Alright, about four months ago, I slipped while shoveling my driveway. I did not fall, but felt a little pain in my right-lower back (nothing bad). The next day I could barely move. After a few days the pain subsided some, and I continued with fairly normal activities.
After a month, I decided that the pain wasn't going away enough and I decided to see a orthapaedic surgeon. He said that I probably "bulged" a disk, and that I got luck this time. He never ordered an MRI. Well, it has been another 3 months and it is still not healed. Some days are worse than others...but, lately it feels like pressure is on my tailbone when I sit. Sometimes, it even feels like I can feel my heart pumping in my lower back?!!?!? Anyway, how long can it take for the swelling to go away? Should I go back to the dr or let it rest a while longer? Any advice is appreciated! Thanks!
Did you see an orthopedic SPINE doctor or a "general" orthopedic doctor who also works on joints, etc.? One can waste a lot of time following the advice of a family practioner or general orthopedist who does not have the specialized training of the fellowship-trained orthopedic spine surgeon or neurosurgeon who devote their practice to issues of the neck and back.
I would suggest you return to your doctor, or seek out a specialist as I described above. To be on the safe side, you should probably have a MRI.
Generally speaking, you should see some improvement of your symptoms within six weeks time. It may be that you are just continuing to aggravate the area enough that you have a cycle of inflammation that is difficult to get rid of.
The next step would probably be an epidural steroid injection. This would go into your spine near the area of injury. The steroid will reduce any inflammation and shrink any tissue that may be causing irritation. They are sometimes ordered in a set of three, spaced several weeks a part.
Welcome to the board. We are happy you have joined our little group, but sorry you are having problems with your back.
Is this symptomatic of anything? I can bend at the waist and touch the floor with NO pain at all. But, if I arch my back at all, I get a very stout "pinching" feeling in the lower back. This was one of the stretches that I was given.
Yes, that is a typical feeling for someone who has spinal stenosis, but it can also be a symptom of a bulging or herniated disc. When you bend forward, it opens up the space. Conversely, when you bend backward (put your back in "extension") it compresses the space and can temporarily pinches the nerve at that level.
The exercises you were given are based on the ideas of a physical therapist, Robin McKenzie. They work OK unless the patient happens to have a condition where one vertebra slips over the top of the adjacent vertebra, spondylolisthesis. In this case any activity that puts the back in extension can make it worse.
If your pain continues to get worse, or does not improve soon, I suggest you get a MRI to see what's going on.
The pain is not that great, and it comes and goes. I'm curious if taking a steriod pack would take the inflammation down enough that the pain would go away. With this being my first back injury, I'm surprised how long it takes to heal!
I agree that it might be time to see a spine specialist and get an MRI. If this was just minor, it should have gone away....unless you've been involved in strenuous activity. It takes lots of rest but if I were you, I'd see someone who could tell me exactly what is wrong and then prescribe the right treatment.
Please stay in touch.
Carol
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Lumbar surgery x 7 over the last 30 years.
cervical fusion...2 levels
medtronic pain pump implanted
Last surgery Oct, 2010, 3 levels
Alright, about four months ago, I slipped while shoveling my driveway. I did not fall, but felt a little pain in my right-lower back (nothing bad). The next day I could barely move. After a few days the pain subsided some, and I continued with fairly normal activities.
After a month, I decided that the pain wasn't going away enough and I decided to see a orthapaedic surgeon. He said that I probably "bulged" a disk, and that I got luck this time. He never ordered an MRI. Well, it has been another 3 months and it is still not healed. Some days are worse than others...but, lately it feels like pressure is on my tailbone when I sit. Sometimes, it even feels like I can feel my heart pumping in my lower back?!!?!? Anyway, how long can it take for the swelling to go away? Should I go back to the dr or let it rest a while longer? Any advice is appreciated! Thanks!
My son fell and also had simuliar conditions. The only way you can you can tell is with an MRI. Then it will be very obvious to you what happened to your disc if anything. Good luck and pray it is not a bulging disk.
It's about 4 months since your injury, just about the time your back is fully cured and the time the pathways get stuck in your brain and make the brain shrink giving you chronic pain. You have seen an ortho and he says, "probably" a bulging disc, that means he has no idea what it is, but even the most ordinary ortho will have made sure you dont have a foot drop and you waterworks and bowels are normal and you have no numbness on the area where a bicycle seat would be and no weakness. Have an MRI and you will see, like every other person a whole load of irrelevant abnormalities. Every test, every specialist you see impresses on you that something is wrong. The thing you have missed is going to consult someone who can explain and get you yourself to do something to make you better. Do not take anything easier in fact do as much as you can everyday just short of moderate pain.
James
