Ye Olde Back Pain...what To Do About It?

[Deserted]

Greetings, after a sixth successive month of lower back pain I am beginning to be concerned. I've tried everything except a doctor ut nothing works for long. I have a baby that I carry about too much, this is what has caused it. I am always bending over. The thing is I thought it would go away but it isn't, its getting worse. Last night I woke at 2am in agony and couldn't get back to sleep. Went to have a massage with a proper massuese, no effect. What to do? Is physio-therapy the option? Where in Bangkok is good for that?

[VocalNeal]

Magnesium?

Swimming?

[Sheryl]

You need to see an orthopedic surgeon specializing in spinal issues. This, along with at least an Xray, is necessary before physical therapy can be prescribed if indeed it is indicated. Dr. Wicharn at the spine center at BNH hospital is quite good.

All the main hospitals ave physical therapy departments.

[Deserted]

Thanks i tried a scolding hot bath last week which helped massively though my nads didnt enjoy it so much aand i was thinking about yoga. I can feel some sort of lump or.hardness on the base of the muscle.and it osnt going away

[zorro1]

lower back pain that gets worse over time is often a sign of diseased kidneys. The kidneys swell putting pressure on the spine

Thats a pretty good one to rule out so why not see a doctor? doesn't have to be a hospital , your general GP will pretty much know whats up

[raro]

Give Dr Mark a try, chiropractor in Ekkamai. He fixed my back pretty well!

Sent from my GT-N7000 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[Deserted]

Its muscle related for sure. It kicked in when my daughterwas born and in a brief break from parenting it almost went completely. The muscle has hardened either side of the spine above the bum.

[Jessi]

Magnesium?

Swimming?

I know swimming is a very good form of exercise BUT how can Magnesium help with a back problem?

[krisb]

Chiropractor, lots of massage. Anti inflammation cream. Also putting fresh uncooked olive oil on food helps.

Are you a smoker? Back pain and smoking have been linked.

[Ace of Pop]

Sell the PickUp.Get a Car.

[CharlieH]

What about your matress ? That can often be a source of back issues, also explain disturbed sleep etc.

Just a thought.

[poanoi]

Back pain is hell, in the short run, avoid sway back, avoid walking or standing long periods of time, -as in >5 min.

Massage & hot cream will help up.

In the long term, you have to build muscles, and how you do it is to put burden on the back without moving the back,

and i recommend

1] triceps press, keep your back still while you workout, and

2] dumbbell squats, focus on keeping the back still, with a bit of sway

This is the principal my physician showed me, and i was cured after a year,

stopped working out tho so now i have to do it again.

[ongchart]

Thanks i tried a scolding hot bath last week which helped massively though my nads didnt enjoy it so much aand i was thinking about yoga. I can feel some sort of lump or.hardness on the base of the muscle.and it osnt going away

I used to have a slipped disc, went for 6 months of twice weekly physiotherapy, chiropractor, but nothing worked and I really suffered for many years until I was recommended to an accupuncturist. I constantly had what you described as a lump around my lower spinal area, and only the accupunctures managed to get rid of the swelling almost immediately. The needles were connected to an electrical pulse machine, so it was painful during that 30 minutes, but once the machine is turned off, I felt an instant relieve. The weekly sessions went on for only a month and I could live quite a normal life, except lifting heavy loads.

Unfortunately, that physician is in Singapore, so if you want to try this alternative treatment, you will have to find a reputable accupuncturist in Thailand. Maybe some TV members have recommendations. Good luck!

[JDGRUEN]

What you most likely have is Sciatica which is caused by a bulging disc (slipped disc) in the 4th.-5th. lumbar vertebral space. It could be in another space - but mostly likely as I describe. The disc that separates the vertebra have at least bulged from action of bending and lifting. The disc could have ruptured - but that usually brings on a much more serious set of problems - such as numbness in a foot. Usually you will have one side affected - but the bulge could shift and the other side has the problem. The disc (visualize a baby's fluid filled teething ring having also gristly connective tissue). With unexpected physical activity - especially fulcrum lifting (new baby) and you get bulging. The bulge or rupture is assisted by aging - tendons, ligaments and connective tissue is just not what it used to be and things move around.

What is going on is the shift of the disc and the bulging has cause the disc tissue to come in contact with the large Sciatic Nerve that branches off at the 4th.- 5th. lumbar juncture and runs down both buttocks. This contact between the disc tissue and the nerve cause a sort of allergic reaction. The Sciatic nerve becomes red - raw and inflamed. The inflammation of the nerve causes the nerve to fire thousands of random - erratic signals to the muscle groups - this results in a extreme muscle spasm and a lock up of the muscle(s) and you get a big - stiff - painful lump at some point down the top or along the buttocks or even down to the back of the thigh. This is similar to what is called in the USA - a 'Charlie Horse'.

Diagnosis at a back clinic usually involves a CT-Scan or MRI. Initial X-Rays help but are often not definitive. Chiropractors can be of a help and possibly a cure - depends on their skill. Chiropractors that use decompression methods such as inverting you in a sling to allow the disc space to open and the bulging disc to slide back in place has a good chance of working.

Doctors can basically cure the problem by injecting special types of steroids into the disc space to eliminate the inflammation. I had this done when my back became a problem many years ago. Surgery could become necessary if other methods do not stop the progress of the problem.

What you can do yourself to lessen the problem while you make that appointment to see a physician... First off - STOP heat treatments (gives temporary relief but actually aggravates the inflammation). Use cold packs at the top of the buttocks - at the beginning of the 'butt crack'. If applications of cold packs gives relief - then you likely have a bulging disc. Take anti-inflammatories such as Aleve (Naproxin Sodium), Advil (Ibuprofen), Omega 3 fatty acids (fish oils), Turmeric (Curcumin). You can take Tylenol (acetaminophen) for pain - but it is not an anti-inflammatory. You can and should combine these over the counter drugs over a days time. Take heavy doses of the omega 3 oils and the turmeric. I am not a doctor - but I have extensive education and experience in the health / medical field and I have had the same problem that you have - but in spades.

Edited April 14, 2013 by JDGRUEN

[poanoi]

Here is a chiropractor in pattaya

http://pattayachirocenter.com/

[Trickcyclist]

Where can I find a Teeter-Hang-Ups-EP-550-Inversion unit, or, similar, in Thailand?

Thanks

[Kalbo]

Back pain is hell, in the short run, avoid sway back, avoid walking or standing long periods of time, -as in >5 min.

Massage & hot cream will help up.

In the long term, you have to build muscles, and how you do it is to put burden on the back without moving the back,

and i recommend

1] triceps press, keep your back still while you workout, and

2] dumbbell squats, focus on keeping the back still, with a bit of swaylower back and

This is the principal my physician showed me, and i was cured after a year,

stopped working out tho so now i have to do it again.

I would suggest deadlifts as being the king of all back exercises, specifically the lower back, glutes and hamstrings. You'd need to use light weights to being with to get the form right, but they are an excellent lower back and overall strength exercise

[Skybobber]

Thanks jd, your info was helpfull.

[CWMcMurray]

Give Dr Mark a try, chiropractor in Ekkamai. He fixed my back pretty well!

Sent from my GT-N7000 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Agree with Raro, have been to him as well for neck / back pain

http://www.thailandchiropractor.com/

Prices are reasonable.. 2000 thb for initial appointment to and then 1800 thb for subsequent follow up appointments

Sent from my iPhone using ThaiVisa app

[JDGRUEN]

Where can I find a Teeter-Hang-Ups-EP-550-Inversion unit, or, similar, in Thailand?

Thanks

Sold at Walmart, Costco and Amazon - but shipping cost? Likely to be very high. There is a craigslist.org page for Bangkok under Asia.

[Potosi]

Do not visit a Chiropractor until the cause of the problem is diagnosed. If it's a slipped disc, spinal manipulation is highly dangerous. Good Chiropractors know this and would send you off, but this is Thailand. I would guess it's a slipped disc, but even untreated the bulge usually desiccates within weeks or a few months at worst, six months is too much.

[Rajab Al Zarahni]

It doesn't make sense to attempt or seek treatment without first getting a diagnosis. See your Doctor first, then you will know what's causing it. It could be a number of things including a prolapsed disc or as suggested earlier it could arise from kidney disease or a kidney stone. There are lots of possibilities.

[JAS21]

Here is a Physio in Si Racha

Sorry you have to turn your screen 90Deg!!

[Sheryl]

It doesn't make sense to attempt or seek treatment without first getting a diagnosis. See your Doctor first, then you will know what's causing it. It could be a number of things including a prolapsed disc or as suggested earlier it could arise from kidney disease or a kidney stone. There are lots of possibilities.

+1

You have tried "everything except a doctor"

It's time to try that.

Chiro, physio etc can be helpful or harmful depending on the underlying cause...and what they do needs to be tailored to the underlying cause.. As long as that is left unknown, you risk making matters worse.

[dominique355]

Its muscle related for sure. It kicked in when my daughterwas born and in a brief break from parenting it almost went completely. The muscle has hardened either side of the spine above the bum.

The question is why? Muscles don't just cramp up for no reason.

I strongly suggest to have a proper diagnosis before you start any treatment which could make it worse. It could be a hernia, since you carry heavy things. Refrain from carrying heavy loads until you know what causes the pain.

BTW, I can feel with you, this pain can be just horrible and nothing seems to ease it. I have had back pain since the age of 18 (now I am 64) and it comes and goes. Actually since I live in Thailand, it's much much better, almost gone. My pain comes from an arthritis kind of illness. Best medicine was Voltarene, but please see your doctor first, before you treat yourself.

[partington]

This may not be any use to the OP right away, but there has been an amazing development in the understanding of what causes some persistent back pain. It's as revolutionary as the discovery that stomach ulcers are caused by the bacteria Helicobacter pylori, and it's a bit similar.

A large proportion of persistent chronic back pain is caused by bacterial infection of intervertebral discs, and can be cured by a 3 month course of antibiotics! You can read a summary of the papers from the scientific journal here, but the full articles aren't available free. http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00586-013-2674-z'>http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00586-013-2675-y AND http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00586-013-2674-z

Extracts from the UK Guardian coverage: http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2013/may/07/antibiotics-cure-back-pain-patients

"Antibiotics could cure 40% of chronic back pain patients

Surgeons in the UK and elsewhere are reviewing how they treat patients with chronic back pain after scientists discovered that many of the worst cases were due to bacterial infections.

The shock finding means that scores of patients with unrelenting lower back pain will no longer face major operations but can instead be cured with courses of antibiotics costing around £114.

One of the UK's most eminent spinal surgeons said the discovery was the greatest he had witnessed in his professional life, and that its impact on medicine was worthy of a Nobel prize.

"This is vast. We are talking about probably half of all spinal surgery for back pain being replaced by taking antibiotics," said Peter Hamlyn, a consultant neurological and spinal surgeon at University College London hospital.

The Danish team describe their work in two papers published in the European Spine Journal. In the first report, they explain how bacterial infections inside slipped discs can cause painful inflammation and tiny fractures in the surrounding vertebrae. Working with doctors in Birmingham, the Danish team examined tissue removed from patients for signs of infection. Nearly half tested positive, and of these, more than 80% carried bugs called Propionibacterium acnes."

May be a bit early right now for the medical profession to catch up, and be treating people based on this, especially in non EEC countries, but it holds out great hope in the very near future for some people whose back pain seems untreatable!

EDIT: They already have a website with a questionaire that you can use to find out whether the symptoms you have are consistent with this infection being a likely cause www.mastmedical.com Looks like they have treatment centres in Europe too

sorry the links to papers got screwed up and this useless edit wont work

Edited May 8, 2013 by partington

[wilcopops]

Never let anyone touch your spine without taking x-rays first.

Never use Chiropractors - they are potentially dangerous and their treatment is based on implausible theory therefore any diagnosis is likely to be inaccurate.

Do not self-prescribe painkillers.

[Deserted]

Well guys, thanks for all the help. I have had to take time off from looking after my child as this is the cause, and there has been noticeable improvement but the problem isn't going. I will seek medical assistance for sure.

[ripstanley]

Well guys, thanks for all the help. I have had to take time off from looking after my child as this is the cause, and there has been noticeable improvement but the problem isn't going. I will seek medical assistance for sure.

Same cause as you. Mine was a baby boy I went to Dr and was told to stop lifting, have warm showers on back and take anti inflammitory tablets. My pain disappeared in 2 weeks

Edit Swimming was also reccommended

Edited May 9, 2013 by ripstanley

[Deserted]

thanks, yeah was told the same but 9 months on it isn't going.