Back pain, any thoughts / suggestions

[samuijimmy]

It is not too expensive to get an X ray done to see what is really going on....

The doctor could determine my problem, within half an hour of the X ray, being taken. I just wished I had done it sooner...

I was taking three pain killers and muscle relaxants a day, now none..

You should have a spinal series of x rays at a minimum. You need to see if you have stenosis- narrowing of the openings which allow the nerves to pass. You need to see if you have arthritis. Arthritis is frequently described as worse in the morning and improves through the day. This combination could make for impinged nerve, or inflammation locally. Nerve pain may not shoot down arm or such. Sometimes it can stay quite local.

Usually the simplest answer is correct but there are some things you should check by your age and x rays are dirt cheap. While your problem can be a few different possible causes, there are some steps you might want to take earlier if it is stenosis, etc. It is much better to have an informed choice rather than a guess. A good doc can narrow it down pretty close just by talking with you. Good luck.

Yes that is what I had, the word "Stenosis", was not coming to me! Without an Xray, we would not have known that... second one in 7 years, hardly over use!

I had been suffering for months before being referred to him... so his treatment was good in prescribing the traction.... next appointment early next month... to check up...but all seems pretty well...

The Samui Doctor is Dr Somkiat, based in Nathon... but I suspect he has days at all the local Samui hospitals .... really only of use to anyone on the Islands...

I suggest to the OP he goes see a Doctor too, perhaps we are blessed in having a good government hospital on Samui....

[pkspeaker]

I used to always get back pain, what cured it for me is an expensive mattress, latex foam with soft padding, never had it since, you might try an expesive mattress befor you spend all the money on a chiropractor

[Jonmarleesco]

Not much to go on. Could be the pillow; try a firmer one. Could be the result of poor posture, which will involve stretching, etc. in the day. Could be muscle contractions, though it doesn't sound like that.

[DragonMike]

Have you heard of Inversion Table?

Have solve my back pain problem.

RELIEVE BACK PAIN

Unlike surgery, mechanical traction, and other invasive forms of treatment, using a Teeter is a gentle, passive way to target pain at the source and care for all weight-bearing joints. Inversion is a natural, progressive form of traction that decompresses each joint with the same weight that compresses it while upright. To put it simply, inverted decompression targets back pain by helping to 1) rehydrate discs, 2) reduce nerve pressure, 3) realign the spine and 4) relax tense muscles. Best of all, stretching on a Teeter feels great and takes only a few minutes a day!

Check out

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[Bigfarang1948]

That it is only at night and resolves completely once you are up and about suggests that there is some inflammation in the tissues and tendons around the scapula which is brought on or exacerbated by the positions you sleep in.

But you need to see an orthopedic specialist to be sure. There may be stretches you can do that will help. You may also need to learn to sleep in a different position. Lying on a heating pad for a while before going to bed may help too. As may antiinflammatories.

Less commonly, these can be referred paid from gastritis which often flares up at night.

Gastritis causing back pain; now there is something I bet you can't connect on WEB MD.

[thailand49]

If one did the research and you can today because of the Internet. Years ago when I first threw my back off I was in my late teens massive muscle spasms couldn't even put my socks on. Lucky me I had a number of family members in the medical professional and therapy. Then I had to go to the library to get information and I do not think the % is much different today after 40 plus years. Majority of the people with back pain comes from muscles it was then like 5% that are genetics and needed surgery.

That being said... if a Doctor recommended a steroid or surgery especially in Thailand and I do not care how beautiful the hospital might be I would run for the hills go home and get a second opinion. And I would get second if not third opinions in the West before any surgery. In my work prior to retirement the majority of the my co-workers had bad backs including me. Recommendation of surgery many times and a few took that advise not one after surgery was able to come back and work again.

I never took that recommendation after I did the research it was always the last options and I mean last. I was too active and was one that would not take medication for long period it only mass the problem. My Doctor who was in a Medical group was the one who operated on Joe Montana, the Hall of Fame QB for the San Francisco Niner's. I did everything outside of surgery and today I continue that regiment of exercise after trying Chiropro... and alternative Chinese medicine. I'm not against any of these treatments but it does relieve the pain but in the end it comes down to the muscle. I had my bones crack but all this did was give me temporary relieve and one can be addicted to these treatments but any good honest bone cracker will tell you the earth pressure is constant on you spine and they can set you straight but the muscles surrounding the spine is what keeps your spine straight. The stronger your core and less weight you carry is the key and that comes from exercise!

Of all the things I have tried it comes down to the cheapest without all the gadgets and doing Yoga, stretches basic old fashion stuff you do not need to buy all the expensive gadget. If you do the research one basically can hang on a pole for 30 seconds and unlock your spine and there are a number of simple exercise that relieve the pain! Great thing I love about Thailand is the massages find a place cater to your problem which I have 120 baht a hour. I do 2 hours every two days for the last ten years and it has more benefits that any medication or surgery will ever give me!

[Issangeorge]

My dad had a bad back at age 80, walked stopped over. He was in pain most of the time, went to several doctors, they all recommended surgery. At 80 he was not too keen on that. He ended up seeing an osteopath, who stretched his spine, by hand manipulations, after three treatments, he had no more pain and walked upright. He never had a problem after and lived to 90.

[Tongdee]

Chiropractors can often help too but very hard to find a good one in Bangkok. I ended up getting back surgery from Dr. Wicharn (Chula, BNH and BCH) who was excellent.

Hard to find a good Chiropracter in Bangkok. If you ask enough cab drivers one just "Might" know where to find Wat Po. Have a shower before you go, Dress politely and get the best theraputic massage you will have in your lifetime. Their school, towards the river is less busy, equally good. An hour is good 2 hours with oil indescribeable. Looking for a chiropracter in Bangkok--- About like bringing a big mac to a banquet... ... ...

[cheeryble]

The Lone Ranger's called Nigel?

Impossible.

ps most back pain is caused by spasm off muscles (often involuntarily) avoiding certain positions.

If you have a good stomach try Voltaren after dinner and one next morning.....50/50 there will be considerable improvement..I just did this again for the umpteenth time successfully this time for a crick between the shoulder blades.

Edited January 19, 2015 by cheeryble

[wpcoe]

Regarding Voltaren, the pharmacy by my condo recommended Voltaren SR (Slow Release), also called Voltaren Retard. It's a once-daily version taken after breakfast. When my back starts to give me problems, it is effective at considerably reducing the pain.

[kinmaew]

I was just in Phuket and got the flu from the cold air con which has happened before but this time I had the worst lower back pain which made it impossible to sleep for days and could not have sex!! Tried tiger balm strips from 7/11 which worked for the first night but after that useless. Went to pharmacy and got tablets "Dolonil SR" - Fixed the problem. No idea what these do, google perhaps but they are made in India, Thai chemist suggested them. Only took 3 of these tabs (Once daily) and pain is now gone but still have a bit of a sniffle but thankfully no more back pain and can sleep and screw ok good luck.

[Holdfast1973]

Hi,

You've gotten a lot of advice. One thing I can tell you from personal experience is the source of my back pain. Whenever I am under stress, it seems to always induce some sort of back pain. No stress, no pain. This is just for me though. If you have an injury, that's something different altogether. Good luck and try to relax.

Dave

[Buckeye21]

I bought an inversion table and been using it for about 6 months now. I don't go completely upside down but far enough to get a good stretch. A bit in the morning and again in the evening and I think it's helping. Doesn't cure back pain completely but it doed help.

[Casper Pi Noi]

There is a herbal remedy Thai friends of mine sell which is fantastic. It is an anti-inflammatory. I had a knee injury from some time ago and when I over exercise it flares up badly. I took the herbal remedy with water from the kettle at night and the next morning I did kilometers on the push bike. I have researched and it is FDA approved. Works really well. Obviously you need to source the core of the problem long term but for an effective relief short term I would recommend this.

I see they have just set up a Facebook page so if you contact me I can pass on details if that would help

[JaiLai]

So went to BKK / Ptty hospital while down there for a few days, saw a Dr and he said that it's nothing serious to worry about and likely muscle spasms. I don't feel any 'spasms' though, should I?

He suggested that it might be caused by lack of warming up / down and stretching before exercising with a combination of bad posture at a computer, both of which as plausible.

I have tried to improve both with lighter weights and better posture and now the pain that was between my should blades seems to have moved to the left side only, it also does not seem to be as severe as before. Hopefully it completely goes away!!

Thanks.

[thaiboss]

I had a bad back pain .. took some asperin ..... went to see orthopedic doc X ray where was nothing ...... i continue to take some asperin ...... one day i was on the floor could no more move ..... ambulance to hospital .. they right away checked the blood and found out that i have take to much asperin and that the asperin had eat all my blood ... i had only 5 left of blood by O you dead ...

so i had never back pain that was only asperin who started to eat my body .......

so my advice X ray + scan and a must check your blood + urine and stool .....if YOuR STOOL IS BLACK OR GREEN DARK then urgent check hospital .....

[hawker9000]

I had a bad back pain .. took some asperin ..... went to see orthopedic doc X ray where was nothing ...... i continue to take some asperin ...... one day i was on the floor could no more move ..... ambulance to hospital .. they right away checked the blood and found out that i have take to much asperin and that the asperin had eat all my blood ... i had only 5 left of blood by O you dead ...

so i had never back pain that was only asperin who started to eat my body .......

so my advice X ray + scan and a must check your blood + urine and stool .....if YOuR STOOL IS BLACK OR GREEN DARK then urgent check hospital .....

ATE all your blood?! "5 left"??

You must've been taking it by the pound...

Does someone know what he's talking about? Internal bleeding caused by the aspirin maybe?

[jordy1959thaihome]

I had a similar problem but tried ignoring it, I had this pain and felt weak and tied, contacted my doctor he told he to get driven to a hospital as it sound like symptoms for a heart attack, he was right I avoided the heart attack but had a semi blocked artery, I was 49ys my advise get an ex ray immediately, I had a stent inserted in the artery 5 yrs on never felt better.

[laislica]

acupuncture, or a body worker but.

You will need to provide all the necessary info at your first consultation!

The therapist can guess your sex, I cannot.

You will be asked about your relationships with family, friends, hobbies, work etc.

Once the therapist has sufficient info you may be offered a diagnosis. Good luck if you seriously think you will get one from this forum with the scant info you provided.

Why, it could even be that you are taking too many calcium supplements -who knows.

Could it be voodoo?

Does someone have it in for you?

Seriously though, by now you may have worked out what kind of specialist to seek out for proper help.

Edited March 23, 2015 by laislica

[chubby]

I would sort of concur with this, mid scapula is an unusual back pain c/o type, unless you have memory of doing something that caused it, at your age, if it isn't slowly resolving with heat, paracetamon, rest, etc , and is every single day,

at some point you get worked up, most back pain just resolves no matter what you do, but question is how long to wait, and what direction are the symptoms going , etc ... w/o knowing your history

Don't want to be unduly alarmist, and I am the wrong side of 50, but generally fit and healthy for my age, but I started getting back pain back in August, under the left shoulder blade much of the time.

I and initially the hospital put it down to muscle/ligament strain as I have to lift my disabled wife several times a day, and not always managing the 'correct' way.

It did not get better and a month after the first visit I returned to the hospital and a chest x-ray was taken. This showed fluid on the left lung, prompting a couple of days in for tests that ultimately revealed that there was a problem in the left plural cavity that was causing all the discomfort, and itself was a secondary condition of an otherwise symptomless tumour on the left lung.

Long and the short of it I have lung cancer, of a type that frequently goes undetected because it remains free of any symptoms normally associated with that. I have never smoked, was not coughing, not losing weight even though I was trying to.

So, get a chest x-ray (or at more cost, ct-scan for more detail). If nothing else it may show some inflammation or displacement of the spine, but it might also provide early evidence of something potentially more devastating.