Bending over to unplug an appliance this morning and :shocker: 
:stinkyface: :grrr: 
Now I have agonizing pain in my lower back, just at the top edge of my pelvis and right across my back in a kind of “belt”. Not bedridden, but any sudden move brings a cold sweat and pain so bad it makes me grunt involuntarily, which is a little disconcerting for those around me.
Can anyone direct me to someone who can help with something other than handfuls of painkillers?
Yikes, yep, been there done that. I hate it when that happens.
Rest is absolutely necessary. It will go away with time, like 5 days to two weeks.
Acupuncture will certainly help for a while, but it’s no cure.
Try a heating pad for 20 minutes at a time. It will probably feel REALLY good. (And if it hurts like hell, remember all those warnings about following medical advice you find on the www.)
I had a lower back problem for a few years that I think was initiated by carrying something really heavy down some stairs. Woke up in the middle of the night with the worst pain I’ve ever felt in my life. My lower back to the hip Felt like someone was taking a needle to the soft part of my bone. Anyway, here’s what cured me:
I went to the hospital 3 times a week for 6 or 8 weeks and had them zap me with those suction cups that send a small electric current through the muscles. At the same time, they apply heat in the form of a heat lamp or (immediately after, if they don’t have lamps with very hot wet compresses). It cured me. I’ve never been bothered by the problem since.
I have thrown my back out since (makes you walk funny and grimace a lot), and when it happens I simply rest and use a heating pad.
Prior to this cure, I did try acupuncture for the first time. My wife convinced me to go, and I said, fine, as long as they don’t put any needles into my spine. “Oh, no, they won’t do that.” Well, I tell the doc where it hurts and guess where the first needle goes. Felt great when he pulled them all out and applied heat though.
Thanks for that Hoedad, but it’s what I feared – rest and multiple hospital visits are simply not an option for me. I have one of those blue gel packs though, so I’ll try that tonight.
I threw my back out once when I was in my twenties and it cleared up in a matter of hours.
Wish I was still in my twenties. BTW, I “get” both your handle and your signature. Do I win a prize?
Sandman:
[quote]Now I have agonizing pain in my lower back, just at the top edge of my penis and right across my back in a kind of “belt”. Not bedridden, but any sudden move brings a cold sweat and pain so bad it makes me grunt involuntarily, which is a little disconcerting for those around me.
Can anyone direct me to someone who can help with something other than handfuls of painkillers?[/quote]
Reverse the current and do it again.
[quote=“sandman”]Bending over to unplug an appliance this morning and :shocker: :stinkyface: :grrr:
Now I have agonizing pain in my lower back, just at the top edge of my pelvis and right across my back in a kind of “belt”. Not bedridden, but any sudden move brings a cold sweat and pain so bad it makes me grunt involuntarily, which is a little disconcerting for those around me.
Can anyone direct me to someone who can help with something other than handfuls of painkillers?[/quote]
When I lived in the USA, I used to be plagued with frequent lower back pain. Often the pain radiated down my leg, a condition known as sciatia.
When it came to Taiwan, it disappeared. I was here for four years, and went back home for a visit. Got out my old hiking boots that I left and my mother’s house and took a hike - the pain returned. Hmm… The cure was this - heavy shoes induce sciatia. In Taiwan, thanks to the heat, I always wore light sports shoes or sandals. So at least in my case, saying goodbye to heavy shoes or boots was the cure.
But for now, you’ve got to spend a few days in bed. There are also some exercises that you can do to help prevent future episodes, but I don’t know how to describe this in words - easy enough for me to show you if we ever meet. A search on the Internet might also bring something up.
regards,
Robert
I wanted to use sandman but it was already taken. 42, in addition to being the answer to life, is just a placeholder until I find something really witty to use.
Invest 300NT in a heating pad. It’ll work wonders.
[quote=“robert_storey”]There are also some exercises that you can do to help prevent future episodes, but I don’t know how to describe this in words - easy enough for me to show you if we ever meet.
[/quote]
Right, but don’t do any exercises until your back has recovered. Then start doing preventative exercises. It’s important to strengthen the stomach and keep the weight down. Taichi is a fantastic for preventing lower back problems, as is yoga, but you don’t want to start doing any sort of exercise until there’s no longer any back pain.
So, congratulations. You get to be lazy for a while.
I received a recommendation for Edwin Chen.
Tel. 2395-6352
Jinan Rd. Sec. 2 No. 33, 6F
I have no experience with him myself and am just passing this along.
Chen speaks English, I’m told.
Good luck.
[quote=“sandman”]Bending over to unplug an appliance this morning and :shocker: :stinkyface: :grrr: [/quote]Who was removing an “appliance” from you when you got buggered ? 
Ouch!
Sounds very much like a prolapsed disk. A prolapsed arse couldda been worse so thank yourself lucky you’re not 20 years older.
Good bonesetter is what you need. By good I mean someone that offers some muscle relaxing rub as a foreplay before going the crunch - gently.
There’s a chiro or some such but I’d reccomend a good osteo or Chinese rub, pins and packs. Unfortunately I don’t know any off hand.
It’s a pretty standard treatment so if it were me I’d be heading to the nearest Chinese bone clinic - 50 nt and an insurance card. They can all deal with what you got.
HG
I swear by Voltaren Emulgel. You rub it on and it is absorbed (They proved this because some turns up in your urine). If my back “goes out”, pretty much as described by sandman, it provides almost instant relief and the whole thing clears up in one or two days.
Not sure if you need a prescription in Taiwan. Very few things require a prescrition here.
Incidentally I have not had a back problem for many months now. One theory I have heard is breaking the “Pain causes trauma, trauma causes pain” cycle.
That’s right rian.
Voltaren’s a good call.
HG
I’ve done my neck in, sleeping on the sofa. Wife just went to a pharmacy, where she was told the heat packs are bad. Apparently she has an adhesive something or other. I haven’t seen it yet. But will let you know.
We’re getting old. Can remember when my old man has these problems.
You need to get your back xrayed or an MRI to really see what’s going on. Also, put ice on your back - Not heat. The swelling goes down with ice. The heat makes the area swell more. Heat just takes the pressure off the sore area by swelling it up more. Not good.
Go to Dr. Lee, neurosurgeon, 3rd floor, Chung Gang Hospital, Dunhwa North Road. He’s excellent and will get the xrays done for you.
[quote=“autumn489”]You need to get your back xrayed or an MRI to really see what’s going on. Also, put ice on your back - Not heat. The swelling goes down with ice. The heat makes the area swell more. Heat just takes the pressure off the sore area by swelling it up more. Not good.
.[/quote]
Yea, I’d definitely get the mri and xray as well. And everybody says heat is bad, and it is bad, except when it’s good. It all depends on your injury. For me, heat did the trick, and it’s what the dr. ordered after getting the mri and xray. People I’ve known with slipped discs and inflamed soft tissue swear by ice. Mine was a muscular problem.
MRI are really fun to get. The sound is something out of outer space. Very techno.
You’re right. MRI’s are kind of neat. I’ve had two and kept my eyes closed. So, did you or aren’t you claustrophobic? I can see your point re heat vs cold. You’re well informed if you know all that.
Using Camphor strips on my neck and I am certainly feeling less pain than a day ago.
Ah well, two days later and I’m still hobbling around gingerly, but its not so bad now. Hot baths, deep heat cream and heat packs seem to be slowly doing the trick. I fucking hate this – feel and look like an old man. Which I’m not. Really. I’m not.