Back Pain, what shall I do?
Wendy J.
I have had back problems for many years and to cut a long story short
nobody knows what is wrong with it. I have learnt to live with the
pain and it is no big problem but my pg seems to have caused an
*additonal* problem. I am 24 weeks pg and for the past month I have
had a pain in my lower back only on the left hand side. I started
seeing a physical therapist a week ago (I have been 2 times) and the
pain is even worse. They think it is a muscle problem but I can tell
they don't really know. It seems like the exercises are just
agravating the problem.
I have seen a chiropractor many years ago when I was in England for my
upper back pain and I am wondering if I should be seeing them instead
of a physical therapist, but I am not sure what a chiropractor can do
with me being pg. All I remember them doing is putting me in all
these positions on the table and cracking and clicking my back into
place. Surely this is not good during pg?
Does anyone have back problems? Do you see a chiropractor or a
physical therapist? What do you think I should do? I would
appreciate any help :-)
Thanks!
Wendy
EDD 4/10/03
It's a girl! Yeah!
On a side note, I asked my OB what I should do and she replied that a
lot of her patients go to physical therapy, but when I mentioned a
chiropractor she didn't really say too much. My family doctor gave me
the choice and so I chose physical therapy.
Hillary Israeli
Wendy J. <love2...@aol.com> wrote:
*I have had back problems for many years and to cut a long story short
*nobody knows what is wrong with it. I have learnt to live with the
OK, um, I hear what you're saying, but I think part of the problem is the
lack of diagnosis! Have you had any imaging studies done? My disc prolapse
was not seen on plain films and therefore undiagnosed until MRI was done
at a much later date than my original presentation with the problem...
*pain and it is no big problem but my pg seems to have caused an
**additonal* problem. I am 24 weeks pg and for the past month I have
*had a pain in my lower back only on the left hand side. I started
*seeing a physical therapist a week ago (I have been 2 times) and the
*pain is even worse. They think it is a muscle problem but I can tell
*they don't really know. It seems like the exercises are just
*agravating the problem.
For what it's worth, I had HORRIBLE sciatica, femoral nerve pain, and pain
in the area of my prior disc prolapse during my recent pregnancy. I went
to physical therapy and yes, sometimes I did feel a little worse right
after a visit, but overall (I went 3x/week pretty much all through the 2nd
and 3rd trimesters) it helped enormously. My PT guy would listen to me and
not overdo if the exercises themselves were increasing my pain in a bad
way (sometimes they have to be uncomfortable, though).
HOWEVER - if you have an undiagnosed problem, I'd be worried about doing
anything that might make it worse because seriously, you could be dealing
with something really unstable!
*I have seen a chiropractor many years ago when I was in England for my
*upper back pain and I am wondering if I should be seeing them instead
*of a physical therapist, but I am not sure what a chiropractor can do
*with me being pg. All I remember them doing is putting me in all
*these positions on the table and cracking and clicking my back into
*place. Surely this is not good during pg?
Well, I do not suggest a chiropractor. Consider looking at
http://www.chirobase.org if you're interested in chiropractic. Suffice it
to say it is not my cup of tea.
*Does anyone have back problems? Do you see a chiropractor or a
*physical therapist? What do you think I should do? I would
*appreciate any help :-)
I think you should find out what your problem actually is, if at all
possible. If you have in fact undergone extensive diagnostics and so
forth, then I would go ahead with the PT and hope for the best - make sure
you have a good PT, with the appropriate degrees and licensure!
*On a side note, I asked my OB what I should do and she replied that a
*lot of her patients go to physical therapy, but when I mentioned a
*chiropractor she didn't really say too much. My family doctor gave me
*the choice and so I chose physical therapy.
Heh. She probably feels the way I do about chiropractic but didn't want to
piss anyone off. But seriously, PT helped me go from
not-able-to-walk-unassisted to moving-around-pretty-darn-well when I was
pregnant - and also when I wasn't pregnant, a few years ago; and PT has
also helped me regain mobility in my right shoulder, which had practically
no range of motion left because of a horrible bursitis I had a while ago.
(it's fine now, phew).
-h.
--
hillary israeli vmd http://www.hillary.net in...@hillary.net
"uber vaccae in quattuor partes divisum est."
newly minted veterinarian-at-large :)
Melissa
disk that was only diagnosed when I pushed and pushed and, finally, did an
MRI where the disk problem was really obvious.
Go to an orthopedist or neurologist or even your GP and have someone try to
figure out what's wrong.
Good luck.
--
Melissa (in Los Angeles)
EDD May 4, 2003
"Hillary Israeli" <hil...@hillary.net> wrote in message
news:slrnb0uho2....@manx.misty.com...
Nic
"Wendy J." <love2...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:1ab9e68e.0212...@posting.google.com...
> Hi,
>
> I have had back problems for many years and to cut a long story short
> nobody knows what is wrong with it. I have learnt to live with the
> pain and it is no big problem but my pg seems to have caused an
> *additonal* problem. I am 24 weeks pg and for the past month I have
> had a pain in my lower back only on the left hand side. I started
> seeing a physical therapist a week ago (I have been 2 times) and the
> pain is even worse. They think it is a muscle problem but I can tell
> they don't really know. It seems like the exercises are just
> agravating the problem.
>
> I have seen a chiropractor many years ago when I was in England for my
> upper back pain and I am wondering if I should be seeing them instead
> of a physical therapist, but I am not sure what a chiropractor can do
> with me being pg. All I remember them doing is putting me in all
> these positions on the table and cracking and clicking my back into
> place. Surely this is not good during pg?
>
> Does anyone have back problems? Do you see a chiropractor or a
> physical therapist? What do you think I should do? I would
> appreciate any help :-)
>
my first child.... After the birth of my daughter I saw a chiropractor..2 or
3 times, He adjusted my back..... ..I have never been back as I didn't need
to go back........and never been in pain since !! (if anything I often
wonder if my back was out before getting pregnant)
Seems for me my back was out of alignment and was something simple to fix
I hope you get it worked out !
Nicole
Mum to 2 1/2 yo girl
Mum to rabbit 7yo in heaven
Mum to baby due Jan 2003
Laurie
Wendy J. wrote in message
<1ab9e68e.0212...@posting.google.com>...
Do you think it's sciatica? Does the pain go shooting down your leg as well,
or just local in your back?
You could try yoga. I had terrible back pain starting at *14 weeks* with
Jessica. Go figure, it hasn't happened this time (only mildly). Yoga
definitely helped a bit; stationary excercises were ok, walking was
terrible. You can also try a support belt around your belly to help relieve
the strain. Also, a heating pad on low alternating with ice may help. If
you lie down on the couch, put a pillow under your knees to help relieve any
strain. A body pillow in bed may help a lot, too, if you're not already
using one.
laurie
mommy to Jessica, 21 months &
baby boy due April 10, 2003
Jenrose
usually, that lets you lie on your tummy, and they modify a few things to do
the adjustments. But wonderful.
Jenrose
"Wendy J." <love2...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:1ab9e68e.0212...@posting.google.com...