Has Anyone Ever Done This to Their Back?

kluchetta

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So, you know how you wake up "wrong" sometimes and feel kind of stiff all day? I had a day like that on Sunday. A week ago. I thought everything was getting better, and got my flu shot on Wednesday, which was a little sore on Thursday. Then yesterday, my back between my spine and right shoulder blade was really acting up. I tried to rub it and move it around, but it's actually making it much worse and at this point I'm having quite a bit of pain all the way through my elbow and into my wrist. Of course these things alwayshave to happen on weekends. Could it be a pinched nerve? What exactly does that entail? Thanks!
 

gailc

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Have you tried icing that area. It works best to use chipped up ice and a damp towel for the cold to work faster!!
 

oci-lot

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Sometimes when my back is hurting I get my room mate to give me a good solid hit with a baseball bat. You know just to get all the kinks and sores out. Well, good luck!
 
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kluchetta

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Originally Posted by Oci-lot

Sometimes when my back is hurting I get my room mate to give me a good solid hit with a baseball bat. You know just to get all the kinks and sores out. Well, good luck!
OMG!
that sounds truly horrifying!


Unfortunately I just threw up. Starting to wonder about gallbladder now...
 

strange_wings

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I wonder if it could have been the shot since you have RA?

Ugh, don't say gallbladder. I had to stop taking painkillers because they were making me too sick, now I'm just toughing out the pain from the surgery.
 

laureen227

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Originally Posted by kluchetta

OMG!
that sounds truly horrifying!


Unfortunately I just threw up. Starting to wonder about gallbladder now...
are you in your 40s? that seems to be prime 'gallbladder' age for some reason.
mine presented w/back pain - located right at the bottom of my bra band. had that for 6 months before i ever got an acute attact. had it removed soon afterwards. i was 42.
 
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kluchetta

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Originally Posted by laureen227

are you in your 40s? that seems to be prime 'gallbladder' age for some reason.
mine presented w/back pain - located right at the bottom of my bra band. had that for 6 months before i ever got an acute attact. had it removed soon afterwards. i was 42.
Yep, I'm 45. Right after I threw up my stomach felt like someone kicked me. Now it feels a lot better. Not my back, but my stomach does.
 

strange_wings

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Originally Posted by laureen227

are you in your 40s? that seems to be prime 'gallbladder' age for some reason.
Really? It seems like everyone I've talked to around here gets their's out in their 20s, myself included.
 

kittkatt

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Originally Posted by kluchetta

Yep, I'm 45. Right after I threw up my stomach felt like someone kicked me. Now it feels a lot better. Not my back, but my stomach does.
I used to get weird pains in my back before I had mine taken out. It would sometimes subside after I threw up.

Originally Posted by strange_wings

Really? It seems like everyone I've talked to around here gets their's out in their 20s, myself included.
I was in my early twenties when mine was removed.


It sounds like it could be your gallbladder from your description - especially the throwing up part. But if it's back related, it could be any number of things..
Your back can have an effect on just about your entire body. If it persists, I'd go see a doctor.


I hope it's nothing serious!
 

laureen227

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Originally Posted by kluchetta

Yep, I'm 45. Right after I threw up my stomach felt like someone kicked me. Now it feels a lot better. Not my back, but my stomach does.
i never threw up w/mine. but the acute attack occurred about 45-60 minutes after i'd eaten. i had severe pain, cold sweats, etc. thought i'd have to call an ambulance - i had no idea what the problem was. next morning, i called my doctor, & he asked me some questions - diagnosed gallbladder attack to be most likely, & sent me for an ultrasound. mine was, to quote the ultrasound tech 'packed w/stones'. it really was - the surgeon told me when he reached in [laparoscopic procedure] to remove it, it burst open!
he fished out all of the stones he could find.
upside - i came thru the surgery extremely well [1st one i'd had since the age of 3 - tonsillectomy/adenoidectomy] & that gave me the guts [no pun intended] to pursue my RNY [weight-loss surgery]. managed to qualify & receive that about 3.5 years later. i've now lost around 130 pounds.
 

strange_wings

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Well, here's one way to figure out what it is. Eat low to no fat for a couple days. Tomato soup and such. Then have a cheese burger and fries, if you're in the bathroom with diarrhea or wish someone would just remove your whole digestive tract a few hours after eating - then suspect your gallbladder.


Mine started 8 years ago with bad pain, for weeks straight. My father refused to allow me to go to the doctor. Finally my grandmother yelled at him enough that I finally went to a doctor, then had an upper GI series and ultrasound done. Gallstones where found then, and what was very likely a stuck stone causing an infection. My father refused surgery because I was young enough it would go away...
So over the years the pain hasn't been that bad overall, and rarely if anything on my right side. I did develop acid reflux, some odd GI issues, and what I can only assume is dumping syndrome - I don't expect any of this to go away even though my gallbladder is now out.

Oh, and I really have none of the risk factors other than being female. I've mostly ate low fat for years (had to), have great looking cholesterol, and have never weighed more than 130lbs (down to 123lbs right now, lets see how being unable to tolerate much food drops that
).
 

kittkatt

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Originally Posted by strange_wings

Well, here's one way to figure out what it is. Eat low to no fat for a couple days. Tomato soup and such. Then have a cheese burger and fries, if you're in the bathroom with diarrhea or wish someone would just remove your whole digestive tract a few hours after eating - then suspect your gallbladder.
Before I had mine taken out, it didn't matter what I ate. I would even get sick and throw up eating saltine crackers...


Mine started 8 years ago with bad pain, for weeks straight. My father refused to allow me to go to the doctor. Finally my grandmother yelled at him enough that I finally went to a doctor, then had an upper GI series and ultrasound done. Gallstones where found then, and what was very likely a stuck stone causing an infection. My father refused surgery because I was young enough it would go away...
So over the years the pain hasn't been that bad overall, and rarely if anything on my right side. I did develop acid reflux, some odd GI issues, and what I can only assume is dumping syndrome - I don't expect any of this to go away even though my gallbladder is now out.
I apologize for saying this, but your father's a jerk!
My dad was the same way too, and refused to let us kids go see a doc whenever we got sick, too. According to him, we were "fakers", and were just "trying to get attention."
 
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kluchetta

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Well, it's been a bad week pain-wise, but good as far as diagnosis!


Seems that I just have a really, really bad stiff neck/shoulder. My disc seems to be ok, and I think the throwing up was a combination of pain and taking aspirin. And there is so much swelling it's pressing on the nerve. (I can't feel anything in my little and ring fingers.)

I did end up going to a chiropractor (and I'm pretty anti-chiropractic, at least until this week.) They did an exam and just very gently explored my "hot spots" (my terminology) and gave me some stretching exercises and told me to drink a LOT of water. I went twice yesterday and once today. Amazingly enough I'm at least 50% better. But it was pretty painful...I had to raise up my arms for the x-ray and it hurt so bad I started bawling. (I didn't even cry in childbirth, LOL!)

So I'm pretty comfortable with what's going on, although I'm still in a lot of pain, and I'm a bassoonist and I have a concert this weekend. We had rehearsal tonight, and - wow - did it ever hurt to play.


Well, thanks for reading this far - any ideas for the next couple of days? Heat, ice? Any other stretching exercises?
 

strange_wings

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Chiro care for pinched nerves and muscle problems isn't that bad. It's when there's something comprising the structural integrity of the spine that it's a bad idea - most people don't realize that you don't want anyone forcing a weakened vertebrae or joints around.

You can try heat and ice, it certainly won't hurt anything to try. Before you take any more meds for it, make sure to eat a small meal.
This site has diagrams for exercises and stretches (the same ones I get printed out from doctors and the physical therapist infact). http://www.spine-health.com/
 

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I'm glad you have a bit of relief and a diagnosis that isn't your gallbladder!

Have you got any good muscle relaxants you can take?
 
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kluchetta

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Originally Posted by sarahp

I'm glad you have a bit of relief and a diagnosis that isn't your gallbladder!

Have you got any good muscle relaxants you can take?
I had a pretty bad night - had to take painkillers at 10, 2 and 6.
I've got a doctor appointment today, maybe he can at least give me a muscle relaxer. I'm trying an herbal one, but it's not really all that effective. I just really need to be able to play this weekend, and it's really hard to play when you can't breathe, LOL!
 

calico2222

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Oh hon, I hope you feel better soon! Back problems are never fun and can affect everything you try to do. If they say it's an extremely stiff neck, maybe a deep muscle massage would help. Definately ask you doctor about it first, but if it is knotted up muscles a massage therapist may be able to work some of them out for you. I've never had one, but DH has and I will warn you they can be painful, but that is how he got relief for his back problems, but each person is different.

Many vibes coming for a good and pain free performance this weekend!
 

faith's_mom

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I would definitely alternate cold and heat therapies; Cold therapy will help reduce swelling, and 'numb' the pain for a while. Where areas heat threatment will increase circulation (and healing) to damaged areas, and relax and loosen the damaged areas.

I think as long as you don't have any actual bone damage in your spine, and neck that Chiro is probably a good way to go for you, but if there IS any actual damage steer clear of the Chiro, and go with Physical Therapy instead; infact, given the choice between the two, I would always probably choose PT, over Chiro, because they use different 'gentler' techniques to help loosen and move joints, and muscles back into place.

I also second the massage therapy...drink lots of water, before, and after PT or massage though...

If you can, try some water therapy... swimming can really keep your muscles loosened and strengthen them without causing further damage.
 

meowers

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I hope you feel better!


When a nerve is pinched, you will know. Ive had one really bad one that put me in the ER and on disability for two weeks. Rest is the best medicine, hard as it can be! Never put off seeing the doc whe in pain. It rarely gets better over enough time without rest and maybe physical therapy (my own personal prefernce)
 
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