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What Causes Pain And Spasms In The Back When Having History Of Back Injury?

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Posted on Wed, 14 Sep 2016
Question: Hello, my name is XXXXXXX I am a 54 year old female. Back in 1987 I injured my lower back while at work couldn't walk for weeks without help. the initial pain left but I still have pain in the pain scale of 7 to 8,this is on a daily basis. I don't know if its because I have damaged the vertrebra the disks or the muscles, tendons, ligaments or whatever else is in the .when I sit for 10 to 30 minutes and try to get up I am like an old lady I have to roll into a standing position. cars rides hurt really bad and I can't get out after the ride is over.my back will go into spasms and these really hurt bad. then a couple of years ago was carrying a cabinet and lost my footing and landed on the tail bone full force. I will save the neck problems for later. Thank you in advance if you can help me. I am so sick of eating pain pills and hurting.
doctor
Answered by Dr. Dr. Matt Wachsman (23 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
Some points that do not add up.

Detailed Answer:
" I don't know if its because I have damaged the vertrebra the disks or the muscles, " and " I am so sick of eating pain pills".

Generally, we do diagnosis prior to prescribing. Especially with pain. especially if by pain pills, "controlled dangerous narcotics" are meant and not over the counter aspirin.

Personally, I do not diagnose, prescribe or treat people who are not physically present. But there's rather a lot of useful information that can be given in this context.
especially about pain.

Several features of pain can be helpful in clarifying what is going on and the next steps for diagnosis and treatment.

Type of pain. Burning mostly means a nerve is having problems. This can be either a sick nerve or a nerve that has had an injury. Electrical, shooting would be others implying nerve source for pain.

Location of pain. There is a lot to this. First, if something goes in the pathway of a nerve, then that is the nerve involved. Nerves are long and the pain is in a belt-like long pathway. Smaller areas are smaller nerves. This also tends to say what might be going on. Obviously if there was an injury to the area and then there was pain outward from it "hit a nerve" would be a possibility. Sick nerves are MULTIPLE areas and tends to be the TIPS of the nerve not the whole nerve.

What hurts. Moving a particular way that triggers the pain tells what is hurting. Specifically it can distinguish outward structures like skin, muscles, tendons, joints from deep structures like organs and nerves.

Having a diagnosis leads to choice of medicine for the pain. Inflamed outer structures respond to treating inflammation. Inner structures need diagnostic tests because something internal is broken. MRI's.

And, structures that cannot be fixed need adaptations. Physical therapy, pillows, supportive structures internal and external.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Dr. Matt Wachsman (53 minutes later)
Would it be possible to talk to a doctor and then he can write his answer here. My back is complicated to me.
doctor
Answered by Dr. Dr. Matt Wachsman (5 hours later)
Brief Answer:
More than information on pain, diagnosis, all treatment modalities.

Detailed Answer:
for getting prescriptions of narcotics this is not a site that can provide that.

There are other sites advertised on the internet for that but not this one. The doctors (including me) on the site would not be able to do that since it is highly illegal.

We can of course provide information on back pain/sciatica and pain in general.
The previous discussion was on pain in general.


Having a diagnosis leads to choice of medicine for the pain. Inflamed outer structures respond to treating inflammation. Inner structures need diagnostic tests because something internal is broken. MRI's.

Specifically on sciatica/lumbar disk disease there are several points that can be made.

The name sciatica comes from the nerve which runs out from between the fourth and fifth lumbar vertebra--the sciatic nerve. It is called that from the latin word for 'hip'. The nerve goes out from the spine down the back of the leg after passing near the hip. Pain is felt along the pathway of the nerve which is near the hip. But, moving the hip outward does not classically affect the nerve nor does it elicit pain. Moving/stretching the nerve by extending the leg straight outward ("straight leg raising") typically causes the sciatica pain.

Typically the patient does not have a particular event that causes a disk herniation although it can be associated with strain/trauma. It tends to cause ups and downs with pain. Episodes of increased pain typically last about 5 days and are ore or less indistinguishable from mild muscle back problems. The key point about disk disease to differentiate it from non-disk back pain is that sciatica is associated with a small but definite risk of severe neurological problmes such as paraplegia or bowel/bladder problems. Surgery in theory prevents this but in practice studies have not been done to prove that it actually does. Nor have there been studies specifically to say if surgery lowers pain but a variety of indications from other studies looking, for example, on how many days working someone has after back surgery, imply that surgery is not especially good to treat back pain.
Massage, physical therapy, accupncture probably helps back pain. Some other general considerations on back pain have been mentioned. And some medications that can be helpful include muscle relaxants, spinal anti-epileptics ', lidocaine, capsaicin, also the physical modalities mentioned and the accomodiations mentioned.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Dr. Matt Wachsman (1 hour later)
Could one of the doctors call me I could probably explain this better on the phone. My current meds is prescribed for this pain. there was an injury to this area, actually several. My meds are Ultram50MG*T......as needed...Skelaxin 800.....as needed....Cataflam50MG... none of these seems to help. My phone number is 000000000
doctor
Answered by Dr. Dr. Matt Wachsman (1 hour later)
Brief Answer:
Contact outside of the context of the service is not allowed.

Detailed Answer:
That would be outside of the rules of the service. But frankly starting with a question would be the usual way to begin on this site and I see literally no question and no question mark in anything you have written so far. I am therefore assuming questions when none are asked.

Is there a way to become young, beautiful, without wrinkles or any damage anywhere or any problem with the back to make everything the way it was 30 years ago.
no. But if there were, it would be exercise. sorry.

Is there a way to not have any painful experiences in life. Yes, many, but they also remove all other experiences of life. Mostly we call them drugs of abuse.

What about my particular condition.
There are limits on what can be discussed without being there. Phones are not a way to travel to where you are and therefore a phone call will not change the facts mentioned.
I can, and have, mention all the relevant medical information about bad backs and all medications mentioned.
Ultram is a weak narcotic and controlled substance BUT it is the lowest risk category. Overdose on it is quite dangerous and 150 mg total a day is well within the usual safe recommended range. Skelexin is one muscle relaxant. There are many others and ones that work on the spine (robaxin and carisoprodol) are perhaps more likely to work but certainly are different than skelaxin.


I can give really good information about backs, and medications. Somehow this is not working. Saying what information you want would be a good start.
Note: For further queries, consult a joint and bone specialist, an Orthopaedic surgeon. Book a Call now.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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Answered by
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Dr. Dr. Matt Wachsman

Addiction Medicine Specialist

Practicing since :1985

Answered : 4214 Questions

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What Causes Pain And Spasms In The Back When Having History Of Back Injury?

Brief Answer: Some points that do not add up. Detailed Answer: " I don't know if its because I have damaged the vertrebra the disks or the muscles, " and " I am so sick of eating pain pills". Generally, we do diagnosis prior to prescribing. Especially with pain. especially if by pain pills, "controlled dangerous narcotics" are meant and not over the counter aspirin. Personally, I do not diagnose, prescribe or treat people who are not physically present. But there's rather a lot of useful information that can be given in this context. especially about pain. Several features of pain can be helpful in clarifying what is going on and the next steps for diagnosis and treatment. Type of pain. Burning mostly means a nerve is having problems. This can be either a sick nerve or a nerve that has had an injury. Electrical, shooting would be others implying nerve source for pain. Location of pain. There is a lot to this. First, if something goes in the pathway of a nerve, then that is the nerve involved. Nerves are long and the pain is in a belt-like long pathway. Smaller areas are smaller nerves. This also tends to say what might be going on. Obviously if there was an injury to the area and then there was pain outward from it "hit a nerve" would be a possibility. Sick nerves are MULTIPLE areas and tends to be the TIPS of the nerve not the whole nerve. What hurts. Moving a particular way that triggers the pain tells what is hurting. Specifically it can distinguish outward structures like skin, muscles, tendons, joints from deep structures like organs and nerves. Having a diagnosis leads to choice of medicine for the pain. Inflamed outer structures respond to treating inflammation. Inner structures need diagnostic tests because something internal is broken. MRI's. And, structures that cannot be fixed need adaptations. Physical therapy, pillows, supportive structures internal and external.