Low back pain

I must have lifted something wrong a couple weeks ago and have done something to the lower left of my back. Once I'm up I'm OK if I'm not doing anything physical. I tried to roll a cylinder cart on wheels and it was crippling as soon as I tried to pull it towards myself. Getting out of bed is a real struggle too if I move the wrong way. Was thinking about getting a deep tissue massage over going to a chiropractor. Too many stories of chiropractors making it worse. Curious what others would recommend?

I’ve had nagging back issues from my teenage years. A good chiropractor can help. Some are hacks. First step once you’re feeling better will be core exercises. That made a huge difference for me. I can tell when I’m slacking on them as I can create aches and pains easier.

A massage can help muscle stuff but in my experience something as painful as you’re dealing with won’t be remedied like that. Best pain relief combo is an Advil and a Tylenol. Rachel has a background in sports medicine and she introduced me to that. Man it sure helps.

Left and if it’s lower can also be related to the sciatic nerve.

Suffered for years with a bad back. My wife’s boss insisted I try her chiropractor.
I’ve had some minor reoccurrences but nothing debilitating like I used to get. A lot of it was posture related. Massage therapy helps but the chiro seemed to be the fix.

From what I have been told by medical types. If you are injured a deep tissue massage can make things worse.
A trip to an orthopedic specialist if possible.

Ibuprofen (Advil) with a muscle relaxant helps.

Have had severe lower back problems for 25 years. First, I went to a good chiropractor for about 10 years. They got me fixed up every time I went in, but had to keep going a couple of times/week. Finally, I heard about a local back specialist who just refuses to do surgery unless it is a life or death issue. He is really big into physical therapy for the back. Went to him, and he got me started at a physical therapy clinic. They not only had me do exercises, but showed me how to do them at home to keep my core strong. I only have to go for physical therapy about once every 3 or 4 years. I get a refresher while there so I can do the therapy at home. The Dr. told me that many chiropractors are good, but they do not give you the routines you need to do at home, so, you have to keep going to them for adjustments. good luck.
Jeff

Join a gym. Working out helps a lot.

I will add to the good chiropractor chorus. Mine uses an impactor rather than manipulation. First time I saw the impactor I thought "what good can that little thing do"? But it worked and got me straightened up again.

I go to a chiro when needed, found a good one that doesn't jump up on a pickle bucket and preach the gospel of chiropractic healing.

Get my adjustment, he says "I'm here day after tomorrow if its not better"

Ed

Back in Fall of 2017 I rotated a sacroiliac joint, a lower back pain that was constant misery. Unlike a pulled muscle, which typically goes away after some days of taking it easy, this just didn't stop. Found a Chiropractor who gave me the proper adjustment to the joint over a number of weeks to settle it back in place and the pain was gone. Aside from medical problems, like cancer, slipped or deteriorated disks or such, if it's not a pulled muscle then lower back pain is typically a skeletal problem requiring someone who specializes in bone/joint alignment, at least that's my experience

Find a reputable physical therapist. If it's a muscle problem they will give you muscle therapy and exercises to strengthen that area. I blew a disc in '88 and had corrective surgery. I've had a handful of aggravations since then that a visit to P/T will help tremendously. If you do end up needing surgery don't be afraid of it, I've experienced great relief and would do it again in a heartbeat.

Never been to a chiropractor, I just don't trust it. A good physical therapist might help. Never had more then a few days of bad back though, so I just take it easy take some pain killers if it's real bad. The one thing to do though is keep moving, laying in bed is the worst thing you can do, but just take it easy on it and most minor back issues fix themselves. Since I missed up my shoulder 8 years ago though my whole shoulders/arms/neck has been pretty screwed and no amount of physio or visits to orthopedic surgeon, or neurosurgeon has been able to pinpoint why or find a solution. Posture is big though, and just having physio check it and correct it can help if yours is bad.

I agree with Steve.
See your GP and get a referral to a good PT outfit. They can perform miracles. Keep an open mind about their practices, such as yoga, dry needling, massage and their silly exercises.

I thought I would never move again after my back locked up for no reason. Took a couple months of continuing improvement to get back to normal or better than normal.

Some people like chiropractors. I have no experience with them. I’ll take a PT with a DR, before their last name before a Chiro.

Thinking about going to a place that does chiropractic, massage and physio to see what they recommend but maybe a referral from my Dr. would be the best first step.

Good luck and best wishes Welder Dave. Hope you get feeling better, soon. Keep us posted.

Just wanted to add, you don't have to see a chiro, a DO (osteopath) will also do adjustments.

They adjust a little differently, same result, you'll feel better.

Ed

I think it's more a muscle issue but I like the Dr. I see so will get a recommendation from her. The shingles around my eye was bad enough and now this. At least it's not constant pain but if I move the wrong way it is excruciating!

On my 13th birthday I climbed (and fell down) a 30 or so foot hill, into a creekbed full of big rocks, that proceeded to mess me up pretty bad, from then on I've dealt with back issues for years. May or may not be a coincidence.

I went to a chiro probably 20 years ago and they ran an x-ray and did some adjustment and I was on what seems to be the chiro subscription plan (meaning go once a week for the rest of my life) and while the xray showed I am a bit crooked (fixed with a 1/4inch heel lift) I didn't want to go all the time. The heel lift works wonders for me. Stretching is better. You can look up various stretches online that you wouldn't think would help and they really, really do. Some stretches are very simple (like stand against a wall and do snow angel motions) and some are a bit tougher (lay on the floor, pull your knees to your chest, or one knee to your chest and push that knee to the floor on the opposite side). A great one I've found for my lower back is to lay on your stomach, with your hands kind of chest level and do a pushup without your feet and legs involved, kind of pushing your pelvis into the floor. Or laying with your knees tucked up under you and kind of crawling forward with your hands without moving forward at all... I could go on.

Sometimes a shot of the ol' juice helps (steroids) but I'm also keen on Advil. I've got what I think is at least one cracked rib right now and Advil is much better than a Motrin 800, for some reason.

I also have an inversion table and it's not bad every once in a while and they aren't as expensive as they seem.

Key word is 'Good' Chiro, quack my wife went to and said I needed to try actually made mine worse. Trip to Orthopedic Doc found more than one issue and several back conditions over the years with bad to seriously poor judgement medical services on back did not help.

Low back surgery 2015, neck surgery 2017, back injury 1977, misc sprains, muscle pulls and idiocy damage since and between.

Or you all of you folks can end up like me, and eventually have this done.