Over 7 years of this, I'm so sick and tired of it.
By kris182_2000
@kris182_2000 (5470)
Canada
April 26, 2011 3:01pm CST
In November 2003 I had an accident at a job I was working at. It was a temporary assignment and it was thankfully my last day there.
I had ignored the warning signs, I needed to keep working, and I didn't think it was important.
I had been on the top of a store ladder and went to turn around on it and my back started hurting me. But that was the warning sign I ignored.
I continued on with my work, which was stocking shelves with seasonal merchandise. So, my work took me to the bottom shelf where I had to get under the second one to put stuff away.
It wasn't so bad at first, I was able to do this without a problem, but then suddenly the pain flared up in my back so bad, I couldn't move.
I couldn't get out as I couldn't move, good thing I had people around me who realized that something was wrong and called for help.
I had to be pulled out from under the shelf, it turned out that a nerve had been pinched severely in my back.
I was told at the hospital that it was a sciatic nerve injury. No one told me that it would never go away.
I had started to see a chiropractor after that, but this guy clearly didn't know what he was doing with me and wound up temporarily paralyzing me after a treatment. I stopped going to see him, but still needed to see something for this issue.
I was apprehensive when I was referred to another chiropractor, but this one has been good to me.
However, since then, I have gained a lot of weight which I know isn't good for my back, but so far, there's no reason behind this, no way to treat the weight gain.
The pain has been getting worse over the years, I've had to see my chiropractor almost weekly for preventative maintenance, my spine is out of alignment and that just compounds the nerve damage as my spine presses on the nerve.
Every time my spine is out of alignment, the pain is always the worst.
Yesterday I was ignoring more warning signs while at work. I was only driving and walking, but my back was protesting everything I was doing.
As long as I was sitting, it wasn't so bad, but working was painful. But by the end of the day, the worst of it seemed to have gone away, and I didn't think anything of it.
I went to bed last night, knowing that I'd be in some pain, I usually am when I go to bed and try to turn over.
But it was far worse last night than it ever has been.
I couldn't move at all without being in agony. Every move was painful. But the worst was yet to come, something I had never felt before in my 7 years with this problem.
I grabbed onto the bed post to try to turn over, and the pain shot down my leg, worse than usual. But that wasn't the worst of it.
I had a streak of numbness down the outside of my leg, about an inch wide from my hip to my knee. I'd never felt that before and it was very scary.
I'm contemplating a move that I would rather not make, as I'm a person who would prefer to be working as opposed to staying at home. I'd make more money working outside my home than at home, but if it comes down to it, I'd stay home on disability just to be as pain free as possible.
Like I said, I'd rather not, and there's always a good chance of being denied, but for $1k/month guaranteed income wouldn't be too bad, even though it would be far less than I earn when I can work.
The problem is, I'm not willing to work an office job, I did that for years and couldn't stand sitting at a desk all day. At least at home I can get up and do things to get away from it all.
I just don't know what to do, I have been dealing with this for so long that I just can't do it anymore. Even at this moment, that same numbness is going through my leg.
I wish I could figure out some sort of relief for my back, but lying on the floor is not an option.
1 person likes this
7 responses
@tlb0822 (1410)
• United States
27 Apr 11
I think that you need to do what is best for your health. It sounds to me like your back is making a very attoment protest, that you are doing to much and you are ignoring the problem. You may want to see a doctor about possibly having back surgery, which I have heard isn't always successful, but may be an option. If it isn't I think that your best bet is to take a stay at home job, that way you are not continuing to injure your already strained back. The more pressure, and pain you put on the back, the better the chance that you may become paralyzed from these injuries to your back. I wish you the best of luck, and hope that you are able to find out more about your back problems.
@tlb0822 (1410)
• United States
27 Apr 11
You may also want to try using an inverter. My husband has used one when his back hurts. It is a flat board that you strap yourself in then hang upside down and it stretches the muscles in your back. It seems to work for him, not sure if it will help in your case or not.
@KrauseHome (36445)
• United States
24 Jul 11
Personally this does not sound good, and hopefully somehow things have gotten better by now. I know when it comes to pain being in pain all the time is not Fun, but it could be dangerous to have pain shooting up and down like this for you. I would think your Best bet would be to see a regular doctor and get it all checked out if you have not already done so, and then go from there figuring out what your next step should be. If it is disability, it does take a while but could be worth it. Just need to make sure you are ready for that step, as many times they place a lot of extras with that which can be hard to want to accept. Either way wishing you the Best.
@SpikeTheLobster (6403)
•
27 Apr 11
See a physiotherapist or another health professional. Back pain is one of the most common health problems in the world (I suffer too and have had to learn to walk again twice in the last few years).
By the way, the numbness is caused by nerves being pinched by inflamed muscles in your back - I had the same and worse.
Like you, I tried working in an office and couldn't do it. I'd have to take breaks all the time to lie on the floor (which they had no problem with, but I felt pretty daft). In the end it became too painful and I had to stop.
The comment above about losing weight is true: less to carry = less pressure on your back muscles.
Surprisingly, simple exercise can REALLY help but don't do it without talking to a professional first. I've gone through treatment several times and eventually discovered that I needed to build up strength not only in the core muscles (the "belt" of muscle around the waist) but in my legs... and once I'd started gaining strength the pain and numbness diminished. How weird is that? Stronger legs make my back pain go away. Bizarre, but true. :)
The important thing, if you're sick of it, is to get professional advice. Chiropractors are great but they just put everything back in place - unless you do something to strengthen your body and get the muscles working again, the same problem will come back.
By the way, most doctors agree that resting most back injuries for more than a couple of days is a bad idea. This may not be true in your case (it depends on the type of problem) but generally it's better to be moving than immobile.
See a physiotherapist and get some advice. It really is worth it because they think differently to chiropractors and osteopaths. The more info you can gather, the more chance you have of finding a way out. Good luck!
@christine888 (303)
• Philippines
27 Apr 11
Be more patient with your condition right now sir. Do not push yourself in doing things that you hardly know it may get worst. Try diverting your attention at least it can minimize the pain and self discipline.
@juniorstringbean08 (455)
• Philippines
9 May 11
Yeah, Physiotherapists can be of great help. They may not be able to free you from pain, but they can alleviate it and find ways to prevent your condition from being severe.
@soapies1973 (931)
• United States
28 Apr 11
I understand I live in chronic pain every single day of my life. I have a tumor in my spine. There is nothing that they can do for me at all. The are just pain managing I am so sick of it. Some days it is so hard to go on. You wonder if you can take any more of this pain. That is how I feel right now. It really stinks. I wish didn't have to live like this. But I have no choice at all. I wish there was no back pain or tumors that is a very awful existence. i am sorry about your pain. Take care.
@GardenGerty (161858)
• United States
26 Apr 11
Your sciatic nerve is the longest one in your body and can be really painful. I believe there is a surgical procedure to sever that nerve to end pain, but I will not swear to it. Have you quit smoking yet? That, along with moving wrong, weight gain and too much sitting can make it worse. I wonder if you have spinal decompression available where you are? A gravity chair for your home might also help. I have sporadic sciatic pain. One thing that helps is really good athletic or work shoes, plus custom orthotics in my shoes.They help your alignment. The "shape up" type shoes improve your posture and strengthen your core.Do not wear them for work. That is what will give you more long term relief as your core muscles will help hold your spine in alignment. In addition to these things, I have an exercise that I found helps me with this particular pain. I stand with my back to the wall, and flatten my spine (standing pelvic tilt), tuck my tummy, squat as low as I can and hold it then move back up, all with my back against the wall. If it is too hard you can put a chair in front of you and use the back of it to help you push back up. Three or four of those squats usually eliminates the pain within minutes.