Pain In The Back

[MeFil]

Well, I've been suffering from back pain since the start of July. My back had been niggling me for a couple of weeks, but nothing to worry about...or so I thought. Then I sneezed! Massive jolt shot across my lower back and that was that..leg pain developed almost immediately. Took 6 weeks to get to a point where I could return to work. The problem was I still had constant chronic sciatic pain and a loss of power in my right leg. MRI revealed a herniated disc and an appointment was booked to see a consultant. Trouble is it wasn't until the middle of January.

I saw my gp a couple of weeks back, a locum, I just needed some more pain killers. She was fantastic. Gave me some more pills, but wasnt happy about the time I was going to have to wait and she started out on a one woman mission to get me seen earlier. Im not sure what she did, but the words formidable kept being used a lot.

The upshot was that I finally got to see a consultant on the Saturday morning and I had surgery to fix my back 3 days later.

Its been a week now and things are going well... leg pain has gone and the physio has started. I've still got a way to go. But it's still going to be early February before I can hope to be back at work.

The moral....look after your backs.... mine will have cost me 4 1/2 months off work this year.

 

[OnOff]

Used to suffer with back pain big time. Job has always inolved lifting 25kg weights occassionally since an apprentice - always one in each hand for as long as I can remember. Went for years with it. Was doing karate and couldn't extend my left leg without the shooting pains etc. Would get OK'ish throughout the lesson then seize up later. GP would book me off for a week and prescribe Neurofen. Got to the point where I couldn't lie/stand/sleep/go to the loo etc without pain. Sneezing, coughing etc was agony when it was bad. Even had a bit of "leakage" and loss of "feeling" on occassion! Had a few episodes and the karate instructor suggested a chiropracter a few times. Always figured it quack medicine until in desperation I gave it a go. Absolute revelation, first appointment he fixed me like one of those miracle healers in America - went in hobbling and came out skipping! Hurt like hell when he was twisting and bending me but got used to it! So every time my back would go out I'd spend just short of £150 on half a dozen sessions. Bloke reckons I

Didn't really learn from any of it. Took a hot bath one day when it was playing up and slipped with one leg straight out. Ended up in A&E with a disc out. Was crawling the walls, thank God for Tramadol! Hospital suggested I get my GP to arrange an MRI but they never sent a letter and GP wasn't really interested. Pain went until I decided one day to bench press an old chest of drawers the wife wanted to keep up into the garage rafters! So..........back in A&E about 18 months after the first time, back to the now new GP and got an MRI. Deffo sciatica with a damaged disc. Consultant said if I had been in pain when he saw me after then an op would have been an option. Got the CD with the piccies etc. Very, very careful nowadays. One weight at a time. But if I feel a twinge coming on I WALK. No pills, just walking. 4 / 5 miles a day and everything in the lower back seems to tighten up and staighten out. Only though have about 80% feeling in the 4 toes on my left foot with a constant mild pins and needles.

Looking like I won't be going to Rio!

 

[Steve3948]

All through my 20's, 30's, 40's suffered with back problems, told wear of lower discs and muscles, also told as I get older the spongy bits between the discs would become less spongy and more solid, that's why old people bend from the hip he said.

I am now that old person, and not had a bad back for a few years (touching wood).

Its the knees that are my issue now,  not keen on getting them looked at, as another electrician I've known for years says it's the worst thing he's done, replacements and  he can longer kneel at all.

 

[OnOff]

Had the discs described to me as a bit like a Rollo sweet - soft on the inside with a shell outside then like an orange net over the outside - the shell is "split" and the disc protrudes out through the "net" pressing on adjacent nerves etc. If you can strengthen the muscles around it, it keeps everything in place.

Thinking of buying a basque................ :Blushing

 

[MeFil]

Had the discs described to me as a bit like a Rollo sweet - soft on the inside with a shell outside then like an orange net over the outside - the shell is "split" and the disc protrudes out through the "net" pressing on adjacent nerves etc. If you can strengthen the muscles around it, it keeps everything in place.

Thinking of buying a basque................ :Blushing

Well that's a good way of describing it. Definitely better to strengthen the muscles rather than have to resort to surgery. Wasn't best happy when the surgeon described all the risks surgery brings.

 

[Evans Electric]

Onoff, what were those 25kg weights ?

Kgs mean nothing to me ...what is that in old money? 

OK   55lbs   or 4 stone  or 5.5 gallons of water  or 27+  bags of sugar  (2lb)  or  1000 half crowns 

 

[OnOff]

Onoff, what were those 25kg weights ?

Kgs mean nothing to me ...what is that in old money? 

56lbs in old money............actually some I use are still stamped as such tbh. Had a muppet ISO assessor once insist we had them all calibrated as some were a tad rusty. Then had to stencil ID numbers on each. No1 - 24.95kg, No2 - 24.98kg..............MADNESS!

All the young girlie lads now insist on having 12.5kg weights instead..................the ones WITHOUT bad backs that is!

 

[Evans Electric]

Ah  right  ... I thought it was a requirement  of your apprenticeship  such as carrying two bundles of imperial 3/4 steel conduit  (the  original 12ft 6ln lengths)  plus the pipe bender and the Spark's  toolbox.  

 

[OnOff]

Ah  right  ... I thought it was a requirement  of your apprenticeship  such as carrying two bundles of imperial 3/4 steel conduit  (the  original 12ft 6ln lengths)  plus the pipe bender and the Spark's  toolbox.  

..........part of my apprenticeship involved being sent back to the van to "get the Parkers" when it rained. Could never figure why they were often stuck together for want of a better word. It was only when we worked away that I realised the van was used as an impromptu knocking shop should anybody pull at the disco and the coats were the matress!

Bet they wouldn't encourage a 16 year old drink to excess every evening or let them drive the Transit across the runway at Heathrow T4 now either.

Happy Days!

 

[pewter]

Over 3 years ago I done 2 discs putting a transformer on the van with my knees locked against bumper.

I couldn't walk and was told it could be 18 months befor I could work again.

Had sessions with osteopath and was back at work after 10 weeks.

Osteopath worked wonders for me.

 

[batty]

I have had back problems since falling off a ladder.

I go and see the back man monthly certainly worth the money. I think prevention is better than cure.

 

[Technician]

To all the guys who had the back problems and other things.......

You have my deepest sympathy.

I have come through it and I suppose my only disfigurement

is a left leg slightly longer than a right one caused, I think, by

hammer slogging with 28 & 14 pounders at obstinate fastenings,

swinging with my right and bracing on my left.

 

[silverfox1]

My sympathy goes out to all sufferers of back pain, I too suffer with the dreaded sciatica and numbness , recently diagnosed with lumber stenosis and had an epidural injection to help with pain, cause wear and tear, apparently nothing nasty showing on MRI just narrowing in spinal canal pinching nerves.