Alternative treatment for back pain? Any info?

I've had some lower back problems for a little over a year since a little accident when I was in the USMC. I've been X-rayed twice and they haven't seen anything, but it just spontaneously acts up once in a while, even from light lifting.

I guest on Coast to Coast AM the other day mentioned in passing that he'd really been helped by acupuncture, but I'm not ready to just go waltzing into any place and plop down some cash for something I don't know much about.

I wondered if anybody could tell me a little about how effective something like that could be, how to find someone good if it's a good idea at all, etc- especially if anyone around here has actually had it done.

On the same note- what about chairopractors? I've heard nothing but bad about them really. My ex was always complaining that it was great for the moment, but seemed to make matters worse over time. Any thoughts/experiences on that?

I have had the same problem, also for about the last year. I also have had an x-ray that showed nothing(as I understand it, the problem is most likely muscular or nerves and wouldn't show up in a x-ray, you would need an MRI or catscan I believe)


I have been to a chriopractor many times and I would say your ex probably has it right

My ex was always complaining that it was great for the moment, but seemed to make matters worse over time. Any thoughts/experiences on that?

As to accupunture I have also heard good things but have no personal experience with it, However I did buy a heating/massaging foot bath that seems to help alot, supposedly alot of nerves and muscles can be stimulated in the foot.

Also an exercise ball has helped me alot, and believe it or not diet as a big influence, and if you smoke a doctor told me that can have a more negative effect on your lower back than physical labor does!, if it didn't come from a doc. I wouldn't have believed it.

Hope this helps I'll be looking to see what else gets posted here, i'll try just about anything at this point.

Vagabond,
does the pain accompany, or follow aerobic or laborious excercise that doesn't necessarily involve your back?
Suprisingly, lower back pain can be caused by your hamstring muscles. Try getting your partner, or another willing volunteer to massage your hamstring muscles to see if it eases the pain.

I really, really, really like going to my chiropractor now, despite him putting me in the hospital on my first visit.

It get's better over time, and you don't have to go as often. But that first adjustment... It's a duzey!

The cultish voodoo aspect is bogus, but if you can handle the psychobabble, the rest is good.

Originally posted by The Vagabond
I've had some lower back problems for a little over a year since a little accident when I was in the USMC. I've been X-rayed twice and they haven't seen anything, but it just spontaneously acts up once in a while, even from light lifting.

Could be foot related too. But it all tracks back to spine. Especially weight distribution. If lifting hurts, I'd really at least try a chiro for a couple months.

Once a day for a week, then twice a week, then once a week, then once a month to as needed.

Accupuncture is muscular related. Though chiro is related to musculor pain, it's getting more at the root of the problem IMO.

It's preventative. Accu is reactionary.

I had serious back trouble for over 25 years. I went to many different physiotherapists, chiropractors and osteopaths.

Physio was somewhat effective, the other two therapies just made it worse, one session with a chiropractor almost crippled me (slight exaggeration)

In 1994 I was diagnosed with a ruptured L5 disc and had an epidural with steroid injection to disolve the bulging nucleus, which showed on my MRI was protruding through and pushing against my Sciatic nerve about the length of the first joint on your pinkie finger. It was thoroughly debilitating and agony and I was an Ibuprofen junkie for almost a year.

The injection removed one problem but replaced it with another. A flat disc which then created regular inflammation, so more regular pain.

In 1998 I started my own fitness business and pretty soon discovered this company:

Teeter Hang-Ups

I purchased my first display table and started to use the product. It was absolute agony for the first six weeks due to so many years of stressed muscles, inflamed lumbar region and locking facets, but eventually gravity did its wonderful trick on me.

I am a zealot when it comes to the subject of inversion. This product cured me without any doubt. Now I use the table perhaps twice a week for 3-5 minutes and still enjoy the rush of oxygen to the brain along with the satisfying stretch to my spine; its especially useful after a long session sitting reading and responding to ATS threads lolol.

Highly recommended and if it wasn't for the fact that I'm almost 43, I would now be out doing this:

Peace Out

Thanks for all the suggestions. I had no idea I'd get so much help .

There have been a few suggestions about it being related to heavy lifting, and strangely enough I can almost always lift fine, unless it's with a backpack of any kind.
I can barely move today- last night's problem has gotten substantially worse. I haven't felt this bad since I was at the school of infantry, but all I did last night was sit on a stool and run a machine.

So in answer to the questions that have been asked, it isn't always connected to heavy lifting or lifting at all, nor to aerobic excercise.

Anyway, there were a few suggestions here that sort of made lights go on for me and I'm going to try them. I'm especially thankful to Rren, because as my own stupidity would have it, I recently took up smoking. No time like the present to nip a bad habit in the bud, especially if it's going to cause me crippling pain.
Also I suppose I'll try some kind of diet to see what affect it has.

Last but not least, my brother gave me this book "combat conditioning". It's basically a calesthenics program and several of the excercises (bridging, chinese pushups, and squats) are claimed to be really good for the back.

So I'll try these things and in a while I'll post the results for anyone else who may run into this problem in the future .
Thanks everybody.

Most people tend to slouch when they sit for long periods of time so this creates inflammation in the soft tissue surrounding L4 & L5. Try to move your hips forward and push your shoulders back to help to realign your lower lumbar region and use a gentle rocking motion from your hips for 10-20 seconds. Its funky but it works!

Most peoples problems stem from the short muscles in the lower back going into spasm, which can be agony. It becomes progressively worse as we age, unless preventative measures are used.

To help to counter this, a simple exercise can be used. Stand with your feet apart and slide one hand into the small of your back, palm out. Gently make a fist with your other hand and raise your arm from the shoulder joint only; do not bend the elbow. You will feel the lower back muscles flex and contract. Hold it for a few seconds then gently lower and repeat 10-15 times for each arm. After a while and depending on your strength and health you can repeat the complete cycle and then introduce dummbells into the routine.

It is an excellent, cheap, quick and effective way to help with this problem.

I hope it helps and good luck!

Peace Out



[edit on 29/4/05 by hardbodyactiv]

I've suffered through 25 years of pinched nerves disinttegrating(?) discs and bone chips.
A physio- therapist turned me on to an Aussie who suggested flat on your stomach, propped up on your elbows and arching your back until you just feel the pain. Two or three minutes at a time, as often as you can during the day. Works for me.
For the upper back and numbness down the arms I use a traction strap that holds the back of your head and your chin firm,then run a rope through a couple of pulleys to a coffee can full of gravel.
Cheap, low-tech and efficient.
The last chiropractor I went to never even took an x-ray and then nearly put me in a wheel-chair
The neuro-surgeon wouldn't operate because there was 1 in a 100 chance of permanent paralysis.
I get by laying on my stomach and hanging myself with a can of gravel.

Last but not least, my brother gave me this book "combat conditioning". It's basically a calesthenics program and several of the excercises (bridging, chinese pushups, and squats) are claimed to be really good for the back.

I just started having back problems. Out of the blue my sciatic nerve started killing me so my Doc sent me for an MRI. I have a bulging disc and mild arthritis in the lower back. I was sent to a physical therapist who gave me some stretching exercises to do and told me to slowly resume my pilates routine. I was also told that the worst thing I could do (other than lifting) is sit or be idle.

Personally I'm not gung ho on chiroprachters but maybe that's because my brother is an Orthopedic Surgeon and would probably never speak to me again if I went to a chiro!

I hope that your back feels better soon. If you haven't already done so, I would suggest getting an MRI which can tell you a lot more than an X-ray can.

Good luck!

Jemison

Originally posted by Jemison
Personally I'm not gung ho on chiroprachters but maybe that's because my brother is an Orthopedic Surgeon and would probably never speak to me again if I went to a chiro!

That's interesting as my chiropractor refers patients to orthopedic surgeons if it is warranted.

That being said, I have suffered from lower back pain for maybe twenty years. It is esp. bad if I stand at a sink or something similar.
My first chiropractor did little to help.
My current chiropractor is a Palmer Chiropractor and his adjustment style gives me relief from much of my lower back pain.

Good luck, Vagabond...hope you get some relief soon.

Well, so far so good. Just by cutting my smoking in half (on the way to quitting, after hearing what Rren had to say about that) I've been doing quite a bit better. Interestingly, I've been going back and forth between shoveling rock and operating heavy equipment at work lately- sitting in the seat running a machine is actually hurting me more than performing supposedly "back-breaking" labor.

I also got a nice little boost of relief from doing a few calesthenics- not even a lot of them. The other day I did 5 chinese pushups, 10 squats, and a couple of trunk twists, and a VERY brief neck-bridge- all told about 3 minutes of exercise. It literally cut the pain in half instantly.

Still fighting with the need to get some kind of a diet going- I think that with all of these things working together I can probably just about eliminate this problem, although I am still looking forward to getting my insurance card next month so that I can get an MRI done just to see what I'm contending with here.

Thanks again all, you guys are great.

Originally posted by hardbodyactiv
I am a zealot when it comes to the subject of inversion. This product cured me without any doubt. Now I use the table perhaps twice a week for 3-5 minutes and still enjoy the rush of oxygen to the brain along with the satisfying stretch to my spine; its especially useful after a long session sitting reading and responding to ATS threads lolol.

I had an inversion table a few years back, and it was the greatest thing on the planet. Sadly, it was one of the hotly contested items in my divorce, and my kittycat was held hostage until I gave in. When I am in a position to blow $400 bucks, this is on the top of my list.

Inversion tables are wonderful!

A couple of things -- do you keep your wallet in your back pocket -- if so move it -- sitting on that can be shifting you over and exacerbating the problems you have. Lots of men have back problems that can be helped by such a small thing.

Both chiropractic and accupuncture work -- like any thing it all depends on the person you have doing the work. I go to a great chiropractor and am super happy with her -- other people go to another guy in town and are thrilled with him. I feel he is heavy handed and I usually feel worse for 2 days after if I use him also -- he wants people to sign up for a bunch of visits that is a practice I don't like. My chiro on the other hand doesn't want you to come to her more than you need so no contract and I feel better the next day with her. Also she give you exercises to strengthen the area that needs help. And not only does she send people to local ortho. docs but they respect her and send people to her.

My accupuncturist is good too -- I initially went not thinking it would do much but one day I was in a flare and in major pain on my way to an appointment and she did some different points and by the time I had driven a town over from hers I felt better. Not a 100% but better and able to go shopping.

good luck

All the above posts have really good advise. I would like to add a little more.

Ultram only when needed
Light streches/calisthenics every day
Steaming hot epson salt bath when you are really hurting.

As a final note, do the "touch your toes" stretch for a minute or two first thing every morning while taking your HOT shower.

Best of luck

Just make sure your chiropractor is actually decent; I've seen far too many injuries caused by incorrect alignments.

Have you had an MRI? CT scan? Just to see what else is going on? An x-ray can't catch everything with a back injury.

wow i still cnt believe this, u guys have u no respect for your body. ok in werestling, i hope anyone from here has wrestled if u remember doin the back bridge thats your answer.

if you know hoe to do it its just going into a revers pushup position andletting all your weight be supported by the front of your head (forehead) try doing this and moving up and down with your head to get a fell for it. always go slow and have like a towl under your head, this is good because it stretches and lengthens the spine, and can improve circualton to the brain.

look into it some more and read tthis articvle www.mattfurey.com...

also i wonder but have u ever considerd going to the pool, i remember when i went to the ocean, my grandma has a house in croatia and its like right on this small island called vir, anyway the ocean is like only like 500 feet from our house and every day we would go swiming. almost everyday since we were there ( this was like last summer we were there for like 1 month) i felt great no back pain, no pain at all

i guess it is true that when u swimm it is good for your spine and back

just go to the y and swim or at your local pool, believe me it will work

Thanks for the article ned. I actually already have Matt Furey's book. I mentioned it towards the top. I've had fairly good luck with a combination of dervishes (not unlike "windmill" excercise), back bridges, and diet.
I've found that when I eat plenty of fruits and vegies (i've experimented on and off with vegitarian diets), get plenty of fluids, and don't sit or drive for extended periods of time I rarely have pain.
I still haven't managed to get in for an MRI or see a Chairopractor because of work schedule and a little fight with my insurance, but since I've been able to control it on my own I'm sort of putting that off for the time being.

If it's your lower back - keep the upper legs stretched out and the lower tummy tight and toned.
The leg muslces pull on the lower back causing problems if they aen't stretched well. A good test... sit right there in your chair, sitting up straite, and simply put one foot strait out in front of you. The leg should be strait. Do with each leg seperately. If you feel any pull at all - your not keeping yourself stretched out enough.
The tummy - well, I think I know 0 people who can say they're lower abs are tight enough. LOL
See a physical therapist for the exersices that will fix you up and keep you out of pain.