Back problems. Need your advice!

[td1111]

I am/was a tall slim guy 6"2. 8 to 10 years ago, I strained my back badly a few times, twice lifting furniture, once squatting. Through lots of chriopractics, physio, and stretching, it healed but never quite right. For the last 5 years, when I look in the mirror, my head/neck seems to pull to the right, and when I walk my right hip never swivels freely like my left.

I have become quite dilegent with stretching hams, glutes, quads, hip flexors, plus using my inversion table, and it is a constant battle as everything always tries to tighten right back up out of whack.

I have tried 3 chiropractors, and lots of massage therapy, and all of them help temporarily, but never cure the root problem. It seems that my muscle memory is premanently stuck in the old injured pattern, and cannot allow my spine to be straight.

I am at a loss of where to go next. Who should I talk to? Are there any more options, like surgery? No chiropractor has ever asked for an Xray, or anything.

Thanks for the help guys.

 

[healthfreak79]

Reading the last part of your post is what i would do. Go to your doctor and talk to him. Get an xray see a specilist, listen to what they have to say. Most docs will push surgery its what they do. That doesnt mean to have to get it done at least not right away. I know a guy who thought he was having hip problems and turns out its is back, he had to get an MRI. You may also need a cat scan.

 

[Dad]

The MRI is good idea to rule out disc pathology.

It sounds like this problem is mostly on just the one side right?
Do yuo have what feels like muscle spasm or tightness, BUT it's only on one side of yuor low back/hip?

If so, this may be an injury to the hip muscles which may include glute medius, glute minimus, and some of the deep external rotators - piriformis, glamellea, quadratus femoris, etc. Have a Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R) doc or PT test yuo for strength in external hip rotation on both sides, and compare the tight side with the normal side.

It's not uncommon for a hip injury to mainfest as low-back pain and tightness along with the tightness and limited mobility in the hip. The good news is that IF this is the case, it's a few simple exercises and stretches, and after a few weeks, yuo're on yuor way out of that!

 

[thedonker]

I will second the MRI scan, and also a blood test to rule out
ankylosing spondylitis gene problems, but really you need a scan to tell you what is really happening. I had an old friend who went through 7 years of treatment, before he was tested for ankylosing spondylitis and he had that, with the correct medication and a change in training his pain lessened.

 

[oldfella]

You really do need an xrasy or scan to determine what is going on in your spine, if anything at all. Like Dad said, could be something not related to your spine that is referring pain into your back. Could be a mild case of scoliosis, 98% of all people have some form of this and never realize it. I have it and it only showed up at an xray. It is nothing to worry about unless it is the type that gradually gets worse over time. Some people, and i see plenty of them in my gym have scoliosis and it is not a problem as long as they observe correct form while lifting. Like i said, nothing to worry about really unless it is degenerative. Only the medical peeps or specialist will be able to determine this for you.

 

[signal_24]

I've had 3 radial frequency surgeries, ROLFING, Massage, ART, chiropractic adjustments etc. The best thing I've found for my back pain is Korean acupuncture. The Koreans use a form they call Constitutional Acupuncture. Every time I go my whole body feels better. I'm getting sick of conventional "western" medicine popping pills and crap. I was very skeptical of acupuncture because it seemed to me like some kind of voodoo science. I am now a converted believer.

 

[street]

A couple of things occured to me about this last night.I was thinking tilted head probably means one leg is shorter than the other.Which relates directly to spinal problems for example scoliosis (oldfella).Then It dawned on me what if you had a back problem that actually caused your initial back injuries.THen when you go to the doc they listen to your stories and immediately think of an injury hence your actually back problem is never diagnosed.My solution is to rock up to the doc and don't mention the lifting injuries and just say you have this chronic debilitating pain in your back and its been there for X years.Hopefully this will cause them to actually search for the problem and you can get treated.

 

[VulgarDisplay]

I
No chiropractor has ever asked for an Xray, or anything.

This is a big red flag...how do they know exactly what to treat or if there are any degenerative changes, which would significantly alter the prognosis. You should also rule out any disc pathology or soft tissue lesions. The ONLY way to accomplish this is an MRI. Do not settle for anything less! If your doctor doesn't wan't schedule an MRI...get another doctor. If you wait you may suffer irreversible damage to the discs or nerve roots.