Back pain

[midhvac]

My back is totally shot, bad discs, arthritis, lower back muscles, etc.

I use one of those Swedish contour pillows for my head, and one of those special contour pillows that goes between your knees when you sleep. That one is the best for lower back pain from strain.

Get a good quality lower back brace. Not one of those elcheapos. It really does help and is also a good preventive measure. Expect to spend about $50 on a good one. Who gives a crap what the customers think!!

When I have something extra strenuous to do, like installing a new a/c, I wear the back brace and then strap a big wide weightlifting belt over the brace.

Strong stomach muscles will take lots of stress off the back. I started about 3 1/2 years ago lifting weights. I do it every night. I have a home made device where I sit on a weight lifting bench and do situps pulling 100 pounds of weight.

Posture is *very* important for back problems too. Always make it a habit to think about keeping your back straight when you're lifting things.

Be careful of the anti-inflammatory prescription drugs. They can destroy your liver and kidneys if taken daily.
I've been on Celebrex for several years, but only take it on really bad days.

[oil lp man]

Lots of people with bad backs I see.
Chiropractor works for me but I have not needed it except about every 2 months now.
During the winter with long hours and heavy lifting while exhausted I went every week sometimes every 2 weeks.
Just like doctors some good some bad. You got to make sure you get a good one.
Man, I don't think we make enough money.
Twenty more years of this crap and I'll be in a wheelchair.

[joker1]

Thanks to all the colorful replies guys, although
I think James has probably the most common sense
plan to deal with it and that is exercise and water
which is what Id been thinkin it was all along.
We are a nation of pill junkies. We got pills for
everything from Attention deficit dissorder,pretty
toe nails,hard ons for old folks, diets, and the
pills to help with brain power.MADNESS

Pharmaceuticals what a mess

[heat411]

nice to here im not the only one with a bad back, herniated discs L4 5 S1 . ihope exercise works?

[SeattlePioneer]

I quit the work that was causing repeated injuries, and have cut back considerably on the work I do in general.


One of the disadvantages of blue collar work is the high risk of injury, such as back injuries that may limit your ability to continue to work in the trade. My solution to that was to avoid buying into the consumer culture, and saving and investing a high percentage of my income (50% of after tax income or thereabouts.)

That left me financially independent at age 49 in 1999, and I now it is my business aim to do only the work I am HAPPY to do.



Seattle Pioneer

[midhvac]

Jeez, Seattle. It must be nice! If I ran only the calls that I was happy working on, I'd be so happy people would think there was something wrong with me

This job has totally destroyed my body. I feel like that little oriental looking guy who used to play in the scary movies, Peter Lorie... "My body can't take much more of thees PUNISHMENT!!"

[sodadude]

If you never do another thing about your back pain, I insist you do this one thing.

Get a copy of a book called Healing Back Pain by Dr. John Sarno.

Since reading this book over a year ago I have had zero and I mean zero back problems.

I very rarely get any neck pain.

Allow me to summarize. I used to get up every morning with a backache, a neckache, and a headache.

I read the book and have not waken up with a backache ever since. And it is still the same mattress.

I did what he said to do in his book and the results were a near miracle.

Good Luck.

[midhvac]

You guys don't know what pain is. I had a gal in a hotel room once. My back petered out, then vice-versa happened.

[Green Mountain]

With all the bugger-lugging I have done in my life I never had trouble with my back until I was 40 years old.

We were changing some condensing unit on a SC that had one of those vinyl roofs. Some refrigeration oil got spilled on the roof. I was walkin along talking to the electrician. Never saw the oil. Boom I feel flat on my ass. 6 months later the back problems started.

Any way it is all straighten out now but the physical therapist gave me a lot of good advice for maintenance.

Alot of H2O (did James say that?). 2000mg of Vitamin C per day. No wallet in the back pocket. Get rid of the beer gut. Wear lose pants-no tight jeans. (this is the big one) When you lift don't twist your back.

Up here in VT we have a lot of wood cutting going on. The PT said that he is going to send his kids to college because of wood piles.

Most people pick up something from the ground like a log or a compressor. They stand up half way straight. Both feet planted on the ground. Twist and put the load down.

He said (and I do) that you should pick the load straight up. Once your spine in staight then lift your foot and turn your whole body 90 deg. Then bend and put the load down. NO TWISTING.

[sodadude]

Originally posted by benncool
Up here in VT we have a lot of wood cutting going on.

That isnt the only thing going on in that state concerning logs. As the Old Log Inn will allude to.

[heat411]

i sure do appreciate your comments about your back problems ,has anyone had success with exercise only ? yesterday doc said steroid shots in back might have to be the solution

[icemeister]

Of course it always depends on what your specific problems are. In my case, the physical therapy has helped get me back working without too much pain but I'll likely have to go back to address issues that haven't cleared up as we had hoped.

My brother-in-law faced back surgery for severe sciatica. Three of his brothers had gone through it with questionable success but he was ready to go as well. His HMO wouldn't approve it and had him go to PT instead. He thought this was a lot of BS but went through the therapy and hasn't had a problem since......and that was nearly twenty years ago. He gave me a lot of encouragement to work with the therapists, 'cause it works.

[heat411]

thanks for the info