Down for the count

[=Enigma=]

I'm totally bummed out right now. I've been operating for the last few weeks under the assumption that I pulled a muscle in my back while pulling parts at the JY, and I've been taking it easy to let it heal up so I could finish up my car and drive it to the West Coast Z Car Nationals. This Saturday I felt a sharp pain in my back which sent me to the floor. I was stuck there and couldn't get up or move for nearly 2 hours. Sadly I learned today that I probably have a bulging disk. I go in for an MRI on Wednesday.......

[240znz]

Prolapsed disks take time to heal. My wife Amanda prolasped one in her neck before Christmas and still is recovering. The specialist said "be at ease with your body" which is the best advise. That means take it easy, no lifting of any kind for the next month at a minimum. Take some votarin or stronger for a week only as the swelling will be gone after a week and after that they are just pain killers, so move to paracetomol.

Amanda has a CT scan and it showed up very well that her disk had burst and leaked fluid. Somehow the body repairs that damage by itself 99.5% of the time. So far she has been lucky. I hope you are too. You do not want surgery if you can avoid it.

Pity you don't live here. We have a great health care system. All treatment was free apart from the first doc appoinment which was about US$10. So that is all drugs, CT scan, four specialist appointments, physio therapy and home help once a week to do ironing, cleaning etc. Plus the occupational health service went to Amanda's work place to see what the hospital (she's a nurse in angioplasty) could do to help her get back to work. They have purchased light weight lead and lower tables for her. Oh and she was off work for 2 months on sick leave on full pay. Not bad for 4 million people.

[overdrivex]

wow that doesnt sound pleasant at all. hope you'll be ok. i have yet to have a bad back injury, but i had a sore back from working on my car awhile back. it hurt just to stand up straight. back than we owned a coffee/tea shop so no such thing as a day off to recover i had to just put up with pain and work. something that should have only taken a week to recover from took almost a month...

[mikewags]

Funny you mention this, i could barely get out of bed this morning. I'm 6' 3 so i'm plagued with lower back pain. I'm suffering at work now with it.

[Zedyone_kenobi]

My heart goes out to you. I do not have this problem, but have had a chronic pain episode for a while. Its debilitating. Stay relaxed and heal up!

[five&dime]

Ugg. Sorry to hear that.

I feel your pain. I am 30 and have had a ruptured L4 since I was 25. It required me to dissolve my business of building custom high end furniture I couldn't walk for two weeks.

Epiderals will help ease the pain. They last about 6 months. It took me about two years before I wasn't in constant pain. Now I think I am just used to it so it doesn't bother me that bad.

Edited March 24, 2009 by five&dime

[Pop's Z]

Adam, I feel your pain, man. I got to ride to the ER in an ambulance twice in December with a herniated disc at L-4, L-5. No operation, but I've been doing big time physical therapy and have recently transferred to gym work with a trainer for core work. Rest, relax and NO Z work for at least a month. Go to the show as an observer and pencil in next year for the car to the show. That's what I'm doing. Next year I'll drive out there and be in the show. Don't try to hurry the process or you will get discouraging set-backs (ask me how I know this). I am in the process of installing a Hot Rod Air hvac system in my '73 and have been putting off the install until I'm sure I can do it pain-free. I'm also going to take my time with it. I hope to see you next year at the show...2 brown cars at one time...woo hoo.

Cheers, Mike

[stevef1972z]

Hang in there and follow the doctors advice on this. I see this almost every day and people often try to do too much too soon and end up unable to do anything. Try not to worry about what is going on until after the images are back and you and the doctor come up with a plan of action. If you do not like the plan, get a second opinion if you can to see if they match up.

Getting healthy is a lot like tracing down a problem in the car. Dont go throwing parts and easy fixes at it. Take the time, do some research, gather the information, and then go about fixing the problem.

[john mcgarvie]

I think we have all bean there i am 17 and i rolled my 4wheeler on me and herniated my l5 s1 and had to have it shaved i still have nerve damage in my leg.

[Zs-ondabrain]

After picking up Transmissions all day long, 2 years ago, I felt fine. But later on, while picking up tools, I reached for a Torque wrench and only made it half way back up when my back wrenched in pain. I froze until I dropped to my knees for about 10 minutes. Never had the pain again, so I'm guessing I just pinched a nerve but nothing since.

Sorry Enigma, That really sucks. My dad had bone spurs in his feet till they operated. No fun at all.

Dave.

[bigoak]

Oh dude. That's rough. I severely messed up my back over the holidays trying to get our old horse back up after a fall on the ice (unfortunately we lost him that day...rough one).

Needed to see a chiropractor for the back and still had some residual nerve issues with my shoulder (actually brachial plexus neuritis) that I needed an osteopath to fix that up. While I wouldn't necessarily suggest the chiropractor (some scary stuff there when they start cracking your spine) but I would absolutely recommend you see an osteopath. I had been in serious chronic pain for about three weeks it only took one treatment to fix me up (interestingly enough working on the opposite side of the pain). Simply amazing.

Good luck and get well.

[DatsunZsRule]

Aww Man sorry to hear the bad news. I know it's easier said than done, but like others have said, be patient and don't rush things or you'll make it worse.

Take care man