A question about my back pain..?

[Markass]

Okay, to sum it up I was in a car accident a couple of years ago and it wasn't until several months after it, I began to have sporadic back pains..It's nothing serious however, when my physical activity is increased it bothers me..Okay now for the point...I've began noticing the past few weeks when sitting after it starts bothering me I get an almost numb feeling in my lower back that runs up and down my back and nearly into my arms..A really strange feeling..does this sound familiar to any of you guys out there knowledgeable in health?? thanks in advance to birdgirl and anyone else who comes along..as I'm sure you're going to chime in for me like you always do

thanks guys:thumbsup:

Markass Reviewed by Markass on 01-10-2008. A question about my back pain..? Okay, to sum it up I was in a car accident a couple of years ago and it wasn't until several months after it, I began to have sporadic back pains..It's nothing serious however, when my physical activity is increased it bothers me..Okay now for the point...I've began noticing the past few weeks when sitting after it starts bothering me I get an almost numb feeling in my lower back that runs up and down my back and nearly into my arms..A really strange feeling..does this sound familiar to any of Rating: 5

[StickyfingahZ]

I have Chronic Back Pain,I got arthritis in my back and no pain meds work.
When I sit down It hurts maybe after 30 minutes I have to keep moving,but the pain goes to my legs. I get really numb also.
But after I burn a bowl or two,I can chill and stuff at the computer.
I think it depends on the chair though,cause a sofa doesnt cause those problems,but my computer chair and my car seat,those will be uncomfortable.

[birdgirl73]

Sounds familiar to me! I have degenerative disk disease and a condition called spondylosis and spinal stenosis in three areas of my spine. The most messed up section was in my neck, and I had that surgically fixed this past summer, but before it was fixed I had lots of pain and some numbness. All sorts of things can cause back pain and numbness, but often car wrecks or other hard physical stresses on the body can cause disks to bulge and put pressure on the spinal cord and the spinal nerves that extend out the little intervertebral foraminae, the little bony tunnels through which those spinal nerves travel. I spent 7 years lifting heavy stretchers as a fire-rescue medic and have probably also over-done my weight training over the years, which didn't help.

Here's what you can do:

- Go see a neurologist or an orthopedist and explain your pain and have him take the necessary pictures, probably MRI images. I can't remember whether you have insurance or not, Mark, but I hope you do. That'll give you an accurate diagnosis of what's causing the pain.
- See what that physician recommends once the pics are in. Often there are injections patients can take for swelling that'll reduce the inflammation. There are also pain injections that help. Let's keep our fingers crossed that you won't be referred to a neurosurgeon.
- Get some physical therapy. Your doctor can write you a script for an evaluation and course of PT treatment. Often with injured backs, you're offloading stress from the injured area of your spine to another, which aggravates or causes pain in both areas. For me, strengthening the muscles that support the areas above and below the areas of spondylosis makes a huge difference in relieving my pain. It's important to get a qualified evaluation, though, before you begin therapy or attempt PT exercises on your own, however, because you don't want to worsen your problem.
- Avoid chiropractors until you know what's up in there. If you have bulging disks or injured vertebrae, the last thing you need is someone manipulating or adjusting your spine until you know what's causing your discomfort. Some types of chiropractic treatment could worsen a pain/numbness situation into paralysis, and that's the last thing you want to do. Once you've got a diagnosis, it might be that some hands-on manipulation and heat/massage could be beneficial. Just make sure you get clearance from someone other than a chiropractor first.
- Take non-narcotic meds like NSAIDs for your pain. They'll help alleviate pain and inflammation and won't make you a junkie.
- Be resourceful with your cannabis connections and look for something in a nice Indica or Indica-dominant hybrid.
- Let us all know how you're doing. We want you comfortable and pain free so you can continue to fight the noble cannabis fight!

As usual, I've written too much, and for that I apologize. I sure hope you can find some help, babe. I know that's not pleasant.

[prairieplantsystems]

Almost everybody has some type of back problem. The spine is a very complex structure and is quite easy to get out of wack. When it does get misaligned, it will most likely continue to get out of line in a degenerative manner. I have had terrible back problems and nothing has ever worked except physical therapy. Your body structure is maintained by your spine and your arms and legs pull on it if you have biomechanical deficiencies in other parts of your body. The legs often pull on the lower back if your tendons are tight, I would suggest working out any muscles that are pulling on your spine, the hamstrings are often to blame, also your spine's muscles especially erector spinae which hold your vertebrae in place. Physical therapy can be strenuous, but believe me it should help since increasing muscle mass and flexibility of muscles pulling on your spine will have the effect of increasing blood flow and bone mass to your vertebrae.

[Markass]

Sounds familiar to me! I have degenerative disk disease and a condition called spondylosis and spinal stenosis in three areas of my spine. The most messed up section was in my neck, and I had that surgically fixed this past summer, but before it was fixed I had lots of pain and some numbness. All sorts of things can cause back pain and numbness, but often car wrecks or other hard physical stresses on the body can cause disks to bulge and put pressure on the spinal cord and the spinal nerves that extend out the little intervertebral foraminae, the little bony tunnels through which those spinal nerves travel. I spent 7 years lifting heavy stretchers as a fire-rescue medic and have probably also over-done my weight training over the years, which didn't help.

Here's what you can do:

- Go see a neurologist or an orthopedist and explain your pain and have him take the necessary pictures, probably MRI images. I can't remember whether you have insurance or not, Mark, but I hope you do. That'll give you an accurate diagnosis of what's causing the pain.
- See what that physician recommends once the pics are in. Often there are injections patients can take for swelling that'll reduce the inflammation. There are also pain injections that help. Let's keep our fingers crossed that you won't be referred to a neurosurgeon.
- Get some physical therapy. Your doctor can write you a script for an evaluation and course of PT treatment. Often with injured backs, you're offloading stress from the injured area of your spine to another, which aggravates or causes pain in both areas. For me, strengthening the muscles that support the areas above and below the areas of spondylosis makes a huge difference in relieving my pain. It's important to get a qualified evaluation, though, before you begin therapy or attempt PT exercises on your own, however, because you don't want to worsen your problem.
- Avoid chiropractors until you know what's up in there. If you have bulging disks or injured vertebrae, the last thing you need is someone manipulating or adjusting your spine until you know what's causing your discomfort. Some types of chiropractic treatment could worsen a pain/numbness situation into paralysis, and that's the last thing you want to do. Once you've got a diagnosis, it might be that some hands-on manipulation and heat/massage could be beneficial. Just make sure you get clearance from someone other than a chiropractor first.
- Take non-narcotic meds like NSAIDs for your pain. They'll help alleviate pain and inflammation and won't make you a junkie.
- Be resourceful with your cannabis connections and look for something in a nice Indica or Indica-dominant hybrid.
- Let us all know how you're doing. We want you comfortable and pain free so you can continue to fight the noble cannabis fight!

As usual, I've written too much, and for that I apologize. I sure hope you can find some help, babe. I know that's not pleasant.

Thanks a lot..we do have insurance...but it's not really like insurance once you have to pay your own share of it..sometime soon hopefully I'll have something better and will be able to seek professional help..

Birdgirl, any idea if I continue how I am just dealing with it what the likelihood of it worsening severely over the next couple of years? I know it's hard to say but I'm just hoping this isn't anything that's incredibly serious..I've lived on self-diagnosis and the help of others most of my life..but this is something I'm someday going to have to turn into the hands of a medical professional..I'd just hate for it to be too late then, but it's so expensive to go to the doctor..

I'm able to mitigate it quite well with smoking..a bit before work and a bit after work I'm fine except for maybe the last hour or so if we've had a busy night..I know too many people who have it much worse than I do..I can't even imagine what others have to go through..

[birdgirl73]

Birdgirl, any idea if I continue how I am just dealing with it what the likelihood of it worsening severely over the next couple of years? I know it's hard to say but I'm just hoping this isn't anything that's incredibly serious..I've lived on self-diagnosis and the help of others most of my life..but this is something I'm someday going to have to turn into the hands of a medical professional..I'd just hate for it to be too late then, but it's so expensive to go to the doctor...

I can't tell you what that likelihood is, hun, because A) we don't know what's causing your pain and B) even if we did everyone's course of pain response and deterioration is different. Heck, not everyone deteriorates. With the right PT approach, people can often cure back or neck pain, halt or delay further deterioration, or prevent the need for surgery.

The fact that you've already noticed progression in your symptoms is not a great indication. You've gone from sporadic back pain after the accident to increasing pain with activity and overexertion now to pain and increasing numbness in a sitting posture. That indicates that your "disease" is progressing. Numbness and tingling are likely an indication that you've got some sort of nerve impingement, and while those are unpleasant symptoms, they're still better than the next progressive steps, which are worsening numbness and then paralysis. By the time you enter the territory of paralysis, you might not be able to reverse the symptoms or achieve a cure like you very likely could now. The other bad news is that, depending on what's causing your problem, a slip or a fall or a sports injury or another car wreck could be a really horrific, ruinous, life-changing event. That prospect was what scared me into seeking treatment for my situation. That and the fact that the doctor uttered the words, "The potential future prospects for your spine if you don't have this fixed range from horrific to completely devastating and crippling." Three doctors had to say the same thing before I believed them, of course, but I'm hard-headed.

I know you're reluctant to seek medical treatment because it's so expensive. We all are. Even those of us who work, or plan to work, in the biz. It's horrendously expensive, particularly hospital treatment and diagnostic imaging. But this is your spine we're talking about. That's like your brain or your eyes or your heart. Your spine is something you depend on every day for every movement. It's literally where you live.

That wasn't what you wanted to hear, I'm sure. I know you well enough to know you already know everything I've told you. You're a very smart young man. If I were in your situation and wanted to try and stave off medical attention as long as possible, I'd watch the situation for a bit longer. Like another four to six weeks. Note where the pain and numbness are now and keep track of how they progress. If you can hook up with someone who knows physical therapy, have that person recommend some possible back-strengthening exercises and see if that improves or worsens the situation. If things get progressively worse, with or without PT, the writing will be on the wall. It'll be time to seek medical treatment before things get irreversible.