Persistent Lower Back Pain

[Atrecord]

12 hours ago, Windwaver said:

Thoracic Spine, neck is common.

oh, then nope. only heard lower back where it's always the lumbar that's affected. you have upper back pain?

[Atrecord]

13 hours ago, Volvobrick said:

They didn't clarify the size of the key. Anyway have a swift recovery! 

another important lesson learnt. Must ask specific dimensions instead 😂

Thanks...

[Atrecord]

2 hours ago, Sporkypiggy said:

@Atrecord Not too sure if your condition is due to lumbar herniated disc. Bulging disc or ruptured disc.

The herniated disc may compress your nerve and even spinal cord. Nerve compression may generally lead to pain. And it may send shooting pain down from your back to your leg. And worst case, case numbness and tingling sensation down to your toes.

I am not familiar with the DIAM spinal spacer, it  may seems to be explained in the below video. If so, then your case is not fusion.

 

wow, informative... i'll ask my doc when i go for follow-up whether mine is which one... i had the impression that it's cos the 2 discs somehow got out of alignment and parts of them were damaged, so the fragments were compressing on the nerve.

but he did say my case quite straightforward, and everything went well. 

[Windwaver]

2 hours ago, Sporkypiggy said:

@Atrecord Not too sure if your condition is due to lumbar herniated disc. Bulging disc or ruptured disc.

The herniated disc may compress your nerve and even spinal cord. Nerve compression may generally lead to pain. And it may send shooting pain down from your back to your leg. And worst case, case numbness and tingling sensation down to your toes.

I am not familiar with the DIAM spinal spacer, it  may seems to be explained in the below video. If so, then your case is not fusion.

This kind straight forward, MRI sure can pick up and it's only a matter of surgery or not.

People who don't have a clear diagnosis but is suffering are worse off.

 

[Etnt]

Spoiler

This is the wound, not say very big but not small

and I dunno why they like to return to owner the removed parts. These are the discs they took out

Edited April 22, 2021 by Etnt
put in spoiler tag, some might find it offensive

[Kxbc]

1 hour ago, Etnt said:

  Reveal hidden contents

This is the wound, not say very big but not small

and I dunno why they like to return to owner the removed parts. These are the discs they took out

Looks like 5 to 6cm. And very ouch. 

Return you is to tell you got work done. Not just cut open and sew back up. 😁 Something like workshop change the wipe blades for you. My workshop always return me the old ones as if got value. 

[Sporkypiggy]

@Atrecord Did some read up. Below is what I extracted. For sharing purpose: 

An interspinous spacer is a device that is inserted into the back of the spine, between the spinous processes. The device is used to treat spinal stenosis. Spinal stenosis occurs when the passageways of the spine are narrow and compress the nerves of the spine.

Lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) is a medical condition in which the spinal canal narrows and compresses the nerves and blood vessels at the level of the lumbar vertebrae.

I think your doctor would be the best person to give you the true diagnosis.

For bulging disc and slipped disc,  X-ray may give you a hint. But MRI can confirm it. The cost of X-ray (<$100) vs MRI (>$1000) is quite big. Usually doctor would recommend physio and give you pain killers if you have back ache. But if you start to have constant numbing and tingling sensation (24x7), then it is a cause of concern. If a patient leave it untreated, it may get worst. And if a patient waited too long, finally cannot take it, and decided to go for operation. The nerve may be compressed for too long and may take longer time to heal itself. Or in worst case, will not heal at all, meaning the numbness and tingling sensation may not totally go away after operation.

My advice to those who have neck and lumbar pain. Don't wait too long to go see a doctor. After getting the diagnosis, then you can decide what is your best approach.  Spend 5-10min every morning and evening to do some light stretching maybe your best medicine.

 

[Atrecord]

On 4/22/2021 at 1:29 PM, Etnt said:

  Hide contents

This is the wound, not say very big but not small

and I dunno why they like to return to owner the removed parts. These are the discs they took out

i think my wound a bit shorter than yours, but more 'rugged' i am told.

And i think my 'removed disc fragments' got more than yours... 😂

[Atrecord]

On 4/23/2021 at 9:03 AM, Sporkypiggy said:

@Atrecord Did some read up. Below is what I extracted. For sharing purpose: 

An interspinous spacer is a device that is inserted into the back of the spine, between the spinous processes. The device is used to treat spinal stenosis. Spinal stenosis occurs when the passageways of the spine are narrow and compress the nerves of the spine.

Lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) is a medical condition in which the spinal canal narrows and compresses the nerves and blood vessels at the level of the lumbar vertebrae.

I think your doctor would be the best person to give you the true diagnosis.

For bulging disc and slipped disc,  X-ray may give you a hint. But MRI can confirm it. The cost of X-ray (<$100) vs MRI (>$1000) is quite big. Usually doctor would recommend physio and give you pain killers if you have back ache. But if you start to have constant numbing and tingling sensation (24x7), then it is a cause of concern. If a patient leave it untreated, it may get worst. And if a patient waited too long, finally cannot take it, and decided to go for operation. The nerve may be compressed for too long and may take longer time to heal itself. Or in worst case, will not heal at all, meaning the numbness and tingling sensation may not totally go away after operation.

My advice to those who have neck and lumbar pain. Don't wait too long to go see a doctor. After getting the diagnosis, then you can decide what is your best approach.  Spend 5-10min every morning and evening to do some light stretching maybe your best medicine.

 

yes, quite similar to what i was told by my GP and also the orthos i saw.

My GP sent me for x-ray in Jan, and expectedly it came back normal. After a dose of painkiller and the pain persisted, he wanted to send me to private MRI, but my company would not cover so i asked for a referral to see specialist instead. The wait was a couple of weeks, but longer wait was in store when the ortho ordered a MRI... Never knew so many patients need MRI that queues could be for months in the RHs... (compared to the GP said if he referred to private radiology clinic, can be next day...)

The orthos said that if i choose not to go for surgery, the conservative approach would be to continue with painkiller (since the pain persisted), and then try physio, but this is not guaranteed to work, esp given my condition.

Also said there's chance the left leg might get weaker if left as-is, and the lost strength is usually not going to come back after surgery - and that's another reason why i thought it better to go ahead with the surgery now...

[Sporkypiggy]

There is a minimally invasive surgery called Endoscopic Lumbar Discectomy, which is widely adopted in the US.

It removes the herniated portion of the disc instead of removing the entire disc like fusion does. There are some private Ortho who offer such surgery, but I am not sure if the public hospital does offer. But as I understand, this technique is mainly use for lumbar herniated disc, not so much on cervical (neck). 

 

@Atrecord,

 Btw, did your surgeon say how long you need to lay off from physical exercise?

Will you be able to do running and other sports after a period of 6-12mths after your Diam Spacer surgery?

 

[Atrecord]

On 4/24/2021 at 5:52 PM, Sporkypiggy said:

There is a minimally invasive surgery called Endoscopic Lumbar Discectomy, which is widely adopted in the US.

It removes the herniated portion of the disc instead of removing the entire disc like fusion does. There are some private Ortho who offer such surgery, but I am not sure if the public hospital does offer. But as I understand, this technique is mainly use for lumbar herniated disc, not so much on cervical (neck). 

 

@Atrecord,

 Btw, did your surgeon say how long you need to lay off from physical exercise?

Will you be able to do running and other sports after a period of 6-12mths after your Diam Spacer surgery?

 

I was told by my surgeon - and another doc whom i sought 2nd opinion from - that my bones position are still aligned, and the discs are out of shape, so the op was just to removed the damaged fragments, and there's no need to insert anything.

In terms of physical activities, supposed to start PT within a month, and exercises like jogging and swimming within 3 months. These might change when i go for review in 3 weeks' time, but those were what i was told earlier.

was told that one end of the wound is not healing as well as the rest of the wound, but was reassured that it's not a major concern. The GP clinic has asked me to go back to change the dressing on alternate days instead of my current every-3-day schedule...

[Jamesc]

Have you tried yoga?

If you never bend and stretch then the first time it's very painful.

But if you do regularly then it gets easier.

The healthiest person is not the fittest person but the most flexible 

On 8/12/2011 at 10:26 PM, Orangepineapple said:

Want to seek some advice from bros here who also suffer from lower back pain

 

I am having lower back pain for few months already. Initially only pain when I do some awkward motions like twisting and bending down.

But now it has worsen to constant pain/ache no matter standing or sitting, to the extend that when walking I cannot really straighten the back.

 

Of course i had been to the doctor's several times, every time he will take an x-ray and tell me that there is no problem with the spine and bones. and there's nothing he can do except prescribing some physiotheraphy.

 

I went for physio for a while but it did not help. So i went back and the doctor said the x-ray did not show anything and he really dunno how, so he suggested to do an MRI scan to check if the nerves are ok.

 

My question is: are MRI scan really useful? I am worried that after i go through this expensive scan the doctor is going to say that the scan shows nothing and direct me to physio again. then i would have wasted money to go back to square one

 

any bros can advice? or any bros know of any good places that can treat back pain?

 

[BanCoe]

2 hours ago, Jamesc said:

Have you tried yoga?

If you never bend and stretch then the first time it's very painful.

But if you do regularly then it gets easier.

The healthiest person is not the fittest person but the most flexible 

 

Yoga n Pilates helps but you must do it the correct way either thru' a physiotherapist or Yoga instructor at site so that they can push certain parts of the body down (literally pin you down  to feel the stretch)   ......... I've had my fair share of s1,L1,L2,L3 spondylosis      

[Jamesc]

I do thai massage for my lady customers. Its a mild form of yoga. 

I also push certain parts of their body down (literally pin them down  to feel the stretch)   ......... after that I also give them a  spondy bath to clean them up.

      

1 hour ago, BanCoe said:

Yoga n Pilates helps but you must do it the correct way either thru' a physiotherapist or Yoga instructor at site so that they can push certain parts of the body down (literally pin you down  to feel the stretch)   ......... I've had my fair share of s1,L1,L2,L3 spondylosis      

 

Edited August 3, 2021 by Jamesc

[BanCoe]

24 minutes ago, Jamesc said:

I do thai massage for my lady customers. Its a mild form of yoga. 

I also push certain parts of their body down (literally pin them down  to feel the stretch)   ......... after that I also give them a  spondy bath to clean them up.

      

 

I knew  this cheesy part coming from no one other than you only, 😀

[Jamesc]

16 minutes ago, BanCoe said:

I knew  this cheesy part coming from no one other than you only, 😀

I not cheesy ok.

I spicy like Tom Yum.

I do Thai style not ang mor style.

[Gnahp]

having my first lower back pain in life

right after I applied moisturiser to my legs after shower (dry skin)

it happened like a snap of a finger

dull pain at lower back, a little to the right side, over a palm size area, deep in the pelvic bone (back) region

I have very low pain threshold, it is a 5/10 if you ask me, painful enough to change the gait

painful when I change my posture amongst lying down, sitting, standing and walking

much less painful if I sit still and stand still

lying down is ok unless I don't shift my body

bending forward while standing is very painful, bending backward is less painful than bending forward

bending to the left is ok, no pain at all, bending to the right is painful

I hope it is not something serious

hopefully it won't get worse in the morning and immobilise me

diu

 

[13177]

On 7/22/2026 at 2:39 AM, Gnahp said:

having my first lower back pain in life

right after I applied moisturiser to my legs after shower (dry skin)

it happened like a snap of a finger

dull pain at lower back, a little to the right side, over a palm size area, deep in the pelvic bone (back) region

I have very low pain threshold, it is a 5/10 if you ask me, painful enough to change the gait

painful when I change my posture amongst lying down, sitting, standing and walking

much less painful if I sit still and stand still

lying down is ok unless I don't shift my body

bending forward while standing is very painful, bending backward is less painful than bending forward

bending to the left is ok, no pain at all, bending to the right is painful

I hope it is not something serious

hopefully it won't get worse in the morning and immobilise me

diu

 

Back pain is something common and yet sometimes might be due to some underlying health condition which triggers the pain.

Need to monitor and see if it get better for few days then see how.

But since it is a dull pain and not sudden sharp pain until cannot tahan. Could be due to some poor posture?