Severe Back Pain

RE: Severe Back Pain Post By Alicia (Guest Post) (06/19/2008) I am a physical therapist and have first hand experience with back pain. I have found yoga and meditation to be extremely helpful for myself and my patients in terms of relieving back pain. There are many inexpensive yoga and meditation videos and CDs available that may help to induce relaxation and allow the body to open and stretch in its own time. http://www.wellnessprofessionals.com/blog/ Report Spam or Abuse RE: Severe Back Pain Post by susanmajp (718) | (12/17/2007) Profile | Contact I forgot to say that at times, total rest is the only thing that will work. The back must heal before you can rebuild healthy muscle tissue. Don't push it too quickly, or you'll find yourself back at square one. Be patient. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Severe Back Pain Post by susanmajp (718) | (12/17/2007) Profile | Contact I had chronic muscle spasms for years. Meds put me to sleep and left me with no quality of life. Physical therapy did not work for me. My muscles were in such tight spasms and would not loosen, that the stretching the PT told me to do just put additional strain on attaching ligaments and tendons, causing tears, additional pain, and more problems. They knew it was muscular, but did not know what to do to help relax my muscles. I worked in the medical field. Here's what I suggest: While calcium makes the muscles contract, magnesium makes them relax. Most people do not get enough magnesium. It must be taken in ratio to calcium. Get a good calcium and magnesium supplement, take more than the RDA amount suggested for the first bottle, then take the RDA amount. Muscles that do not relax sorely need this--you'll be amazed at how much this simple act will help. Also avoid foods that inhibit magnesium absorption, like chocolate. Eat a healthy diet, avoid junk/preprocessed food. Keep getting your chiropractic adjustments. It took years to get in this shape and will take time to get out of it too. If you can, try another doctor. Different chiropractors give different adjustments, and different people respond differently to them. Your body is changing, what worked in the past for other problems may not work now for this one. If you cannot afford or do not want to take a muscle relaxer, take Ibuprofen (if you can). But do not take more than needed (may cause liver problems) and do not take it on an empty stomach (will cause stomach problems). It should take the edge off and help you sleep. If you use aa heating pad, do not just leave it on. I know it feels good, but if left on for hours, it will reinflame the area causing more pain. Most doctors say to use one for 20 minutes every hour, at most. Go ahead and soak in a tub of hot water (moist heat is best) and make sure to add epsom salts to the water. It will help relax the muscles and draw out the soreness. While you're soaking, take the time to meditate. It helps with the pain too. Your body is already in a vicious cycle, thinking the spasms are normal and fighting to keep them. You'll have to retrain your brain, which takes quite a while. Do you have a massage school near you? If so, call and ask if you can volunteer to have students work on you. They'll get hands-on practice, and the continual work will help retrain your brain to allow the spasms to relax. Be patient, the body has several layers of muscles. As the top one is worked through, deeper muscles will act up. This is a process and takes time. Do not give up. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Severe Back Pain Post By LAURIE (Guest Post) (12/09/2007) My husband and I both have found tremendous relief from pain with magnesium oil. You can get that at various websites. Mg is so good for you as well. Best wishes. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Severe Back Pain Post by hearts1 (10) | (12/08/2007) Profile | Contact Thank you all for writing re: my severe back pain. All of your suggestions were valuable, except I live on a fixed income and can only afford my Chiropractor and my MD happens to be my friend, so doesn't charge me. I have taken down all your suggestions and will talk to both my Chiropractor and Dr. about them. Thanks again! Happy Holidays! Hearts1 Report Spam or Abuse RE: Severe Back Pain Post by Noella (136) | (12/08/2007) Profile | Contact There are simple exercises that are wonderful for chronic back pain. I had lower back pain for years until I found these. I learned about them through a yoga class that I was taking. All our yoga moves started with lying on our backs. They started with legs together, feet out straight, arms at about 45 degrees from our body, and feet and toes straight up, at a right angle to the ankles. Slowly raise legs to chest and hold with arms around them for a count to three. Release and repeat. Then raise knees to chest and left arm out to side, slowly twist knees to right side as far as possible without pain. If you feel pain, stop. (As the exercises progress, you will be able to eventually reach the floor with the knees.) Repeat three times and Do other side. Resume lying on floor in position, left arm out to side. Slowly raise left leg to about 90 degree angle to body and try to touch the floor on the right side. Repeat 3 times, repeat with right side. There were other exercises or "positions" included, and many of them were the same "exercises" given to me by my chiropractor and medical doctor. One of the things the yoga instructor taught, was to send positive energy to the points of our body that was in pain. I was amazed that by using these yoga positions and exercises, my back pain has completely gone. Stretching those muscles is what is important. BE VERY, VERY CAREFUL, THOUGH THAT YOU DO NOT DO ANYTHING THAT CAUSES PAIN! There were a couple of times in class that the only thing I could do was to scoot up to a wall, place my "butt" up against it where the floor met the wall and raise my legs up the wall, so I was, essentially, sitting on the wall. He had me sit there 5 or so minutes at a time. The results, though, were amazing! Many exercises can be found here: http://www.bigbackpain.com/back_exercises.html Report Spam or Abuse RE: Severe Back Pain Post By Jennifer (Guest Post) (12/08/2007) I have low back pain, and have been diagnosed with herniated discs and fibromyalgia. I go to the chiropractor and massage therapist regularly. I walk daily and do exercises from the physical therapist that I went to after I was first diagnosed. I don't believe there is one treatment that will work, but a plan of action that involves several different things. I do take Aleve and a prescription drug, but I don't believe in a magic pill that is going to take the pain away. I think it can make it more manageable so that you can use a tens unit, exercise, massage, chiropractic care, heat, cold, and whatever else you, your doctors, and therapists come up with as a treatment plan for you. Work together as a team to proactively manage the pain and don't let it get you down. Also, I believe that nutrition plays a part in your overall health and wellbeing. I take vitamins to help with my nutritional needs and energy level. Good luck and let us know how you do! Report Spam or Abuse RE: Severe Back Pain Post By Paula Jo Carr Mebane, NC (Guest Post) (12/07/2007) Perhaps this pain is caused from your kidney's malfunctioning. Please go see your medical doctor about this first. Simply blood tests can show him IF they are not working correctly. We need our backs yes BUT we need healthy kidneys first for our backs not to hurt a lot of times. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Severe Back Pain Post By kinga (Guest Post) (12/07/2007) Have you had it checked out? There must be a reason why you are having this problem. If it is just muscle spasm ask your Dr. for a muscle relaxant. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Severe Back Pain Post by sjackie2000 (72) | (12/07/2007) Profile | Contact I've had this problem for years, too. I go for a chiropractic adjustment every two weeks. The weeks that I don't go, I have a deep tissue, swedish massage. When I first had back problems, my chiropractor used electric stimulation on the problem areas 3 times a week for a couple of weeks. I no longer have the chronic pain, but I'm sure it would come back if I didn't keep up the massages and adjustments. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Severe Back Pain Post By Nancycorinne (Guest Post) (12/07/2007) Oh Dear! It makes me hurt to think about you! Chiropractors are great but you need to see an M.D. He/she can prescribe medication, physical therapy and other treatments or he/she may send you to a specialist to treat your symptoms or send you to a pain management doctor if thats what you need. I know my co-pays are $20 and if I get 5 referrals it becomes pretty costly. If you can't afford the copays call your doctor's office and explain. Some offices will bill you later for the co-pay if you and some just waive the copay all together! Good luck and I hope you feel much better real soon. Why don't you come over and sit in my spa? Actually, if you have access to a jacuzzi or hot tub that may help. It sure helps me! Huggzzz, but not too tight, Nancy Report Spam or Abuse RE: Severe Back Pain Post by MsMin (4) | (12/07/2007) Contact I have severe low back pain, herniated discs. I bought a lumbar extender online and it helps a lot. It stretches out your muscles and although uncomfortable at first, it really works. Buy it from someone who has a money back guarantee if you don't like it. I can't remember where I got it, but google "lumbar extender" and you'll find them. Look for a free s/h coupon too! good luck, Ms Min in Ga. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Severe Back Pain Post by SallyB (3) | (12/07/2007) Profile | Contact I have had a back back for years. Then it got so bad I could not sleep. My doctor refered me to a physical therapist. I thought this is not going to do any good but it did. I can get a good night sleep finally. I know the exercises and do them at home now. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Severe Back Pain Post By Lisa (Guest Post) (12/07/2007) I've been suffering w/chronic back problems for years. I finally had to go to a pain specialist for help otherwise I can't move. I am on pain medication, have been for years. I do not abuse them; yes I am medically dependant on them. But there is a difference between being dependant (so I can have a half way decent life) and taking them compulsively to get high and behave like an addict. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Severe Back Pain Post By June in Hayward, CA (Guest Post) (12/06/2007) You might ask your doctor about using a TENS unit (TENS=transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulator). You need a doctor's prescription to get one but my husband's doctor prescribed one for him and it has helped a lot. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Severe Back Pain Post by MCW (508) | (12/06/2007) Profile | Blog! | Contact Getting rid of severe back pain is extremely difficult. The only thing that could be done at this time is to have a doctor give you a prescription for a muscle relaxant. My husband has regular adjustments with his chiropractor because of a former back injury he sustained while in the military. DH was assigned to a phyiscal therapist at our local V.A. Hospital and the therapist showed him exercises he is to do every day to strengthen the muscles around the back area. So I suggest that you get on a regular exercise program. A physical therapist will show you step by step on what to do. Report Spam or Abuse