Back Pain

[Guest guest]

Hi all,

Sorry I have not posted anything for a while.

I have had three back srgeries since 1997 - laminectomy (L3-L4),

laminectomy/fusion (L3-L5), and the implant of a spinal cord stimulator

3 years ago. Since the implant of the stimulator, the pain has more or

less been under control.

However, today I did something I should not have done. I dropped a piece of

mail on the ground. Since no one was around to help, I bent down to pick it

up! As a result I was in excruciating pain, and had difficulty walking for a

few minutes. I had not felt such pain since I had the first surgery in 1997!

Should I contact my primary physician, or wait to see if the pain is

only temporary?

Jef

[Guest guest]

> Jef wrote:

> Should I contact my primary physician, or wait to see if the pain is

> only temporary?

You have nothing to lose by contacting your pcp tomorrow morning. I would think

that it will probably be okay. But I do not know anything about your pain. If

it is bad enough, please consider the ER. I do not think anyone will blame you

for being a bit conservative about your back injuries.

[Guest guest]

> Jef wrote:

> Should I contact my primary physician, or wait to see if the pain is

> only temporary?

Jef,

I have rods in my back from my back fusion and I have the same problem if I bend

too much. It causes back spasm and contraction and even a shearing (my physical

therapists words) of the muscles against each other. I have learned a frog bend

over and bending with both knees, both positions look real stupid but it

prevents me putting this stress on my back.

I even can pick up things with my toes. Yes, it is true, and that looks strange

also. You could call his office and see what they say and trust what they say,

they need to examine you.

With back surgeries, it is good to be careful. One MRI, a doctor told me I had a

fracture of my Thoracic Spine and it had healed, do I remember when I injured

it.

I remembered exactly, I had taken my dogs out the front on retractable leashes

and the grass was wet and when the leash got to the end it snapped back and I

was flat on my back with the

wind knocked out of me. The Doctor that examined then just said I had bruised

four ribs so I just went on until it healed.

I would get it checked out, Jef, and be sure everything is in the right place.

Bennie