Low Back Pain: Severe

[CHUCKWAGONCOOK]

Hey Doc,

As I write this I'm in a lot of pain. It seems that I've really hurt my lower back some how. I think it was from leaning while sitting on the couch using my laptop. I would lean to the left, in a lounging position with the lap top on the coffe table in front of me. I've been doing this for a while now.
For the last three days I've been pretty much incapacited as far as anything but standing goes. When I am standing my belly juts out and my back gets curved like a question mark. It's really, hard for me to even sit on the toilet with terriable pain in my back that almost makes me go blind. I can't believe how painful this is.
Is there anything I can do to help myself recover besides laying down in bed and taking 3,000,000mg's of ibuprofen. I COULDN'T EVEN PUT ON A PAIR OF UNDERWEAR ON TODAY WHILE i WAS IN A STANDING POSITION. I'm going bottomless right now with a long T-shirt on.
It hurts a whole bunch Doctor Steve. Should I go see a quack? I don't have insurance. I don't know if I can see a real Doctor without it costing me thousands of dollars.
God Damnit Man. This has to stop.

Lenny

PS. I just moved to Asheville a couple weeks ago, it's a great town. Some of the cats that live in the NC-Tenn area would like to get a Listening party together somewhere in the middle of all of us. You up for it?

[EliSnow]

Hey Doc,

As I write this I'm in a lot of pain. It seems that I've really hurt my lower back some how. I think it was from leaning while sitting on the couch using my laptop. I would lean to the left, in a lounging position with the lap top on the coffe table in front of me. I've been doing this for a while now.
For the last three days I've been pretty much incapacited as far as anything but standing goes. When I am standing my belly juts out and my back gets curved like a question mark. It's really, hard for me to even sit on the toilet with terriable pain in my back that almost makes me go blind. I can't believe how painful this is.
Is there anything I can do to help myself recover besides laying down in bed and taking 3,000,000mg's of ibuprofen. I COULDN'T EVEN PUT ON A PAIR OF UNDERWEAR ON TODAY WHILE i WAS IN A STANDING POSITION. I'm going bottomless right now with a long T-shirt on.
It hurts a whole bunch Doctor Steve. Should I go see a quack? I don't have insurance. I don't know if I can see a real Doctor without it costing me thousands of dollars.
God Damnit Man. This has to stop.

Lenny

PS. I just moved to Asheville a couple weeks ago, it's a great town. Some of the cats that live in the NC-Tenn area would like to get a Listening party together somewhere in the middle of all of us. You up for it?


Chuck, while I'm not a doctor, I would bet you "threw" your back out. Essentially, your back is in spasms to protect itself. I've done it myself a number of times, the first time I had to go to the emergency room because I couldn't even stand without passing out from the pain.

Every time I do this, I've been told to stay off my feet. Lie down on your back and you should be constantly applying ice to the relevant area. You may have to do this for 2-5 days.

[Gvac]

I'm really sorry to hear that you're in such pain, CHUCKWAGON. Sounds awful, and I hope you get relief soon.

I know it doesn't do you any good to hear this now, but I can't stress correct posture enough. I drive between 225 and 250 miles a day with frequent stops, loading and unloading heavy objects and I've never had back problems. Guys at work who are 10, 15, even 20 years younger than me are always complaining of back pain, though, and have had visits to chiropractors and even surgeries. They insist on driving with their seats in a reclined position, which is madness. The back rest should be upright, so your spine is at a 90 degree angle to your thighs. This is the only natural position. Any other way puts tremendous stress and pressure on your back.

Also try to wear boots and shoes with as low a heel as possible. Whoever came up with the idea of putting high heels on our footwear should be hung in effigy. They're responsible for more leg, neck, and back pain than just about anything else. The human foot was not designed to walk in an upright position.

I wonder what the women who constantly wear high heels will look like by the time they're fifty. Their spines will be mush.

[jauble]

The guys are right chuck what I am about to suggest makes the rest of you feel bad for a short time, but it works on your back very well Ice Bath! (I have a lower lumbar that doesnt sit in the correct position so Im constantly in pain) Thats right just fill the tub with water dump in some ice and sit for about 15 minutes. It sucks but it works so well. Plus you get all pink and your genitals try to hide in your body.

[Dr Steve]

Hey Doc,

As I write this I'm in a lot of pain. It seems that I've really hurt my lower back some how. I think it was from leaning while sitting on the couch using my laptop. I would lean to the left, in a lounging position with the lap top on the coffe table in front of me. I've been doing this for a while now.
For the last three days I've been pretty much incapacited as far as anything but standing goes. When I am standing my belly juts out and my back gets curved like a question mark. It's really, hard for me to even sit on the toilet with terriable pain in my back that almost makes me go blind. I can't believe how painful this is.
Is there anything I can do to help myself recover besides laying down in bed and taking 3,000,000mg's of ibuprofen. I COULDN'T EVEN PUT ON A PAIR OF UNDERWEAR ON TODAY WHILE i WAS IN A STANDING POSITION. I'm going bottomless right now with a long T-shirt on.
It hurts a whole bunch Doctor Steve. Should I go see a quack? I don't have insurance. I don't know if I can see a real Doctor without it costing me thousands of dollars.
God Damnit Man. This has to stop.

Lenny

PS. I just moved to Asheville a couple weeks ago, it's a great town. Some of the cats that live in the NC-Tenn area would like to get a Listening party together somewhere in the middle of all of us. You up for it?

Lenny:

First, I LOVE Asheville; have you tried out "Zambra" yet? It's right off Haywood street and it rules (IMO). Let's work something out!

Second, your back sounds pretty bad and I'm sorry it took me so long to get back to you. If the pain is confined to the low back, you probably have a badass muscle strain/spasm in the back. I get these periodically myself and it's pure hell. I can lift a volkswagen most any day, but get out of the shower just the wrong way and I'm an invalid.

The fact that your back is being contorted into a weird position bolsters the argument that this is a muscle spasm.

There are things you can try at home (see below), but if they don't work, you'll need to see your primary care provider. He or she can prescribe a muscle relaxer, some pain meds, and physical therapy (EXPENSIVE! but effective). If it doesn't get better, and MRI or a CT scan is in your future (looking for a slipped disk or an out of aligned vertebra).

Alternately, you could try Chiropractic or Osteopathic manipulation. Chiropractic will be most likely the least expensive of all the alternatives; lots of studies have shown that chiropractic care is effective in low back pain.

Acupuncture may be inexpensive too...my friend who is a chinese medical school-trained acupuncturist charges $50 for the first visit and $25 thereafter. It may give you some relief.

Here is a link on low back exercises (http://www.webmd.com/back-pain/exercises-to-reduce-low-back-pain). If you start having foot drop, or trouble voiding your bladder or moving your bowels, go see someone immediately.

There's an ad in here, but this isn't a bad set of exercises either:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GUiC7nkECBw

Hope you feel better! Let me know what happens!


steve

[Annie Waits]

I agree Dr. Steve, Asheville rocks.

[instrument]

I woke up one day 3years ago in horrible pain, spent 3days on the floor till things went back to normal.

Still no clue why it happened.

Goodluck creepycaller.

[nate1000]

Chuck,
Best back therapy I've ever had has been an hour in the pool swimming laps- all the stretching and elongating opens the spine right up. Every time I have had an issue, this sttraightens me out right away. Never fails- for me, anyway.

Good luck