# Lower back problems



## Bee (Apr 27, 2015)

*People with lower back problems are more likely to have a spine similar in shape to the chimpanzee, our closest ape ancestor.*
A lesion which forms in the disc between the bones of the spine is the reason for the differing shape.
It would have caused the vertebrae to change as humans evolved from using four legs to two legs.
The researchers say their findings could help doctors predict who may be at risk of back problems.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-32452250


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## oldman (Apr 27, 2015)

I guess this explains my desire to eat a banana every day. I had back surgery to relieve the pain from a ruptured disc in 2010. My back has been OK, but now I get sciatica pain off and on. I fixed one problem only to end up with another problem.


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## Debby (Apr 27, 2015)

That's interesting about the findings on spine shape and the similarities to chimps.

But there are so many other things that can cause lower back pain too.   Turns out my daughter has a congenital malformation of the spine that has been causing her grief since she was four years old although we didn't know at the time, that it was doing so.  Her atlas bone is fused to her skull and her spine has a distinct twist to it.  So she went to a chiropractor out of desperation because she was so sick, continual head ache, symptoms of ongoing Meniere's disease and constant back pain and muscle pain.  

After looking at her x-rays he saw that she wasn't 'right' and did a bunch of adjustments on her.  Some of her symptoms like the back pain have lessened, a couple are about the same, but she hasn't had a migraine since she got back which was about a month and a half ago.  The lack of migraines in her case is significant because she's been getting those since she was four and til the chiropractor trip was pretty much in agony every day!  So we're glad about that. 

When my girls were babies, I had terrible back pain too and I turned to weight lifting which eventually fixed it.  Strengthened the core muscles you know.  At the time, I thought it was nuts to do weight lifting when my back hurt so much all the time, but working into it very, very gradually finally got me back on track.


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## Josiah (Apr 27, 2015)

Debby said:


> That's interesting about the findings on spine shape and the similarities to chimps.
> 
> But there are so many other things that can cause lower back pain too.   Turns out my daughter has a congenital malformation of the spine that has been causing her grief since she was four years old although we didn't know at the time, that it was doing so.  Her atlas bone is fused to her skull and her spine has a distinct twist to it.  So she went to a chiropractor out of desperation because she was so sick, continual head ache, symptoms of ongoing Meniere's disease and constant back pain and muscle pain.
> 
> ...



Strengthening the core muscles supporting the back is definitely the best way to protect your back. Also paying attention to your posture by trying to flatten your lumbar spine helps, but I've always found correcting your posture a very difficult thing to do. You do it for a while and then you forget.


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## Ameriscot (Apr 27, 2015)

Josiah said:


> Strengthening the core muscles supporting the back is definitely the best way to protect your back. Also paying attention to your posture by trying to flatten your lumbar spine helps, but I've always found correcting your posture a very difficult thing to do. You do it for a while and then you forget.



A large belly and weak ab muscles & core makes the lower back support it, thus more backaches.  I had more lower back pain when my belly was too big.  Now I just get occasional pain and it's always from lifting or twisting and lifting with the wrong posture.


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## AprilT (Apr 27, 2015)

Debby said:


> That's interesting about the findings on spine shape and the similarities to chimps.
> 
> *But there are so many other things that can cause lower back pain too.*   Turns out my daughter has a congenital malformation of the spine that has been causing her grief since she was four years old although we didn't know at the time, that it was doing so.  Her atlas bone is fused to her skull and her spine has a distinct twist to it.  So she went to a chiropractor out of desperation because she was so sick, continual head ache, symptoms of ongoing Meniere's disease and constant back pain and muscle pain.
> 
> ...




Not to mention being taken out by a semi-truck as in my case along with related work injuries that compounded the situation later.    Hmmmm speaking of which, I should be walking out the door now heading to PT.  nthego:


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## Ameriscot (Apr 27, 2015)

AprilT said:


> Not to mention being taken out by a semi-truck as in my case along with related work injuries that compounded the situation later.



Yes, that would do it.  Not all back issues are as simple as weight and fitness.  

I was in a crash with a semi in the 90's but was very lucky that I had no injuries whatsoever other than feeling my face was slapped by the airbag and the driver getting a sore shoulder.


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## Debby (Apr 27, 2015)

Oh April and Ameriscot, that's an awful experience to have!  Were your cars t-boned or sideswiped or what?  Terrible, terrible ...... and April, you're still going for therapy for that are you?  Well congrats on surviving ladies (big truck = very bad situation) and hope that soon you won't need the physical therapy.


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## Ameriscot (Apr 27, 2015)

I was on a busy freeway and the driver (my then BF) was busy talking and didn't notice that the car was getting sucked over toward the semi.  We bumped and then got dragged under it by the rear of the car, found ourselves facing oncoming traffic then spun over to the hard shoulder.  The rear of the car was crushed and if anyone had been in the back seat they would have been killed.  I had a wee bit of soreness in my ribs from jerking forward with the shoulder harness, and a bit of sting on my face from the airbag.  BF had a sore shoulder and some burns on his face from the airbag.  We were damn lucky.  I would not drive anywhere near a semi for a couple of years after that and didn't like if someone else was driving and was near a semi.

The police report did not say who was at fault although a witness behind us said he noticed the car drifting toward the semi.


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## Ken N Tx (Apr 27, 2015)

oldman said:


> I guess this explains my desire to eat a banana every day. I had back surgery to relieve the pain from a ruptured disc in 2010. My back has been OK, but now I get sciatica pain off and on. I fixed one problem only to end up with another problem.


What over the counter medication do you take for the sciatic pain??


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## Louis (Apr 27, 2015)

Just reading this thread makes my back hurt. Here is a copy of a thread I started in December 2010 on a cycling forum I used to frequent:

 				 				 				[h=2]I Thought I Was Invulnerable...[/h] 				    						 							 							 						 						 				 					 						...up until now, that is.

Ten days ago I was fetching my neighbor's newspaper as I do every day  because she is partially disabled and has trouble walking the 50 yards  to her paper box.

After placing the paper on the top porch rail, and as I was taking my  first step down the concrete steps, my feet went out from under me on  the ice and I landed on my back/side on the steps. For a scary moment I  couldn't breathe from having the wind knocked out of me...but even worse  was the ragged pain spiking through my body.

Getting up and walking home was as painful as anything I can remember in  my life. Even my many kidney stone episodes were nothing like this.

I decided to 'tough it out', hoping things would heal. Sure enough,  after a few days the pain began slowly subsiding. Although feeling very  sore, I even went to two of my granddaughter's basketball games. Things  were getting better.

Then...Sunday morning I sneezed.
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





  Holy sh*t!!! Now the pain was back and this time it was really  pissed...I almost came unglued and I'm pretty good at handling pain.

Today I had my son take me to the ER.

The results...three fractured ribs and three Transverse Process fractures in my spine.

I had just started my indoor 2011 training at this point. Now it looks  like I'll be waiting at least a few weeks until things improve (I can't  even lift a leg over my bike).

Coincidentally, The day before all this happened...my neighbor warned  "Louis be careful of the ice on my steps - I can't always get out here  to salt it so early in the morning."

Of course I paid little attention to her words because I was invulnerable.​


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## AprilT (Apr 27, 2015)

Debby said:


> Oh April and Ameriscot, that's an awful experience to have!  Were your cars t-boned or sideswiped or what?  Terrible, terrible ...... and April, you're still going for therapy for that are you?  Well congrats on surviving ladies (big truck = very bad situation) and hope that soon you won't need the physical therapy.



T-boned, but more to the front, years ago, and t-boned a couple of years again after that by another person both times the cars I was driving had major damage.  The first it was one of those, I was in shock, loss my night vision, didn't really take the injuries too serious, I had a household to run, I went right back to work, before receiving the ok, found myself not able to move my neck and all kinds of fun stuff followed, but, I kept at a job that exacerbated things along with injuries I incurred from my gym workouts, there wasn't any one thing that has caused my physical issues, but, the body never really has fully recovered even though, I went through physical therapy, medical procedures, chiropractors, the docs are always recommending more PT and medical procedures, I'll go for the PT ever so often when the back gets to the point it's seizes up continuously or pain is at level 10 as it had several times this month, last month and this month times thinking I might have to go to the emergency room the pain was so bad it scared me.  Half the time, I can't remember all the things that have contributed to the back issues, but, I do know, it's been labeled a chronic issue and I have just learned to live with it and am thankful for the reprieves from pain when I have them and especially thankful, I don't have the worst of it all the time, I even have some really good days, not pain free, but, days that for me, I consider background noise.   I'm having a good week so far, I did take some extra strength medicine over the weekend, but, I can't really take that one on an ongoing basis, but, it did help for a minute.

I will say this, I had some back work done, so I only have the extreme sever pain on one side, I'm wondering if I should reconsider going back in and having the laser nerve work done again and if it would finally work on the left side.  I don't know, I'm going to give it some more thought, I'm really getting tired of such a limited physical existence..


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## Ameriscot (Apr 27, 2015)

AprilT said:


> T-boned, but more to the front, years ago, and t-boned a couple of years again after that by another person both times the cars I was driving had major damage.  The first it was one of those, I was in shock, loss my night vision, didn't really take the injuries too serious, I had a household to run, I went right back to work, before receiving the ok, found myself not able to move my neck and all kinds of fun stuff followed, but, I kept at a job that exacerbated things along with injuries I incurred from my gym workouts, there wasn't any one thing that has caused my physical issues, but, the body never really has fully recovered even though, I went through physical therapy, medical procedures, chiropractors, the docs are always recommending more PT and medical procedures, I'll go for the PT ever so often when the back gets to the point it's seizes up continuously or pain is at level 10 as it had several times this month, last month and this month times thinking I might have to go to the emergency room the pain was so bad it scared me.  Half the time, I can't remember all the things that have contributed to the back issues, but, I do know, it's been labeled a chronic issue and I have just learned to live with it and am thankful for the reprieves from pain when I have them and especially thankful, I don't have the worst of it all the time, I even have some really good days, not pain free, but, days that for me, I consider background noise.   I'm having a good week so far, I did take some extra strength medicine over the weekend, but, I can't really take that one on an ongoing basis, but, it did help for a minute.
> 
> I will say this, I had some back work done, so I only have the extreme sever pain on one side, I'm wondering if I should reconsider going back in and having the laser nerve work done again and if it would finally work on the left side.  I don't know, I'm going to give it some more thought, I'm really getting tired of such a limited physical existence..



It's amazing you have such a good attitude with all that pain, April!   Wish this hug could help.  :bighug:


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## AprilT (Apr 27, 2015)

Ameriscot said:


> It's amazing you have such a good attitude with all that pain, April!   Wish this hug could help.  :bighug:



Thank you Ameriscot, but, I took that medicine this past weekend, it did help, it was that or tell my friends to not come out for my b-day and I just didn't have the heart to do that.  I am feeling a lot better this week, plus, I got some good news in the mail about the transit service I was receiving being reinstated, so I shouldn't have as many severe episodes as I had over the past couple of months considering.

And thanks for the hug, you know I always enjoy one of those.  back at ya.  :bighug:


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## Ameriscot (Apr 27, 2015)

Is surgery in your near future, April?


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## AprilT (Apr 27, 2015)

Ameriscot said:


> Is surgery in your near future, April?



I've had several laser procedures, not sure about having more, I don't know what the future holds at this point, I'm just reconsidering some of the other alternatives I've passed on in the past couple of years, I just really am sick of not being able to take long walks anymore and do other things.  If I'm going to still be around another few years, I don't want to have to do it sitting in a chair if there's an alternative whatever that alternative may be, I just can't do this anymore it's getting frustrating.  Well either that or I'm gonna have to get me a go-cart.


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## NancyNGA (Apr 27, 2015)

Louis said:


> .... After placing the paper on the top porch rail, and as I was taking my  first step down the concrete steps, my feet went out from under me on  the ice and I landed on my back/side on the steps. For a scary moment I  couldn't breathe from having the wind knocked out of me...but even worse  was the ragged pain spiking through my body.
> 
> The results...three fractured ribs and three Transverse Process fractures in my spine.



Did you recover completely, Louis?

I fell on my bike in wet grass when I was a kid landing right on my tailbone.  Didn't tell my parents because I was afraid they'd stop allowing me to ride the bike.  Still bothers me a little today to sit on the "sweet spot" for very long.


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## Louis (Apr 27, 2015)

NancyNGA said:


> Did you recover completely, Louis?
> 
> I fell on my bike in wet grass when I was a kid landing right on my tailbone.  Didn't tell my parents because I was afraid they'd stop allowing me to ride the bike.  Still bothers me a little today to sit on the "sweet spot" for very long.



I occasionally get a nagging, but not severe, pain that lasts for a few days; especially if I've done any lifting chores around my house. Thanks for asking, Nancy.

Ouch! Riding a bike in wet grass is never a good idea.


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## ndynt (Apr 27, 2015)

AprilT said:


> I've had several laser procedures, not sure about having more, I don't know what the future holds at this point, I'm just reconsidering some of the other alternatives I've passed on in the past couple of years, I just really am sick of not being able to take long walks anymore and do other things.  If I'm going to still be around another few years, I don't want to have to do it sitting in a chair if there's an alternative whatever that alternative may be, I just can't do this anymore it's getting frustrating.  Well either that or I'm gonna have to get me a go-cart.


  When I have gone to office visits, although people in the waiting room complain about their back pain, they are able to still walk. You are the first person that seems to be experiencing the same problem I have. April, if I may ask, how impaired is your walking.  I think I have exhausted my alternatives, unless there are some my MD's have not suggested.  I will deal with the pain, if only I could walk again.


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## AprilT (Apr 27, 2015)

ndynt said:


> When I have gone to office visits, although people in the waiting room complain about their back pain, they are able to still walk. You are the first person that seems to be experiencing the same problem I have. April, if I may ask, how impaired is your walking.  I think I have exhausted my alternatives, unless there are some my MD's have not suggested.  I will deal with the pain, if only I could walk again.



I can walk, just not without some pain of varying degrees depending on what I've done on the day before or sometimes minutes before.  My pain is such that I no longer can sleep in a bed, I have been sleeping in a recliner for the past year or so.  I have bursitis in my hip and shoulder.  I've been told the pain in my back is interconnected to some of what else is going on with the hip and leg as far as not being able to sleep in a fully reclined position.

Nona, sorry you are having pain issues, I know how confining and hindering it can be.


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## Ameriscot (Apr 28, 2015)

So sorry April and Nona for your suffering.  I don't deal with pain well so I'm afraid I'd be whining nonstop.


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## ndynt (Apr 28, 2015)

AprilT said:


> I can walk, just not without some pain of varying degrees depending on what I've done on the day before or sometimes minutes before.  My pain is such that I no longer can sleep in a bed, I have been sleeping in a recliner for the past year or so.  I have bursitis in my hip and shoulder.  I've been told the pain in my back is interconnected to some of what else is going on with the hip and leg as far as not being able to sleep in a fully reclined position.
> 
> Nona, sorry you are having pain issues, I know how confining and hindering it can be.


  April, how difficult not being able to lay down.  Can you get any semblance of rest, sleeping in a recliner?  Thankfully, the only comfortable position for me is flat on my back. Sitting in a chair for any period of time is agony.   I wonder if busitis does not go along with back problems.  Mine is in my thighs though.   And the walking problems seems to be different.  Mine is not really pain related....though it is painful to walk.  Rather that my legs just will not work right.  When I ask my specialists why they just look at me and do not really answer.  Is it not so very frustrating....not being able to function?  Are you able to get one of those scooter things?  A friend has one and although she is on O2...she scoots all around with it.


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## AprilT (Apr 28, 2015)

Ameriscot said:


> So sorry April and Nona for your suffering.  I don't deal with pain well so I'm afraid I'd be whining nonstop.



Thank you.  I'm hoping the questions to me are done, I'm already sick of hearing myself talk about my aches for a while now, on to something more pressing, like, my cute physical therapist, now that's a thought I'd like to focus on.  :hitit:


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## Ameriscot (Apr 28, 2015)

AprilT said:


> Thank you.  I'm hoping the questions to me are done, I'm already sick of hearing myself talk about my aches for a while now, on to something more pressing, like, my cute physical therapist, now that's a thought I'd like to focus on.  :hitit:




Okey dokey.  A cute PT is nice!  I had a gorgeous gyn when I lived in TN.  He was nice also a great doctor.  I looked forward to my annual exams!


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## ndynt (Apr 28, 2015)

Ahhh YES, April.  That is a lot more entertaining.   Hopefully your PT will continue for awhile.  Something to really look forward to...:hatlaugh:


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