Sudden very sharp back pain

Mine always have, but they've only been muscle strains and fatigue, which clear up with rest, a soak in the hot tub, and some kind of balm like Icy-hot or Ben-gay.

But I've never abused my back badly enough to slip a disk. =:-O

Good Luck! Rich

Those which do are usually minor muscle sprains and/or spasms. Vertebrae can also pop back into alignment on their own, but that happens much, much less often.

I had three orthopedic surgeons give me varying diagnoses on my throacic problem. One wanted to operate (foraminal laminectomy) on the wrong side, one wanted to fuse bone, and the last offered me a burnout. Dr. Obenchain was the most noted surgeon in San Diego County at the time and I was happy to be handed to him. His suggested method was lauded in Germany, where it originated. Unfortunately, he had never tried it, so I'd be his guinea pig. He was honest about it and also gave me his best estimate of my outcome: I had a 50/50 chance of getting either worse or better, but no chance of remaining the same. The process was guiding a nice little RF probe down into my spinal area and blasting it with energy.

Imagine, my very own internal microwave, cooking out nerve fiber for a few milliseconds. Eek! I thought about it and asked him "If it works, what happens when I attempt to turn too far and don't feel it? Couldn't some of my muscles overcome others and I tweak the spine too far and end up a paraplegic? He agreed that was a possibility, however slim. I finally told him "Thanks, but no thanks."

A few years later, the pain was considerably better (the katana stabbing into my shoulder and down into my back had turned to a mere hatpin), though I had given myself tinnitus from overuse of aspirin. Having just sobered up, I stayed away from prescription pain meds, sticking with aspirin. I finally found other NSAIDS, then ibuprofen, and I take it to this day. (Costco has 2 bottles of 500 bupes each paired for $9, so I keep Kirkland Pharmaceutical in business.) The chronic pain is much diminished from what it was, but time and care have given me a life back. Lying around for a year was agonizing, both from the pain and boredom.

Tossing around a sheet of 3/4" plywood earlier this week has left me worse for wear, but I'll get over it. When something goes out and my narrow bathroom door jamb (or legovers) can't put it right, I go to the chiro. That's only once or twice a year now, thankfully.

Having gone through all that and having talked to metric gazillions of back pain sufferers in the past 26 years, I still say that _most_ back pain doesn't go away by itself, and that which does is usually just from overwork.

-- Live in the sunshine, swim the sea, drink the wild air... -- Ralph Waldo Emerson

I don't wish one on you or anybody else. I spent almost every alive moment for 2 and a half year on my back with my feet in the air debating whether the right to bear arms would be a good thing.

Ben-Gay and all those chemical skins irritants are really good for your mind. It takes real cold from an ice pack to reduce swelling.

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But I've never abused my back badly enough to slip a disk. =:-O

Good Luck! Rich

I think he did the right thing by coming to this group first for his medical advise.

After seeing chem/cut doctors occasionally for the last 50 or so years, I agree. Most of us know more about it then any GP unless they went through it once.

I see my car mechanic for nutritional advice. They have more classroom instruction than GP Doctors do.

Glad you are feeling better but I must ask, did you follow advice given here and go to a chiropractor or acupuncturist??

The point I'm getting at here is that chiropractic and acupuncture are quackery and, if you had gone to either, you may have concluded that the improvement you are seeing now was a result rather than the natural course of events now that you have 1)removed yourself from the original cause of the pain, and 2) waited a while for the swelling to subside naturally.

Quacks make great use of the fact that most (90%?)illnesses and disease will resolve itself given removal of the original cause and passage of time. Anyhow, the taking of an anti-inflammatory, in moderation, can be helpful in speeding the recovery process but, if the condition returns, even with moderate load on the back, I would go to an actual doctor i.e a physician for further treatment as required. He may refer you to a physiotherapist or prescribe other medications but at least you will have confidence that scientific medicine is being utilized rather than snake oil.

PS, I know what it's like and I advise anyone who cares to listen to take care of your back because if you abuse it (or even if you don't), back problems can be a lifetime sentence.

Laurie Forbes

:) :) Friends and neighbours always know best....

Laurie Forbes

I did not.

I agree.

I think that what I have no is periods of no exercise, followed by lifting something extremely heavy for me, like an engine or a big whatever.

This is not healthy.

I should exercise regularly so that my back muscles are strongly and the back is better supported.

Check out Stuart McGill:

And perhaps you suffered longer as a result.

My body is living proof that some people need chiropractic help. My scoliosis decided that my frame should not remain intact for a full year at a time. Various vertebrae go out (subluxate, rotate) and put me in instant pain. Chiro puts them back and I find instant relief.

If you guys want to ignore a perfectly sound method for immediate reduction of pain, fine. It's your life. But chiropractic is absolutely NOT quackery, though there are some quacks practcicing it, as there are in other medical and sales fields.

Yes, absolutely. And the least excercised muscles which contribute to (lower) back pain are the _stomach_ muscles.

-- Accept the pain, cherish the joys, resolve the regrets; then can come the best of benedictions - 'If I had my life to live over, I'd do it all the same.' -- Joan McIntosh

Please add a filter.

-- Accept the pain, cherish the joys, resolve the regrets; then can come the best of benedictions - 'If I had my life to live over, I'd do it all the same.' -- Joan McIntosh

I say you are right - just take it easy getting into the exercise regimen - seeing a physiotherapist to learn the right exercises to strengthen the right parts of the back first might be a good move, too.

I stay away from the "back-benders" - saw one the last time I had a back issue - it felt GREAT for 1/2 an hour after each of the 2 treatments - but if anything worse the next day.

I relaxed for a few days, then I HAD to go shovel some snow - I took it easy, and in about 10 minutes I was "warmed up" and the pain left, as fast as it had come a week earlier.