Hurt My Back Today....

So I've spent ALL day laying around, in pain, doing nothing at all, but watching TV. I decided to get on here for awhile and see what everyone was up to tonight.

I think I'm just getting old. I didn't even DO anything to injure my back! When my alarm went off this morning...I kinda turned over and got up at the same time and it felt like something just snapped in my neck/upper back. I could barely move at all this morning. I called a friend of mine and asked him to call me in something for pain. So I've taken, 800mg Motrin twice today, 1 muscle relaxer, and 2 Lortabs today....plus have been laying on a heating pad.....got both my daughters to give me massages.....and I'm still hurting like crazy!

I hate this!!!! I've got things to do!!! I can't be laid up!!!!

Oh no! Don't be hurting yourself!

I am so sorry Robin to hear of this. I hurt my back last August and had to take almost 2 weeks off of "daily living", and it was such a pain, literally. I now see a Deep Tissue Massage Therapist every 10 days who beats me up, and I sleep every now and then with those Icy/Hot packs --get them! -- and I do situps and crunchies 2x per day to strengthen my abdominals....which support the back.

Yeah....I do crunches also and my ab muscles are in pretty good shape. But I've had back problems since I ruptured my first disk when I was 23 years old. I've got a 2nd disk in my lower back that has been threatening to blow for several years.

This feels like a disk problem.....only in my cervical vertebrae (neck) this time because I'm having a lot of pain and weakness in my arms also. When I worked yesterday, I pulled a patient up in bed and it's possible that I injured something then.....but just didn't know it until I tried to get out of bed this morning.

I'm on-call tomorrow which means I'm supposed to go into work if anyone calls out sick......but I think I'm going to go ahead and call work tonight and tell them not to call me in because I honestly don't think I'll be able to work tomorrow. It's all I can do to get to the bathroom now.......there's no way I can be on my feet for 12 hours with this much pain.

That is a good idea. You must take care! Without our health we really have nothing! I sure hope you feel better and can remedy the spasms and pain soon... it doesn't sound too good.

I'm so very sorry you are in such pain, Robin. It affects your entire body and can be so debilitating when you have such severe pain in your back. Please feel better soon.

Usually with acute injury they recommend ice for 20 minutes 4-6 times a day for the first 48 hours. You might try that. While heat feels good, it can increase swelling to the area. Becky

Back pain is nasty! They say you can just sneeze or cough and that can put your back out!.


Hope it gets better soon Robin!

That sounds painful!

I would recommend a packet of frozen peas wrapped in a towel and use it for only 5 minutes EVERY hour, should make it feel a bit easier.

I hope you are feeling better and back on your feet again soon!

Thanks everyone. I just got up this morning and I'm hurting SO bad....you just can't imagine! I guess all the pain medicine and muscle relaxers wore off overnight, so now I'm seeing how bad it still is. I'm icing right now.....and I'll take something after I take my daughter to school and get something in my stomach.

I doubt I'll go to the doctor because there's nothing he can do. It's just one of those things that's going to take some time to get over. I've dealt with back pain for years......so I pretty much know the drill.

I'm so sorry you're still in such pain, Robin.

I hate having a sore back - I'm generally quite active and chasing a little boy around is difficult when you've got to think about movements you're making. I ususally find that although a hot bath doesn't stop it hurting, that can help relax muscles and ease the pain for a while. failing that, get someone to massage it for you - but I'd be keeping an eye on it if you say you felt something "snap"... I had that same sort of feeling the other week and it turned out that I'd done myself a trapezius injury. As long as you can get the painkillers into yourself you can stop any sore muscles from spasming and causing more pain. Hope you're feeling better soon sweetie

I think I have a different take here but first, I am so sorry. I hate back pain or neck pain, it pervades everything else while it's going on

My concerns, and why I would encourage you to see your doctor - the numbness in your arm. If you do think that this is related to cervical vertabrae, why self-diagnose, and take any risks? I'd go get an exam and diagnosis.

My other thought...this seems to be work related, but you have not reported it? What if this becomes more than a one time problem with your neck? You won't be able to file a report about this months from now...I'd do it now, just to cover yourself re future problems and/or if your doctor finds this needs treatment besides pain meds/muscle relaxers.

Just my 2 cents...feel better soon!

Originally Posted by Pat & Alix

My concerns, and why I would encourage you to see your doctor - the numbness in your arm. If you do think that this is related to cervical vertabrae, why self-diagnose, and take any risks? I'd go get an exam and diagnosis.

My other thought...this seems to be work related, but you have not reported it? What if this becomes more than a one time problem with your neck? You won't be able to file a report about this months from now...I'd do it now, just to cover yourself re future problems and/or if your doctor finds this needs treatment besides pain meds/muscle relaxers.

Click to expand...

I appreciate your thoughts and I'm sure I will go to the doctor if this doesn't improve. Since I've had problems with my back and vertebral disks for so long, I know how my body works and will usually give it a few days to see if the inflammation will subside with ice, heat, bedrest, NSAIDS, and muscle relaxers. If the pain doesn't start getting better in a few days, I will definitely go to the doctor.

As for it being a work injury.....I really don't know for sure that it is. The pain began when I tried to get out of bed. I could have pulled something by just moving wrong.

hmm if you snapped something id reccoment getting an xray!
since you work at a hospital i presume????? then u could get it right away

Aw Robin I hope you are feeling better soon.

We all hope you are better!!

Originally Posted by fwan

hmm if you snapped something id reccoment getting an xray!
since you work at a hospital i presume????? then u could get it right away

Click to expand...

I wish it were that easy. But unfortunately, I have to do things the same way as everyone else.......go to the doctor.....wait.....be sent for an xray......wait....go home and wait to hear back from the doctor on the results. And honestly.....right now.....I hurt so bad that I don't think I could stand to sit around and wait in the doctor's office and then go to the other location for the xray and wait around there. I'd also have to get someone to drive me since I'm taking Lortabs and muscle relaxers......I probably shouldn't be driving. The Lortab doesn't really seem to affect me mentally......but the muscle relaxers make me so sleepy. I've slept almost ALL day today!

Robin,

I feel for you. I injured my back in my early 20s , too and it's never been the same. My sister and parents were planning this huge Disney trip leaving Christmas Day. She stood up from the floor Christmas Day and made a face. By the time they got to Brentwood TN I guess she was totally miserable. She had to go to the emergency clinic to get pain killers, etc. and then again in Orlando. She had to enjoy her Disney trip in a wheelchair but said she was in so much pain it was miserable. I need to call her tonight because I think she was supposed to get her MRI results today. Sending *hugs* your way!