[Sam]

I'm hoping anyone out there with severe lower back pain can give me some ideas. The little work that I can do now requires standing. After a couple of minutes, my lower back hurts so bad I have to find an excuse to leave the client in the exam room so I can go lean over, hands on my knees, leaning against the wall to get the pressure off my lower back. It only gives me another few minutes. I've tried sitting while examaning patients, but I can't complete a proper exam sitting down.

Does anyone find that back braces help? Is there anything I can do so that I can make it through an entire exam? (The leaning over also triggers my migraines to worsen, so i feel half dead by the time I get home).

Any help would be much appreciated.

Sam

[Spiney95]

Are you using Lidoderm patches? I can use up to three and just stick them where it hurts the worst. That can vary from day to day. One day they may be stacked on the lower lumbar. The next it will be one on the lowest part of the lumbar and one on each "cheek". I found an OTC that works wonders for me. Surprise Surprise!!!! After putting on the patches and I find I have more real painful spots (the norm) I rub in a bunch of Duragesic Rub. Go figure. It's just menthol and Methyl Salicylate. For me, it works better than the capsacium products. I keep a tube in my purse and by the bed and rub it in as needed. It's great for spasm and even lowers some of the nerve pain. I asked my pharmacist how it could be so effective or was I going nutz. He said he had numerous serious back patients who swear by it. Best wishes and I pray you get some effective answers.

[Dr. Smith]

At least one vet I know has scale/tables mounted to the wall that can be moved up/down for different sized "clients". Does, or would, that help in combination with a proper chair/stool with back support that also can be height adjusted? Just a thought. I'll do some more thinking and ask around.

I have to do pretty much what you do -- bend over.

I'm curious about back supports myself. I've asked my doctor about them, and he seems to think they're of no benefit, but I've heard some guys swear by them.

Doc

[LyricaBob]

It's not a quick fix, and it takes some work, but: physical therapy has helped me greatly. I've worked over the past couple years on really strengthening my midsection or "core" - abs, stabilizer muscles, etc - and that has helped with my lumbar pain.

Another thing that helps greatly is massage. I'm unable to afford a massage therapist every day (or even every week), so I bought a Thumper Percussive Massager, and use that to massage out my upper hips, lower back, and hamstrings at night just before bed.

[Leesa]

Having had severe lower back problems for over 26 years, I have to agree that physical therapy is a good way to ease the pain. Pool therapy is especially good. DO NOT GO TO A CHIROPRACTOR. Since you don't know what's wrong, it could put you in a wheel chair. My Neurosurgeon warned me about this, so I'm not just talking off the top of my head.

You really need an MRI with and without contrast material to see what's wrong, but I'm sure you already know what. I'd advise that you get this done as soon as you can.

You CAN get some back braces at health supply stores that can help. Some of these are like "corsets" and they do afford some support and relieve some pain. There are other designs as well. Some pharmacys have them too.

Best of luck, and keep us posted as to how you do! God bless and take care. Hugs, Lee

[Sam]

Thanks everyone for your suggestions. At least I know that I've tried the things others would think of. Sometimes you lose your sense of judgement when there is pain.

Chiropractor?! Wish I had that advice years ago. Several years ago, I went to a local chiropractor to see if he could help my migraines. At the time, I had no back problems. The first day, he started shifting things around and triggered a major migraine IN the office. The pain was so bad that I couldn't talk or respond. They just kept moving me from room to room with my eyes closed and finally put some electrical pads on my back and left me on a table with no one there. My friend who had driven me there, and was waiting outside, told me later she had gone in several times over a course of three hours and was denied access to me. She finally just went back and found me. It took a week to come out of the migraine. At the time, I was desperate and had not found a pain Dr. yet, so I went back a couple weeks later. The chiropracter tried to tell me off about my friend being pushy. We had it out. I cancelled the rest of the "treatments", (I had to sign a contract in the beginning to pay whether I went or not. Never having gone to a chiroprater, I stupidly signed it.). I didn't pay the rest and never heard from them again. If that is an example of what you get when you go to one........

we tried bringing a number of stools to the clinic so I could sit. Different heights, models etc. It might have worked but for the extensive scar tissue in my thighs from injections. One of the meds is very irritating, but its one of a very few things that help some. My legs do not bend more than about a 45 degree angle. That puts them either off the groung or hitting the table. I'm used to it, and have accepted some trade offs. Good idea though.

Thanks again to all who answered. Its always good to get fresh eyes on something.

Sam

[Peter B]

See a physio for a thorough examination of the spine. Even if a bone is out a tiny bit, it can have a big impact, especially on the muscles and ligaments, which have to work really hard to let the spine function like that.
A physio will soon find any such problems, and may well be able to sort it out.
I have a regular 'tune-up' from a physio to loosen all my spinal joints which gradually stiffen and cause muscle pain.

I also visit my chiro every 3 months for a maintenance treatment. Both do different things.
For instance, when my SI joint locks up, as it does quite often, the physio told me that she cannot fix it. But the chiro can in a matter of minutes.
I think you had a very poor chiro. Mine is a life saver as far as I'm concerned.

[LyricaBob]

I've probably received more relief from chiros than anybody, to be honest. If my insurance covered the treatments, I would have never stopped going to my chiro. Instead, I ended up going to a neurosurgeon, getting prescribed Lyrica, nearly ended up committing suicide, almost was committed for my own protection, and now have to go through withdrawal.

We're all individuals. Some things work great for me; those same things might not work well for you. Keep a journal, track your results, and keep striving to get better. I know it's hard. I know there's times the pain is overwhelming. Don't give up. Your life is much too valuable to give it over to pain.

The PT approach has taken me about 18 months to really help. And I was not in terrible shape to start with - I'm a strongman competitor, and in the summer of 2010, I deadlifted 725lbs, and competed in 3 contests in a 1 month period. So it's not like I had a "weak core" when I started.

Studies of NFL players have borne this out. The NFL has, in response to increased downtime from lumbar pain, increased core training to 4x/wk at a minimum. This has helped linebackers greatly - and you can bet that since there's so much money involved, they've tried just about everything.

I do wish you nothing but the best, and I hope that you find some relief.

[gatorhead]

This may sound silly but it really does work! Most of the time lumbar pain is caused by spasm. Hip Flexors are normally the culprit. The most painful is the Psoas muscle group, some of which cannot be touched as they are so deep into the abdominal wall.

When I have an exacerbation where my back is "out" I increase my water intake substantially to flush my muscles of the built up toxins. My lower back is surgical and I have bi-lateral radiculopathy's along with spinal stenosis so it always hurts. Sometimes I can't move at all.

I have found that during these times the hamstrings are really tight. If yu stretch those gently and then as they loosen just a bit stretch it aggressively most times it will loosen up pretty dramatically. Once you get the hamstring stretched then you can start stretching the hip flexors. Again Water is crucial! Give it a try!

[LyricaBob]

Yes, hydration is important. It can help with tight muscles.

I've found that a percussive massager, nightly, on my hamstrings, hip flexors, piriformis, glutes, adductors, etc., can really help as well.