cause of my back pain

I hurt my back a couple of weeks ago wakeboarding, and I've been in an incredible amount of pain since then. I even had to miss some work, when the pain was too much to do all the moving/lifting involved in my job.

I talked with a physical therapist at work right after I started having the pain (the day after wakeboarding when the back was a little sore), she thought it was probably a muscle strain as well. She suggested some stretching exercises to help the pain.
My back pain persisted though, and even got worse. I saw her again (about a week later) and told her this, she said "it doesn't sound like a muscle then, go get it checked by a specialist."

I saw a family physician last week, who told me I had a lumbar strain, and that it would be better in a few days. He gave me some vicodin and flexaril...which knocked me out, but temporarily takes away the pain. Still, the pain continued to get worse.

So, I see the doctor (that I saw the week before) while I was at work and ask him if I should go to a sports medicine clinic in the building. He agrees that's a good idea with the continued pain/symptoms I had.

Today I saw the sports med doc. He basically thinks that I jammed my facet joints, and that is the cause of the pain. The stretches were "probably" making it worse, and the pain will eventually slow down and go away. The good news is its most likely not a disk problem. The bad news is that any arching of my back causes incredible pain that literally takes my breath away. His suggestion? "don't do things that cause your back to arch. Find a comfortable position and stay there."

Anybody had a similar pain/experience with this? Just wondering how long this takes...

So did you hyperextend your back, i.e. do a good scorpion impression? Or did you do something else?

I did not know you hurt your back? That stinks Patty. I hope you get better soon. Well, when you come up next weekend, we will find you a comfy spot and let you sit there all night. See ya soon.

I think that it happened on a ts jump to faceplant, I had a funky fall that time. It's not like I don't normally fall when I jump ts, so who knows (most of the time by just letting go of the handle)...But there was one where I got ejected and my body was pretty contorted, so it probably happened then.

I think I had a similar experience (not sure didn't go to the doc's office), caught my front edge, my back just strained and arched bacwards (got a mild concussion in there too) Hurt like hell, couldn't really move my back without pain. I basically sat down for 3 weeks, and it felt alright after that. But mine doesn't sound near as bad as your's. Hope you get well soon.

I hope you feel better soon Patty...

Sorry to hear about your back, but if your still having pain-( the type like electricity shooting through your body) me thinks you need to get some imaging studies done. From what you posted it doesn't sound like any were ordered.
Yes they are specialist and I know that they have alot of years of experience, but do any other them have X-ray vision?
I'm the type who doesn't find the words "I think" acceptable. When is comes to my health it better be "I know" coming out of that MD's mouth.

I would recommend an MRI. I had similar pain and finally found out I had 2 ruptured discs. It took about 6 months off any exercise but it did finally get better and I have no pain now.

He told me there was the possibility that it could be a stress fracture with that sort of injury, but told me that he felt with PT and a new type of medication for pain (that didn't knock me out) that I would improve significantly in about a week. He also offered me a sleeping pill because the pain wakes me up every night so far...but I can't take that as I'm too sensitive to medication and it would loop me even more than the flexaril did.

He also said that if I'm not better in a week he would do an xray and consider an MRI. I think it's crazy how long it takes to get these things... especially being a nurse and demanding them from doctors on a daily basis for my patients when I feel that they need them

So resting (*except when I'm working, of course), drugs, and ice are the plan for now. And in a week if I'm not improved, then they'll consider it more serious again. If the stretching was really making the pain worse, I can see this helping. Guess only a week of time will tell.

The funny thing is.. I can't even IMAGINE wakeboarding right now, and I'm never like that!

Sounds like gentle traction may decrease some of the pain, if stretching is causing more pain. There's nothing worse than waiting for a week to get anything done, especially when you're having paraspinal muscle spasms. Thoracic or Lumbar area?
Who did you work for Kaiser??

Haha...No, I don't work for Kaiser. Good question, though. I work for a catholic hospital system in the San Jose area.

I don't know that traction is appropriate either. Stretching in a way that arches my back is what hurts, stretching forward relieves the "stress" I feel on my back. So extension is not good(and causes a lot of pain), flexion is fine(and sometimes reduces the pain). I'm not comfortable lying on my back unless my knees are bent so there is no arch in my back at all. I can't imagine traction feeling good...

my lower left side of myback has been in pain for the last week

Good Ol' CHW??.... If it is I know them well.

Traction will help with separation to the vertebrae.
If what your telling me is true, I think you better push to get that MRI ASAP...even if you have to lie about numbness and/or sharp shooting pains down your hip & legs.. Especially if you're about to start Law School.
Good luck...



(Message edited by phantom5815 on August 10, 2003)

My hospital used to be a part of the CHW system (one I'm not particularly fond of either) but seperated from them a couple of years ago, and are now run by the daughters of charity health system, which is what they were prior to the CHW years...

I'm missing work again today cause the pain was too bad during the night for me to imagine moving patients and being on my feet for 12 hours. Something more must be going on for the pain not to be decreasing at this point, since it's been two weeks since the original injury. I'll push for the testing to be done...we'll see how cooperative they are.

Thanks for the information and the well wishes. You're always very helpful!

I screwed my back up doing a Raley last summer. It doesn't sound like it was as bad as your injury though. I had an awesome doctor and killer PT. That helped a lot. One thing I did early on in recovering was I wore a back brace for a couple hours per day. This seemed to give my back a little better stability to help it recover quicker. The other thing I did/do but it doesn't sound like you are there yet is I got one of those big balls. I lay over the top of it and hold on to the bottom of a couch or dresser and let my knees hang about and inch off of the ground. This (for me anyway) feels really good to stretch it out.

Skiing made me board,
Lyle
Chrome Dome Industries

Let the doctors handle it!

I've had back pains since I was 17. Fractured 2 vertebrate. Every couple years, I walk like a crppled old man - can't even straighten up. Have to use a cane to get from sitting to standing position.

A steriod program and sleeping pills cured the bloody thing last time - ( no cure really, but enough so I can move again ).

Doctors, especially in todays Health Care world, will initially try meds and PT. Cost of back Xrays?? About $800.00. Cost to many PPO/HMO receivers? Anywhere from $30.00 to half the cost.

Check your insurance before jumping into X-rays or MRI.

I broke my back in three places years ago when I was racing off road motorcycles. The hospital released me with three broken vertibrae, because they did not have a radioligist on duty. Sooo, see whoever you have to until someone can tell you without a doubt what type of injury you have.

I too hurt my lower back last summer on a backroll and was in terrible pain. Doctors refused to order the MRI (because of the INS company) and treated me with anti-inflamitory's (sp) and pain medicine (zaniflex). I only took the pain meds for 2 days because they totally knocked me out loopy. I lived with the off and on discomfort from August to January, then finally took my friends advice to check with a chiropractor. This doctor was very thorough with xray's and exam and wanted to walk through the accident that caused my injury. He treated me for about 2 1/2 months and releived my pain (degenerative disc). I'm sure the problem isn't completely gone away but the pain is and I have full range of motion again. I wish I would have gone sooner... Also I'm not going at all now and so far so good. I made sure this docs theory was to treat you for the problem, not to keep you coming to see him.

disclaimer: this is just my account of what worked for me. I was frightened of the chiropractor at first, but my results were great.

Matt~ Walk like a crippled man?!?!!?!?
I thought you were o-- already......hehehehehehe.
It's funny to hear how an MD would refuse to order a diagnostic test because of Insurance...Sound like the MD was trying to protect his income from the INS Co than what's in the best interest of patient care.
Or they were too damn lazy to write a letter of justification or call the Ins co

according to my Doc the insurance would deny the request until they had tried some less restrictive measures.

Patty:

Back pain is very painful. I sure hope that you get better soon. I got to get you out to ride since we never got to hook up. When you get better give me a call. We will be riding all year long. Take care and I hope all goes well with you back.

Well, I saw the physical therapist for the first time today, and will be back to see him again at 730 tomorrow morning (fun)!

He basically agreed that the doctor was right in the idea of the facet joint sprain, that my back was probably strained and sprained from a hyperextensive move that has caused the pain. He thinks the pain has continued because of me continuing to use my back..and how you can't get off of it like an ankle for any length of time. Basically, they all think it's a very bad sprain.

He did apply some light traction (which was interesting, I was laying on my back with my knees bent and he basically strapped himself to me and leaned back...) But...it was fairly neutral. didn't seem to help much, did cause a little pain when he let off.

I'm still planning on seeing the doctor again, but want to give a couple of PT sessions a chance to see if they improve my back. And using lots of ice. Lots and lots and lots of ice.

Thanks to everyone that's given me support and information!