Dealing with back pain & riding.

[MSRP]

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Those that take Ibuprofen regularly, check out some of the notes from various experts:
You searched for Ibuprofen - Podcast Notes

Very bad for your gut, leads to other issues with inflammation. Pills and busy/overwhelmed doctors rarely address the root causes, so that's where I would always recommend seeing someone that has time to discover why you are in pain. I'm not against using them at all, primarily just not happy when friends use them as their sole "treatment", instead of utilizing them to raise pain thresholds in order to push yourself during rehab/stretching/recovery.

Great to see a few of us getting better.

Recovering from acl surgery and fractured c6/c7/t1, separate incidents.
My personal routine these days from most to not so effective.

1. general physical health and fitness (weights, hot yoga, swimming)
2. damn good sleep 7-8+ hours ideally
3. eating mostly home cooked meals--not extraordinary healthy, just easy on the sugar/salt, cut the junk like soda and candy bars and combine with intermittent fasting (I eat a larger portion of last night's dinner for breakfast, and most days don't eat until dinner)
4. foam rolling/sauna/cold showers
5. no pills or supplements

I'm luckily mostly pain free these days, in better shape and health prior to my injuries in my early 20's. That's my personal "shortcut" for anyone looking to ween off the temporary relief from pills. If you have the time and money and can afford alternative treatments like stem cell injections in Panama/South America, I'd do it 100%

 

[PrivatePilot]

So, some followup.

About a week or two after I posted this thread I had a full on bout of crippling sciatica. Apparently the increasing back pain was a sign something big was festering.

I ended up in the hospital actually as it was debilitating beyond any explanation, and as someone who has managed several major surgeries and a C1/C2 spinal fusion, I don't say that lightly. I had my sister take me to the ER where what my doctor thought was bursitis initially ended up being diagnosed as the sciatica instead, and I was in an acute attack.

I wouldn't wish that **** on anyone. I was literally writhing in agony on the living room floor as laying on my back was the only way to get even remotely more comfortable (using the word "comfortable" as in "in less agony") and I gnawed my teeth and sweated profusely. Not fun. I had to lay in the back of her SUV to get to the ER as I physically couldn't sit without spiking the pain beyond even my tolerance level.

Anyhow, with some help at the hospital I came home in much more comfort. I'm now on a neuropathic pain medication which has helped immensely. My entire left leg was numb for about 2 weeks from the hip right to my toes - I had so little feeling that a one point I actually stepped on a screw in my garage while out there barefoot, embeded it in my foot to the point where it was just the head sticking out, and I had no idea...until I started seeing blood in my foot steps. Brutal.

Now, things are better. Just my foot remains numb and the pain is virtually gone. Oddly enough, my back pain is much better as well recently. Not sure if it's the med or what, but I'll take it. And as almost a blessing in disguise, the neuropathic med has helped some other medical issues I was dealing with as a "positive" side effect, so yeah, no complaints there either.

I wasn't able to ride for several weeks because I simply wouldn't have been safe - I surely would have dropped my bike as I just had no feeling or strength in the effected leg. It's much better now overall, I have been back to riding again.

What lays in the road ahead I'm unsure. Apparently now that I've had a serious sciatica attack I'm a potential candidate for surgery to fix the disc issue...if it comes to that...but I'll cross that bridge when I get to it.

On another topic, a few weeks ago I took the "buy a different bike" suggestion to heart and went and test rode a Goldwing for a good solid hour at GP bikes. I was less than impressed honestly - I actually disliked the more "feet below you" seating position and found the lack of any ability to stretch my legs out more bothersome from a comfort perspective. So I'm not sure that's the solution. What I did find helpful was regular use of my AirHawk since this happened - I've found a position where it leaves my lower spine "airborne" more or less and the road impacts are absorbed by my butt instead of my spine. So far, so good.

 

[MacDoc]

My sciatica is far less severe and the AirHawk helps for distance but so does MotoSkivvies and a kidney belt.

What neuro med are you taking. I find Celebrex gives me the best relief and I'm trying some topical CME.

My biggest issue just now is my right arm and shoulder...that's why I asked about the med. Getting old sucks.

 

[Mad Mike]

...My biggest issue just now is my right arm and shoulder...that's why I asked about the med. Getting old sucks.

I a shoulder problem too, they diagnosed it as Shoulder Impingement. I could ride with some pain because I could lean forward to tale the pressure off the impinged nerve. The pain got so intense when driving a car, I just stopped driving. It went on for months, finally I went to a sports physio who gave me some simple exercises. Within 3 weeks of doing them, I had restrengthened the surrounding muscles and am now pain free entirely.

Getting old does suck. I'd be happy just remembering my old injuries -- not so happy getting a daily physical reminder of my youthful recklessness.

 

[Evoex]

So, some followup.

2 slipped dics and once in awhile (every 8months or so now) they compress the nerve and it is as you say, brutal. I take the day(s) off work and just hit the couch/bed.

3 years ago it was an almost weekly occurrence and Physio saved me big time. Outside of that i was on super muscle relaxants, pain killers and other crap i didn't want in my system.

Not sure what your situation is but there are some physio things that can be done if you have a similar situation with the disc.

Feel better soon.

 

[PrivatePilot]

Gabapentin is the Neuro Med I’m on now MacDoc. Celebrex is just an NSAID like Ibuprofen, so it's method of action is just to reduce inflammation, and by connection usually, the resulting pain. Gabapentin is actually primarily a seizure med but it also works for neuropathic pain which is what I was prescribed it for, and wow, it does work wonders for that.

I'm still far from out of the woods with the disc issue and if I forget a dose of the gaba I'm reminded about 12-18 hours later - it's not debilitating, but I’m reminded let’s just say.

Doubt it would work for shoulder pain, as having been down that road (some here may remember I’ve had a major shoulder reconstruction as well) but shoulders are a more direct vs nerve pain.

For my chronic pain from my spinal fusion I Take a prescription NSAID called Vimovo - it’s basically an ibuprofen but with a built in acid reducer to avoid ulcer issues - I’ve had those before and don’t wish to repeat that either. I’ve been on it for years now fairly regularly when needed (twice a day, big pills) and no stomach issues so it works.

For breakthrough pain on top of it all the Costco branded Robaxacet (acetaminophen w/methocarbomol) work wonders too.

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