Back pain

[Barbell909]

Hello members,

Only 6 years into law enforcement and only 36 years old.

Fractured left neck bone in Iraq, dislocated left shoulder 2x, lower back injury from falling in Iraq, and 3x head trauma injuries.

I still workout 4 times per week and I feel good during and after workout.

However, there are days or when doing simple thing like washing dishes, changing diapers, washing my dog, or put my shoes or boots on. My back hurts so much I have to either stop doing whatever I am doing or lay on the ground.

I can’t imagine doing this job until 50 years old minimum until I can retire.

All my primary doctors want to give me nothing but pain killer meds, but they are so bad for your liver and health.

[Barbell909]

What do other LEO members do for their pain.

Thank you,

[Mason McDuffie]

Five plus years in, similar injuries from my days jumping out of birds. I got the back defender suspenders. Works great. Plus I'm working on getting a new mattress. They say the sleep number mattress is where its at!

[DaveInOroValley]

Don't discount a good chiropractor. There are good and really bad ones. Try to find a friend or family member that has had good results. Acupuncture also is a consideration and many insurances now cover it by the way.

[Che762x39]

What do other LEO members do for their pain.

Thank you,

Was misdiagnosed for many years. All the disc, hip and knee replacements will not fix a joint disease.

I have a joint disease so I am on a regime including Humira.

[101st Airborne]

Good Chiropractor, good massage therapist, firm mattress, no box spring, (platform bed) & no pillow for me. Also strengthen abdominal muscles to relieve pressure on back. Hot Tub is nice too.

[CGT80]

You need to learn more about why you get the pain, or what is causing it, then you will have a better idea of how to treat it. Sometimes it isn't possible to pinpoint the cause, but you rule out other reasons and treatments.

While I am not a LEO, I am in the same position. At age 14 I started doing construction type work and did it full time, when not in school and college, until I was 32 years old. Now, at 36 and with doing work that isn't usually heavy in nature the neck and back issues are still there.

A great chiropractor and massage therapist do help, but not as much as they used to. A bad chiropractor or one with techniques your body does not like, can be even worse.

Yoga and stretching can be good, but it didn't do anything for me. Tumeric spice is an anti-inflammatory and has helped me a little and worked great for others I know. Ice or heat and muscle rub. Tens units can help dull the pain and fatigue the muscle a bit to allow it to release.

A few docs think I could have firbromyalgia, but I don't have all the symptoms and there is no sure test for it. Other docs lump depression in with fibro and say it can cause the same thing and some drugs are used for both issues. Thyroid problems or low vitamin D can cause fatigue and pain. Muscle relaxers can help, with minimal side effects.

Some people use CBD oil with exceptional results, or pot, but unfortunately the feds have not legalized it yet.

For me, arthritis is a problem in one joint in the back and one in my neck and my neck has a bone spur that has caused nerve pain. Luckily stretching from physical therapy did cure the nerve pain. It has taken a number of years to try different treatments.

Docs like to prescribe pain pills or antidepressants but I agree that they are to be avoided until you have exhausted all other options. There are just too many side effects to those.

X rays or mri will help rule out damage, or find it and maybe help you focus on what may help, or just start with the easy treatments and see what helps. Good luck and thanks for your service!

[WyattandDoc]

30 years on.

same symptoms as you plus some nerve damage in the neck.

What has worked for me;

Core Core Core strength exercises. Planking up the Kazoo has helped tremendously.

Chiro/Sports therapy with deep tissue messages.

I bought a Inversion Table that has helped a ton.

Stretching has probably been the best thing yet. I'm very rigid and needed to limber up. I strongly recommend Yoga!!! This has brought my lower back to about 90-95% back to normal.

Good Luck.

[Michael777]

Yoga and core exercises. Also stretching.

[VictorFranko]

Find a good sports chiropractor. Not only will their physical therapy help you, they will teach you good habits and stretches that will hopefully get you back to living a normal life.
If you are in the East Ventura County area, feel free to PM me for a couple recommendations.

[Spyder]

I had a somewhat similar situation with am extremely rare cause that you shouldn't be concerned about, but the age and general health are about right.
Occasional debilitating back pain that I thought was caused by OJT injury, so I started doing strengthening and flexibility excercises, went to an A.R.T. chiropractor, tried out suspenders, and finally found out, on my 29th birthday, that I had stage IV lymphoma and a tumor was pressing against my spine.
I had gone to the ER after a DT session that led to bad low back pain, intending to begin workers comp paperwork as I could barely stand much less walk. Not fun.

[Spyder]

...side note, after chemo and fortunately being cured, I now wear an EOC and it is dramatically mote comfortable for my back and hips. Gun, taser, 1 magazine, and flashlight on my belt and the rest on the vest, and it made a HUGE difference in my everyday comfort and health.

[ls2monaro]

In my opinion one of the most overlooked things is weight loss. It's no secret a large amount of Americans, including cops, are too fat.

Getting in and out of the car so many times with the gear is already an additional strain on the back and knees, the beer belly makes it that much worse.

I like to minimize the risk by keeping the weight off and keeping my core strong. I have over 10 years on the job and feel healthier and stronger than when I first started.

[Elchief]

slim down if you need, lighten up your gear, core core core, inversion table. you can do everything in the world but sometimes the pain will come back regardless like you said doing the most mundane of things. 22 yrs dealing with this.

[Big D]

I recently stopped carrying a wallet in my back pocket. That helped a lot