My back is giving me fits again. I do have some bulging disks but I think most of my problem is muscles in my lower back. a year ago i fell down some concrete steps. put a permanent dent in my lower leg. had my arms full so as my legs folded, i bent over to let go of all i was carrying and my chest went down on my thighs. bent too much and fractured a vertebrae (the front). tore my lower back muscles.
well i had to pull grass out of my rock garden. did it over a two week period. I thought i did fairly well. Now the left side of my lower back is really bad. I rub Aspercreme on it and that does help a bit.
any other ideas??

I would try an anti-inflammatory like Advil, or Aleve - usually you get some relief from those - if not see your Doctor perhaps you need a prescription for something stronger.

I have a number of falls over the yrs. & have back issues. My lower back seems to benefit from pulling weeds, etc. as the bending over or stooping strenghtens the lower back muscles as well as pulling the vertebre apart. My only problem is that I don't know when to quit & end up doing too much at one time.

Aleve is the only thing that works on my back pain. I think it is because it has an anti-inflammatory in it.

Where I'm headed in a few minutes - the chiropractor. I couldn't function without mine. Look for one who is also a kinesiologist so he/she can balance the muscles. I also have a prescription for physical therapy, but haven't started and I may not. Walking, exercise, an anti inflammatory med(mine is Cataflam), laying frontwards on the exercise ball to stretch out the lower spine, back supports, chair pads that tilt forward, etc. It all helps.

I used to have a muscle relaxer but i'm out and i threw out my pain pills. they constipate too easily. one pill!! so no more. i bend over and if i stay that way more than two or three seconds, i have great trouble straightening up again. sigh. getting old is such fun.
Oh i used to go to a chiropractor for years. loved him. he quit working on my neck and would only do stretching for my back on a table that moved in sections. but i got on Medicare and that was that.
Also don't take too many Aleve. bad for your liver!! make sure your Doctor knows you are taking it. FYI.

I go to Curves 3-4 mornings a week. It helps keep me limber and I usually have a good laugh or two. I also have to remember my weight limit for lifting. My back is always sore after being with the grand kids. My suggestion would be to do some back stretches every day. They do help if you do them on a regular basis.

I really have a bad back, I have had five surgeries. I am in consatance pain if I stand over 10 min. I had a nerve stimulator put in in but it don't help much. I can't find any Dr. to tell me what is causing the pain, they don't know. They tell me they can't find what is causing the pain

3 compressed disc and bulging nerves but thats not stopping me.......

And all of that from falling off of a 6' ladder and landing on my butt. The doctor told me if I had the surgery there was a 60% chance of being paralyzed, and if I didnt then I would be in a wheel chair before I am 50. Needless to say I didnt go the surgery route and even though I can tell arthritis is starting to settle in, I am not slowing down any.

I have a bucket list made and I am in the process of knocking them out right now. In September I am riding the Natchez Trace Parkway from start to finish on my bicycle (444 miles) then next April I am going to ride my bicycle coast to coast. The following year I am going to hike the Appalachian Trail from start to finish.

Billy

I know, Doctors can be most frustrating. they don't answer simple questions. will it heal, how long will it take?, etc. I know nothing.
I fell on my basement stairs and flew up in the air and landed on the edge of a stair on my back above my tailbone. thought i broke my back, it was so loud. seemly I didn't. lucky. i did break my tailbone 30 yrs ago. just had contusion this time. it hurt bad but did get better.
I do feel better as the day goes on. i sleep in between two body pillows and that helps. otherwise i couldn't walk when i get out of bed. This really does put a dent in my quilting. house cleaning too of course!!!

Oh boy...back pain causes more missed work then anything! I have also suffered for years. Mine started in my early twenties after a whip lash. Then over the years things got worse. In my late 30's I was attacked by a patient which resulted in permanent back damage. I have several herniated discs, kyphosis, scoliosis and degerative disc disease to name a few problems. I take muscle relaxers and low dose pain meds. As long as I don't overdo it I can handle it, but I have always been very active. Old habits die hard but I am better about pacing myself now.
I find massage to be invaluable when I over do it and am in pain. Fortunately my DH is always willing to stop whatever he is doing and work on my back muscles.
I hope you find some relief soon. Living in pain is the pits!

:-(

Unless you are a princess, I trust that anyone over 40-50 yrs. old has back problems!I had surgery for mine 18 months ago, & I'm in worse shape than before. "That's life..."

My mom had back surgery and she is way far worse than if she didnt. But you are very right if your over 40 chances are that you have issues.

Billy

I can not stand for more than about 10 minutes I can't even stand at the sink and wash a few dishes without ending up bent over.. My husband is constantly on me doing stuff that hurts my back I've gone to doctors at the Cleveland Clinic and they can't tell me whats wrong. I take 25 pills a day 19 just for my back. Now my knee is going and I have lightening like nerve pain going down both legs Dr says that's Bursitis and I have have have 6 nerve blocks in my back. I honestly think Dr take guesses and try anything they think might help but nothing has and now we have lost our insurance so I sit and suffer and try to not to get addicted to the pain meds that are the only thing that helps

my gram would say life begins at 40 and 50 's are the golden years.... she forgot to explain this saying---- after 40 life begins with the aches and pains all over and the 50's are the golden years for doctors because we are running to them all the time lol

I have alot of back problems, with disk, degenerative and have had compressed fracture in shoulder area and I also have bad heart to go with it...LOL Had heart attack at 47 and Doctor say I am not a candiate for surgery, ( which I would not have at this point) so I have to live and move by pain meds prescribed by my pain management. My Grandmother always told me "You will pay for what all you do, one day". I didn't believe her but sure do now...

I gave up on Drs. ..have learned more and been helped more by a pain management clinic..MRI's were done the serious problem is in my neck..compressing nerves..actupuncture is my 1st choice..then injections..they really have helped me !! I do have pain meds I will take in a heartbeat if needed..but am taking less and less..I'm going to keep quilting and moving as long as I can..lol..!!

I have a few bone spurs in the lower back. And my Orthopedic Doctor says the early signs of arthritis are showing up. I take Mobic twice a day for the inflammation and Tylenol.

Bulging disc and bone spur. And flabby core muscles...painful combo

I'm a young one and my whole family have bad backs... regular monthly chiropractor visits keep me mostly pain free! Walking really helps my mom and light weight lifting helps my dad.

I met up with a bunch of potholes and came out of it with a compound compression fracture in the L-1 vertabrae near the end of Feb. I can finally sit for longer periods of time. I had Kyphoplasty the 29th of March after being bedridden for 5 weeks in agony. The procedure got me out of the wheelchair (I couldn't walk or sit before) At this point, standing around bothers me the worse. But the muscles in my back are finally getting stronger...I go to the gym and use the treadmill 3 times a week....Up to 1 1/4 miles in 25 minutes...Yay for me ! LOL
I take 2 tylenol in the morning and 2 at night for pain and seems to work well. Started taking the grapes in gin cure and that just might be working too. I seem to be getting better faster now. It's just amazing that I can walk without pain. Borders right on miracle.

I have scolerosis, and can not stand still for very long. I count my blessings that I can sit and move around, and I excersise daily to be able to keep moving around.

he,he. i just had to sit in a chair to vacuum up some cat litter. mowed half the lawn. we have visitors coming tomorrow!!

I too have bulging discs and arthritis in my spine. As others have said learn what your limits are and you wont have as much pain. Having said that it is a hard lesson to learn and I thought I would do Zumba (seemed like a good idea at the time as my back had been much better) needless to say one lesson later I was hobbling around and it took 2 months for it to be back to how it was. I have just been to Bali and while there did lots of walking and I feel much better so I am walking 1/2 an hour after work each night and depending on how I go will try to add more exercise over time.I only do 15-30 mins of heavy housework or gardening at a time and then go do something else otherwise i will suffer and need to take painkillers to be able to sleep that night. I hope everyone with pain finds a way to help themselves as living in pain is not fun.

i wish pain meds. would help, but they don't touch the pain. I have to set down a lot. I'm like a bobbin cork, up, down to get any thing done

The "guys" I sleep with on a nightly basis are:
Ben Gay, Icy Hot, Absorbine, Jr....lol
:thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup: Naomi

I go to the chiropractor and it does help. My brother just recently bought me an inversion table and that seems to be helping. Ask your doctor if you could use one. My brother's chiropractor told him to get an inversion table and he did. He has been using it about 3-4 months now and he said he can tell a difference. That is why he bought me one.

Thanks

My daughter has a terrible back (two surgries, already). She is now doing Aquatherapy.......which is, physical therapy in a pool. She feels great.

Heating pad and ice packs. And time.

I've been wearing a magnetic back belt and I can't believe how much better my back feels. When I was told to try it I have to admit I was a non-believer. Not any more. I do realize it's not for everyone but it's working for me so far. Just been wearing it for 6 weeks. I'm not back-pain free but it's at least 75% better. I won't take pain meds, don't like how they make me feel.