Hello + Back Muscle Spasm?

[watanabee]

Hi Everyone;

This will be my first post so sorry that it's more for my own good. I'm writing to enquire about an injury I did to my back this weekend while skiing. I was on my last run down and was searching in the trees for fresh snow (we got dumped on over easter in whistler). I crossed my tips and was spun around, slamming my lower right back into a tree. I immediatly felt pain when I stood up and very slowly made my way down the rest of the mountain to end my day. I was planning on skiing the next two days but there was no way with the pain I was in. I iced the back for 2 days and soaked it a few times in a hot tub, which seemed to alleviate the pain. I also took a couple muscle relaxants which seemed to help a bit but I was still prety sore. I went and had a massage yesterday to try and help the muscle relax a bit and it helped but I am still in quite a bit of pain. I've googled up some info on back muscle spasm and it could seem that this is what I am experiencing.

I am holding off on seeing a chiro for now because of expense. I don't want to go through x-rays, consultation, etc. just to find out it's my muscles. I did see an MD at a clinic who tested all my organs that are close to the area of impact and he said I was fine and didn't reccomend going to a chiro.

I guess I'm trying to see if there are any other people with similar back pain experiencs and how long they lasted, and what they did to help the healing process. Mine has been quite painfull for 6 days now, even with a massage yesterday. I'm hoping it's nothing in my spine or a slipped disk and only muscle spasm.

Any input would greatly help.

Thanks so much, hopefully I can make a few less self indulgent posts soon.

paul

[iceman]

well I'm not sure how I became the Gimp Central welcoming committee, but, hey, welcome.

Well my only expertise is that I've had a sore and sometimes-spasming back for a lot of years. There'sa huge difference between the two, a back spasm (as I've experienced them) is almost totally debilitating. Like, you can't move.

Then it eases up a bit and you can move again.

It sounds to me more like deep bruising and time will tell, but what, exactly, do I know? Nothing.

So go see a real doc if it keeps hurting but spenda few more days resting, heat pads, etc. first.

Or not.

[leroy jenkins]

What kind of pain is it? Shooting, dull aching etc.

I fell biking last year and pinched a nerve in my back. Could be something like that.

Oh, and if it doesn't go away, go see a real doc before a chiro. They will be able to diagnose you much better, and might also suggest some short term phys therapy.

[watanabee]

It's more of a dull pain which now after a few days feels like it could be interior bruising. I'm going to see the Doc in a few days again for another look. It's been getting slowly better everyday, which is good news, but still gives me a fair bit of discomfort. thanks for the input and Hello again.

[Meathelmet]

Hmm, could you tell more about where/which kind of pain you are suffering?

I mean, back (even lower back) is such a vague description.

Here is a link to tmtips,where people chats about backproblems.

http://www.telemarktalk.com/phpBB/vi...299&highlight=


These some experiences of mine too,in that thread.

In short, i tomahawked into a rock back first christmas time, and blew my discs.
First it didnt even feel that big, i skied for three more days and the problems started after that, big time.

Now a bit update.
Seeing nerosurgeon and my sportdoctor tomorrow, seems like it is surgery time now.
4 months of misery is taking its toll now, i just have to get something done.
My fucking life is falling apart.

So, in short.

Go see a good, sport+back specialiced doc, get your back diagnosed (with MRI) , and continue accordingly.

Hopfully it is something muscle related, instead of being in the joints/discs/bones.

Cheers!

[motionboy]

I crashed downhilling last year and landed on my back on a tree. It missed my armour, and left me in tremendous pain. It took about 3 weeks before it cleared but it was excruciating. It gradually got better every day and I found doing deep tissue massage helped the most. At times I would lean against a counter and and roll my back over it with as much force as possible. It was almost gone and then it flared up really bad and spasm causing me to collapse in the shower. Then it barely hurt the next. Then it was totally gone. I don't think it is unusual for it to hurt worse right before it finishes healing but maybe that was just my experience. At any rate there were times where the pain was so excrutiating that I thought I had severely damaged it but in the end it was just super deep bruising.

i would recommend perhaps seeing a massage therapist. You are also supposed to continue to be as active as possible. Get well soon.

[watanabee]

Thanks guys. I did go for a massage about 4 days after the accident and two days after the massage I noticed a lot of difference. I had wondered about accupuncture as well, but health care didn't cover that so I went for the massage.

It's still getting better day by day and I think my fears of serious damage are beginning to subside. I just have a dull pain (tender to the touch) where the impact was and a bit of muscle ache. I was able to ride my bike on flat trails for 2 hours on Saturday which made me very happy and am hoping to do some more aggressive riding this weekend.

[Meathelmet]

Good to hear.
It sounds like that you got away with "only" minor bruises.
Just listen to your body, if it persist longer or gets worse, get it sorted out a.s.a.p.

If it gets better,just go out and enjoy!