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thegrassr00ts
Jun 16, 2009, 1:50 PM
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Hey all, My lower back is killing me. There was no traumatic incident; I don't even think it is climbing related because I just woke up about 3 days ago and could barely walk without severe pain in my lower back. I had recently started pushing through my front lever progressions and had gotten to the point where I was about 90% horizontal to the ground with my legs in a straddle position. I did some of these the day before which could be the cause I guess, except I felt no pain at the time of the exercise nor did I feel anything the rest of that day. Another theory I had is my mattress. My girlfriend likes to sleep on a very soft mattress that offers very little or no support for your back at all. I don't know if a mattress that is too soft could cause pain like this but since I just woke up with the pain,my first thought was I must have slept in some funny position. I'm in good shape, do yoga and a lot of core work and have never hurt my back like this. This is just my opinion but the problem feels muscular in nature. It is really on either side of my spine in my lower back. Bending forward is devastating and there is pretty significant pain even at rest. Anyone got any idea what it could be or any ideas on how to make it better? I'm hesitant to go to the doctor because I've never had a back injury before and if it's just a strain that I need to rest for a bit, I don't feel like wasting my time. I'm going to start sleeping on the floor tonight but I don't know if stretching is a good idea, plus it's really painful to stretch.
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dingus
Jun 16, 2009, 2:45 PM
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I've had lower back problems since 18, throwing 80lb bags of horse feed off a truck. Yes my internet diagnosis is you've got a pinched nerve due to an alignment and disc swelling issue. Take ibu or aspirin for the swelling, like 600 - 800 mg of ibu. You know, swelling dose, not headache dose. The soft bed can definitely make a bad lower back worse. Twisting when laying on your side can do it too, hips rolled forward, shoulders back ( I cannot lay that way for more than 5 minutes without severe pain) And most importantly, see a chiropractor and have her crack your back. This should help take the pressure off and in a day or two after getting your back popped you should be good as new. Don't let the chiro play head games with you. Chiro doesn't cure AIDS, or gout, or cancer or provide World Peace. But it can help that lower back burn. When (not if) I hurt my lower back - if I put off the back adjustment I just suffer the slow burn of a bad lower back, day after dayt after day. But one adjustment (sometimes it takes two) and within a day or two the pain is gone. Till the next time - 6 months to a year out. But that's just me, ya know? DMT
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thegrassr00ts
Jun 16, 2009, 2:51 PM
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Would the swelling your describing dingus be tangible? Because it doesn't feel swollen to the touch, which certainly doesn't mean the disc isn't swollen, but my lower back feels perfectly normal and symmetrical to the touch. There is no tenderness when I push on it, it's real specific movements trigger a hot searing pain, and when I'm at rest, a kind of dull ache persists.
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yodadave
Jun 16, 2009, 2:56 PM
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in my experience a lot of sports medicine facilities do free physio diagnostic clinics. you know 10 mins of range of movement and then they tell you if you need to keep coming back or not. Phone around your local facilities, its always worth checking. Hope it feels better soon
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dingus
Jun 16, 2009, 3:09 PM
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thegrassr00ts wrote: Would the swelling your describing dingus be tangible? Because it doesn't feel swollen to the touch, which certainly doesn't mean the disc isn't swollen, but my lower back feels perfectly normal and symmetrical to the touch. There is no tenderness when I push on it, it's real specific movements trigger a hot searing pain, and when I'm at rest, a kind of dull ache persists. No the swelling would be in one of the discs in your spine. A misalignment of the two vertebra can pinch the edge of the disk, causing it to swell. So now you take a misaligned set of vertabra and start a hydraulic jack process between them, perhaps pushing the one side out and then levering the pinch even worse? Say I'm just a bloke on the internet, yes? I'm a firm believer in chiro, through personal experience. For my ailment it works very well. The pain you describe is similar enough to mine - and of course you may have a strained or pulled muscle, or all of the above. But FOR ME... the specific movement producing searing pain? You bet. It hurts when I move this way Doc. Don't move that way son. I also get the sciatic nerve impulses down my right leg, which can also go partially numb AT THE SAME TIME. And the 'dull ache' you refer to may be similar to my 'slow burn' a persisting lower back burning sensation. The front lever business has me wondering if you didn't just pull something though.... When my back is out I can stand nekked in front of a mirror (the horror,,, the horror...) and see that I'm crooked hehe. I can actually see it in my posture. So maybe you do have something else going on, quien sabe? DMT
(This post was edited by dingus on Jun 16, 2009, 3:15 PM)
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mounter
Jun 16, 2009, 3:12 PM
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I'd change out the mattress regardless. If you're that into your girlfriend, spend the cheddar on a sleep number bed or whatever the hell they're called (each of you can adjust the firmness according to taste). If not, drop her ass and go back to your old mattress. If nothing else, you'd be more comfortable and your metal state would improve...perhaps your back would follow. Oh by the way, go see a doctor. That's probably a decent idea too. Good luck.
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reno
Jun 16, 2009, 3:35 PM
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1. Don't stretch it yet. If it's a pulled muscle, stretching will make it worse. Give it a few days to calm down, then begin gentle stretching. If stretching makes it worse, STOP. 2. Describe the pain. Dull throb? Sharp stab? Numbness or tingling down the legs? 3. Get a different mattress. 4. Dingus is spot on with the ibuprofen. Assuming you're a normal sized adult, up to 800 mg three times a day is generally acceptable. If you have any kidney problems, this will change, and you'll need to consult a doctor. 5. Add some ice packs to the Ibuprofen. Bag of ice, 20 minutes on the part that hurts, three or four times a day. Stay away from heat for the time being... no hot packs or warming blankets. 6. Low back pain hurts because your low back bears a great deal of weight and has to do a great deal of work no matter what you do: Sitting, standing, walking... they all involve the low back. 7. If it's not noticeably better in a week, go see the doctor.
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thegrassr00ts
Jun 16, 2009, 3:38 PM
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Stretching actually seems to help. Although it's painful when I'm actually stretching, it's not a bad pain if that makes any sense. It more feels like it is loosening up tight muscles. I can get in some positions that are pain free such as lying flat on my back and even sitting with good posture. Walking produces a kind of constant dull ache that doesn't hurt as much as it reminds me that it's there. And then there are certain movements where it feels like someone is sticking a hot knife in my lower back about two inches left and right of my spine but above my bum.
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dingus
Jun 16, 2009, 3:42 PM
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Yes I forgot the ice Reno - crucial! I use frozen peas. Much better than ice itself. DMT
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billcoe_
Jun 16, 2009, 3:59 PM
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GET THEE TO A CHIROPRACTOR IMMEDIATELY !! Unless you like the pain of course.
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reno
Jun 16, 2009, 4:00 PM
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dingus wrote: Yes I forgot the ice Reno - crucial! I use frozen peas. Much better than ice itself. Good point... reusable, and you can eat them when you're done. My mom used to do the same thing when I'd get hurt as a kid. Of course, there's something a little kinky about saying "Boy, I could sure use some cold pea on my back..."
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rtwilli4
Jun 16, 2009, 4:28 PM
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Take some pills if you need to, lay around for a few days, light stretching is probably not a bad idea. If it still hurts that bad, go to the doctor. Don't just walk into a chiropractor. A lot of them don't xray or anything before they start messing around with you. I have more than a few friends that wasted a lot of time and money on chiropractors just to have the same pains, if not worse ones, a few months down the road.
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onceahardman
Jun 16, 2009, 9:02 PM
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thegrassr00ts wrote: Hey all, My lower back is killing me. There was no traumatic incident; I don't even think it is climbing related because I just woke up about 3 days ago and could barely walk without severe pain in my lower back. I had recently started pushing through my front lever progressions and had gotten to the point where I was about 90% horizontal to the ground with my legs in a straddle position. I did some of these the day before which could be the cause I guess, except I felt no pain at the time of the exercise nor did I feel anything the rest of that day. Another theory I had is my mattress. My girlfriend likes to sleep on a very soft mattress that offers very little or no support for your back at all. I don't know if a mattress that is too soft could cause pain like this but since I just woke up with the pain,my first thought was I must have slept in some funny position. I'm in good shape, do yoga and a lot of core work and have never hurt my back like this. This is just my opinion but the problem feels muscular in nature. It is really on either side of my spine in my lower back. Bending forward is devastating and there is pretty significant pain even at rest. Anyone got any idea what it could be or any ideas on how to make it better? I'm hesitant to go to the doctor because I've never had a back injury before and if it's just a strain that I need to rest for a bit, I don't feel like wasting my time. I'm going to start sleeping on the floor tonight but I don't know if stretching is a good idea, plus it's really painful to stretch. WHAT I WOULD DO IF I WERE YOU; 1) Lie on your tummy on a firm surface. 2) Decide how much pain you are in. A scale from 1-10 can be helpful for this. Also, determine as precisely as possible the location of the pain. 3) Put your hands in a position as though you were going to do a pushup. 4) Keep your lumbar paraspinal muscles relaxed. 5) Keeping your hips on the floor, push your upper body up, passively extending the lumbar spine. This may be quite painful. If so, just "bump" into the pain, rather than going to full extensio 6) Do 10 reps, trying to extend a bit farther each time. 7) Lie still again, in the start position. Determine the intensity and location of the pain again, as in #2. 8) If you NOW have less pain ( while lying still), do another 3 sets of ten. If you NOW have pain going down your leg, stop immediately. 9) Assuming the pain improved, do 10 reps every two hours. Avoid slouch sitting, forward bending, and lifting. Stay in touch!
(This post was edited by onceahardman on Jun 16, 2009, 9:03 PM)
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crodog
Jun 16, 2009, 9:30 PM
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Could be a ruptured disk. I just got one fixed for $40,000. Gotta love our health care system.
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mnottingham
Jun 16, 2009, 9:57 PM
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I'm 39 and I've had LBP (low back pain) for most of my adult life. I also have worked in physical therapy settings and now work in a post-therapy fitness setting. I think you're getting pretty good advice from the other posts: rest, ice and anti-inflammatory meds to start. When you resume your core strengthening routine, be sure to strengthen the low back muscles as well as the abs. Often people go crazy with their core training but over-emphasize the abs. For every set of ab exercises you do, you should do a set of lower back exercises in order to stay balanced. Also, don't neglect your obliques, which are trained best with rotational movement of the trunk. Sleep surface is important - we spend one third of our day there. Important consideration - do you sleep on your side, back, or belly? As a side sleeper, my back does best on soft mattresses, not hard ones. But most people who sleep on their back or belly will do better on a firm surface. It's all about keeping the spine somewhat lined-up while sleeping. A soft matttress allows my hips and (wide) shoulders to sink in, helping keep my spine straight. A pillow between the knees (for side sleepers) often helps too. Finaly, before you trash your girls mattress, try this old trick; insert a piece of plywood between the mattress and box spring. This will firm up a soft mattress and should help you determine if the mattress is truly the issue. Oh, and finally, front lever training involves a lot of hip flexor muscle (iliacus and psoas) activation. Hip flexors attach to the pelvis and lumbar vertebrae. Spasm or strain of the hip flexors can cause major back pain. When you're feeling better, incorporate some hip flexor stretching into your workouts.
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desertwanderer81
Jun 16, 2009, 10:19 PM
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Herniated discs baby! Got mine at 18! It might not be this, but if it doesn't go away, there's a good chance it is herniated. For me, what helps is to warm up slowely before I do anything and stretch out well before any extreme activity. The only way to fully diagnose this however is to go to a doctor and get an MRI. But it could be a pinched nerve, wait a week or two and go to the doc if it doesn't go away. Edit, and there is no way to fully fix it and it will be with you your entire life! Cheers!
(This post was edited by desertwanderer81 on Jun 16, 2009, 10:21 PM)
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reno
Jun 16, 2009, 10:34 PM
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crodog wrote: Could be a ruptured disk. It's not.
In reply to: I just got one fixed for $40,000. Gotta love our health care system. Mine cost $1600... I have no complaints.
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desertwanderer81
Jun 16, 2009, 10:41 PM
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reno wrote: crodog wrote: Could be a ruptured disk. It's not. In reply to: I just got one fixed for $40,000. Gotta love our health care system. Mine cost $1600... I have no complaints. My guess is that you got a shot? Not everyone has the same problems..... Not all problems have the same fixes.....
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reno
Jun 17, 2009, 12:43 AM
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desertwanderer81 wrote: reno wrote: crodog wrote: Could be a ruptured disk. It's not. In reply to: I just got one fixed for $40,000. Gotta love our health care system. Mine cost $1600... I have no complaints. My guess is that you got a shot? Nope. Surgical repair by one of the ten best neurosurgeons in the USA. (Well, to be fair, I did get two "shots" -- by which I assume you mean epidural injection -- but the $1600 was for surgery.)
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desertwanderer81
Jun 17, 2009, 1:00 AM
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reno wrote: desertwanderer81 wrote: reno wrote: crodog wrote: Could be a ruptured disk. It's not. In reply to: I just got one fixed for $40,000. Gotta love our health care system. Mine cost $1600... I have no complaints. My guess is that you got a shot? Nope. Surgical repair by one of the ten best neurosurgeons in the USA. (Well, to be fair, I did get two "shots" -- by which I assume you mean epidural injection -- but the $1600 was for surgery.) That's weird. My epidural injection was 1k alone.
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angry
Jun 17, 2009, 1:05 AM
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desertwanderer81 wrote: reno wrote: desertwanderer81 wrote: reno wrote: crodog wrote: Could be a ruptured disk. It's not. In reply to: I just got one fixed for $40,000. Gotta love our health care system. Mine cost $1600... I have no complaints. My guess is that you got a shot? Nope. Surgical repair by one of the ten best neurosurgeons in the USA. (Well, to be fair, I did get two "shots" -- by which I assume you mean epidural injection -- but the $1600 was for surgery.) That's weird. My epidural injection was 1k alone. He's almost certainly talking about his associated costs after insurance covered most of it, not the total bill.
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reno
Jun 17, 2009, 1:08 AM
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Sorry to hear it. My second was $200. First one was covered 100%.
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desertwanderer81
Jun 17, 2009, 1:31 AM
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angry wrote: desertwanderer81 wrote: reno wrote: desertwanderer81 wrote: reno wrote: crodog wrote: Could be a ruptured disk. It's not. In reply to: I just got one fixed for $40,000. Gotta love our health care system. Mine cost $1600... I have no complaints. My guess is that you got a shot? Nope. Surgical repair by one of the ten best neurosurgeons in the USA. (Well, to be fair, I did get two "shots" -- by which I assume you mean epidural injection -- but the $1600 was for surgery.) That's weird. My epidural injection was 1k alone. He's almost certainly talking about his associated costs after insurance covered most of it, not the total bill. ohhhh, well that's stupid. He was charged $1,600, it cost probably much much more.....
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