Back pain. Do you have it?

[markem]

Preaching to the choir, my friend...

I was hit by a car in high school and that has left me with a messed up back. I also did in a disc when I tried to keep a motorcycle from falling over after I put it on the center stand (hint: let it fall - it's cheaper in the long run).

Yoga helps me quite a bit as do trunk strengthening exercises. I don't do gym workouts because of badly destroyed knees from playing too much soccer with people who thought that they were better than they were.

Since I spend serious dollars on a well fit chair (from Relax the Back, duno if they are still in business), I'm way down on the chronic pain. I still see a chiro at least once a year since I tend to have ribs pop out from time to time. When I twist, I can imitate a popcorn popper.

Just started glucosamine + condroitin + msm so it is still too early to tell how that will help, but it seems to help my chronic hand pain (dislocated all the bones in my right hand in a motorcycle accident).

But mostly I eat right, have a good mattress, and drink loads of water (strange how much that helps). Long walks (4-6 miles) during good weather is what keeps me sane.

I've been told that getting old ain't for sissies.

[Blueface]

Two herniated lumbar/sacral discs reporting for duty here, thanks to a darling who took a stop sign.

Have had them since 1991.
Have endured the formal "fetal" position on many occasions.
Have had often times the need for the wife to put on my socks and help me roll off the bed and onto the floor.

Lots of Vicadin.
Lots of Naproxen.
Lots of Robaxin.
Lots of other similar candies.
Lots of epidural blocks, up to three levels in one sitting, once a month for three months.

Each morning I wake up, it is there to remind me.
However, I love doing my own landscaping.
I carry bags of mulch and rocks.
I don't care anymore.
I want to live and it won't win over me.

[rizzle]

Originally Posted by foomanto

had a few ruptured discs about 10 years ago. i did not need fusing they just went in and removed the jelly from the donut so to speak.

Totally different ball game here.

Originally Posted by mikeyj23

Lower back pain here - degenerative discs as well, The core exercises are best for now, but I'm pretty sure (and certainly praying) that in 30 years when it gets a lot worse they'll be able to slap in fake discs pretty easily.

Bingo. I'm figuring, and praying, that at some point the technology will be available to do this.

Originally Posted by vstrommark

Preaching to the choir, my friend...

Yoga helps me quite a bit as do trunk strengthening exercises.
Just started glucosamine + condroitin + msm so it is still too early to tell how that will help, but it seems to help my chronic hand pain (dislocated all the bones in my right hand in a motorcycle accident).

I've been told that getting old ain't for sissies.

Been taking glucosamine chondroitin + msm for a couple of years now. Can't tell any difference, thinking yoga might be good. And getting old damn sure aint for sissies.

Originally Posted by MadAl

Are we talking upper, lower, mid back?

Lower.