Do You Have a Bad Back from Nursing?

Nurses General Nursing

Published

  1. How Bad is Your Back from Nursing?

    • 39
      No problems
    • 106
      Occasionally soreness, relieved with prn OTC meds
    • 61
      Severe. Have to medicate every day.
    • 27
      Severe: Have had surgery.
    • 13
      Other

246 members have participated

Tell us about it!

Do you use medication on a regular basis or other means to relieve your chronic back issues?

Specializes in ER, ICU, L&D, OR.

Copper and magnets keep me going and golfing despite injuries

go ahead and laugh at my copper and magnets, I swear by them, I wont give them up without a knock down dragout fight.

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Okey, dokey!:rotfl: No seriously, whatever works.

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Specializes in Acute Care Cardiac, Education, Prof Practice.

I came into the profession with a compressed L5 so I was gimped from the start.

Icepacks after work, naproxen, chiropractor and soon I will be starting PT. Plus I have a 50lb weight restriction, which almost cost me my new job, however I guess my personality won out in the end. :uhoh3:

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Specializes in Step down, ICU, ER, PACU, Amb. Surg.
The orthopedic surgeon I saw said that after a while the nerve endings "burn themselves out" ( maybe its self ablation) and the nerve -toothache type pain goes away. Anyone else heard this?

Never heard of that! interesting...

Tom, I won't knock your copper and magnets. I know people that have swore by them too. My theory is, "What ever works for you"....I went for some rolfing sessions(once a week for 10 weeks) when I sustained my first back injury in 2004 and it worked wonders along with diet modifications and some specific vitamins and supplements. Unfortunately rolding(a form of deep tissue massage) is not cheap or I would give it another whirl. Slowing making the transition back into the diet modifications to see if they will help this time around with a different type of injury.

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Specializes in Step down, ICU, ER, PACU, Amb. Surg.

Tait,

The 50 lb weight restriction shouldn't have been an issue as 99.9% of all job descriptions I have ever seen say that the nurse has to be able to lift 50 lbs with assistance! I'd give my eye teeth for a 50lb weight restriction as it would make it easier to find a job. I am not suppose dto be lifting over 10 lbs on a regular basis and only up to 20 on occasion...that lift restriction screams damaged goods and makes finding work difficult at best.

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Specializes in Mostly LTC, some acute and some ER,.

Mine is not good for being 22! I hurt it really bad when I was 18, and I do have constant pain. I do not medicate every day, but often I have no choice but to pop a pill. Ive gone to chiropractors, but it always works its way out of alignment again. Its gone out so many times that its jerked my hips around, and I now have problems with them. I may need surgery to repair the damage done.

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Specializes in NICU, Telephone Triage.

This is one of the reasons I chose to work with babies and not hurt my back dealing with big patients. standing a long time does make my back ache....but I don't have heavy lifting.

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Specializes in Neonatal ICU (Cardiothoracic).

I've worked primarily NICU and PICU as a nurse, and my back has only bothered me whe asked to help lift the teenage trauma pts. There was a point where all but two of the other PICU nurses were pregnant (2 with twins) and I was called on A LOT to help. I've found that stretching my hamstrings every day, working on those core exercises in quest of the elusive six-pack, pilates, and seeing a non-witch doctor chiropractor for massage and stretching really helps. Where I work now in the NICU, the IV pumps are heavier than the patients.

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Not only meds, but therapy, tens, epidural steroids and finally forced medical retirement.[/quote

Most definitly!! It started lifting heavy instruments 32 years ago and increasingly got worse until finally giving into back surgery this year. I still suffer fro arthritis in my back; however swimming and walking does keep it to a minimum.

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Specializes in community, oncology, tele, PEDS.

I had back problems before started nursing.

I've done PT, stretch and do PT at home, try heating pads, only have had a couple massages (too expensive), and not on meds bc only demerol IM even touches my pain. Some days i feel like i can't move, and can barely get out of bed. Oh, and i'm only 21.

this poll intrigued me, anyone have anything they do that might help???

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Specializes in Emergency & Trauma/Adult ICU.

No chronic back problems ... (knocking firmly on wooden desk)

There was one day that I strained my back - I knew as soon as I moved my patient (without help) that I had hurt myself. About 5 days of round the clock 800mg of Ibuprofen worked but I am lucky for that. I won't repeat that mistake -- I get help to move patients.

My legs to ache about every 10 days or so - it's relieved with rest and Ibuprofen.

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Specializes in Breast Cancer, Arterial, General Surgery.

I've been very lucky so far. My back aches occasionally, but I put that down to the fact that I'm 53 now and it is general wear and tear.

I did have time off due to a patient pulling on me as I sat him up - and I had help from another nurse on the other side of him! That resolved with pain relief, rest and physio.

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