Anyone here deal with back pain???

[nrh6.7]

So I've had lower back issues in the past but have been seeing a chiropractor regularly and doing strengthening excercises for my back to reduce the chances of any issues while hunting.

I spent most of Monday and Tuesday doing maintenance on my truck and yesterday afternoon my lower back caught and went into major spasms. Immediatley went to the chiro and got on ice and ibupropen, but am sitting here now looking like the hunchback of ND trying to get it to let go. Meanwhile, the rear diff is drained and the cover is off, and I need to button things up from the belt change and still change oil and trans fluid. My plan was to leave this weekend but that is up in the air.

Does anyone have any tricks that might expedite the healing? Maybe a shot (whiskey included), stretch or something to move this along???

 

[Trial153]

Flexeril....

 

[Takem]

You'll make it. You've got to relax though. Stress makes it way worse in my experience. I've had flare ups leading up to a trip and then it calms down once I'm on the road and get to the mountains. I use acupuncture, ibuprofen, ice/heat and light stretching when it gets bad. If you can lay low for a day and let it rest would be great as well. Good luck

 

[Yotekiller]

Chiropractors and physical therapists did nothing for me but take my money for years. I didn't get any real improvement until I had been lifting weights for a while. Haven't had any issues for 5 years since. The bigger issue was weak core muscles.

 

[bsnedeker]

Chiropractors and physical therapists did nothing for me but take my money for years. I didn't get any real improvement until I had been lifting weights for a while. Haven't had any issues for 5 years since. The bigger issue was weak core muscles.

I hate to agree with this, because I hate lifting weights more than just about anything in the world, but I've found this to be very true...for me at least. I dealt with chronic shoulder and upper back pain for over a year, went to the chiro every week for a while to get some temporary relief, but it always came back just as bad as before. I started lifting and stretching and just overall excercising more and had a HUGE improvement in just a couple of weeks. I'm finding that all of my "chronic" aches and pains are lessoning and I have way more energy.

Took me until 40 to figure it out, but I'm committed at this point. I've lost 45 pounds in the last 3 months and have never felt better.

 

[EastMT]

I have lower back spasms, I really focus on extra hydration. The exercises that helped me the most are squats and lunges, they have reduced my pain considerably. I started squats with no weight as it caused me pain even with light loads. The hard part is continuing them even after a good spell.

Chiropractors for me were a bandaid, seems like it was never going to end. Core muscles, butt muscles made the difference for me.

Good luck, hope you can find what works for you.

 

[ElkElkGoose]

I have but not sure if it helps your type. Mine was some kind of disc problem that caused irritation to my sciatic nerve. I found front squats and light squat jerks to help. This is not an immediate solution but ways that really helped my core and thus my spine stability. I also found that laying around on couches/ chairs with crappy back support would cause me issues within a couple of days.

Good luck, I know how stressful those types of injuries are.

 

[Rick]

I agree with the comments on needing to work on core strength.

I used to have lower back issues and I suppose the problem could return if I got lazy. I was severely lamed up a long time ago and my fix was to use the Teeter Hangup until I was able move without hurting then worked on stretching / strengthening my lower back to the point where I felt mostly normal. The problem would come back a couple times a year from doing things like you working on your truck or long flights or heavy lifting. Eventually I started taking a twice a week yoga class and after about a year the problem never came back. I still make sure to do stretching and strengthening activities to keep my core strong enough because it sucked needing to take meds to be semi-functional.

 

[nrh6.7]

Thanks for all the input so far. I tend to agree about chiropractors, in that they're probably not the best option, but I have had some good experiences with them. However, over the last several months I've lost 25 pounds and really increased my strength overall, including core. I'm usually very good about stretching daily but these last two days I didn't at all and I wonder if the fact that i was pretty stove up and sore could have put extra stress on my back.

 

[dirtclod Az.]

No chiropractor.Hydrate as much as possible,eat bananas for potasium.Muscles spasms should go away when stress is relieved.Go hunting,let it all go...Went to my cabin and worked as a lumberjack for a day.problem solved.

 

[Scoony]

I have had back problems for several years now. I retired after 22 years of military service in 2005. Back pain started during the last few years of military service. After retiring, I remained pretty active, but stopped exercising/working out and by 2012, my back got so bad that I latterly had to crawl to the ER. Went through physical therapy twice and learned a bunch of stretches to do. I have been working out, lifting weights, and running since then and have not experienced anymore sever back pain. my back still reminds me of the issues from time to time, but as long as I keep exercising, it remains manageable.

I also take Mobic almost daily. I will take it for a week straight, then stop for a while until my body starts telling me to take it again. The Mobic also helps my wrists and hands so I really start to take it again when they start to get bad.

 

[DenverCountryBoy]

I've had some chiropractors that were fantastic and some that were better at billing insurance companies than relieving pain. Shop around until you find the right one. I would look for someone focused on sports medicine.

Chiropractors may be able to deduce the problem based on symptoms; an MRI will diagnosis it for certain.

Rest, ice, and anti-inflammatory for the immediate symptoms. Physical therapy and nutrition to fix the problems.

They may tell you cartilage can't heal. That isn't accurate. Cartilage can heal, it just takes much longer as there is no blood flowing through it. Think 6+ months. Vitamin C is essential in the production of cartilage.

Apples and red grapes skins also have chemicals that are important in the production of the disc gel and gel matrix.

 

[Poser]

A strong back is a healthy back.

 

[flyinsquirel]

A strong back is a healthy back.

And a strong ass. Weak glutes can be a source of trouble for the lower back.

 

[yeti14]

I'll second the weak glutes comment. I had back issues for months. The only thing that worked was stretching, engaging, and strengthening the glutes. Look into "anterior pelvic tilt" and corrective measures.

 

[wapitibob]

Use the chiro as the preventative. Once the spasm hits it's too late for them.

Get a bottle of flexeril and some hydrocodone 325's then in a few weeks start working on the core.

 

[wesfromky]

I have shoulder and back issues, but as long as I do a prehab workout 3-4 times a week, they stay in check. For me, weights are good, but I have had better results with less traditional strength training via kettlebells, Indian clubs and steel maces. Kettlebell swings are probably the single most effective lower back prehab exercise for me, but glute bridges, bird dogs, and monster walks all helped with the lower back. Also, look into foundation training positions as well. The Indian clubs, along with the steel maces and some bands are the core of my shoulder prehab.

 

[dr.mooseknuckles]

Long term: Spend more time in the gym working on your legs and core. Stop spending money at the chiropractor. Spend it on an experienced, qualified trainer.

Short term: rest, NSAID of your choice ( aleve is the best IMO), pay to have someone work on your truck if you can.

Additional Long term: Spend money on your truck, not a quack with your back!

Hope you get to feeling better


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Beendare]

IME, Chiropractors are a JOKE. Find a good Physical Therapist with a masters degree.

2 bad discs here...back pain for years. Short term- Advil or Motrin.

I've heard "Core" for years and did situps and a bunch of what I THOUGHT were core exercises......

I met a good PT that taught me THE exercises to do. Its your inner core....situps don't do it for those.

So heres a test.
Stand up straight with your best posture

Put your hands on the inside of your hips pushing with your fingertips into your abdomen.

Now pull in your stomach trying to feel the muscles behind your abs.

While holding that do it again pull in your stomach while exhaling hard with a big hard and loud "HUH" exhale.

Now you feel the muscles needed for a strong core. Try walking around with them, breathing, etc....even 'strong' friends don't have well developed inner core...and these are the muscles that keep your spine in line.

The other thing [one of my many 'problems'] is your spine should flex like a chainlink fence. Mine hinges in one spot in my lower back....whatdoyaknow, its the spot where I have the 2 bad discs. So flexibility is another key.

A good Physical therapist and a stretching routine is my prescription. /grin

 

[SLDMTN]

I have lower back spasms, I really focus on extra hydration. The exercises that helped me the most are squats and lunges, they have reduced my pain considerably. I started squats with no weight as it caused me pain even with light loads. The hard part is continuing them even after a good spell.

Chiropractors for me were a bandaid, seems like it was never going to end. Core muscles, butt muscles made the difference for me.

Good luck, hope you can find what works for you.

Same here. My low back was/is trash. I could barely make it through the day at my desk without crushing a few ibuprofen. I jacked my back up working in the field but my activity kept it strong. I took a desk job and getting weaker made it flare up really bad. Started going to the gym 5 days a week a year and a half ago with loads of squats/lunges/planks/deadlifts, I have almost zero back pain ever. If I do, it’s activity induced. Roll on a tennis ball, lay on your back and twist your knee across your body, and hanging from a pull-up bar have helped me get over the minor pains. Good luck man.