was bad enough for that, so I just had to take it easy and let it heal back up and not hurt so much. I know as a CNA there is lifting and all. Should I see my doctor and see what she thinks or will getting a back brace help with my back How do you who have back problems deal with the back pain and lifting and all?

Erica

[wonderbee, BSN, RN]

Wearing a weight belt helps me. It was given to me during my orientation and I do use it. It's not very attractive though. Just about every experienced nurse I know has back complaints. Your health care provider may have some specific advice just for you.

Good luck

[FarmgrrlRN]

Has your MD suggested physical therapy? Are you exercising now? I also have a herniated disk at L5-S1...I did physical therapy 3x/wk x4wks and was told to pick up my physical activity (walking, swimming, etc.) The first time my back went out was 4 yrs ago and it definitely helped, then a year later it happened again (3 days after I finished a 10 week yoga class!). I have been 'incident' free since then. They will probably advise you that you need to strengthen your abdominal muscles and possibly lose some weight (if you need to).

While in nursing school my back definitely stiffened up after lifting pts, etc. Its part of the reason that I decided to go into pediatric nursing. I still do have some lifting but no where near as much as in the adult world.

[BlackCat04021983]

Thank you guys for the replies I will ask my doctor when I go this week and see if she can give me some other ideas to use. I did PT in July and it didnt help one bit with me. The ortho doctors wanted to me to have a epidurial block but I didnt see where it would help and I have a lot of problems with meds so i didnt know whether I could handle a epidurial block. I plan to maybe work in a doctors office or something like that as a CNA that way there wont be much lifting.

Erica