posted
I'm only going to be 26 tomorrow, but for the past three days, I've felt like I'm 60. Thursday I woke up with a slight pain in my lower back that got progressively worse as the day went on. By 5 O'Clock, I couldn't stand up straight (And I don't mean just without pain. I literally could not stand up straight, even when I decided to just ignore the pain of trying and push myself up as straight as possible, the muscles would not do it). I've been like that since. The muscles in my back are incredibly tense, and even though most of the pain is gone I still can't stand up. I've been to the Chriopractor to get it looked at, and I've been adjusted twice. It helped a lot, but I still have to do the "Senior Shuffle" to get around anywhere. Anyone have any ideas of what I can do about this (aside from Chiropractic, I've been alternating hot and cold treatments on the muscle since Thursday night).
Posts: 3003 | Registered: Oct 2004
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posted
Try taking alleve. The drug that's in alleve is naprosin, a really good anti-inflammatory.
Chiropractors aren't scientific. I wouldn't trust them. Go to a real doctor, but be skeptical if they tell you you need surgery. I know too many people who have had back surgery that didn't help.
Posts: 6246 | Registered: Aug 2004
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posted
Oh, and what did you do about 3 days before the pain started? I found that when I injure my back, it takes 3 days before it really starts hurting.
Good candidates:
Free weights, particularly squats and jerks. Anything where you're standing up holding heavy weights.
Gardening, hoeing, shoveling, weeding.
Forward bending exercises, certain yoga poses.
Picking up something really heavy, moving a piano or fridge, rearranging your living room furniture.
Posts: 6246 | Registered: Aug 2004
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I had good experiences with a chiropractor (and didn't believe in them prior to "needing" one)so I'd say continue to go if it's helping.
Happy Birthday! At least you have an excuse to have breakfast in bed and everyone at your beck and call. Enjoy it as much as you are able!
Posts: 697 | Registered: Nov 2005
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posted
I have no idea what I did to cause the back trouble. I do have a weight lifting class this semester, but it's circuit training, not free-weights, and none of the exercises I did affect the lower back. I have started a new cardiovascular routine that involves a lot of bending at the waist, but I've been doing that for 3 weeks now. Ruling out my "Crazy gnome sneaking into my room and kicking me in the back while I sleep" theory, which is still perfectly likely, I can't imagine what would have caused this kind of problem. I've had back pain before, but never a complete loss of mobility like this.
Posts: 3003 | Registered: Oct 2004
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posted
Did your chiropractor give you any exercises to do? I've been helped by chiropractic but it just makes a lot more sense to me and seems to speed the healing process when they give you some kind of physical therapy to do at home. Also, ice and heat have both helped me but I never quite get on my own which to use--I guess ice is to reduce inflammation, and heat to relax spasms? But don't by any means take my word for that!
posted
Your spine is a crucial part of your body. If your body perceives that it has been injured, it may "freeze up" the surrounding muscles in order to keep it immobile until it's had a chance to heal.
I echo the advice for ibuprophine. You also can alternate putting heat and cold on the effected muscles. This can be very effective at getting them to relax and will assist in taking down inflammation (the cold) and bringing in healing blood-flow (the warm.)
Good physical therapy can do wonders as well. (Both my older brothers are physical therapists.)
Best of luck! May you walk on your birthday! Posts: 7050 | Registered: Feb 2004
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Welcome to the "wonderful" age of 26. My 26th bday wasn't all that great either. *laugh* Maybe it has something to do with the year.
As far as the back pain if it doesn't go away/ get better in the next few days I'd go to a doctor. I have lots and lots of back problems and usually if I just turn my back in a weird way I can end up with some pain but it usually just goes away at some point.
Posts: 872 | Registered: Mar 2002
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posted
Definitely see a doctor. I'm in the anti-chiropractor camp, myself, so I would want the advice of a trained medical physician.
Probably it's not a big deal, but the doctor might be able to prescribe you some prescription anti-inflammatories or muscle relaxors that will make you feel tons better while you heal.
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