Blown Out Back Jam

[McMark]

gah! We’ve been doing a ton of work around the house this summer. One project was to take down our little used swimming pool. Long story short, I overlifted while moving the coil of steel that goes around the perimeter. Been fighting what feels like severe sciatica since mid June (just after the overlifting incident). Severe meaning it wakes me up all night long. Finally went to the doctor last Thursday and she determined that it was more than likely a herniated disc. Starting physical therapy on Monday. My question is what can I expect? Anyone else go through the process of physical therapy, injection, surgery that would like to share their experience?

Thanks,
Mark

 

[—Яiвs>]

I had a similar issue but was diagnosed with Pariformis syndrome. Muscle became spastic and was pintching my sciatic. Went through therapy, massages, chiropractic adjustments and was taking 10mg Valiums to sleep at night.
I like you was searching for an answer that would help me. Months went by and was semi manageable but was still very much dabillitated to say the least.

Acupuncture was the final answer for my condition. After the 5th or 6th treatment I went home and laid on the floor per usual after my sessions. The muscle where twitching pretty good and I decided to try stretching to relieve the pain. As soon as I moved my troubled leg to stretch out it popped and something miraculous happened. Like a switch was thrown in my body. It no longer hurt but became numb instead. A few more treatments and I was able to walk normally and didn’t need the meds.

Not saying this is a miracle cure or works for everybody but it worked for my situation.

 

[Coheeba]

I've had sciatica for about 7 years and had to quit running which was my passion. I've had physical therapy and it works but time is your friend. Stretching is important and core (gut) work is paramount. Your gut strength is important because when it gets tired everything is on your back. Vitamin M (motrin) is good too.

 

[McMark]

There’s an acupuncture place pretty close to work. I’ve been considering going to see how it goes. Thanks for that.

 

[Yambers]

Im reviving this old thread as I am dealing with this now. Pain has been on and off for about 6 months now. Finally got bad enough that I went to doctor 6 week's ago. He sent me to physical therapy as well as prescribed muscle relaxers. PT seemed to make it worse and now I can barely walk. Still stretching daily, but not sleeping due to pain.

Just went today for xrays. Waiting on results. Got some hydrocodone and valium today as well. Not sure if it is a herniated disk or piriformis syndrome. Looking into acupuncture, and waiting for possible MRI.

Anyone else been through this and survive? What else can I do?

 

[AZMark]

Im reviving this old thread as I am dealing with this now. Pain has been on and off for about 6 months now. Finally got bad enough that I went to doctor 6 week's ago. He sent me to physical therapy as well as prescribed muscle relaxers. PT seemed to make it worse and now I can barely walk. Still stretching daily, but not sleeping due to pain.

Just went today for xrays. Waiting on results. Got some hydrocodone and valium today as well. Not sure if it is a herniated disk or piriformis syndrome. Looking into acupuncture, and waiting for possible MRI.

Anyone else been through this and survive? What else can I do?

I’ve had a “bad back” for 15 years or so from various accidents but only had sciatica once and I could barely walk. I started doing PT and chiropractic for about 6 months and felt like I was getting worse too. I finally went to a surgeon and they did an MRI and determined in about 5 seconds that it was a herniated disc that was leaking fluid and irritating the nerves in my spine - so therapy, stretching, etc weren’t helping anything and probably never would have.
They had me stop doing everything and I scheduled injections a month or two out. Sciatica went away before the injections so I never did them. This was in 2019 and I’m still good...back hurts but no sciatica.

 

[AZMark]

Im reviving this old thread as I am dealing with this now. Pain has been on and off for about 6 months now. Finally got bad enough that I went to doctor 6 week's ago. He sent me to physical therapy as well as prescribed muscle relaxers. PT seemed to make it worse and now I can barely walk. Still stretching daily, but not sleeping due to pain.

Just went today for xrays. Waiting on results. Got some hydrocodone and valium today as well. Not sure if it is a herniated disk or piriformis syndrome. Looking into acupuncture, and waiting for possible MRI.

Anyone else been through this and survive? What else can I do?

And be careful with those pills man!

 

[Yambers]

Thanks @AZMark. I will certainly be careful. I despise taking meds, and they dont seem to work anyway. I think an MRI is my next step. Depending on what the xrays show. My stupid insurance is also making me jump through hoops and follow a progressive step program. They didnt even cover the meds.

 

[AZMark]

Thanks @AZMark. I will certainly be careful. I despise taking meds, and they dont seem to work anyway. I think an MRI is my next step. Depending on what the xrays show. My stupid insurance is also making me jump through hoops and follow a progressive step program. They didnt even cover the meds.

I had a high deductible plan and just had to pay for it. That sucked but I was sure happy I got the MRI and could see exactly what was going on instead of just being told I needed to stretch more.

 

[Yambers]

I had a high deductible plan and just had to pay for it. That sucked but I was sure happy I got the MRI and could see exactly what was going on instead of just being told I needed to stretch more.

Same here with the high deductible. Of course this would happen right after we got the boat. I dont care if I have to crawl onto that bitch, I'm using it this summer..

 

[Eriejetboater]

I’m no doctor or back expert, but have lived with on/off back pain for 15 years, originally brought on from doing weightlifting (deadlifts) with poor form. When it comes on, I can barely walk. The last time, it hit when I was playing a VR boxing game with my kids (twisting my torso to ”punch”).

Here’s my regimen to take care of it: I rest horizontally for the first 12-24 hours, with a pillow under my lower back. I dose 800mg ibuprofen and decompress using my inversion table at 15 degrees or 30 degrees, a couple times per day for 3-5 minutes each. Day 2, I start with what I call “micro cobra” type exercises. Sort of like this:

2 days of decompression, ibuprofen and micro cobra I’m back to 90% and can lay off the pain meds.

Obviously, this works for my specific bulging disc issue - please listen to your body and if this makes the pain worse then stop.

Good luck, back pain sucks.

 

[Yambers]

Thanks @Eriejetboater. I think my problem is that I let it go for too long thinking I could correct it using old methods. Sadly, like an idiot, I sold my inversion table because I got tired of moving it around.

Hopefully I get xray results today and they shed some light. Looking at repurchasing an inversion table as well. Right now it is a life of sitting, hydrocodone, valium, and motrin. Sucks..

 

[Brad_Ct]

I herniated L2 L3 several years ago that caused severe pain in my left leg. Went through PT and dealt with a pain management doctor that loaded me up with oxy and spinal injections for 9 months and told me surgery would not help. During my yearly physical I mentioned it to my doctor and he gave me the name of a surgeon that did his back. Long story short 2 months later I went in for surgery and walked out the same day pain free.

 

[AmesJainchill]

Thanks @Eriejetboater. I think my problem is that I let it go for too long thinking I could correct it using old methods. Sadly, like an idiot, I sold my inversion table because I got tired of moving it around.

Hopefully I get xray results today and they shed some light. Looking at repurchasing an inversion table as well. Right now it is a life of sitting, hydrocodone, valium, and motrin. Sucks..

Back in Sept 2019, I dealt with severe sciatic nerve pain where I couldn't sit or stand for very long due to a systemic issue that pitted/damaged my L5 vertebrae (from where the sciatic nerve extends down the leg). Was on Tramadol and Neurontin while we tried PT/Ultrasound which did nothing for the nerve pain, but some benefit for the associated muscle tightness. After a subsequent MRI and bit of involved treatment, I'm MUCH better these days (from a relative 9 or 10 on my pain scale almost all the time, to 1-2 general soreness only when I overwork it - and no nerve pain).

Good that you got the imaging as the xray and especially any potential MRI should get you on the right track for healing. Hoping you feel better soon! Back and nerve pain are some real mf-ers!

 

[Yambers]

@Brad_Ct I cant imagine dealing with this for as long as you did. I am hoping to avoid surgery, but healthcare is so jacked up right now that it is obvious they are worried about quantity and not quality..

 

[Yambers]

@AmesJainchill MRI is next step, but my insurance wants me to follow certain steps or they will refuse coverage. Crappy part is, I work in healthcare and have worse insurance than my daughters fiance at Target..

 

[AmesJainchill]

@AmesJainchill MRI is next step, but my insurance wants me to follow certain steps or they will refuse coverage. Crappy part is, I work in healthcare and have worse insurance than my daughters fiance at Target..

Agree, the insurance thing in general is a point of frustration for me as well. So-called experts with the insurance company's best interest as primary, dictating to providers an often cookie cutter approach based on certain statistics that can sometimes stretch recovery. But I'll stop there..

Maybe you can buy a new inversion table with a medical FSA or HCSA if insurance doesn't cover it while you're going through the hoops on official diagnosis and treatment.

 

[djetok]

Im reviving this old thread as I am dealing with this now. Pain has been on and off for about 6 months now. Finally got bad enough that I went to doctor 6 week's ago. He sent me to physical therapy as well as prescribed muscle relaxers. PT seemed to make it worse and now I can barely walk. Still stretching daily, but not sleeping due to pain.

Just went today for xrays. Waiting on results. Got some hydrocodone and valium today as well. Not sure if it is a herniated disk or piriformis syndrome. Looking into acupuncture, and waiting for possible MRI.

Anyone else been through this and survive? What else can I do?

I was/am in the same position. A couple of years ago, after I pulled the boat out of the lake. My wife was in the boat, getting it ready for the100 mile drive back home. I got into the boat to help her. When we were complete, I jumped off the back of the boat and when I hit I felt a twinge. I was down on my back for 3 months. I tried everything from drs, chiros, acupuncture , and chiro that uses ART. My MRI showed 2 torn/rupture and 2 slipped discs. This caused my sciatica so bad that I could not sit on my posterior. I ended up giving in to the medical Mary jane. First I had to try it, and we go skiing a lot and had trips already paid for in January. On our way to Crested butte, we stopped in Salida, CO. I told the tender what was going on, she suggested 315 extreme relief salve. Its a CBD with no THC and you can order it from Amazon or Ebay. Amazon.com: 315 Extreme Relief Salve -1oz -Hemp Oil, Arnica Oil.: Health & Personal Care This worked to release the pressure on my sciatic nerve and my pain was greatly reduced. I took a gummy as well that made me sleep for 18 hours straight and I skied the next day, one run but I skied. The second ski day I made it most of the day. I also found a video that did wonders How to Fix a Bulging Disc (NO SURGERY!) - Bing video


3 years later , I can ski all day. I just have not skied backcountry since my injury. I might try next season though.

 

[Yambers]

@AmesJainchill going to look at new tables right after the dentist.. who's chairs are surprisingly comfy on my back right now.

@djetok A coworker gave me some CBD cream to try. I might give it a whirl this evening..

I will keep trying until I find something that works for this flare up. I appreciate all the suggestions. Keep em coming if you have them..

 

[djetok]

@AmesJainchill going to look at new tables right after the dentist.. who's chairs are surprisingly comfy on my back right now.

@djetok A coworker gave me some CBD cream to try. I might give it a whirl this evening..

I will keep trying until I find something that works for this flare up. I appreciate all the suggestions. Keep em coming if you have them..

I tried a lot of creams. The 315 with arnica, cbd, and menthol is the only one that worked. I'm not saying that what you have will not work for you. If it does not work try the 315 , you can get a sample from their website.