Severe, Undiagnosed Back Pain

[dani0303]

So I’ve been suffering from serious back pain on and off since last September when I was in a very serious car accident. The doctors have done MRI’s, X-rays, CT scans, and everything else imaginable but the only answer I get is “chronic muscle spasms”. I’m currently surviving on muscle relaxers and painkillers but I really want to heal it. I’m in physical therapy but I can’t do it as much as I need to because it costs approx. $100 per visit and I have no insurance.

The doctors are recommending that I take at least 3 weeks off of riding, but being a trainer, that’s not really possible. And since I ride mostly greenies who do stupid things, I keep re-injuring it.

I guess my question is this: are there any other alternative therapies I could try that won’t break the wallet? I go to a chiropractor and an acupuncturist. They help but so far I haven’t really found the one “cure”.

Any ideas? I could probably find a way to limit my riding, but I generally ride at least 4 a day. It would be tough to do :\

[citydog]

Find a way to take the recommended time off before you end up so compromised you won’t be able to work at all.

[WaningMoon]

Please stop riding and doing other things that worsen your condition until you can find someone who can fix this. I know. I started with very severe back pain in 1979. Found no help or diagnosis until 2003. Now I can’t do hardly anything. Some days are much better than others. I am not supposed to ride AT ALL. I will end up in a wheelchair they say at some point. Life is not fun, nothing is fun, constant pain of this amount and type take the fun out of everything. I have to live on an unbelievable amount of narcotics, and Im not talking the little ones, like hydrocodone etc. I mean morphine, methadone, and the like. Right now I am on methadone as the morphine would not touch it. This is no way to live. I would wish it on no other.

Muscle spasms seems to be what they choose when they can’t find an answer in my opinion. There very well could be something more they are not finding.

There is a place called the Laser Spine INstitute, I have recently seen them on TV. They will look over your MRI if it is under two yrs old and tell you what they think for free. Might be worth a try. I guess I am lucky in that my MRI show very evident severe stenosis, herniated discs, DDD, DJD, so at least we know. But it took all those yrs to find someone who would order the MRI. Back woods medicine up here.http://www.laserspineinstitute.com/

What if you have something that can now be fixed but if you keep your present schedule, maybe not. You could easily turn something fixable into something permanent and that is no fun.

[wateryglen]

Nurse chimes in: just my 2 cents…

Read & heed all the other threads on back pain. Pain is a message you simply MUST listen to. Your body doesn’t lie to you.

Try this…Ice your painful area as much as you can but especially right after riding. Ride 4? Ice 4 times and a coupla times in evening.

Stop any concussive or twisting kind of riding. No sitting trots.
Get some good shock absorbant saddle pads and pad up.

Add Nsaids to your medication regimen or substitute for pain meds. I suggest Naproxen (generic name for Aleve) and take it around the clock. Keep up a blood level to get & keep the inflamation & pain down. Take for at least a few more days after the pain goes away. Aleve is good for 8-12 hours. I’d take every 8 hours - 24/7. That class of drugs works best when taken regularly and no doses skipped. It can take 3 days or so before you see a max effect too. It’s not always the best taken here & there.
NO ONE should ever ride with muscle relaxants on board btw. It’s like driving while drinking.

Good luck & best wishes! Many of us have been there!!

[Calvincrowe]

Rest your back. Find a way to NOT ride for those 3 weeks. Second the idea of high-dose anti-inflammatories (I can’t take Naproxen due to stomach upset, but Ibuprofen does the trick for me). Ice and heat. You must allow the nerves and muscles to heal…you wouldn’t work your horse if he were in pain would you?? Put yourself on stall rest! I know that is easier said than done, but call some pros in your area, find a competent junior to hack under your supervision. Just rest your back.

Massage really helped me after back surgery, when my muscles were spasming something fierce. My surgeon told me NO CHIRO, but I’d had disc removal surgery, but massage was ok.

[gortmore]

Please take the time off

Please do yourself a favour and take the time off now. I second the anti-inflammatories as well.

I am constantly amazed at the lack of care, those of us who ride, give our bodies. I have been in the exact same position as you are but with a major shoulder problem not my back. Let me tell you it took 2 years, 3 specialists, and 3 physios to get anywhere at all. I have been the best patient this time and that required not riding for 3 months and limiting the barn work I do, plus physio once a week. I have been going to physio weekly for 2 years.

Finally ended up with surgery in January of this year. Physio twice a week for 4 months, and now down to weekly. Just got cleared to ride again because guess what we are doing another surgery. I will be off riding after that surgery for approx 6 weeks or longer.

So do what your Drs are suggesting now otherwise you could be forced to take the time off at a later date. 3 weeks off is not a big deal. I know it seems like it but if you continue down the path you are on it could be much longer and more expensive.

Good luck, sorry for the novel and rant.

[magnolia73]

I’d recommend finding a chiro who specializes in athletes and put yourself in their hands. I see you are up in High Point NC- I see a guy in Charlotte who is really good- and might be worth traveling to. They do more than traditional chiropracters- charge $65 a visit for cash payers.

I had very bad pain last fall and it took probably 10-12 visits to get me feeling good. Now I imagine I will go every 6-8 weeks or so plus do regular exercises. You may never really have the problem solved (my back still hurts on occasion). But I have gone from eating a dozen Advil a day to none.

The nice thing is that they get wanting to be active. Plus they are realistic- mine told me I needed additional core strength, better posture and regular stretching to hold up to riding and have showed me how to do those things. They will give you what you need to stay active.

[dani0303]

sigh. Deep down I know I really do need to take the time off. Unfortunately it’s show season and I’ve got a farm full of greenies that need to be marketed. Luckily the kids get out of school soon and I do have a few jr. riders who are capable of working the horses under my supervision.

I also find it funny how we notice every single bump and bruise on our horses but tend to disregard our own pain. Why is it? I’ve always found it curious.

I’ve been swimming a lot now that the weather has warmed up. It seems to be a good way for me to stay in shape without adding too much extra stress on the back.

Thanks for all the responses guys.

[MunchkinsMom]

This may sound a little bit nutty, but if it is truely muscle spasms, try putting Sore No More on it, really massage it in good. It really helps my lower back, I get stress related lower back muscle spasms that damn near cripple me when they are at their worse, and the robaxin and pain relievers really do not help.

I went to a PT for it also, they gave me exercises to do, that didn’t really help either. Basically what worked was rest, reduce my stress levels, and the Sore No More, and heating pads.

It can’t hurt to give the Sore No More a try, and of course like everyone else said, try to give it a rest and a chance to heal.

One more suggestion, if you have access to a hot tub or jet tub, use it.

[cheval_convert]

[QUOTE=MunchkinsMom;4899943]
This may sound a little bit nutty, but if it is truely muscle spasms, try putting Sore No More on it, really massage it in good. It really helps my lower back, I get stress related lower back muscle spasms that damn near cripple me when they are at their worse, and the robaxin and pain relievers really do not help.

I went to a PT for it also, they gave me exercises to do, that didn’t really help either. Basically what worked was rest, reduce my stress levels, and the Sore No More, and heating pads.

It can’t hurt to give the Sore No More a try, and of course like everyone else said, try to give it a rest and a chance to heal.

One more suggestion, if you have access to a hot tub or jet tub, use it.[/QUOTE]

MM, if a lot of your back pain is from stress, get John Sarno’s book, “Healing Back Pain.” This book helped me go from wondering if I could go to work in the morning to riding horses again. This was after all the pt and pain relievers were not fixing me!

OP, if you are swimming, make sure you do a variety of strokes - back, side (both sides), breast and crawl. I found that by doing all of those strokes I put my 4 limbs through full range of motion and really worked out kinks in my back.

Also, be careful with heat. Everyone thought a hot tub would help me but because I had some inflamation going on it just triggered the nerves and made things worse. I was my friend (and still is some days). And please do take the time off before you make everything even worse. Just my 2 cents:)

[In1]

Who is your chiro? I am in Greensboro, know quite a few chiros in the area. My 2 cents? A GREAT chiro makes 100X the difference than a good chiro. They are not all equal and use different techniques.

If you’d like the name of an amazing chiro in Greensboro, please PM me. This chiro treats most of the other chiros in the area!

[EqTrainer]

Osteopath!

[pintopiaffe]

also find it funny how we notice every single bump and bruise on our horses but tend to disregard our own pain. Why is it? I’ve always found it curious.

And if you were a horse, and the VET said “3 weeks off” you would comply in a heartbeat, wouldn’t you?

I know you have to pay the bills. But as soon as those Jr.s are out of school, DO it. Better 3 weeks NOW than being unable to ride for the rest of your life, 'eh?

Good luck. Chronic pain sucks.

[Catersun]

[QUOTE=EqTrainer;4902352]
Osteopath![/QUOTE]

Manpiulative Osteopath!

[whicker]

Another vote for an osteopath. They ca do wonders and they are not as expensive as the regular drs. (They are quite different from chiros and can work on internal issues, as well.)

[jawa]

Try changing or adding a mattress pad. I have dealt with chronic back pain and this is what truly helped me.

1. muscle relaxants taken at night, advil/alleve taken during the day

2. seeing a good chiro 2-3 times a week for 3 weeks, then 1 time a week for 6 weeks

3. getting a tempurpedic mattress. I can go to bed now with back pain and wake up feeling healed. If you can’t afford a new mattress they do have pads that can be purchased. Even if you just get a single for your side of the bed, it may provide significant relief

4. if there is any way possible, take time off. Your back needs to heal.

Question? Was the accident your fault? A good attorney could help if you were not at fault.

[Bearhunter]

I have chronic back pain (herniation at L4/L5) as well as scoliosis. I have seen every kind of practitioner known to man. Spent so much time and money and cried many tears. Ortho told me that my pain was much greater than the severity of the herniation and didn’t make sense. I did have an epidural which did help however the BEST thing I have done is rolfing. I am convinced the reason why is this. I do believe the herniation has caused me pain, but the ongoing pain for me (and many riders) is tight, shortened, and contracted muscles. The fascia gets bound and can actually form into scar like tissue . My rolfer was able to work through much of this (in my lower back, hips, abdomen, and many other places because as you know every place is connected!!!) Nothing else helped as much.

[In1]

Dani - any updates? How are you feeling?

[Carol_Ames]

more pecialists

Sorry, but, I found the only thing that works is REST!Try an osteopath; cranial sacral massage therapist.also Alexander technique therapist

[Bearhunter]

I tried the Alexander Technique. While I could see how it could work for some, it is not for those who are the least impatient. It is a VERY, VERY slooooowww process.