[RetroG]

I've had a stiff, sore, tight back for a week. Slight sharp pains with sudden movements. I believe it is from overuse over a 2 day period of lifting, riding ands carrying a 45 lb. child on my shoulders. Anyway, want to get it checked out to make sure it is not something more serious. Chiropractor or Primary Care Physician?

 

[Chip]

Hot shower / massage therapist (nm)

.....

 

[mdc]

Go to your doctor! The sooner you have someone take a look at what ails you the faster you can get started on fixing the problem. I had crazy lower back pain which I dealt with for months (ie no riding, couldn't bend down to pick things up off the floor etc..) finally I went and saw my doctor and within 5 minutes he figured out that my hamstrings were WAY to tight and were actually pulling my lower back out of whack. After a few weeks of stretching etc. things got better very quickly.....

 

[dobbs]

Seriously - see someone in the MD profession. I had back pain that I went to a chiropractor for a long time for - never could do anything about it (made my neck and upper back feel good tho). MRI later reveals a blown out disc that I may have been able to prevent from worsening with lifestyle change and physical therapy. I'll never be the same.

Take it seriously whenever it's your back.

 

[ferday]

go to a chiropracter that has a good reputation, particularily one who does Active Release Therapy on top of regualr adjustment

 

[tkavan01]

go to a chiropracter that has a good reputation, particularily one who does Active Release Therapy on top of regualr adjustment

agreed, don't waist your money on an MD, just go to a chiro with a good rep, and who listens to you. It's been my experience that a good chiropractor will listen to your aches and help out with physical therapy, while an MD will look at you, take your blood pressure and tell you to see a physical therapist, all in his allotted 7 minutes per patient time frame.

 

[Nat]

How about seeing the best of both worlds: an Osteopath (DO). They can prescribe meds if necessary and do spinal manipulation if called for. Most of them don't do manipulation any more, so you might want to call their office first and ask if they still do it or not.

http://www.academyofosteopathy.org/whatis_DO.cfm

 

[Guest]

chiro

I had minor back pain issues...MD gave me a few (and I do mean few) muscle relaxers
That didnt do the trick. :madmax:

Then I went to a Chiropractor that is Sports Medicine Certified :thumbsup:
I've been very very happy with the results.

BadHabit, my Chiro wouldnt touch me until he had a 2 good X-Rays
I havent been in 6 months & his office hasnt called to pester me

added bonus: the chiro's nurses are pretty hot

 

[m-m]

Massaging seems to work well I hear.

 

[morganfletcher]

I'd highly recommend this book:

http://www.amazon.com/Core-Performa...ef=sr_1_1/103-0144572-3254264?ie=UTF8&s=books

Morgan

 

[Nat]

Before you start taking peoples' recommendations for treatments, realize that no one has made a diagnosis yet. Massage may work great but not for a slipped disc. A doctor or chiropractor can make the diagnosis. Or you can just wait it out to see if it gets better on its own (but you said you wanted to make sure it wasn't something serious).

 

[BadHabit]

I've had a stiff, sore, tight back for a week. Slight sharp pains with sudden movements. I believe it is from overuse over a 2 day period of lifting, riding ands carrying a 45 lb. child on my shoulders. Anyway, want to get it checked out to make sure it is not something more serious. Chiropractor or Primary Care Physician?

Doesn't sound too bad, especially with the course.

I'm curious, having never availed myself of chiropractic care--do chiropractors customarily image spinal conditions?

 

[Chip]

Mine never has

Then again, I've never visited him due to serious pain/injury. I doubt he even has imaging equipment.
While I do buy in to the benefits of proper adjustment, I'm not like some who are convinced they couldn't live without their chiro.
An hour-long massage (more muscle work and stretching than anything) and an adjustment every two weeks keeps me feeling limber and on the soccer pitch multiple times per week. And I've been sick once in the past 11 years (knocking on wood). This is not due to my "healthy" lifestyle, that's for sure.

-C

 

[yater]

My dad tried all kinds of therapy for lower back pain before he finally went to the real doc and found out he had kidney cancer. He died 4 months later.

 

[RetroG]

I went the MD route. He examined me, prescribed anti-inflam's, heat and 8 PT sessions before any imaging is done. Thanks all.

 

[hab1b]

sit ups are a great way to work out your lower back. not just for the Ab's! and yater if you are for real than thats sad and im sorry.

 

[mtnmasher]

If you're lucky it's caused by muscle spasm due to overstressed lower back muscles. If you're not lucky, you've ruptured a disk.

Go see your primary care doc and let him figure it out. No sense taking a chance on improper treatment, which has the potential of making matters worse.

 

[mtnmasher]

Oops, I just read that you already saw your doc and got anti-inflammatory's. Good for you.

 

[skibum1]

Back Pain

One word: VIOXX!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Seriously, skip the chiro witch doctors. Once you go for the initial appointment they'll be calling you everyday for follow up visits. Annoying. Take some Advil or Ibruprofen along with doing some lower back stretches. If you start to feel better do some gradual strength excersises for your abdomin. If all else fails then see a real MD and perhaps you need an MRI to see whats going on. Could be muscular or the worst a pinch nerve or the absolute worse a slipped disc. Typically it takes about 2 weeks to fully recover from back pain due to riding. Good luck and feel better. Its miserable I know.

 

[fred-da-trog]

I have to go along with Nat. You need a proper diagnosis. From firsthand experience, I can tell you, improper treatment will make it worse.