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Low back pain

Willie B

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 2, 2016
Messages
4,040
Location
Mount Tabor VT
Occupation
Electrician
I'm following this thread. I've had flare ups forever. Doctor offers no help. He sent me off for physical therapy. There they teach exercises that do help, and use electrical shock to pulse muscles. Last trip to PT they burned me pretty bad with the electrodes. It took a LONG time to heal.

A therapist explained it (in my case) as "The spine is an electrical conduit carrying millions of nerves from brain to every other part of the body. Nerves pass through notches in the vertebrae to reach their end. Young people have puffy cushioning donuts or tire tubes cushioning between vertebrae. With age, these discs loose their buoyancy, allowing the vertebrae to settle, pinching these nerves."

She explained that the laser surgery where they remove bone in the offending vertebrae is the fix, but they don't do that as a first effort at a fix.

I go years, then have a severe flare up, usually triggered by some unusual movement.
 

Welder Dave

Senior Member
Joined
Oct 11, 2014
Messages
12,260
Location
Canada
The PT said a lot of old school chiropractors want their patients to keep coming back for regular treatments whether they need it or not. Newer chiropractors often work in conjunction with massage therapists and other forms of treatment. PT's try to solve the problem so you don't have to keep coming for regular appointments. They give you specific exercises you can do at home so you only have to come back if you have a problem.
 

lantraxco

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Joined
Jan 1, 2009
Messages
7,704
Location
Elsewhen
You never I never thought about it that way. Makes perfect sense. Problem is that usually when you first get out of bed at stupid o'clock you're never awake enough to think that you need to be easing into things. You're more concerned with doing the necessary stuff to get you out of the door and face whatever the day is gonna throw at you.
Absolutely, I remember doing a head slap when I was told this, and since my front weighs more than my back these days, I always support myself with one hand on the counter before bending over the sink. Of course that also may be a holdover from my drinking/hangover days of decades ago!
 

DMiller

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Feb 21, 2010
Messages
16,432
Location
Hermann, Missouri
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Cheap "old" Geezer
Went to a BAD Chiro long ago, No xrays, No MRI, just snap crackle pop and like to have crippled me, tried to convince me he could make it better but I went to a REAL doc and he stated he liked to have crippled me. Long story short my back is so screwed up at L4 S1 as to require surgery they cannot do as been too long ago and Uncle Arthritis has come for a Permanent visit where they cannot undo what was botched long ago. Been referred to a Laser surgeon, He backed up Hands up like I was robbing him, his comment; "Not Going in There" so I must be pretty well screwed.

If lucky I get 4-5 hours of somewhat Sleep, after that ache gets so bad have to get up and walk it off. Wife asked if I was getting up just to Pee(Prostate) where I explained if awakened by anything and get up I have to go. No Prostate issues, just lower back is a Royal Screwed up Mess.
 

Welder Dave

Senior Member
Joined
Oct 11, 2014
Messages
12,260
Location
Canada
I can only imagine what it's like having a permanent bad back. My back is getting better every day but I can see why some people pass out from back pain. My dad did but his case was a little different. He was blown out of a 4 engine bomber and a piece of the turret ring was lodged in his (broken) back. He passed out when his parachute opened. Came to and was worried he was going to land on a picket fence. Missed the fence but a German farmer hit him in the face with the back of a shovel. Said that didn't hurt too much because his back was in so much pain.
 

Willie B

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 2, 2016
Messages
4,040
Location
Mount Tabor VT
Occupation
Electrician
I can only imagine what it's like having a permanent bad back. My back is getting better every day but I can see why some people pass out from back pain. My dad did but his case was a little different. He was blown out of a 4 engine bomber and a piece of the turret ring was lodged in his (broken) back. He passed out when his parachute opened. Came to and was worried he was going to land on a picket fence. Missed the fence but a German farmer hit him in the face with the back of a shovel. Said that didn't hurt too much because his back was in so much pain.
I always said physical therapy was based on what my mother always did when I was a kid: "KEEP BAWLIN' I'LL GIVE YOU SOMETHING TO CRY ABOUT!"
If physical therapy causes enough pain, you forget about your original pain!
 

muddog1975

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Joined
Oct 6, 2019
Messages
163
Location
knoxville tn
I have used Victory Chiropractic, I believe they have locations everywhere across the US. I know that the majority of my fellow field mechanics have a great diet of processed/ on the go food, and love exercise after a long day of turning wrenches. Plus it never fells we lift thing in a twisty jerky fashion with are knees lock. Not to mention jumping down of machines to compacting our spines and always lifting alittle more than we should. Look into a good reputable chiropractor and try to stretch from morning to night. Lots of water, and vitamin E seems to help with the joints. I hope it gets better for you.
 

JD955SC

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 13, 2011
Messages
1,349
Location
The South
I have used Victory Chiropractic, I believe they have locations everywhere across the US. I know that the majority of my fellow field mechanics have a great diet of processed/ on the go food, and love exercise after a long day of turning wrenches. Plus it never fells we lift thing in a twisty jerky fashion with are knees lock. Not to mention jumping down of machines to compacting our spines and always lifting alittle more than we should. Look into a good reputable chiropractor and try to stretch from morning to night. Lots of water, and vitamin E seems to help with the joints. I hope it gets better for you.

we have a “wellness program” for a slight discount on the health insurance costs at work. They do a brief physical and blood work at the beginning of the year then spend the rest of the year telling you you are fat and need to diet and exercise. Her favorite spiel is we need to walk for 30 minutes each day. I don’t think she quite understands our jobs and what they entail.
 

Nige

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Jun 22, 2011
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G..G..G..Granville.........!! Fetch your cloth.
we have a “wellness program” for a slight discount on the health insurance costs at work. They do a brief physical and blood work at the beginning of the year then spend the rest of the year telling you you are fat and need to diet and exercise. Her favorite spiel is we need to walk for 30 minutes each day. I don’t think she quite understands our jobs and what they entail.
According to my phone I walked 5.8 miles yesterday during the course of the working day. Would that count towards the 30 minutes..?
 

JD955SC

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 13, 2011
Messages
1,349
Location
The South
According to my phone I walked 5.8 miles yesterday during the course of the working day. Would that count towards the 30 minutes..?

She doesn’t understand that we walk that much in a day. Even though I usually do my work in one bay during the day I am all over due to providing technical assistance to my coworkers, trips to parts department, tool room, my stationary boxes, wash rack, etc
 

Mobiltech

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Jan 14, 2014
Messages
1,680
Location
Sask.
Occupation
Self employed Heavy duty mechanic
I’ve been lucky in the back pain department. 20 years ago I hit a ditch with an old sled of mine at 50 mph and ended up with a compression fracture in he middle of my back. I was stuck on a couch for 2 weeks before I could get up and move around much. I had severe pain at the fracture area and also pain down in my lower back. I went to a specialist and he said the lower pain was caused by a previous injury that got realigned when I hit the ditch. I remember as a kid falling off a balestack backwards from about 12 feet up and landing flat on my back. I always had some problems after that with lower back pain . By 2 years after the accident with therapy and healing time I have been mostly back pain free. I have found that it’s important to get extra calcium to keep your bones strong. The therapist also showed me how to keep leg muscles stretched to take stress off my lower back.
Another thing I find that works wonders to loosen up a tight back is a good hard quad ride down a twisty trail in the pines.
 

muddog1975

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Joined
Oct 6, 2019
Messages
163
Location
knoxville tn
we have a “wellness program” for a slight discount on the health insurance costs at work. They do a brief physical and blood work at the beginning of the year then spend the rest of the year telling you you are fat and need to diet and exercise. Her favorite spiel is we need to walk for 30 minutes each day. I don’t think she quite understands our jobs and what they entail.
They definitely have no clue how active we really are. I have offered for them to spend a day or two with me, never had any takers though...lol
 
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