How's your back?

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FB7777

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Brief history, I have been cleaning carpets for 27 plus years now. While I have had my share of helpers and employees, I am still the hardest working tech in my company.

Over the past 5 years I have experienced a gradual " tightening " of my back particularly in the morning that works its way out through the day.

Core training, yoga and a personal trainer have all been part of my fitness routine during these five years.

The last six months I have lessened my physical work load only to discover no relief in my back stiffness as it continued to degrade and be more difficult to move during the day.

Finally about 4 weeks ago it happened, debilitating back muscle spasms in the morning and during the night. Worst pain I have ever experienced .

Off to the doctors to get an MRI and see if there are disc issues.

Small radial annular tear but nothing severe enough to explain my condition according to my primary care doc.

Off to the chiropractor and within 4 visits I am feeling tremendous relief with minimal stiffness,me specially considering I am 50 and have led an extremely active life.

Never considered chiropractic care, I'm curious what others experience has been and if they are on a maintenance type plan ?

Can not beleive the almost immediate relief I felt after the first visit and continued healing after subsequent appointments.
 

Spurlington

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piriformis-syndrome-with-sciatic-nerve-compression.jpg

That red muscle is your piriformus. it connects your legs to your spine. When that over tightens, it compresses your sciatic nerve. Our years of rocking back n forth without stretching and not enough water drinking will cause this muscle to be tight. You probably feel the pain in your hip to base of spine. Waistline area. Maybe your inner thigh muscle is on the tight side as well. Google piriformus syndrome. Do the exercises. Start slow.

Your muscles are like a beef jerky. Nice n lean and very flexible, stretchy and bendy. Once the beef is dehydrated to make the jerky, it becomes stiff and kinda tuff. Hard to bend and twist. When you dont drink the necessary amount of water, your muscles will become a beef jerky.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct...=IJDgcmdCtDv3B-mAnDgjQA&bvm=bv.92885102,d.aWw

Recommended water intake: 150lb man drink 75oz a day, 200lb drink 100oz aday an on and on ...

Get stretchin and get on that water and dont be a beef jerky !!
 
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Fred, get the book Pain Free and do the stretches. When I miss a few days/week after umping/refing i walk like Fred G Sandford.

When I stick to it, it takes about 30 mins in the morning and I sometimes do some before bed.

Your whole body will feel better, trust me!!!
 
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Russ T.

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Glad you've found something that works!

We have a trade with our Chiropractor. All 4 of us are adjusted monthly. Max's first visit was when he was just an infant.

Health is all about treating a cause rather than a symptom IMO.

Stay active, it's a big part of what's keeping you young!
 
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Spurlington

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Also try to eliminate inflamation causing foods. That will reduce your pain. Eat more alkalizing foods rather than acid forming. Go as much Organic if you can. Dump the processed crap and never fast food and drink nothing but water.
 
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Spurlington

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Glad you've found something that works!

We have a trade with our Chiropractor. All 4 of us are adjusted monthly. Max's first visit was when he was just an infant.

Health is all about treating a cause rather than a symptom IMO.

Stay active, it's a big part of what's keeping you young!


I think it starts with being flexible. Which stretching and hydration will do for you. I believe tight muscles manipulate your structure. Sets you off alignment. Key is stay hydrated and flexible from stretching. At min half your weight in ounces of water.
 
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F

FB7777

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piriformis-syndrome-with-sciatic-nerve-compression.jpg

That red muscle is your piriformus. it connects your legs to your spine. When that over tightens, it compresses your sciatic nerve. Our years of rocking back n forth without stretching and not enough water drinking will cause this muscle to be tight. You probably feel the pain in your hip to base of spine. Waistline area. Maybe your inner thigh muscle is on the tight side as well. Google piriformus syndrome. Do the exercises. Start slow.

Your muscles are like a beef jerky. Nice n lean and very flexible, stretchy and bendy. Once the beef is dehydrated to make the jerky, it becomes stiff and kinda tuff. Hard to bend and twist. When you dont drink the necessary amount of water, your muscles will become a beef jerky.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=5&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CDoQtwIwBA&url=http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x1o7t9c_how-to-yoga-stretches-for-low-back-pain-sciatica-relief-by-jen-hilman_lifestyle&ei=kE5OVb_dPM6dygTx3oCQBg&usg=AFQjCNFoI8gJkhZKLG9SlMS7gwthJpDl5w&sig2=IJDgcmdCtDv3B-mAnDgjQA&bvm=bv.92885102,d.aWw

Recommended water intake: 150lb man drink 75oz a day, 200lb drink 100oz aday an on and on ...

Get stretchin and get on that water and dont be a beef jerky !!
No pain radiating down the leg , or any numbness. Strictly isolated to the lower right side near my L5

Thanks for the water suggestion... Inflammation I suspect is a major culprit. Diet , water and continuing with my normal fitness regime ( along with chiro visits ) is my current plan of action
 
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jack zerkie
Well my back is good but my front does,t work well just ask my wife. I find the more I work the better I feel. The days I,m doing 3-4 jobs I,m tired but feel good the slow days I need to work out. I try to do just one story jobs . second floor is to much running . I don,t have a helper. I do use a friend for large jobs he just moves hoses and does a great job. I guess at 73 I should be happy and life is great. I love cleaning dirty white carpets, that's my specialty . jz
 

Shane Deubell

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My pinky went numb last year (apparently its permanent), sometimes my wrist down does.

Think its my neck tho the doctor said its my elbow.
Somethin is rubbing against somethin...
 
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I get a deep tissue/sports massage every other week.... I believe in having your body alined and in balance... Since going, I haven't felt the need to crack my back or neck as much as I used too...

I swear I feel like a 50yo when I leave though, sh!t is super sore..... I used to always get massages for free before, then I narrowed it down to only 1 gf and now I get none......:dejection:...............:lol:
 
J

JS41035

Guest
73 and cleaning 3 or 4 jobs a day

You're my fricken hero
Brief history, I have been cleaning carpets for 27 plus years now. While I have had my share of helpers and employees, I am still the hardest working tech in my company.

Over the past 5 years I have experienced a gradual " tightening " of my back particularly in the morning that works its way out through the day.

Core training, yoga and a personal trainer have all been part of my fitness routine during these five years.

The last six months I have lessened my physical work load only to discover no relief in my back stiffness as it continued to degrade and be more difficult to move during the day.

Finally about 4 weeks ago it happened, debilitating back muscle spasms in the morning and during the night. Worst pain I have ever experienced .

Off to the doctors to get an MRI and see if there are disc issues.

Small radial annular tear but nothing severe enough to explain my condition according to my primary care doc.

Off to the chiropractor and within 4 visits I am feeling tremendous relief with minimal stiffness,me specially considering I am 50 and have led an extremely active life.

Never considered chiropractic care, I'm curious what others experience has been and if they are on a maintenance type plan ?

Can not beleive the almost immediate relief I felt after the first visit and continued healing after subsequent appointments.
Did the X-ray the L5? I'm sure they probably did. I have a pars fracture in my L5. Hard to see on the MRI but very obvious on the X-ray. Same thing super stuff in the morning. But better by 8 or 9.
 

hogjowl

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Phred, as bad as this will make you feel, you and I could be twins. Our stories are exactly alike. Right up until the chiropractor. My problem is apparently a bulging disc, although I've never been officially diagnosed. I went one time to a chiropractor and got no relief.
 

bob vawter

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i went to the doc yesterday...an' i told him ...
jus put a check mark on that whole list
of things that hurt!

he's zeroing in on rheumatoid arthritis..PLUS
he tells me i got suger.......
SEE...you go to a fricking DOCTOR and all they tell you are bad things.......
i shoulda known NOT to go
 
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Art Kelley

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Rainbow Carpet And Upholstery Cleaning

I'm with you and Jack on this one Mark. I seem to get stronger and healthier the more I work. I go nonstop for 12 hours every day, driving, working, driving, working, and when I wake up in the morning I feel refreshed and ready for more. The times I've been injured have been because of training and recreation. I have disk herniation in my back and torn meniscus and ACL in both legs from overly aggressive running and those injuries won't heal, and when they flair up it can be extremely painful and debilitating, but work and the constant motion and bending and stretching seems to keep things in check.
 
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I have the same story...continual motion with wand causes this.
I had a pinched nerve for 4 years...had to go halftime and go to a dr, but didn't help.
Finally went to a chiropractor, X-ray and MRI showed a pinched nerve in my neck.
6 months of chiro including decompression helped but he said I needed a new motion.
I bought the zipper. A year ago and have only been back to the chiropractor 1-2 times..
Get the zipper.........it will give you a different motion and take stress off of one arm.
 
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ruff

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Ofer Kolton
Not all back pain is from the same reason. Not all solutions will be the same.
Chiropractic treatment, though at times helpful (particularly when one has excruciating pain) is nothing but a temporary relief, as it addresses only the symptoms and not the cause.

Unless changes in work habits, movement, nutrition, core strengthening, yoga etc., is taken, it will not solve the problem. It will just be a band aid. Helpful and necessary at times, yet still just a band aid.
 

Able 1

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My back usually acts up every spring, not this year yet... Moving seems to fix it. Sitting around all winter sucks! Get busy one way or another! !
 

hogjowl

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"Moving seems to help it."
Boy, that's he truth!
I can't stand still. If a customer stops me and wants to talk, I have to swing my hips, shift from foot to foot, bend over at the waste ... constantly ... or it hurts too much to stand there. My son and I got stopped by a customer in tractor supply the other day, he's one of those Saiger types, after about 30 minutes of listening to him blab on and on, I finally had to just interrupt him and say we had to go. On the way out, my boy was laughing at me saying I looked like one of those bobble dolls you used to see in the back window of Taco's family cars.

People can't understand how you can have back trouble like mine and still work. It's because not working hurts so damn much.
 

Jim Martin

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Jim Martin
After 50 every day you wake up you have a new pain.
Welcome

Pretty much...at 11:59..15 seconds before my 50th birthday..my body let me know enough is enough...and it reminds me daily.....
there are things that hurt that I did not even know I had...somethings don't want to work like they use to and I noticed it takes me much longer to heal then normal...

it's also the age where when you go to the Dr from now on you will get poked..prodded..and violated with each visit...and they want to put cameras in places that no one thought it was humanly possible to do...

if this is just the tip of the ice berg as I get older...i'm going down like the titanic...
 
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