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Things I've tried to get my back to stop hurting
Two weeks ago I injured my back. Nothing dramatic - probably just months of too much work, bad posture, and zero exercise. To date, here are the remedies I've tried and their results.
Hot Bath: Stay in tub until you start to feel too girly.
Amount of improvement: A small amount of releif. A large amount of pruning.
Vicodin Scored From A Friend: Broke pills in half to spread them out. Taken with best possible Dr. House impersonation.
Amount of improvement: Some, but temporary. Also, not good for driving. House impersonation improved somewhat.
Chiropractor: First appointment was just an interview. (What's up with that? Since when do you have to pay to be interviewed?) Second appointment involved a vibrator the size of a belt sander, some poking, and lasers. Actual lasers.
Amount of improvement: Hurt more that day. Felt a little better the next day, but much worse after 3 days.
Traditional Doctor: Took my pulse, said he felt bad for me, and sent me to a spinal expert. Also gave me a prescription for some pills that are supposed to reduce inflammation in my muscles.
Amount of improvement: None. And those pills did nothing for my House impersonation.
Amount of improvement: None. Plus bonus frustration.
Neuromuscular Therapist: Poked me for an hour while we talked about our favorite television shows.
Amount of improvement: A little, but far from better.
Scotch: Single malt, 15 years or older. Used liberally, after work hours.
Amount of Improvement: Back? What back? Unfortunately, the effect is temporary. Plus it adds a headache the next day.
The winner so far? Scotch by a landslide. Also, it makes me irresistible to women.
Comments
I highly recommend finding a different chiropractor. Many of them are quacks, and a few of them are worth their weight in gold. I don't know where you live of course, but my chiropractor, Rikke Johansen is in Menlo Park California. Her philosophy is all about mobility and she works with quite a few triathletes. Once she fixes you, if she never sees you again she's good with that (many try to get you to come in for "proactive therapy" for the rest of your life).
In the meantime, have you tried ice and ibuprofen? Ice will help control the swelling that your back is doing to protect itself - and ibuprofen will help a little for the pain - although if you are at vicodin levels the pain is probably pretty severe.
I've been in serious pain myself. 17 years ago I hurt my back and trapped my sciatic nerve between the vertebrae. I saw doctors and physical therapists and took lots of pain meds. No one did anything to make me better until a year and a half later when I saw a shiatsu master (not to be confused with massage - this kind of shiatsu is closer to chiropractic treatment), in Paris who moved my bones and put them back where they were supposed to be. It worked like a miracle.
I hope you find something that helps. Scotch is nice, but damned expensive.
also had some good luck with cranial osteopathy in the past, but with both the trick is finding someone good to treat you. If only you were coming to NZ i could have hooked you up ;)
A combination of factors finally seemed to make a difference, all of which began after she started seeing Dr. Light at the San Francisco Spine Center: a shot to her SI joint (probably overkill for you and maybe not appropriate for your injury), accupuncture, physical therapy, and yoga. And really, it seemed like it took that "cocktail" of treatment options to make a difference. Finding a good physical therapist, who she found through the spine center, was definitely a major factor, and one you might want to look into. Another was the yoga. Jason Crandell, who teaches at both The Yoga Loft on Divisadero and San Francisco Bay Club was really amazing. He's excellent with injuries, and writes the beginner's column for yoga journal. It's certainly worth contacting him.