Back Pain

I have severe back-pain. I went to a back specialist which was a quack I think. He did more damage than good. He got on my back and with his knees and put all his weight on my back. He was back because he couldn't move the knot that was on my lower back. I feel more pain than before. Could he have done more damage. And what can I do to relieve this severe pain?

Harriett

Hi Harriett & welcome to the forum. Wow, I am guessing you saw a chiropractor because a medical dr such as an ortho or neurosurgeon certainly would not have done that. It is hard to say if he caused further damage. I do hope you have gone to your primary care dr & that he/she has referred you to one of the specialist I listed above.

In the meantime you might try alternating moist heat & ice packs on your back. Perhaps some Ibuprofen to try to get some of the pain & inflammation down.

Let us know what you have done & if you have seen another dr what he/she had to say. Take care.

I have taken quite a few pain and inflammation medication but none seem to work. As far as seeing another I can't afford to do that. I'm not insured. And my mother whom is a widow and has limited income paid for the appointments which were out expensive. So I'm really up a creek when it comes to getting up.

Harriett

Hello H&B and welcome.

Other than an NSAID(anti-inflam) or Pain Meds there are a few things you can do.

Like others have said heat and ice.

Get down in the floor.Especially 1st thing in the morning.Do light stretches.Pull your knees up toward your chest and rock back and forth.

Try not to re-injure it.

Take care.

Rick

Hi Honey.

I'd first suggest looking hard for insurance - consider what it's going to cost you without it and how much less with it. Back problems tend to go on for a long time. Do you qualify for Medicaid?

Failing that, ask if you can pay what insurance would pay if you pay upfront, and then borrow that money. I did that once with a hospital for a major problem and they reduced the bill to 40%.

PS: Insurances normally don't pay for chiro except for a few kinds of treatments. I wouldn't be going to any practitioner who causes worse pain.

Harriet , I am so sorry for your pain. And really what kind of lousy chiro would do that to a client with no X-rays or MRIs?

I do understand your concern about $ but what is a small debt when compared to your quality of life?

Couple of ideas, if your back pain is muscular and not being caused by disc/nerve issues, you may have some luck with a TENS machine.

I do believe that one can find them even on Amazon these days and they are less than $100. Perhaps we have members that have bought one recently and could suggest a good brand.

Basically the TENS machine has 4 pads which are placed around/on the sore area (but not on your spine) and generates a gentle electrical impulse. For some it simply distracts from the pain, for others it actually helps to relax the muscles.

2 other topical solutions are Voltaren, an anti-inflammatory gel on places on the sore area, and also Lidoderm patches which simply help to numb the area. One does need a prescription for both of these solutions.

I would think that maybe a single visit to an Urgent Care doctor could result in getting these scripts to try them out and see if they help.

I also agree with the poster who recommended gentle stretches.

Wishing you only the best,

Claire