Weekend in the foothills... ouch!

[Heinz Doofenshmirtz]

So my daughter's birthday was the 31st; she just turned 4.  My wife and I took our kids, and went with her parents, to the family cabin they have up on Lake McClure, up in the Sierra foothills.  Had a little party for my daughter, and I helped out with some maintenance on the cabin, and did some barbecuing too.

But, I don't know what I did, or how I did it, but I managed to throw my back out on Sunday afternoon.  Didn't notice it until after we got back from a short hike.  I took my Golok and did just a bit of bush clearing on the trail we were on, and I felt fine afterwards.  Sat down in the cabin for a bit to relax and chat with everyone, and when I got up, that's when it hit...  I can't ever remember having low-back pain this bad, or being so debilitated by it... It's really frustrating.     Today it's a bit better, although it's still going on.  I just wish I knew what the smurf I did to myself.  I guess if it doesn't clear up in the next couple of days, I'm going to have to go to the doctor.  Rrrgh. 

[Steinar]

Ouch! Don't wait too long before consulting a doctor, I'm sure it's nothing serious, but there's no reason walking around in unnecessary pain either.

[Ashley]

Take care as new backs aren't cheap.

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[Heinz Doofenshmirtz]

As much as it frustrates me, I've been pretty successful at limiting my exertion today.  Most difficult things I did all day today were fold the laundry for my wife, and walk the dog to my daughter's preschool to bring her home. 

I've been taking OTC pain meds, stretching, and did a couple of extra hot showers today, and it seems to be getting better.  Still interferes with normal activity, but not nearly as much, or as painful as it was.   

[Ashley]

Glad to see you are getting some relief.

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[Heinz Doofenshmirtz]

Glad to see you are getting some relief.

Sent from Ash forum mobile

Thanks Ash... I appreciate the thoughts.

I saw a Dr. today and he diagnosed it as 'acute muscle spasms' and gave me a script for Flexeril and Norco-vicodin...     ... and 7 - 10 days off from any heavy lifting, bending, or other strenuous activity.  Which, unfortunately, means no hiking or biking.     Oh well.  The vicodin are working really well too...   

[Ashley]

I've been on flexeril for my neck on and off for years. It seems to work well.

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[Heinz Doofenshmirtz]

So far the magic bullet for me is a vicodin and flexeril together.  But, without them, I'm still in bad shape.  I'm not convinced it's just muscle issues... I know myself pretty well, and when I've had back pain from muscle issues in the past, it's usually gone with a couple of days worth of rest.  It's been over a week now, and I don't seem to be getting any better.  The meds make things tolerable, and I can get some things done, but I'm not noticing any reduction in pain or increase in mobility without the meds.  I made an appt. to go back again tomorrow morning, and I'm going to request a referral to a speSmurfpillst, and an MRI to make sure that I don't have some sort of skeletal issue.

[Zed]

I feel your pain mate and i hope you have a speedy recovery, i damaged my spine in 1987 and as i get older my back pains get worse and this week ive pulled it and my chest  i also take a mixture of meds but also find a hosmurfer bottle helps my back , fingers crossed it repairs itself asap mate 

[Gareth]

I knew a guy years ago that threw his back out with a chronic muscle spasm and it took him three weeks to get anything like good mobility back.   Hope you feel better soon mate.

[Steinar]

but also find a hosmurfer bottle helps my back

That actually sounds dirtier than what it obviously replaced.

[AimlessWanderer]

I had a real stinker of a bad back not so long back. Not completely debilitating but extremely painful. I was sleeping on the floor for several days trying to straighten it out. Pills, potions and even the chiropractor only had a limited effect. In the end the thing that nailed it was a massage therapist .... no, not one of those massage places ... and it was the problems in the soft tissues that were putting everything into misalignment. The treatments the chiro did were being undone in a matter of an hour due to the muscular aspects, even though it didn't feel like a muscular problem.

I had a similar problem with my knee a few years back. I was using a very ecclectic osteopathy clinic back then, and what I thought was a patella issue was actually a sprained tendon which was twisting the kneecap. The pain was under my kneecap rather than at the source of the problem.

Likewise in my back, the pain was cervical/spinal but the source of the problem was the tissues around my left shoulder. Once that was addressed all the spinal pain vanished and full mobility restored straight away

[Zed]

but also find a hosmurfer bottle helps my back

That actually sounds dirtier than what it obviously replaced.

   Hmm Hot - water - bottle 

[Heinz Doofenshmirtz]

Thanks for the kind thoughts guys. 

I just got back from my Dr. again today.  He gave me a new script for Vicodin and upped the recommended dosage for me.     He also gave me a script for an anti-inflamatory since the naproxen I've been taking hasn't helped that much.

I requested an x-ray, and had that done today too.  I just want to make sure there's nothing structurally wrong... in the past when I've had muscle issues with my back, it's always gotten better in a few days.  But, this has been going on for almost two weeks now, so I wanted to make sure I didn't have some kind of structural injury.

Anyway, the Vicodin definitely helps.  I just wish I could still hike and bike though.   

[Lynn LeFey]

Not to sound mean, but you were younger then, when your muscle pains just went away.

Getting old, man... my recovery time from even minor stuff is crappy. I live in fear of back injury. I have several friends that are wrecked now from back injuries. Ugg.

Anyway, hope you start feeling better soon. Missing out on autumn hikes sucks. It's my favorite time.

[Grathr]

Have you tried to go to a serious massage therapist? (naphrapat or something like that) It hurts like hell during treatment, but it usually helps a lot if it is a muscle issue and wil speed up the recovery. Just make sure you find a serious one, preferably one who works alot with athlethes.

[AimlessWanderer]

Grathr is right Paul. My muscle injuries were not simple strains that would heal in time. They were strains that had healed wrong or knotted muscles that in themselves didn't hurt, but they were putting tension on areas that did. Mine had been building gradually as a background ache, but occasionally turned into a real stinker - the type that makes you walk funny and be unable to stand straight .... but again, the problem wasn't where the pain was, and wasn't going away without someone who knew what they were doing having a good poke and tweak

[Heinz Doofenshmirtz]

Thanks for the suggestions... I doubt my health coverage includes massage therapy, but I'll look into it.  I know it does help with recovery after athletic activities... I know all the major cycling teams in Europe use them, but if it's not something I can get through my health provider, I know I won't be able to afford it.

And yeah, Lynn, I am getting older...     And it sucks...  But still, I'd think a week should be enough for me to recover.  I'm not as fit as I was when I was in my 20's and bicycling was my way of life, but I'm still pretty healthy and strong.  Maybe I'm just in denial...   

Anyway, I'm hoping my doc will get back to me about the x-rays tomorrow; once I hear about them I'll be better able to figure out a better recovery plan.  I can always bitch and moan for some PT from my health provider though.  Might not be as good as massage therapy, but it'll be better than nothing.