Tell us about it! Do you use medication on a regular basis or other means to relieve your chronic back issues?
UM Review RN, ASN, RN 7 Articles; 5,163 Posts Specializes in Utilization Management. Jun 13, 2005 I go to a chiropractor once in awhile. Seems to help. Advil does wonders after a rough shift, too.
P_RN, ADN, RN 6,011 Posts Specializes in ORTHOPAEDICS-CERTIFIED SINCE 89. Has 30 years experience. Jun 13, 2005 Not only meds, but therapy, tens, epidural steroids and finally forced medical retirement.
madwife2002, BSN, RN 74 Articles; 4,777 Posts Specializes in RN, BSN, CHDN. Has 26 years experience. Jun 13, 2005 Never had a bad back in my life until a few months ago when we started continually hoisting large patients. So now have constant ache in neck and right shoulder.
allnurses Guide Spidey's mom, ADN, BSN, RN 11,302 Posts Jun 13, 2005 No I don't have a bad back. Thankfully.steph
jnette, ASN, EMT-I 4,388 Posts Specializes in Hemodialysis, Home Health. Has 10 years experience. Jun 13, 2005 Sure do........ never did 'til I started in dialysis. The constant bending over and the carrying all the heavy boxes of saline and bags of bicarb didn't help, either. Sure wish they'd make dialysis chairs that had hydraulics on them like dentist chairs, so we could raise them to our comfort level. Guess that would be easy enough, but we must not be worth the cost. We are just SO replacable.
Tweety, BSN, RN 32,937 Posts Specializes in Med-Surg, Trauma, Ortho, Neuro, Cardiac. Has 31 years experience. Jun 13, 2005 No bad back yet after 15 years of med-surg. I do yoga twice a week, and exercise my back and abs (strong abs can help build a strong back), and upper and lower body at the gym. I'm sure that helps.My heart goes out to those with bad backs.
KRVRN, BSN, RN 1,334 Posts Specializes in NICU. Jun 13, 2005 No bad back, been an RN for 5 yrs... in NICU :chuckle
madwife2002, BSN, RN 74 Articles; 4,777 Posts Specializes in RN, BSN, CHDN. Has 26 years experience. Jun 14, 2005 No bad back yet after 15 years of med-surg. I do yoga twice a week, and exercise my back and abs (strong abs can help build a strong back), and upper and lower body at the gym. I'm sure that helps.My heart goes out to those with bad backs.Hiya Hun,You say you have been in med/sur for 15 years what sort of lifting aids do you use? Do you actually do a manual handling course? Our hospital and most of the UK hospital have no lifting or essential lifting only policies. We have to use slide sheets and hoists.
jax 135 Posts Jun 14, 2005 It's been 10+ years working in orthopaedics and 2 years ago I sat forward in a chair and L5-S1 disc bulged out. I now have greater empathy for the orthopaedic 'back pain' population.I was off for 3 weeks at the time, and now work part-time, and if I don't keep up my exercises, especially the abdo work - I really feel it. Don't take any meds but am forever worried about it happening again. I feel the original injury was from general wear and tear from nursing over the past 15 years and I should have been more diligent earlier with back/abdo strengthing exercises.
rehab nurse 464 Posts Specializes in rehab; med/surg; l&d; peds/home care. Jun 14, 2005 i have three herniated lumbar discs, one herniation is new and my other two i have had for two years after a injury helping a pt not to fall on the floor. a very, very obese pt who was ambulatory, but was getting out of bed to go to the BR. her knees gave out, and i tried to lift her. what the heck was i thinking? was just a reflex i guess to try to prevent her from falling; and i did, with the help of three other people. three mri's, two spinal surgeons, spinal steroid injections, a chiropractor, natural healing, massage, PT, home exercise, and two years later.....i am now reduced to working part time, supporting two toddlers on my own, and trying to finish school (i am an lpn going through excelsior). i take vicodin on a daily basis, muscle relaxants, anti-inflammatories (i sure miss bextra!), heat. and the pain is relentless. i go to see my spinal surgeon next month. i don't know what he will do, i am so young (just 27) and i need to work. i have two kids to support. oh, and i nearly forgot my recent flare-up of SLE which has had me in the hospital twice this year; and the migraines that are he** in the spring because of my sinuses/asthma problems. oh boy, this has been such a terrible year for me. i sure hope something gets better, and soon.
Tweety, BSN, RN 32,937 Posts Specializes in Med-Surg, Trauma, Ortho, Neuro, Cardiac. Has 31 years experience. Jun 14, 2005 Hiya Hun,You say you have been in med/sur for 15 years what sort of lifting aids do you use? Do you actually do a manual handling course? Our hospital and most of the UK hospital have no lifting or essential lifting only policies. We have to use slide sheets and hoists.We use slide boards, and only our rebhab unit has equipment for getting patients out of bed, showering etc. There are "no-lift" hospitals in the US but unfortunately we aren't one of them. I have to rely on good technique, body mechanics, strength, and help from others. So far, so good.
