Hurt my back on the job yesterday...

[Bartman39]

I work for a small shop here in town doing mechanic work and make good money, but yesterday morning while drilling out some axle studs on a big truck I felt a sharp stab of pain almost like a "pop"...? I knew something happened and fell on my side and almost could not get up... My left leg was numb and hurt at the same time...? I managed to walk or would say drag myself about 20ft and could not go any farther without someone`s help... My boss has private insurance on us so no need for workman`s comp as he will pay me on an average basis, because I am commision... I ended up going my family doctor here in town (heck I work on all his family auto`s so now its my turn 😛 ) The X-ray`s did show a bulging or herniated L5 disk while not severe was pressing on a nerve they said... After spending the rest of the afternoon in bed with ice on it I began to be able to get out of bed and walk very shakey to the bathroom and improved each time after that during the night... I am taking a muscle relaxer but no pain meds (so I wont get a false feeling that I`m ok and hurt it worse...) I am to see a good Chiropractor this afternoon for most likely just an eval (from the X-ray`s) and a massage...


Should I see a Chiropractor...? (for the eval and possible adjustment...?)

Or should I just stick with taking it easy and allow it to heal...? (Doctor recommened this) She also said she felt it would go back into place and be ok in a few days... 🙂

Also I am even better this morning but still very sore and stiff but walking much better with little or no limp in my step... Also can sit fairly easy today (could not even sit at the PC yesterday)

thanks to all that reply... 😉

 

[Red Dawn]

Hopefully it's just a bulging disc and not a ruptured one. I don't believe they can tell if it's ruptured with just a regular Xray because the fluid in the ruptured disc wouldn't show up on the Xray.

 

[Bartman39]

Red Dawn... thanks for the reply and yes their was talk from my doctor about doing and MRI if I dont improve rather quickly but since this happened at around 10am yesterday I have improved dramaticly but of course am not going to push it... She (the doctor) had just had this same problem and had surgry to fuse the exact same L5 vert. but really felt that I did not have ruptured disk thought not out of the question... The X-ray`s are being sent to a specialist for futher evaluation and should know later today if an MRI is needed...

 

[BobDaMenkey]

I'd take the trip to the Chyro, just to get his opinion. Get the massage, then tough it out for a couple more days until the pain goes away.

Sorry to hear about that man, its gotta hurt like a biatch.

 

[GeekDrew]

Originally posted by: BobDaMenkey
Get the massage, then tough it out for a couple more days until the pain goes away.

Just getting through the pain isn't solving the problem, though... I have routine back pains; the first time I hurt my back, I told myself, "I'll just get through the pain"... oh well.

 

[misle]

After the Chiropractor fvcks your back up you can sue for millions!

(just joking, I don't like chiropractors. I've been to a few and they have all been money grubbing hacks who didn't do anything for me. No matter what's wrong they pop your back and neck because that fixes everything!)