Tag: back injury

Back, Back, and Back

Returning to more mundane posts, here is a selfie. I’m back at the gym at least on a somewhat consistent schedule. Not as often as I’d like, but still.

Back selfie

My back is looking better even if I’m still struggling daily with discomfort and managing it. It’s not like before where I’m one step away from a muscle spasm. There is joy in that; however, it’s still disruptive, some days more than others. It’s hell getting old. 😂

If you’ve forgotten, I have cartilage deterioration on two of my lower back vertebrae, this causes compression and grinding when I move. Ironically, I seem to struggle now more at night when I sleep. Before the last procedure, it was always movement that seemed to activate my pain. I’m a side sleeper and almost any position on my side finds me waking up very sore. [1]I already sleep with a pillow between my legs  I’m getting the sense it has more to do with compression vs muscle irritation though. Most days I find if I lay flat on my back or flat with my head elevated for about 30 to 60 minutes I return to a functional level of normalcy. I could never do that before the procedure. Sometimes, I get lucky enough afterwards to feel no real discomfort…. sometimes.

I do physical therapy stretches and exercises often and I’ve incorporated stretches specifically meant to offset spinal compression. They do work. Or at least until I go to sleep again . Then I start all over the next day. Some nights are better than others but I never seem to know what will set it off.

Needless to say, it makes for a difficult schedule to work out the muscles to support the back. This pic was a good day.

References

References
↑1 I already sleep with a pillow between my legs

Better

Well, I got several emails after my last post asking about my back. It’s definitely better. The condition itself hasn’t changed but the last procedure was very successful at reducing my pain.

I now have to actively maintain my stretching and strength exercises or it goes south again quickly. As mentioned, the cartilage around two of my discs has atrophied mostly due to age. This has caused the two discs to occasionally rub together, which is what led to the muscle spasms. I do exercises to keep the back and legs from tightening up and to keep fluid flowing to keep the discs apart. It’s surprisingly effective…as long as I keep doing it. Lol [1]There’s always a catch right?

Randomly it can become agitated and flare up but overall it’s been manageable. Walking or standing for long periods of time definitely sets it off. It sucks getting old. I’ll be glad when we conquer stuff like this so age isn’t such a curse at times. I can only imagine if it was worse. *crossed fingers*

It’s become my new normal so it rarely upsets me anymore. I’ve resigned myself to the fact I am indeed mortal. 😂

References

References
↑1 There’s always a catch right?

Back Stuff

In my continuing saga of back issues, I’ve now had the MRI. The good news is no serious bone or muscle damage. No apparent bone spurs or protrusions.

What’s left you ask? A series of minor issues culminating in my current daily discomfort. [1]Don’t ya love how doctors refer to pain as discomfort? Said issues have created some nerve irritation that is unlikely to go away on its own. And while I’m pleased there is no long term damage, the possible treatments are pretty much the same. I go in for an ablation where they cut or burn the affected nerve to deaden the pain and remove the inflammation. The latter is a two-step process. I’m eager for some relief as it’s been an invasive injury affecting my daily life.

If you want the dirty details keep reading. I have a slight defect to the very lower end of my spine that creates a stronger pressure point in the impacted area. Go figure. Add in mild arthritis, a very mild build up, and slight scarring from an old injury and apparently we end up with my current dilemma. Oddly, no disc degeneration, which was the first thought. There are a couple very small spots that could be degeneration but he thinks it’s most likely just genetics. Overall, no critical injuries.

I’m hopeful and eager for this to be over. I’m scheduling as soon as I can get in to get the treatment. It is outpatient with some sedation but the way he explains it, it should be quick and I should notice results quickly.

Wish my old ass some luck….! 👍🤞

References

References
↑1 Don’t ya love how doctors refer to pain as discomfort?

52

I turned 52 this past month. As I start into my 53rd year on this ole planet, I am grateful to be alive. My previous back issues got me a little down for a while but I’m better now and realizing it’s not that bad, all things considered. Personally, I think I look damn good for 52, but I am a little biased. 😉 My medical issues as of late have all been mild compared to other more serious ailments that plague us as we age. I have to remember that moving forward.

Part of me still grapples with the idea of being in my 50’s. My brain simply won’t completely accept it. I guess that is a good thing. In stark contrast, this past year I’ve been noticing when people “die young“, which in my brain translates to around my age or younger. It is a bit of a surreal feeling to realize I’m moving into an age bracket where people can and do die from a host of issues regularly. Granted, some of these conditions can often be prevented and treated, but that doesn’t make it any less meaningful. I’m certainly not judging others. It just makes me value my efforts to keep myself healthy. Of course, my body reminds me daily now I am indeed not a young man anymore.

And speaking of healthy, I’m hoping to get thru 2023 with no self-inflicted gym injuries. hehehe Another hard realization is I can’t constantly push heavy weights anymore. As I focus on strengthening my back muscles, I’m building on my past mistakes. Rebuilding my exercises from an entirely new perspective has had its benefits. Even with the back injury, I’ve made some solid gains this year, and my bony legs have grown some too.

If ya know me, you know I don’t make a big deal over birthdays. Shawn always tries to make them meaningful for me, which I appreciate. He always a way add a personal touch. This year was no exception. I couldn’t imagine him not being in my life.

Beyond that, work has been incredibly stressful and frustrating. Ironically, not for the reason you’d think. More on that later. I have a meeting with the Council of Elder Gays on what the new prize the most gay conversions in a year. 😉

Back 3.0

I’m back and my back is doing better! I left off quite some time ago after having some back issues. Well, I ended up doing PT on my own because the places available didn’t work with my schedule and I can’t afford to call off work every time I need PT. Two different friends in the biz told me they don’t work you in the office anyway. They give you the exercises and send you on your way. [1]They do help if you are unclear on how to do an exercise, otherwise that’s it for my type of PT I figured I could do that on my own.

I was discouraged at first because it only seemed to be staving off any new spasms vs actually improving my condition. I was getting frustrated thinking maybe I’m doing it wrong, not doing enough, etc. I do so some research [2]famous last words and discover it can take weeks and/or months to heal up so this gives me hope I’m on the right track.

Well, fast forward to now. A couple weeks ago was my first time doing the PT w/zero discomfort! I’ve been getting delayed due to lots of /mando at work over holidays, but still focused on getting gym time in for my exercises and stretches. Lo and behold last week I did my first exercises on lower back with weights! And I’m still walking upright! lol I was only doing a measly 40 lbs on deadlifts but it felt great to finally be doing any weights at all. Yay me!

*

The whole thing kind of threw me for a loop. I’ve always considered myself rather resilient when it comes to bouncing back from injuries. Every surgery I’ve ever had the doctors always talked about how fast I heal. Even my most recent nasal surgery was a flying success. This time around I didn’t bounce back. And it finally became obvious to me it wasn’t getting better; my denial was making it worse. While not "depressed", I also realized it was altering my daily motivation to do much of anything. I mean I’d still get to the gym, but I had to drastically pare down even non related exercises.

This is the part of getting old I don’t like. I don’t mind the wrinkles, the aging skin/looks. Hell, I don’t mind the need for more checkups, but this not healing or getting better like normal is for the birds!

References

References
↑1 They do help if you are unclear on how to do an exercise, otherwise that’s it for my type of PT
↑2 famous last words

Back Issues

About a year or so ago, I took a tumble on a foot scooter and injured myself a bit. Nothing critical at the time, but I’m beginning to think I may have injured my back more than I thought. Ever since, I’ve had increasing bouts of random back strain or spasms. Sometimes it comes on from just sitting in a different position for more than a few minutes.

Fast forward to a week ago, and the first day of my vacation, I tweaked it from sitting weird. I was leaned over on a foot stool cleaning Ms Daisy’s foot pads and after I attempted to get up, everything went haywire. This last episode was the worst it has ever been. Time to see a doctor. Even a week later, I’m still not 100% yet.

I see a chiro doc pretty regularly and it does help; however, it doesn’t seem to be going away. From my limited medical training and work experience, I’m leaning towards a bulging disc. The severity will determine the level of care I need to proceed. It’s incredibly frustrating realizing my body is wearing down and not as resilient as it used to be. One can say it comes w/age, but f**k that. lol It could be a combo of back issues and a weak core, or at least I’m hoping it is. I’ve always babied my back since I had a car accident ages ago in the mid 90’s. That may be working against me now. I’ve been working on strengthening my core, but it only seems to aggravate the issue.

On the flip side I guess I should be grateful this is the only issue. I mean I’ve put this body thru the ringer in my 51 years! I got metal, plastic, and even polyurethane inserts to prove it. Air boat crashes, throwing hay and feed, three-wheeler flips, roller-blade stunts, motorcycle slides, etc have all contributed to the latter. When I do finally slide into the grave, they are going to know “I lived!” [1]In my best hung over Gooch voice LOL And yet, it still drives me nuts. I’ve been really hitting a good rhythm at the gym and it seems like every 2-3 weeks there is a new delay knocking me out again.

I’m booking an appointment for next week to see a specialist. I’m assuming a lot of poking and prodding and x-rays later I’ll have some answers.

As always, hope springs eternal…

References

References
↑1 In my best hung over Gooch voice