Back Problems

[germ]

[qoute]This helps to explain why I never fully recover from back injuries.  I'm never 100% again, and rarely go a week or two before straining or hurting my back again, and a few times a year it seems to be more of an nerve issue that completely lays me up, though the doctors I've gone to always try and pass it off as just a muscle strain, though I figure that's cause I've only gone to the doc when it's happened at work[/quote]

if you continually injure a muscle, it will "never" heal completely, as it begins to scar, and the chronic inflammation can cause permanent tissue changes. We're just starting to understand how inflammation and tissue changes can cause pain. It certainly can cause "nerve" pain, as the nerves travel inbetween the layers of muscle. When the muscle gets irritated and spasms, it essentially "crushes" the nerve, which will give you nerve like symptoms.

Erik

[kneedownnate]

Thanks!  I'm no rocket scientist, but I figured I could tell the difference between muscle issues and nerve issues.  I just figured the docs assumed I was faking and trying to get workman's comp so they lied to me.

[Cheesemaker]

I hurt my back too, when I was installing my motor.  But when I hurt my back I tend to try to just shut down for several weeks.  And let things heal.  I usually get pinched nerves in my hips.  From all those years at the tire shop.  I really would hate to see what an xray or mri would show of my back.  But I get the shooting pain that runs down the inside of my thigh all the way to the ankle.  It makes driving nearly impossible.  Even when it's not hurting, I can only go about 2 hours of driving without having to get the hell out of the rig and move around.  The last time I had a pinched nerve I went to a chiro and he said he couldn't do anything for me, but wanted to see me 3 times a week for the next 4 weeks!    At $40 a pop.  That was the last time I ever went to a chiro.  I try to stretch before doing things, but sometimes I'll forget and pay for it for a few days!   

The next time I do a engine swap, I'll get some low pro tires so I don't have to stretch so far over the fender to reach things!

[toyotanner]

wow thanks for all the knowledge germ... and thanks for everyone elses input as well...

well at first i was icing and heating and getting massages... then i started taking aleve and that really didnt do anything... the ibuprofen helped a little here and there and now i'm almost back to 100%.... so just a little over 2 weeks of pain and its mostly gone YAY!