What do you guys do for back problems?

[ear3]

I'm really frustrated.  In the middle of a job and I tweaked my back again.  Didn't throw it out completely thank god but enough to where I can't stand up straight.  This is chronic issue that comes around when I get lax with my exercises, though even then it can come out of the blue.  Client supposedly wants to move in on Wednesday, but there's no way I'm going to be able to show up tomorrow to finish up the thing I'm building.  Have an appointment first thing tomorrow morning with the dr. to score some muscle relaxants, which are basically the only thing that give me a semblance of mobility when this happens.

I'm sure I'm not the only one with this problem.  Any strategies for dealing with this when it happens that you guys follow?

 

[Tinker]

I have been going to chiropractors for one thing and another for most of my life.  I have one leg shorter than the other and since getting my knee torn up while in the service, I have had someimes very debilitating lower back problems. I have been to many chiropracors who probably might have done more harm than good had I continued with them.  About 45 years ago, i got so bad I litterally crawled into a newly recommended doc.  He was  very good and kept me going for 39 years until his own back disintegrated. He had put me together over the years so that now, I no longer need any treatments >>> I hope.

I have tried a couple of chyropractors since "Doctor Jim" had to quit.  They do not do the same for me.

I have never taken any meds for my back pains. Because i need to know what is going on in my back (and neck), I will not take pain killers for any other pain in my body.  I still lift bags of grass seed and fertilizer even tho I have been 39 for over 48 years.  I'm more careful now and do sometimes wear a back bracing belt and/or a neck brace.

I feel for ya. I know what you are going thru.
Take care
Tinker

 

[peter halle]

I too have had back problems for years.  I went to a Chiropractor for the first time about 25 years ago.  Two years with him and I decided he was a quack.  I found a Chiropractor who specialized in sports injuries and on the first visit he determined that one leg was shorter than the other and that I had been doing the leaning tower of Pisa and acting as a tree trying to grow straight.  Orthotics with a lift in one insert took care of the constant issues.

I am now suffering from long term lifting issues and my chiropractor was honest to tell me that he could give me temporary relief but no cure.  He suggested that I buy an inversion table.  I held off.

When I went to the FESTOOL Connect event last year I was in so much pain that nothing I had saved up prescription wise would touch it.

When I got home I bought a table and tried it out.  It took about a week and gravity did its job.  I now use it now and then when needed and it gives relief.

Sorry for the long post.  My advice is to find a chiropractor who specializes in sports injuries.

Peter

 

[mouppe]

I have had a recurring back injury for the last four years which flares up every few months or so. Finally after the last episode when I could not stand up straight for almost three weeks I went to a physiotherapist on the recommendation of my doctor.

She gave me some simple exercises and after one week, I am 90-100%. I do my exercises every day- takes me about five to ten minutes- and I am completely pain-free and with barely any stiffness. It is unbelievable. My doctor wanted to prescribe pills but I said I didn't want them. I'd rather fix the problem than rely on medication.

If you like I can scan the exercises for you and post them here. I play tennis 4-5 times a week as well and that helps keep me loose. If i didn't play tennis I would swim.

Good luck.

 

[jtwood]

I have had back problems since the early 1960's.  It is much better since my brother married a sports chiropractor, which is the long term solution.  She is amazing.
For a short term help, any time I am going to do anything physical, I use one of those rubberized back supports that wraps around your waist that Brett Favre advertises on TV.  It is great for support if you have to lift anything. and they're only about $20 at the large drugstore chains or Wal-Mart where they have the "As Seen On TV" stuff.

Steve

 

[Tinker]

I too have had back problems for years.  I went to a Chiropractor for the first time about 25 years ago.  Two years with him and I decided he was a quack.  I found a Chiropractor who specialized in sports injuries and on the first visit he determined that one leg was shorter than the other and that I had been doing the leaning tower of Pisa and acting as a tree trying to grow straight.  Orthotics with a lift in one insert took care of the constant issues.

I am now suffering from long term lifting issues and my chiropractor was honest to tell me that he could give me temporary relief but no cure.  He suggested that I buy an inversion table.  I held off.

When I went to the FESTOOL Connect event last year I was in so much pain that nothing I had saved up prescription wise would touch it.

When I got home I bought a table and tried it out.  It took about a week and gravity did its job.  I now use it now and then when needed and it gives relief.

Sorry for the long post.  My advice is to find a chiropractor who specializes in sports injuries.

Peter

[member=1674]Peter Halle[/member] what is an inversion table?

Tinker

 

[Harry1561]

Have you ever tried acupuncture , it worked for me    the Chinese have been using it for thousands of years there must be something in it !!

 

[Rip Van Winkle]

I too have had back problems for years.  I went to a Chiropractor for the first time about 25 years ago.  Two years with him and I decided he was a quack.  I found a Chiropractor who specialized in sports injuries and on the first visit he determined that one leg was shorter than the other and that I had been doing the leaning tower of Pisa and acting as a tree trying to grow straight.  Orthotics with a lift in one insert took care of the constant issues.

I am now suffering from long term lifting issues and my chiropractor was honest to tell me that he could give me temporary relief but no cure.  He suggested that I buy an inversion table.  I held off.

When I went to the FESTOOL Connect event last year I was in so much pain that nothing I had saved up prescription wise would touch it.

When I got home I bought a table and tried it out.  It took about a week and gravity did its job.  I now use it now and then when needed and it gives relief.

Sorry for the long post.  My advice is to find a chiropractor who specializes in sports injuries.

Peter

[member=1674]Peter Halle[/member] what is an inversion table?

Tinker

 

[Rip Van Winkle]

It won't help you in the short run, and it may not be easy to find a practitioner, but years ago my father had something called joint sclerotherapy done to help fix back problems he was having.

I'm not sure when he had the treatments done, but I think it might have been in the 60s or 70s. He said after the treatments he didn't have back problems for about twenty years. The doctor who did the treatment even wrote a book about it, but I forget the doctorrs name, and title of the book at the moment.

It may not be a very common specialty, since anout ten years ago I saw a news program mentioning something that sounded similar, but refering to it as if it was a new treatment. Then sgain, a lot of news programs really don't bother doing research.

 

[ear3]

Thanks for the advice about the inversion table [member=1674]Peter Halle[/member]  That looks promising.  The most effective exercise I've actually found are pull-ups, as they strengthen the muscles in my stomach and lower back simultaneously.  The problem with pull-ups though, is that you can't do all that many of them at once.  I can see how the table might allow me to do exercises that are targeting the core directly, without the limitations imposed by the pull-ups.

 

[Kev]

Core exercise, diet, sleep. No back problems ...

 

[junk731]

Relief is dependent on the root cause of the injury and no one fixall will work in all cases. While I don't think a chiropractor is the full answer, the occasional visit to get realigned and the use of anti inflammatories is my goto. Aleve and Advil can be very useful at removing inflammation when used properly but doesn't work the same for everybody. If you remove the inflammation the pain typically goes with it. While the exercise works for some for others it actually aggravates the the condition.

John

 

[peter halle]

Back issues are very different for everyone.  There is rarely one miracle cure.  If anyone considers an inversion table they should be cautious if they suffer from high blood pressure.  A search of local Craigslist ads will reveal that not everyone feels helped by such a device.

For me it has helped because I have worn out the two lowest disks in my spine thru years of heavy lifting.  The reversal of gravity provided by the table helps to increase the spacing of the vertebrate in that area and temporarily relieves the pain caused by the pinching of the nerves.

For middle spine issues I have found that a foam roll helps keep things in place without a constant need for visits to the chiropractor.  For neck issues a foam wedge helps to stretch out the neck and release tension.

Peter

Peter

 

[dltflt]

I have found that going to the gym a few times a week helps tremendously.  First you are strengthening your core and second if you do 20-30 minutes of cardio it get the blood flowing throughout your body.  This also helps to make you more flexible which keeps you from getting injured.

 

[tiralie]

Core exercise, diet, sleep.

Agreed.
Unless you have been injured in a car accident or similar, strengthening your core is the single best thing to do for back and lower extremity pain.
Generally speaking we sit too long, and are hunched over our keyboards too long and our backs take a beating.
Sitting on a core ball or standing if you need to work at a computer help immeasurably.
You can do core exercises for 20-30 mins a day and notice a huge improvement in pain both in your back and lower joints.
Pilates are great overall core exercise but do take time. 
Tim

 

[Pnw painter]

I've also had a lot of lower back issues over the last 10+ years. Several years ago I worked with a Physical Therapist and it was really helpful. His long term solution for my back issues was a combination of stretching and strengthening my lower back.

I also tried a chiropractor, but it wasn't for me. For many of the adjustments she would have to jump in the air and then push on me. Personally, I felt like there was a risk of injury if she didn't get things quite right.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Oldwood]

I found the exercises in this book worked for me if I took the time to do them regularly.
http://ebooksonline.top/read/?book=0451170911

Gerry

 

[Peter Belisle]

I had a pretty bad roll over accident 10-12 years ago and had some nasty middle to upper back pain.  meds helped but loosing a few lbs and getting in to the gym took the pain away.  I still get sore bed never as bad as it was.  regular exercise  has helped me.

 

[slimm]

strengthen the back by doing squats and lunges

 

[Sparktrician]

I found that getting a new mattress has relieved many of my back issues.  I had a moderately spendy memory foam mattress, 12" thick, and had nothing but problems.  I recently picked up an 8" thick, VERY firm foam mattress, and within a week, many of my issues have disappeared.  I have sometimes used a small TENS unit which has been wonderful.  Last Sunday, I had the distinct pleasure of cutting the old mattress into four pieces using a reciprocating carving knife, then taking it to the local waste transfer facility.