please help me and my kinked up back

cmggriff · Nov 24, 2001

Hoolahan,

I have chronic back problems. For immediate albeit temporary relief, squat down with both heels opn the floor, shoulders between yur knees. You have to consciously relax your back. If that helps, lie in the floor on your back, legs extended. Slowly bend one leg and try to put that knee on the floor on the opposite side ( left knee to right) while keeping your shoulders on the floor. These 2 exercises usually get me loose enough to stand and move around for a little while. I have to agree with all those who have recommended chiropractors and yoga for long term relief. My heartfelt regrets to you, Gary

Reabock · Nov 24, 2001

Hoolahan, I feel for you as I too have severe, chronic back pain and I know what you mean about feeling that if you could just get that area cracked you would feel better!! This is a time when having a clone of yourself that could help do it because they would know what you needed would be so helpful.

A suggestion that I have heard and tried a few times is to lay flat, no pillow, with a pillow under your hips and make yourself relax and your lower back will stretch itself out and actually do some of the popping on its own. Can't hurt to try and its free!!

I also second the idea to go see Harry Potter with the kids, if they are over 9-10. I have not read the books but really was awed with the acting and the special effects. The kid behind me kept getting shushed by his mom but I got the impression that he was very aware of the sequence of events as the story unfolded,and have heard that very true to the book.

Good luck in you back relief efforts.

nursedora · Nov 24, 2001

I know the pain you are going through, I've had it! And the best relief I got was from my accupuncturist. He and his wife are Korean, and they have been life long in this. I've heard of some MD's taking a six week crash course in Accupuncture, but I don't trust them. I trust someone who's been born and raised in Accupuncture. I also used Accupuncture for weight loss, I lost about 100 pounds, went from a size 20/22 to 14- no pills, no special diet just moderation with what I ate, no carbinated drinks, behavior modification on eating habits. Faithful excersize plan, no more couch potato stuff. And that, the wieght loss, better eating habits, and excersize helped my back too. :)

hoolahan, ASN, RN · Nov 24, 2001

Gary REabock, just what I am looking for!

Nursedora, I am all for it! Especially for weight loss!! Where do you live? If it's in NJ, pm me the name of your people!!

How can you be sure you get a good accupuncturist and not some wannabe? I certainly can't go by just the fact that they look asian! How can I know for sure? I am veeeerrry interested in hearing more about this!!

hoolahan, ASN, RN · Nov 24, 2001

Oh yeah, and for the weight loss, how long did it take before you knew it was working for you? I realize it won't be a quick fix, just tryiong to decided when I will know if I have a good accupuncturist, or some quack! How long did it take for you to know it was working? Did you feel improved energy immediately, a few weeks? Noticed your appetite decrease? How did you know?

Thanks!

Linda

nursedora · Nov 24, 2001

HowI new it was working was with the wieght loss, and increased energy. NO it wasn't overnight. but within the first month I noticed a big difference. First I lost weight quick, it was just fluid, I lost 4-6 pounds the first couple weeks then it tappered off to 1-2 pounds a week. Then I went threw a period of time when I didn't loose any weight, but I lost inches, and had to go shopping for some clothes that fit! The increased energy I noticed almost immedeatly. The first two weeks when I lost 4-6 pounds a week, I had bounds of energy, then I did have a couple weeks of listlessness. That was explaned to me as my body rebeling, at first my body was running on the fat reserves, then when that started depleeting, my body said "what is going on?" and in essence, said, "I have to store up some of this fat" You see I'd been fat since I was six years old and was 40 when I started this program. Also I had abused my body with all those fad diets that don't work. After a few weeks of sticking with it, the modified eating habits and behaviors, and keeping up with an excersise program, my body got used to the lower fat, and started working with me on the weight loss. I also went threw a period of time that I gained some weight, some is attributed to the "time of month" and some is because I gained some muscle mass. (Muscle as we know weighs more than fat.)

But my B/P went from 200's over 100's my pulse rate resting went from 100's to 60's and with any activity from 150+ to very active in the 80's. This is another indicator, for me anyway. Before I started loosing the weight, I couldn't walkaccross an average size room without getting winded, when I started getting the fluid off, my stamina increased.

Now, how do you know when you have someone reliable vs a quack or wannabe? In the area I live it's so rural, everyone know's everyone else, and you'd better be honest, or you'll get found out soon enough. But in any case, one sure fire way to find out the reliability of someone, is to ask questions. From other people who've gone and are going to that person for treatment, from the person themself. ask questions like: "How long have you been doing this?" "What is your success rate with my problem?" "At what point do you say:'this isn't working for you'?" "Are you going to keep me stringing along if it doesn't work for me just for the money?" When you are asking of the other people who have the same problem, ask to see before and after pictures.

By the way Accupuncture works for more than weight loss. My Mother started going before I did, she's the one who got me to go for weight loss, anyway, she went for pain relief in her knees. She was Dx with Osteoperosis in her knees by our MD, and told she'd "have to live with it." Well, that wasn't good enough for Mom. She was so bad, when we went shopping to Wall-Mart or K-Mart, she'd have to get the "sit-n-shop" wheel chair, she went to our accupunturist, and with four visits and a pair of Dr. Scholls inserts she walks the Mall. We've gone to our accupunturist for sinus ailments, back strain, neck strain, fever, constipation. (We are also Native American so we use herbs for remidies to most of our ailments.) We tell our accupuncturist what we are taking for what ailment, so neither treatment counteracts the other. We do not take any chemical remidies such as motrin, ASA, tylenol, none of that. If you do and you do decide to go to an accupuncturist, be honest with them on what you are taking, and trust them when they say not to take them, if you have pain in between visits, call them for an extra visit. Or do what they tell you to for excersize for specific pain relief.

Also an accupuncturist who has done this life long, and know's what they are doing gives a back, neck, arm and leg massage after the treatments. And the treatments are not the cartoon image of hundreds of long pins and needles sticking out from you like a porkupine, it is quite simple and painless. And sterile. So there is no need to worry about contacting any desease. All the pins used are sterile, disposable.

I'll pray you get some relief. And you find someone. As far as insurance coverage, I don't know, all I know is my accupuncturist isn't all that expensive, I cut out going to Micky D's and the money I saved from that paid my accupuncture treatments. :) :)

Furball · Nov 24, 2001

Hi Hoolahan,

Is your back any better? Vioxx, biofreeze ointment and u/s helped my back immensely along with chiro care and gentle walking.

Hope you're back on your feet soon!

Sincerely, furby

annies · Nov 25, 2001

As a massage therapist my advice to you would be to check with your doctor, get a massage and then go out and buy a balance ball (costs around $30, some come with video tape). Lay face down on it and roll forward and back. Play around with different positions and movements. My husband has a problem with his lumbar area (quadratus lumborum) and the balance ball always helps him.

Try to figure out which muscle(s) is/are affected. Is the pain present when you elevate your hip or do you notice it when you extend your spine? Your PT aide can help you with this, as well as give you tips on body mechanics to prevent an encore.

I would suggest seeing a physician that knows you and whose opinion you respect before you see a chiropractor. First visits to chiropractors are always expensive and sometimes not covered by insurance. Since you do not see a chiropractor on a regular basis, and have not established a relationship of trust and understanding, this may not be an appropriate time to start. Check out the acupuncture credentials (I agree with nursedora).

Acupuncture is a powerful tool for healing if it is used in the right manner. Unfortunately, that is not always the case.

Good Luck, I hope you are feeling better soon.

Jenny P · Nov 25, 2001

Hoolihan, I feel for you. I took my hubby to the doc yesterday for his back. He'd fallen last Feb. and has nerve root compression of L4-5, and a chiropracter (covered by our health plan!) and some PT really helped a lot. He did really well, in fact, and has had no pain for about 4 months until Wed. night when he was sitting in a chair and bent down to pick up a paper on the floor and screwed it up again. Percocet and Vicodin didn't help the pain, so I took him into the doc yesterday and he examined him and told him to do some of his exercises, but also to walk more. So today the pain is going ALL the way down his leg and is even worse. I called the After hours clinic line; the nurse told me to take him to the ED; and after 3 hours there, the ED doc sees him AND DOESN'T EVEN EXAMINE HIM!!!!!! and then says HE can't help chronic pain!!!!! The doc wants us to decide what we want to do! I want him admitted (and hit with MSO4 or something); my hubby says he doesn't want to be admitted; so we are sent home and the only one who even touched him was the triage nurse checking his BP! I'm sorry, but when 2 Percocet aren't taking care of the pain (alternating with 2 Vicodan every 3 hours), the pt. needs something more than being told to "call his primary doctor on Monday"-- we were TOLD to go to the ED for further diagnostic workup! Why didn't they do even an x-ray?

Sorry for venting on your post Hoolihan. I'm just frustrated tonight.

Gary and Reabock's exercises have helped my hubby in the past, as have the pelvic tilts (or cat stretchs, I think their called).

cmggriff · Nov 25, 2001

So Linda, how are you doing? Keep us informed. And when the acute episode is passing I have some other exercises that will keep you upright. Good luck, Gary

hoolahan, ASN, RN · Nov 25, 2001

Thanks for asking Gary. The exercises help, but only for a little while, however, I am getting better. I got cancelled today for VNA, and that is a big help.

I noticed that certain things aggravate it. Sitting too long at the computer, which unfortunately has been necessary, however, I am taking breaks to do the exercises before I get all bunched up!! Taking 800 mg ibuprofen isn't hurting too much either. I noticed I don't have as much pain in the morning, so if I take the ibuprofen then, and at regualr intervals, before I am in excruciating pain, that helps.

The one thing I can't correct is driving. When I have to back out of a parking space, when I twist around, putting my right arm on the passengers seat, so I can really turn and see what's behind me (I have an old-fashioned BIG station wagon, like I boat) as I back up, that is the motion that is so painful! So, I am trying to choose better parking spaces, can't do anything about backing down my narrow driveway though! Too many windows smashed out to park in the street, just not an option. Having off from driving today is a huge help!

Gary, went to the movies, do you beleive I am too anal to see the Harry Potter movie unless I read the book first? So, we all had a pow wow, who wanted to see what movie, and which times were close eneough. Turns out there would have been too much time between my choice of Spy Games and dtr's choice of Shallow Hal, and Son's choice of The One, so we all eventually agreed to see Shallow Hal. I know many overweight people were offended by this movie, but I gotta tell ya, I am overweight, and I LMAO!! Jason Alexander was hysterical!! And so was Jack Black. I laughed from beginning to end, and almost cried too. I love movies like that! I felt the underlying message that beauty is only skin deep was too powerful to let a few fat jokes ruin it!!

Now, I am on page 49 of the sorcerer's stone. Maybe I can finish it today and see the movie next week!

I am looking into the accupuncture thing as well, for the back, and the weight loss.

{{{Jen}}} If hubby is having chronic pain , why on earth hasn't anyone giving him some real pain med?? Alternating 2 short-acting pain meds won't do sqaut, as I am sure you know and why you are frustarted. Sounds like he needs a duragesic patch or some oxycontin then to take the short-acting pain med for break through pain. Geesh, thanks to the druggies, people who really need this stuff are also suspected of drug-seeking behaviors. I think that is why so many people suffer with back pain. It is the easiest thing to pretend I suppose so you can get some good drugs, and yet when you really have a problem, it seems a lot of health care providers feel you are drug-seeking! Can't win for losing. I guess a nasty MRI is always good proof.

I hope your hubby feels better soon. I know exactly how you feel, my hubby had his second back surgery, then fell off the roof. He has been suffering ever since, and toes of one foot are numb, but he is fed-up with doctors and with the system, so he opts to suffer. Me, on the other hand, I am not good with suffering!

Jenny P · Nov 26, 2001

The thing that bugs me is that my hubby hasn't had "chronic" or any other type of pain for over 4 months from this injury; so when it hits like it suddenly did; I worry. He has a tremendously high pain threshold and also neuropathy below the knees (from the MS). The fact that he can feel the pain below his knees really worries me!!! If they would have given him some muscle relaxers, or hit him with some MSO4 (IN hospital-- I don't want to try to manage him at home on stronger drugs), or even done a decent assessment, I would have been happy.

Hoolihan, your pain is sounding worse than what you initially said it was. I hope you're going to the doc ASAP.