Back pain need advice

Been dealing with some pretty bad lower back pain over the weekend and into Tuesday morning. The pain was so bad I went to ER thinking I could have kidney stones. They ran labs and a CT scan told me I had degenerative back disease and Arthritis. Doctor said it was a flare up. It has me worried. I’m having to take off from work and praying I get better soon. I’m 49 years old got some more miles to go. Have any of you guys had this problem and what did you do to get better. I need some encouragement friends. So worried.

 

Sorry to hear. I don’t have experience with the back issues yet but can offer you some advice with the arthritis, which I’ve been managing for a few years now. Your flare ups will largely hinge on your diet. Avoid deep fried foods, and eat plenty of foods that are known to be anti-inflammatory. Peppers, blueberries, salmon, there’s a wealth of information online about what to cut out and what to include more of into your diet. Once you get the flare ups under control, you shouldn’t feel so overwhelmed and you’ll be in a much better position to manage the back problems. Good luck.

 

Start by reading this thread. Will have more later. The place I went is no longer in business. Many options to start with before surgery. I’ll post something later.

Let's Hear About Your Back Surgery...

 

You need to figure out what started the flare up. Is it muscle spasms? If so, you need a good chiropractor/massage therapist to dig in there and get the muscles to loosen up. Once you are back to your normal range of motion and pain free, you should start daily exercises/stretches. There is a ton out there on Youtube to look into and find what works for you. Also strengthening your core will help in the long term. Back pain is no joke but in most situations, it can be managed, at least to some degree.

 

Thanks for all the advice. You truly don’t know how I appreciate hearing this information.

 

For me, back focused stretches made a huge difference...but many of those stretches stretch other things too.
I learned this by going to PT, where I also learned how you can do many of the same things at home, or even at work.
I thought I had bulging disc/pinched nerve issues...turned out it was mostly muscle issues.

 

I'm almost over the hill now. I was 'diagnosed' with DDD when I was 22 years old. Went years with off and on sciatica and a sore back laying down to bed and then getting up with one. (stones are worse) Did therapy for a laceration, 6 weeks worth. Did it help? I'm unsure. It did force me to keep things moving around instead of getting stoved up. I ate far too many advil during those times to get by. My stomach can't take Alieve which I think may be a better choice.

If you have some room on your belt, drop some weight. Otherwise taking care of your back, exercise and good posture are about all that can be done. I will still lift heavy things, it's done with care or help. I was a total idiot in those instances during my formative years.

I don't deal with back pains on any regular basis these days, only when deserved.

 

I would echo what RCBS wrote. I’ve dealt with back issues for more than 55 years. I would suggest that you get a professional opinion from a back/spine specialist as a starting point, they will likely order a MRI to establish a baseline for your specific conditions..but, don’t rush into surgery unless it’s critical to do so. If you end up with degenerative disc disease and/or spinal stenosis you can get pain relief with epidural injections.. It’s not a cure but with those and a change in how you use your back and body it is helpful. The injections only last so long though and you can only have X number of them in a given time period..Do some research on line too as knowledge is very important in making good decisions. When I initially saw an orthopedic surgeon those many years ago he immediately wanted to schedule surgery. I declined and am not mad or irritated at him that was just SOP at that time. I may eventually have to go with surgery but then again at 75 I may not live that long either Be careful of taking narcotic pain medication too that’s a whole different discussion. I truly wish you the best and hopefully with some intervention and a healthier life style you can beat this back issue!!

Edit: Over the years I’ve talked to a large number of people who went the surgery route and 50% said it made no difference or they were worse…the other 50% said they were very pleased. I am looking for much better odds than that!

 

Appreciate the post, I haven’t took the best care of my back through the years either. I hope that maybe I can learn to manage the flare ups.

 

Thanks for the post, it’s encouraging to see others who been down this road. I plan own definitely losing some weight band changing my diet. And learning to better take care of myself. The surgery route hopefully is a last option.

 

I have had upper back issues and lower back issues (herniated disc) as someone else mentioned, stretches are a must every morning. I recommend this book all the time.
Treat Your Own Back 9th Edition (Paperback) Robin McKenzie | eBay

 

An inversion table works wonders.

 

Thanks for information.

 

Yoga(nobody’s peaking through your windows), stretching(yea same thing - kinda), work and strengthen your core, if your mattress is in bad shape think about a change, move your body especially when it hurts. I’m not much for drugs but that muscle relaxer flexeril is nice stuff a couple times a year. A device that will flip you upside down will relieve pressure. Hanging from a chin up bar and relaxing will make you scream but will also decompress your spine. 12 volt heating pad for long drives or drives after heavy lifting.

Some spasms or flair ups, you’ll wish for a nice mild kidney stone instead. Don’t forget they’re temporary no matter how intense they get.


Owl

 

Thanks, tonight has been rough. Seems like when it’s time to go to bed it gets worse to the point I can’t sleep.

 

An inversion table kept me out of the operating room an extra few years.

A Complete Guide to Inversion Tables for Back Pain Relief

Amazon sells them if you want easy. We got mine from Sams Club way back in the day.

 

I find that using cold packs first then later with heat pad pays the most dividends for me. YMMV

 

My 81 year old mom is a polio survivor as well. It has certainly impacted her greatly as she's aged.