Stay the F away from chiropractors, I also find that PT has always been a waste of time.

I would try to get an MRI to see what the issues are. Then...Pilates which will help your core and Yoga to help you stay flexible. If there is not MRI, then hire a private Pilates instructor so that you can learn how to do the exercises properly (you should probably do that anyway).

Don't forget flossing, go on youtube and look up Nerve Flossing.

Edit: Didn't realize that there was a chiropractor posting, I don't mean to insult you but I've been to chiropractors a few times and they have always been nothing but horrible experiences...you may differ, just my experiences have always been negative.

for chiropractors try to find one that works with an MD - some may have admitting privileges at the local hospital

Hugo, you know what they say about opinions and assho___s! What makes you an expert on chiropractic and physical therapy? What is your medical background? Hey everyone, Pilates is the cure for all back pain.. just ask Hugo.... Hugo sounds like the narrow minded guy who had a bad experience with not only a chiropractor but also a physical therapist... What amazes me is I have had "bad experiences" with a dentist, podiatrist and many m.d.'s, but guess what, I'm smart enough to know they aren't all bad. I will be the first to admit there are plenty of incompetent chiropractors around... But the entire profession, not hardly. Have a good one Hugo.. Tim

First you need a GOOD physical/neurologic exam.
You can get that from a good general MD, chiropracter, or back specialist.
A GOOD chiro can do it, but their only choice of therapy is some type of manipulation or physical therapy. I am not going to go into chiro bashing. There are some good ones, and some bad ones- like any profession. I work with some myself- there are others I will not work with.
A GOOD back man, be he an orthosurgeon, neurosurgeon or neurologist, has the choices from physical therapy to surgery.
Personally, unless I had focal neuro deficits I would stay away from surgery.
MRI's will tell you a lot of what is going on- I read them everyday. Are they always needed? No. If conservative methods work, and it does not sound like you have given them a trial yet, and there are no focal defects on exam- you do not always need an mri. It will often show what is anatomically wrong- if anything- but will not effect therapy, unless they are doing surgical planning.
Most of the time pain med, muscle relaxants and a steroid dose pack will relieve the major symptoms. If that does not work epidural injections are also sometimes helpful. Proper exercise/ physcial therapy is usually added as well.
Good luck, but get help.
Gary

This is my story
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/off-topic-discussions/615005-i-broke-my-back-more-than-40-years-ago-just-found-out-about.html


I quit going to a chiropractor (after using several of them over the years) and have been seeing a Physical Therapist for the last couple of months. I do the same excercises that Racerbvd posted, and the PT spends a half hour twice a week "pulling" and "manipulating" my hips and spine rather than "cracking it" like a Chiropractor would. It seems to be working. My diagnosis will never disapear, but I believe PT will help much more than the Chiro in my situation. I'm going to give it another year doing the excersizes and then re-evaluate. I am virtually pain free now.

I'm not bashing Chiropractors as they gave me good results for quite a while. I even included my Chiropractor in the decision making process. He was 1 of 4 doctors who looked at my MRI before I decided on Physical Therapy. Surgery is no longer on the table.

I would definately get X-rays or an MRI.

I have to do a series of yoga stretches every day. If I don't, My back will give me constant grief.

Ice is good for what you are describing. Don't give yourself frostbite, but If you can Ice three to five times a day for 15 minutes, you may find you experience rapid improvement.

Hi Tim, thanks for the laugh...you know what they say...those who can't get into a medical school become dentists, those that can't get into dental school become chiropractors. Honestly, chiropractors exist so people can go in there to pretend to be hurt and the "doctors" (insert big f'ng laugh) can pretend to "fix" them...at the end, people are out of their time and probably worse off than before they started and insurance companies are out a ton of money.

Lower back issues are usually a sign of over stressed lower...wait...backs. You don't need to ask me, just go to someone qualified and skip the witch doctors...yoga, pilates will do the trick. if it really is a serious issue, then seek the advice of REAL DOCTORS...you know, the ones that applied and were accepted into real MEDICAL SCHOOLS.

Hey Tim, you're a real Super guy

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1323910418.jpg

Hugo, you're a piece of work... Now you're making fun of the mentally disabled, wow! Class is something you're devoid of, it may be genetic....Hopefully you didn't have kids..... I do pity you.... That's Dr. Tim to you!

The best book for all your aches and pains is called "PAIN FREE" by Peter Egoscue. I have used this book for years and have recommended it to numerous friends who are over 40 and are competitive masters runners. Amazon sells it for roughly $20.

Hey Paul, buddy...didn't realize that you were so sensitive about your...umm, profession? I have no problem calling you Doctor Tim if that makes you feel, better?

However, if we were to call a chiropractor a Doctor...what would we call PHD's and Medical Doctors, you know...real doctors. Surely that would be confusing to those that have earned the title.

You're a chiropractor, in the scale of 1 to 10 of respected professions, your rank is...a joke. your profession is like a minus 1 between used car and snake oil sales, your mother must be so proud.

A good golf buddy of mine had terrible back issues. He was a big tennis player in college as well. He was constantly stricken with crippling back pain.

Stretches, oh did he do stretches. Hot packs cold packs...you name it.

He ended up going to a physical therapist in Newport after years of back specialists, chiropractors, the guys with the needles you name it.

This therapist starts checking him out and discovers that his right leg is 1/2 shorter than his left. Over the last couple months he has been slowly putting risers in his shoe and some specific exercises.

He tells me its like he got a new lease on life.

Never ever did anyone ever think to check that imbalance till this therapist. 20 years of issues...

Solved.

Not sure if its your cure but check it out.

Tim, Hugo, keep your inappropriate and unneeded remarks off this thread. ( big picture, nobody cares who said what first, lets move on )

Mark is looking for help. Let's keep that in mind. No one minds if you express your opinion about something, just keep the personal attacks to yourself, PM, or start your own thread.

Just sayin.

Hugo, you continue to show your ignorance... Like I said, I do pity you. Fyi, a chiropractor has a degree called a D.C, Doctor of chiropractic. You need a B.S. degree to get into school , then 4 more years of school. Training is equivalent to medical school. You would know something about the B.S. degree because that's what you're full of. Keep up your outrageous banter, it must make you feel like a big boy! Tim

Don, I was trying to help a fellow pelican with a back problem, which is something I have expertise in. Hugo started his outrageous behavior by saying the comments he did. I will get off the subject. Mark, I apologize for being involved with hijacking your thread. It was not my intention. If you have any questions or I may be of some help, pm me. Tim

Tim,
From my point of view, you got me wrong.
A chiro can be very useful, provided he has a working diagnosis. The diagnosis MUST be obtained first, ususlly by a neurologist, a radiologist, or any member of the faculty.
Too many horror stories of tratments wrongly applied based on a false diagnosis.

Once one knows the cause of the pain, knock yourself out and bend stretch, pull and twist all you want.

George k, sorry for misunderstanding you. Just fyi, chiropractors are primary care doctors in the states, they diagnose, order MRI's, ct scans and many other tests. Tim

Hi Tim,
Well, not here. MD out of med schoold prescribe medical exams.
As long as a precise diagnosis is reached, ANY therapy that brings relief to the patient is welcome, personal beliefs and preferences nonwithstanding.
The question is not whether we (I) believe any method is valid, but whether the patient gets better.

I realize I semi-opened a bag of worms with this post: there are many ways to approach treatment. I'll admittedly take the easiest approach first.

At the University of Texas, I had the electro-shock thingy on my back for about 30m with ice applied as well. Then my tightness was evaluated & they worked on my him flexor muscles: very tight, they drilled them out with their knuckles & it did relieve some back pain almost immediately. They then had me do about 5 differing pull-stretch exercises with me on all 4's. This helped a bit too. I told them how it continued on & they felt the plane seats made things worse, though I did make a little lumbar support out of my wife's scarf for each voyage.

They sent me on my way to continue the exercises, ibuprofin, and some prescription heat patches that literally feel like a scalding hot water bottle on my skin: last about 3-4 hours & attach to the skin, about 6x8 by 1/16" thick: amazing.

All in all, I'm at least 50% better today, continuing on with the stretches & ibuprofin. Nasty back spasm. I need to spend more time on my core muscles: I'm stronger than most being that I live in the gym, but still, core could be stronger for future protection.

Mark, sounds like you are on the right path at the moment. You may have temporary set-backs, but I'm sure you will win. You hit the nail on the head, core is key... When core is strong, your lumbar lordosis/curve, sacral angle and your pelvis will be in proper tilt. The deep tissue massage although painful is very effective. Take care, Tim

Wow.....a subject I am more than well versed in.

Have had what I would call debilitating lower back spasms off and on the past 4 years. At times I was unable to stand up straight without incredible pain. A couple of times it put me literally on the floor, and it was nearly impossible to get up. Trips to the emergency room, chiropractor, etc yielded little immediate help. Most muscle relaxing drugs had no effect on the cramps as well.

I am not sure there is anything worse or anything that can effect your day-to-day life more negatively than lower back spasms.

Xrays revealed zero disc issues as well.

Like said above, a spasm or cramp in your lower back is just your body's way of protecting itself.
Mine come from a seemingly normal daily activity....such as bending over, twisting, etc.
One second I'm fine, the next second I've felt this twinge in my lower back, and the lower back cramps start in earnest.

What I've learned with mine and what helps the most.

1) For sure, it's ice, ice, and more ice. Four to six times a day. You've either strained or stretched (read inflammed) a very small muscle back there, and you need ice to keep the swelling to a minimum.
Heat (although feels great), is not the way to go.
Think sprained ankle here....you don't put something warm on it; you ice it!

2) There is no cure for rest and taking it easy. The downside to a lower back cramp is you need to really chill out for awhile. Slowly get going again when the spasms begin to loosen up.

3) Yes, stretching is very important. At times I'll begin most of the above stretches in an attempt to see which ones may be able to unknot the cramp. Remember ever getting a cramp in your calf while sleeping? Many of us have. What do you do? Just leave it be? No you knead it, massage it and most importantly attempt to stretch it out. Usually works, right? Recently when my lower back was really cramping, I was able to restore most of my mobility and eliminate much of the pain by doing the cobra stretch (last on on the lower right that has been "X'd" out).
Again I went slow and sure enough, much of the cramp (not all) was alleviated.

Keep in mind, again I never had any disc issues. This was mearly all a function of a slight muscle strain that caused my lower back to cramp up significantly.

4) The best drug I've found to help with lower back muscle spasms is something you can get over the counter in Thailand. Also can get here in the US with a doctor's script. It is called diclofenac. A simple anti-imflammatory drug. I take 25mg normally, but 50mg can be taken if the cramp is severe. Just need to take with food, and there should be few side affects, etc. It's done wonders for my lower back on a number of occasions.

I know for one that lower back spasms are a mess.
No fun at all.
Put your life needlessly on hold.
I hate them.

Loosing weight, getting in better shape, and regular stretching helps a lot in preventing them.
In fact, one of the most important things I've done for my lower back, is stretch the rest of my body.
Especially my legs.
Tight hamstrings, quad, and calves can all pull relentlessly on your lower back causing all kinds of problems and unwanted pain.

Just my 2 cents.
Hope some of this helps.
Good luck with the lower back spasms.