Back Pain

[Lalage]

I injured my back very seriously by slipping on some ice when I was 17. I am now 24 and have been nursing for 1 1/2 yrs, and I am constantly in pain. I've taken every percaution to protect myself: I see a chiropractor, I exercise, I eat a balanced diet, I'm not over weight, and I try for enough sleep. I tired of hurting. I'll go for months without pain, then months with pain. I don't want to quit floor nursing this early in my career, but I'm tired of the pain. Please...what else can I do?? I feel like I'm 54, not 24.

[mattsmom81]

My suggestion is have a full workup done and see what the exact problem is and what you can do about it. So you know what you're dealing with.

In my case I am older and have degenerative arthritis...but if you have a simpler problem that can be addressed through PT or other therapies, why not look into it? A coworker of mine for example found she had a tilted pelvis and learned corrective exercises. Another has one leg shorter than the other and wears a corrective shoe.

It also might be a problem as simple as poor posture, or some inflamed areas around scar tissues that would respond to some injections or conservative therapy..

Have you tried the McKenzie program ..the "How to treat your own back/neck" books? They are excellent self help books and the stretches and exercises help keep my back limber.

Many older nurses I work with have some kind of back injury/pain in their history and will get flareups occasionally...so it is something a lot of us deal with. Along with the rest of the general population. Hope you can get a handle on it and find a way to treat it.

Best wishes!!