Back Pain!!!!!!!!!

[ladi]

Oh my aching back! My back hurts very much everyday! There are knots that I can't work out. I use a TENS unit, take pain pills, and it is still there when the effects of these wear off. I want to know where it all comes from and how to get rid of it. Any suggestions????

[SCI-Nurse]

Answer some questions so I can try and help. What level of injury are you? Did you have surgery after your SCI? Do you have rods or hardware in your back to stabilize the spine? What is your usual days activities with regard to sitting in the chair. How do you transfer from bed to chair? Did you have back pain prior to your SCI? When is the pain the worst? On a scale of 1-10 (ten is the worst ever), how bad is the pain? Where is the pain in your back? Do you take pain medication? ..................SAH

[ladi]

My level is T9 1 yr. 6 months post. I did not have back pain before my injury. I did have back surgery. There is hardware in there supporting my spine. I sit in my chair mostly all day. I use a transfer board to get from here to there. The pain has gotten to an 8 on a scale from 1-10 before. The pain is in my mid back mostly on the right side but, it does vary. I do take pain meds but only in an emergency. I take hydocodone 7.5. They have given my problems that is why I only take them occasionally.

[zaziwe]

ladi,

I have had a lot of back pain also. I started going to a chiropractor about a year after my accident (c5/6 incomplete). It has helped immensely!
I also use a handheld Homedics massager.

If you are not familiar with chiropractic and would like to know a little about it, let me know.

[SCI-Nurse]

Ladi, if you still have rods in your back, talk with your physician about possible removal of the rods. Many people have found significant reduction of pain after rod removal. Sometimes rods break as well, as this can cause pain, so if yours have not been looked at in a while this should be considered. I would avoid seeing a chiropractor or having any spinal manipulation with rods in place as this can cause them to break if not done properly. (KLD)

[etexley]

Ladi...

Make sure you aren't sitting sitting with your lower back curved....

I'm 18 months post. I'm a T5 injury. I had pretty severe pain in my lower back. I had an examination with Dr. Kao. The first thing he said to me was "Don't SIT like that" He put a pillow behind my lower back. It's helped immensely.

Now I was in therapy for almost a year. I asked about it. I asked about another back for my chair. They told me the pain was neurological (even though aspirin seemed to help

standing has also made a REAL difference.

Eric Texley

[etexley]

http://www.rohcg.on.ca/mobile/seating/slide1.html

This is a very good site on proper seating and positioning.

Eric Texley

[Sarah Mueller]

I am 16 years 6 month post injury. My back pain started when I was 11 (I'm now 24). I had paralytic scoliosis (triple C curve) and had a rod put in (in 1988). The rod broke and I had to have the operation again (1990). This time I had two rods put in my spine, a plate in the front of my spine and three rods welded together in my pelvis to stabilize my sitting. (I also have pins and plates in my hips due to repeated dislocation). I have had more problems with back pain since the surgery in 1990 than I had after my accident (I fell from a swing) in 1985. The chronic pain is manageable (sometimes I'm able to only take 2 Advil once a day or no pain pills at all) but other days, especially during thunderstorms, I have to take Tylenol #1s.

During thunderstorms (or when my neighbours or inconsiderate drivers play their radios full blast with the bass cranked up) the rods in my back vibrate and cause extreme pain. It used to be so bad I would black out. The black outs would last anywhere from 30 seconds to 30 minutes. Doctors couldn't tell me why. Has anyone heard about that happening? If so, please let me know.

[mk99]

I have just had my rods removed a month ago. I am 16 months post injury... the rods were causing me a lot of pain.

But now it's worse! I feel every bump in the road going right through to my structure... not sure what to do. Transfers are painful, sitting is painful, the commode is an experience from hell every morning.

Anyone else had rods removed and what happened after? I am even contemplating putting them back in.

[Sci Mom]

My daughter is a T11/12 complete, 2.5 years post.
She had her rods removed at the end of May because she thought they might be causing some of her pain. This type of surgery is major; it's a slow, painful recovery but it has been worth it for my daughter. It took almost 2 months for the pain to really diminish. She also takes oxycontin which has allowed her to function and get on with her life. She feels that the deep pain in her spine is now gone; she was also nauseous--constantly--since her accident. The minute she woke up from the surgery, she was amazed to find that the nausea was gone. She was hungry--she wanted pizza! I hadn't heard that from her in two years! [Very unusual in a teen!]
So..bottom line: 8 weeks to feel better, but she feels MUCH better now, and doesn't regret the procedure in the least. Hang in there...I wish you luck. Vicky