Out of action for a while...

[Scott H.]

As you know I have been having issues with my lower back.

Well....the results of my MRI are in and they ain't good.

L4-5 is blown out, L3-4 is 3/4 blown out, and every disk below that is bulging.

Needless to say, I'm not doing much at all here lately other than laying down or chilling, kicked back in my recliner. I'll know more after Aug 10th when I have an appmnt with a back surgeon.

Just letting everyone know why I've been absent here lately and nothing has been done on my builds / projects,

-Scott H.

[loudcherokee]

As you know I have been having issues with my lower back.

Well....the results of my MRI are in and they ain't good.

L4-5 is blown out, L3-4 is 3/4 blown out, and every disk below that is bulging.

Needless to say, I'm not doing much at all here lately other than laying down or chilling, kicked back in my recliner. I'll know more after Aug 10th when I have an appmnt with a back surgeon.

Just letting everyone know why I've been absent here lately and nothing has been done on my builds / projects,

-Scott H.

Man, I know exactly how you feel. I've been suffering from lower back pain for 10 years, but that was just the occasional back ache that went away in 3-4 days with rest and ibuprofen. About 6 weeks ago, I was in excruciating pain at my lower back after waking up one morning, and it has not gone away. I went for an MRI, and my L3-4 is bulging, L4-5 is bulging, and L5-S1 is completely herniated. My left leg goes completely numb all the way to the toes at some times, as the L5-S1 disc is pressing into my sciatic nerve.

My visit with the neurosurgeon ended up in him referring me to pain management, and a physiatrist who is going to develop a PT program personally catered to my lifestyle. They wanted to avoid surgery at all costs due to my age (26) since I would probably need surgery again in 10 years or less. Back surgery doesn't have overly fantastic results, but it's gotten alot better now a days than what it used to be.

Try putting a large pillow under your knees while lying flat on your back when you sleep. If you're a side sleeper, put the pillow between your knees. This helps take pressure off your lower spine. You can also try some light stretching (but dont over do it) by laying flat on your back, and drawing your knees up to your chest, one at a time, and holding that for 10-20 seconds and then releasing. It helps stretch out the muscles and everything down there that are constantly tightened due to your pain.

I've been able to get quite a bit of relief by using an inversion table. I ordered one from Fingerhut, which is $100 cheaper than the Teeter hang ups model. It's a Weslo Inversion Flex system. I get temporary relief by inverting at about a 40-50 degree angle for 10 minutes at a time. The pain goes away for about an hour or so, but staying away longer the more I am using the table. Look them up on the internet, and there's all kinds of testimonials about inversion therapy being the one thing above all others that relieved peoples back pain, and kept people from having surgery. As long as you're not over 6'6" and over 300lbs, the Weslo table will work for you, at a much cheaper cost than the teeter hang ups. The only downside to the machine is that it's quite large, even when folded, and heavy. But, if it weren't as heavy duty as it is, I wouldn't trust hanging upside down on the thing.

As a disclaimer, I'm going to put it out there that I am not a doctor by any means, but suffer from the same issues, and the above is what has helped me deal with the pain. Always consult a licensed physician before trying anything out.

Here's my MRI, the red arrows are pointing to the discs -

LC

[crazyjim]

My wife had surgery on her lower back 5 years ago and she's doing great. It was a low invasive surgery using a cage and screws. She had to wear a fiberglas corset thing for 3 months. She has had no pain since the surgery - not even when she's out on her trike.

I had C3-C6 (neck) fused, screwed and plated March 2008 and the only side effect is that I can't tilt my head back as far as I used to.

I've been doing the pillow thing between my legs for years. My lower back problem is from a motorcycle accident I had that broke 9 ribs. Arthritis had set in where the breaks were. There's meds to take but have nasty side effects.

You hang in and take care of yourself. keep us posted.

[8valve]

You're not alone, fella, I've been there, and let me assure you there's light at the end of your tunnel of pain.

I had a car crash 14 years ago and suffered back pain since then on and off, ranging from stiffness and loss of movement, to feelin' like I had been shot in the ass with buckshot!

Back in january I went through agony with left leg pain. I had never felt anything like this; I couldn't stand, sit, lie down, walk, nothing. Drugs only took the edge off it enough for me to fall asleep at night with exhaustion - noone thinks of that....coping with major pain drains you physically.

Then, after weeks of pain, it just stopped. Dead. Not a twinge. I was delighted.

Then, in the space of a couple of days, my whole leg went tingly, then numb, couldn't feel a thing. You could've drove a pickaxe through my foot and I would've just laughed.

Suddenly my leg was folding under me, I was walking like I was drunk, and falling over a lot. This is normal for us Irishmen when fulla beer, but not when stone cold sober!

My doc sent me for an MRI which showed L4/L5 disc had burst after years of wear and tear, bad posture etc. following my crash.

The ruptured disc was pressing on a nerve, hence the first painful, then numb, leg.

He sent me to a neurosurgeon who recommended a lumbar discectomy immediately, to try to save the damaged nerves. He said at 38, I was too young to be walking with a stick like my grandad used to!

That was back in April. On April 7th, I went for surgery at 5pm. At 9am the morning after surgery, I was outta bed walking around the ward, with 95% of the feeing back in my leg and foot.

Its now 3 months on, I'm back in work a month, and life is back to normal. I'm careful how I bend, don't overstretch myself, and don't try to lift heavy weights. I just get on with it, and have to remember that weak point will always be there behind me, waiting for me to forget and overdo it.

My hobby is resto-modding watercooled VW's, but my days of lifting axles, engine blocks and gearboxes (transmissions to you guys!) are well and truly over.

I got back into modelling while recuperating after surgery, and you guys and your work have entertained and inspired me over the last few months.

So, my friend, I say to you...don't lose heart, you can be fixed, and life will go on, beyond the pain and the worries, and you'll be back at your workbench, nostrils filled with paint fumes, CA on your fingers, with your latest build taking shape in your hands.

Keep well, and take care.

Paul.