hoskib

iTrader: (1)

seeing the range of professions in the thread in general, i wondered if anyone out there is a osteopath(?), massage person or chiropractor (why do they make these so hard to spell) who may be able to give any advice as to a treatment method?

haven't a clue which route to go down to make it better.

did something to it yesterday playing golf and spent the rest of the day laid up in bed (simply couldn't move). about the same today, went for a walk to try and loosen it up a bit and have spent the last few hours shuffling around like an old man

did my back in about 3 months ago which cleared up 100% in about 2 weeks, but at least with that the pain had gone down a bit the next day unlike today.

pain is at bottom of my back on right hand side, get a frequent pain at the top of my right leg and when i was out for a walk it seemed to hurt as i was walking uphill?

any ideas please? would like to book something up tomorrow but don't really know what to book!

ta

Trashman

Pain in the leg probably suggests sciatica which is when a disc in your spine bulges and presses on the sciatic nerve. In other words you've probably "slipped" a disc. That being the case physiotherapy is the best route (proper physiotherapist). Osteopath deals with bones. Chiropracter some people swear by these are good I beleive for muscular injuries but I've never been to one.

First stop is doctor to confirm exactly what has been done. If you're near Reading I can recommend an excellent physio (who seems to be able to do everything that a chiropracter and osteopath and masseur does and also expereinced in non conventional medicine acupuncture etc.).

hoskib

iTrader: (1)

thanks mate, will general doctor be able to tell me what's wrong or does it have to be a sports injury sort of quack?

went to the doctors when i did it last time and he was a bit clueless, but saying that it wasn't my local practice so i may have more luck.

sounds about spot on with what you say about the nerves as when i did it last time, after the back cleared up i was left with pain in my leg around my hip. this cleared up over xmas and now i've done this. bloody typical!!

pslewis

I had this 4 years ago - Iburofen relaxes the muscles and is worth trying!

My back hasn't been right since .... but you learn to live with not doing what you once did!

Pete

Nicks VR4

I would advise going to a good osteopath or chiropractor

most Doctors aren't to good with back problems etc

Does sounds like sciatica
I slipped a disc years ago went the quacks and he said was rest up
Went to a very good osteopath (ex england rugby) and sussed it straight away and drove me to the hospital

Also try using a hot water bottle on the area as this relaxes the muscles too

hoskib

iTrader: (1)

what did they do at the hospital mate?

been popping them like smarties, and the anti inflamatory tablets i had left over from last time.
that's the whole thing though pete, i don't want to give up what i do now. i'm only 28 FFS!!

Nicks VR4

Put me in plastic corset lots of different physo stuff ...pain killers that put me on another planet

They did also suggest a operation to remove the disk and fuse the bone together didnt go for that idea

7 months of work
Still get jip now and again from it

Oh and I slipped it getting out of bed

hoskib

iTrader: (1)

Regulator

LOL, all i can suggest is that you need to work on your follow through :P

r32

Try to keep moving, resort to being laid up as a last resort. Excecise produces endorphins and will help pain relief and recovery. But do not over do it....

Muscles support the lower spine, lack of use can cause very rapid muscle wastage which will exacabate the problem.

GUNNER

Have hurt my back twice last year,the first time some 6 months ago ,went to doctor who made me an appointment with the physio. what a waste of time that turned out to be,she gave me some exercise's to do which involved arching backward's claiming this will help. Back got better to a certain degree but more through taking it easy than anything else.Just before xmas hurt me back again! this time was advised to go to a chiropractic clinic which has x-ray machine.Any way of i go in some pain and seen the guy,brilliant he wanted to know everything about type of work, lifestyle , hobbies etc.Then he took two x-rays to examine my back explaining ,how can any one diagnose your problem without an x-ray to see exactly what's wrong!! you should never work on a damaged back without x-ray first.He has been treating me since xmas and thing's are feeling alot better allready.The original exercise's given to me by physio where wrong! for my type of problem.Any way a long story to tell you to choose someone who x-rays you first!!!!!

Mike..

Taff107

Before you do anything, find a good chiropractor - they are miracle-workers. I fly back to the UK especially to see mine when my back gives out.

Trashman

I mentioned a proper physi Yes the NHS ones are pretty useless and even alot of the private ones are little good. I've only found one (and as per previous post she does more than just conventional physio)

As for GP's - echo the comments that they are not back experts. They are after all General practitioners so can't know everything. What they can do though is refer you for an X-ray which will confirm if there is any other issues. Best examination is an MRI scan which shows exactly what is going on inside and is non invasive but costs a fortune. On the NHS expect a long wait.

Before you go down any route, like any other illness, you need to be sure of what you are treating. I did once have my back 'go' and got some anti-inflammatory tablets which literally worked overnight (and I'm talking the unable to walk bent over old man look to fine the next day). Kept a few back and used them another time - same result. In both those cases no physio/chiro/osteo would have helped.

As someone else said, if it is a muscular injury, try to keep moving. I used to get either very bad disc/sciatica problems or my back just went. Touch wood, my back hasn't 'gone' for years and the sciatica is nowhere near as bad as it used to be, I do however have a permanent numb patch on my thigh which is due to the nerve being damaged.

StickyMicky

once your back is ****ed its pretty much ****ed for life

i damaged mine when i was 17 lifting nova engines into the bay by hand
wish i hadnt, its randomly been giving me grief ever scince

just the other day i was standing in my office looking out of the window when i felt the "twinge" (all sufferers will know what this means) i hadnt moved for about 30 seconds so it wasnt like i was straining it i froze for a bit, it buggerd off and left me alone

went outside and forgot all about it, 5 mins later it came back lasted about 10 seconds, left again and hasnt been scince, even when i was lifting wieghts on wed/fri night.

i find a massage can help, but i always know that it will just randomly come back whenever it wants, im hopeing that building up the surrounding muscles will help keep the twinges further apart

Buckrogers

"chiropractor" are the people to see. This profession deals specifically with back problems.

"osteopath's" can help but are more "general".

Once a month massage, by a fit bird, always helps!

Ibruprofen (sp?) will relax muscles, which will help. DO NOT use deep heat, applying heat to spasimed (SP?) muscle is the worst thing to do. Use ice or bag frozen peas or deep FREEZE.

Best of luck, as mentioned already, once your back goes its pretty much fooked for life. Welcome to the club

hoskib

iTrader: (1)

thanks for all the replies guys, will go to the doctors today (if i can get an appointment ) mainly to see if i can get some more anti inflamatory tablets and pain killers.

hopefully i may be lucky if they refer me to a good psysio or chiropractor, it's a pain looking myself as they're all this and that qualified with letters after thier names. like trying to find a good builder i suppose!

one thing that looks a bit worrying is getting dressed this morning (just about managed the socks!) looking straight on, my back is straight but my hip kicks out to one side, my lower back looks like an s bend i guess the muscles are pulling it over, but it don't half look weird.

gotta go, it may take a while to get some shoes on!!

Neanderthal

iTrader: (6)

I had exactly this just before xmas. Managed to get in to see my usual Osteopath (suffer regularly with a weak back but usually hurts on the lower left side) day before xmas eve.
After 30 mins of manipulation was told to go home and rest (lying down) and apply freeze gel (or frozen peas ) to the area as often as I needed to.
But because I felt almost better after he'd finished with me, I went shopping with the g/f...shouldn't have done. I still have pain but no where near as bad as it was.
My spine was out of alignment because I'd pulled a ligament. I couldn't even stand straight, even when I tried there was a distinct bend in my spine (looking straight on into the mirror) just like you. I still have probs putting my socks & shoes on though

Really suggest you go to an Osteopath and do exactly what they say.

David Lock

Non-medic here but I can speak from personal experience

Can take a few days for major pain to go away. Doc can give you scrip' pain killers. I think I had Co-Proximol (spelling?) which help.

Then find a decent chiro (ask at a sports club/fitness centre). Best tip I was given for mild twinges was to lie on floor face down and take it it turn to pull your leg up to your side i.e. grab underneath your knee and pull leg along side you. This stretches the spine a bit and relieves any presssure on sciatic nerve. Repeat non-medic comment but it works for me although don't do this if still in serious painful stage. Learn to lift properly i.e. use your legs rather than bending back. I can lift quite heavy things but bending over to pick up a paperclip can be a big mistake Sad isn't it..... All the best. DL

OllyK

If you plan to see a chiropracter be careful. They are considered "alternative" and are not regulated like normal medical organisations. Have a read up on them on the internet first, some are OK, but the origins come from a belief in paranormal subluxations (which no 2 chiropractors will locate in the same place on the same person - that should start the alarm bells going).

Some limit themselves to minor manipulation which may provide short term relief, but nothing more than would be provided by a good physio or osteopath. If you consult one that starts stalking about subluxations or suggesting you don't need to see a GP or that the treatment may take more than a week or 2, walk away.

In the US, these people have been known to cripple people for life by manipulating backs with slipped discs and severly damaging the spinal cord in the process, not that I am trying to scare you, just be aware.

Buckrogers

http://www.chiropractic-uk.co.uk/

OllyK

That is the more sane end of chiropractic. A point to note from their own site:

How many chiropractors are not accredited in any way? Those are the ones to be very wary of!

hoskib

iTrader: (1)

well today was fun. not.
shuffled around at work like an old man all day, but TBH i think it helped to be moving about. it was worse when i sat down and got in a comfy position as getting up was a bit of a ****!

chiropractor booked up for tomorrow eve. went and had a chat with him, told him how i did it etc and all seems ok and i'm quite happy, plus he comes recomended from a guy i used to play squash with, so fingers crossed

anyways, he's local enough for me to wheel myself round in a wheelchair and firebomb his house if it all goes belly up

Neanderthal

iTrader: (6)

Aye, best thing you can do is move around. The only other way of not being in pain for me was to lay flat on my back. Siting in any position would hurt after a couple of minutes.

Neanderthal

iTrader: (6)

Any news?
Interested in the diagnosis been as I'm suffering from the same thing

hoskib

iTrader: (1)

not quite the quick fix i was naively(?) looking for, basically i would seem my spine has not been right for some time (years) as the muscles and nerves are being told to hold my back in a way to prevent more damage being caused (sort of like a limp home mode of an ECU i guess) this was probably caused by some trauma/accident which set it off and your muscles don't let go by themselves (this is where the guy comes in) he manipulates stuff and sort of resets your back to where it should be.

that's as much as i can remember from his chat before he did some work on me on the bench. does feel a little better being truthfull, however it should actually feel loads worse tomorrow as my back should be getting back to it's proper shape as opposed to my 'comfortable but wrong postion'

going back friday for another session which looks like turning into about 4 sessions in all. would probably go a bit better if i relaxed as apparently i was still resisting against his manipulation. personally i felt if i relaxed anymore i would **** myself, but i will take his word for it.

might be something to do with laying on a table in your boxers while a bloke who you've never met before pulls your body this way and that is what's stopping me from relaxing totally

roll on friday.

Neanderthal

iTrader: (6)

Cool, when I originally went to my Osteopath for the 1st time last year with back pain he told me the same thing. Took 3/4 sessions (30mins each) to sort it out. Was always sore from the manipulation the next day. On the last visit he showed me some exercises to do to build up the strength in my lower back and I was to do them if I ever felt pain again. Usually these exercises would cure the pain but with this last one I needed to go back and be straightened out again (prolly cause the pain was on the other side of the back).
Hope you get it fixed

Buckrogers

Very true.

The first time, when my Chiro started moving my head side to side, feeling the top of my spine with one hand and the other on my chin, moving my head, then told deep breath in / out, THEN a quick snap movement with her hand on my chin, the "popping / cracking" sound of the gases being released from my spine, I almost ****e myself......

She could have told me!

David Lock

Te-he - yep remember those - scary. Also remember the couch with the disappearing middle! Chiro/Osteo gently massaging your spine then big shove downwards in small of back and your back is shaped like the pole in pole vault at take off DL

hoskib

iTrader: (1)

yeah i do ache today, he said to me that i would probably be in as much pain thru what he's done as to what the injury was causing. although TBH it feels the best it has since i done my back in.

alot more impressed with what he did now as to what i was last night, strangely enough i feel no pain or aching at all if i sit and stand up straight, if i slouch to the side, OUCH!!. good training to a good posture hopefully

spider

iTrader: (1)

Just been talking to my other half about seeing a chiropracter as we both suffer from back pian now & then.

Apparently there's a less "violent" method called "McTimoney", after a doc of the same name. Anybody had any experience of this?

Cheers,
Steve