OOOh me back!

[Evadne]

Well, I suppose if it had to happen, then packing away for the last sail of the season was as good a time as any. Just a timely reminder that old back injuries will always come back to haunt you if you abuse it again, so if you have an uninjured back, try and keep it that way. The Doc has me on anti-inflammatories so I am at least able to come into work again for a SB fix. I can take some painkillers with it, and the Scottish one is recommended in the evening /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif. Should be as good as new come the Varnishing season.
It really is amazing how many daily activities that the lower back takes part in that you don't realise, until it spasms. Sneezing and coughing, and the one that got me this morning, applying the handbrake in the car.

 

[Dyflin]

I have a ruptured disk for a couple of months now and can sympathise 100%. Clutch in and out in the car was my worst nightmare!

Physio is getting me back on course (get it /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif), but it's stopped any chance of sailing in the fine late Autumn weather /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

 

[tico]

Thanks, went to bed last and it was aching a bit. Rolled out of bed this morning and promptly collapsed on the floor!!!

SWMBO thort it funny as I crawled across the floor to switch off the alarm.

 

[Evadne]

After years of denigrating the standard GP's response, I was pleasantly surprised at just how effective Aspirin is. And cheap. I'm on something more expensive and (hopefully) better now. The best cure is still hot baths and rest, but that doesn't do anything for the boredom.

 

[Robin]

If it IS muscular then try an Infra Red Heat Lamp, I bought a Philips 300W one from Argos for £49.95 and it really did help.

 

[Dyflin]

Be very careful taking advice from others, I learned the hard way. Everybody has a guaranteed cure/treatment /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

 

[ColinHuggins]

Every few years I've called on a good osteopath to bring me back to sanity, albeit only temporarily - I was ultimately invalided out on health grounds!!

But the best remedy? Go sailing. Seriously. I single-handed my Arpege round the Solent for a fortnight with a couple of slipped discs for company and came back ready to work again.

Years later, with the same problem, I needed help to even climb on board, but a short race round the cans would work wonders.

You may find it difficult to convince the boss that such therapy is justified . . .

 

[Lakesailor]

Ans everybody has a different problem so someone else's remedy is bound not to work for you.

 

[Dyflin]

There are only so many problems a back can give, but there seem to be unlimited remedies...

 

[ColinHuggins]

C'mon LS & Dyflin, you must admit that my suggestion is the most attractive one!

 

[Sans Bateau]

It could be worse!

Two years ago we were anchored in Petit Port, Gurnsey. The Lofrans Royal was slow in pulling the hook up so I took a manly grip of the 10mm chain and proceeded to haul the 15kg CQR together with the 30 meters of chain to the surface. That all worked OK.

Next day in Dielette, I had a twinge in the back, later that day, lifting a pair of socks, I collapsed to the floor, the pain was excruciating. I got myself together and into bed. Next morning I still could not stand for the pain. For three days I was eating paracetamal and ibu-wotsits. I could not leave the cabin.

We finished up having to get a friend to come out to meet us, to assist our passage back to Chichester.

Moral, however slow, use the windlass!

 

[oldharry]

Sympathies Evadne - I did mine getting out of the car after the second sail of the season...... and the last for 6 weeks! Trouble was it kept locking up again. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

However if its any comfort, I had a smashing single handed cruise down to Dartmuff and back a couple of months later, and never a twinge since! /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[Plomong]

Evadne,

I fully sympathize with your situation. 7 years ago I was doing some DIY on the house and dropped down from a windowsill onto the patio, about 4 feet, but landed badly. Next day, driving to the boat (135 km to Santander at the time) was excruciatingly painful -- had to stop several times, and doubted that I could return home safely. Finally managed it, but that trip was followed by 9 weeks sick leave with plenty of rest, and a further 3 months on a strictly controlled and limited exercise regime under medical supervision. This has left me with a permanent sciatica injury that requires constant care to not make the wrong sort of movement that is guaranteed to trigger an attack.

The latest incident was on rising from the stern bunk and rotating to leave the cabin, my foot slipped, or rather slid slightly, but enough at that particular angle of the limb, to tension the affected nerve and trigger an attack.

None of this has affected my sailing -- I've never had any problem on deck. Indeed sailing has on several occasions "cured" an attack triggered on land!!! What a good excuse for more sailing !!!!

As you say, the best cure seems to be rest.

At the initial stages, hot baths did nothing for me, in fact just made things worse, as they were affecting the nerve that, it seems, was infected. Cured by a series of 14 or so injections on the upper part of the rump (some form of antibiotic).

Anyway, get plenty of rest, and don't get too down in the dumps -- you'll probably be right as rain before the start of the next sailing season.

 

[gus]

My sympathies to all those who suffer back pain. It can be excruciating and so debilitating. The trouble with all the advice and treatment that is offered is that it can be likened to going into a garage with a flat tyre and being told that you have a puncture, 'we'll treat it by putting some air in it and see how it is next week'. You have to sort the cause - not treat the symptom.
I am not going to say who I am as that would contravene the rules of the forum. What I can say - with absolute certaintity is that back pain is normally easily sorted and usually permanently. 3 out of every 4 new patients I see, have 2 visits and no more back pain ever again.
Probably most of you will dispute that, but that is okay by me. Just carry on suffering. If you do suspect that I might be right, then you can e-mail me and I will be happy to explain further. Then you can get back to enjoying your sailing - pain free.
Gus