I have a recurring issue with a pinched nerve in the middle of my back. It is a wierd problem, and it hits when I am doing nothing at all. I can work my ass off on my place without a problem. It is taking a few weeks off when it hits.
This Saturday, just walking down my hallway, it felt like I had been shot in the back. Literally, it floored me. My Doctor said it takes about 8 years for these things to work themselves out, and I am on year 6.
The reason I ask if anyone else has these problems is to see if anyone has any good suggestions or home remedies that help them. The heating pad is a no-no as it just keeps it imflamed, yet ice just stiffens it to the point you can't move. Pain killers make me even more retarded and Advil just doesn't do a whole lot. It really is a helpless feeling that lasts for about a week.
Physical therapy and Quackupuncture don't do much either.
I have a bout of it couple times a year, and am having one as of this morning, just a couple of days before a week long pheasant hunt, which will suck if I can't get better= lots of walking involved!
Ice, not heat for the first few days. Chiropractic does help some. Rest. Anti-inflammatories. A prescription drug works best.
Doctor told me it usually goes away by age 50. Congrats, you just joined the soon-to-be old timer club
Sounds like you crushed a disk in your spine that sets off the nerves. You probably should consider an MRI to see what's really going on or at a minimum some sort of X-ray to see the state of your spine. I saw what mine looked like after I crushed the cartelidge between my C4-C5 vertabrae. It wasn't pretty.
Don't know if I have the same condition, but have had bad back/nerve issues for many years now. It can come and go often time without any real cause and can last a day or for weeks at a time. I have found, for me, trying to maintain activity and doing my workouts, etc. (despite the pain) seems to help far more then rest or inactivity for reducing the symptoms/pain. Sometimes my workouts can bring on the pain, but they also usually the best way to relieve the issues upon onset. Kind of a catch 22.
Friend pinched a nerve in his arm, radial or something I think? He had to get surgery, I remember he was in a lot of pain. He does MMA and it happened while fighting.
I compressed my spine a few years ago on a nasty fall while wake boarding, didn't pinch a nerve, but fucked my back up. I agree physical therapy etc didn't help, I said screw it and let it heal on its own, took almost 2 years to where I didn't feel pain anymore. And I'm in my 20's so it scared me to already have hurt my back. I'm careful now and don't do the crazy stuff I did before as I'm afraid it will come back and bite me when I'm older.
That sucks Tucker. I have whats sounds like a similar problem.
Mine is mid-back as well, basically the source is between the C6 and C7 (when looking at an X-ray it makes sense). The offending nerve sits between the shoulder blades.
My problem is that the nerve exiting this area on the left side is the one pinched. It causes pain "behind" the left shoulderblade, down the left arm and forearm, and leaves the index and middle finger a little "tingly". FYI - Sometimes the same symptoms can mean heart attack, not in my case...
It most likely is due to an auto accident 2 years ago when a drunk hit me. I got Helluva whiplash. The MRI showed some degeneration of the disks in the midback, but the doc said nothing overly was out of spec. I didnt have pinched nerve issues then.
Last year I had a cold in Jan, and one time I sneezed and it shot stingers down my arms!
It recently flared up about a month ago. Bad. I have been going to the gym regularly up to that point.
What has helped me is I have had to take a bit of a break from doing upper-body: especially anything that rotated the shoulderblades or made me tuck my chin towards my chest (effectively stretching the neck where the nerve is pinched). I am slowley getting back into working upper body, but not going heavy. I noticed my left arm is significantly weaker thanks to this pinched nerve thing.
I have been going to a chiroprator. We looked at the offending area via x-rays and it was apparent my spine was not straight in that area especially. I got adjusted like 3 times in 4 days. He focused on the upper/mid-back but also re-aligned my hips. He also did muscle stim prior to the adjustment but I think thats just a trendy treatment that at most loosens the back up to make the adjustment easier.
I have also been going to a massage therapist to work on the ligaments in the upper back and neck. If you have/are out of alignment, or if you favor one side or arm over the other that is an issue as well. If you think the pinched nerve is due partially or mainly due to mis-alignment in the spine then this helps with the realignment.
Never been a huge pro-chiro guy, but its helping alot. I'm off the ridiculous amount of anti-inflammatories I was taking 3 weeks ago, and dont have to sleep in a weird way to keep the left side and mid back pressure-free. I was able to lift this weekend. Painwasnt completely gone, but 20% of what it was 3 weeks ago. I plan on seeing the chiro guy a couple times a week for at least the remainder of this year.
Give it a shot if you havent yet. Hope this helps Tucker. Pinched nerves suck.
Hey Tuck, here's the free chiro advice. Disc problems are rare in the thoracic spine and seldom are surgical...maybe 2 to 3%. I'll be going to Junction Saturday to Saturday and a side trip to San Antonio on Monday. If you have time, I can check you out. Ice packs and Advil along with some stretches. PM me if you want me to stop by.
Hey Tuck, here's the free chiro advice. Disc problems are rare in the thoracic spine and seldom are surgical...maybe 2 to 3%. I'll be going to Junction Saturday to Saturday and a side trip to San Antonio on Monday. If you have time, I can check you out. Ice packs and Advil along with some stretches. PM me if you want me to stop by.
Joel, I will shoot you my number. Definitely if you have time on Monday, lets get together. I am sure it will have gone away by then, but there might be something you can tell. I am not sure. Mrs Jeff, I may take you up on that the next time I get nailed. I am sittin at the office now looped out of my mind My customers are getting a kick out of my retardation.
I did go to a specialist about two years ago. My choices were surgery, coming in from the chest and around to the back. That didn't sound like fun. The other option was cortezone (sp?) shots, which I don't do after college athletics.
My issues started about a year after a wreck in my M3. I had the windows down, and a guy mowing a center median nailed a glass bottle right as I was passing and it blew through my window in to my face....ended up jumping a curb and slapping an oak tree at about 50. Glass in the ol eye balls doesn't do too well for your sense of direction Not a scratch on me, just a huge purple stripe from the seat belt and gashes on my heals from kicking the back of the seat. But, my neck hurt like mad for about a month. I would imagine this is when it started. Mine is between 6&7 as well.
Yeah, what part of your back ? I think the lay person uses the term "pinched nerve" to describe many problems that aren't a pinched nerve. One problem I've personally had recurring over the years is a spasm of my rhomboid muscle just towards the center of my shoulder blade towards my upper back. This thing spasms, hurts like all get out for a few days and then sometimes (in the past) would last as more of a dull gnawing pain for months or even years. I'd not like it but got used to the fact that I had chronic pain.
Then a few years back I got my wife to dig into my back in the area of the pain (when it was chronic). She found a cord of muscle, maybe the diameter of a large pen that was the tender area (and a 2 or 3 inches long). At my urging I asked her to work out that cord. It took her about 15 minutes and using everything including her elbows to work that cord until it was gone. It hurt real bad. I mean I was close to screaming the whole time she worked it but I didn't let her know or she probably would have stopped. After wards it ached and for 2 or three days it was sore like as if I had done a vigorous work out. Then the soreness went away and stayed away for a few years. It comes back now and then but I know what to do about it now.
You might have someone do a thorough feel around looking for any area of knotted muscle; it will feel like a cord about like a pencil. Then if that is found go to a message therapist for deep tissue massage or a physician who might want to inject that area with some lidocaine. Even though I'm a physician I'd advocate the massage because I think it's working on the problem a little more naturally.
__________________
Kowalski: the last American Hero, to whom speed means freedom of the soul.
Hey Tuck, here's the free chiro advice. Disc problems are rare in the thoracic spine and seldom are surgical...maybe 2 to 3%. I'll be going to Junction Saturday to Saturday and a side trip to San Antonio on Monday. If you have time, I can check you out. Ice packs and Advil along with some stretches. PM me if you want me to stop by.
Hey Joel, it hurts when I go like this..................
The AutoGuide.com network consists of the largest network of enthusiast-owned enthusiast-operated automotive communities.
AutoGuide.com provides the latest car reviews, auto show coverage, new car prices, and automotive news. The AutoGuide network operates more than 100 automotive forums where our users consult peers for shopping information and advice, and share opinions as a community.
My customers are getting a kick out of my retardation.
Not a scratch on me, just a huge purple stripe from the seat belt and gashes on my heals from kicking the back of the seat. But, my neck hurt like mad for about a month. I would imagine this is when it started. Mine is between 6&7 as well.
Linear Mode
