Fell on my back, lot of pain, not sure what to do

Mike Storeim wrote:I'm always truly amazed when poeple ask for medical advice on the internet and even more amazed when people dispense the same. Go to Vitamin Cottage?? Take Valerian?? Keep on doing what you are doing?? Arnica?? Home brew recipies?? You have to be kidding. A few years ago, I fell three feet while skiing and fractured two vertebrae. Being the big macho man, I skied to the bottom but then decided that it would be a good idea to get things checked out. The Ortho guy told me I was lucky to be walking, much less skiing. Literally, 1/16" either way and I would have been in a wheel chair for life.I spent six months in a body cast/brace and now have 90+% recovery. Had I taken the advice dispensed in this thread, I am 1000% sure I would either be in a lot of pain or perhaps far worse. It's your back, guys. You have one and only one and if you screw it up, you will pay for the rest of your life. Don't be stupid - seek professional help, even though you have to pay for it. Internet "doctors" and advice are worth exactly what you paid for them. BTW, Michael, glad to hear you are OK. Don't rush the recovery and don't buy into the holistic remedies as being the cure - it takes time also. Take it easy, listen to your body, follow the doctors / therapists orders and you will know when it feels right. I know it would suck to cancel your trip , but if you are not healed up, think about doing so. Heck of a lot better to miss out on two weeks of fun than to live your life in pain.

When i have a serious injury or medical condition, I run to the doctor.

For years, I have battled overuse injuries that have put me on the sideline. Doctor after doctor never helped...they just wasted my money and time.

These modalities (and others...I forgot to mention the importance of eliminating free radical sources and adding powerful antioxidants) that I reccommended have worked miracles for me and others.

Furthermore, they are safe, as oppposed to some pharmaceuticals which cause many injuries and deaths each year.

Also, ErikaNW's treatment is important and safe for overuse injuries. I am always open to discovering new professionaol healers.

Everything Kevin said, and maybee add in some turmeric, which acts alot like ibuprofin. Hydrotherapy is also key, for your back it's gonna have to be in the shower, 2 or 3 minutes under hot water, 30 seconds under cold, alternate a few times and end on cold. This flushes the area with blood and speeds healing time. As an alternative, use a heat pad on one side of your body, and an ice pack on the other and alternate.

I work in the alternative health industry and am trained and have worked in western medicine, there are quacks and prodigies in both. But I've seen too many doctors ignore serious issues, give up prematurely, prescribe anti-biotics for the flu, etc, so I tend to use a combination of both worlds.

whiskey until you're out of the acute stage. it will help numb the pain and help keep you loose. go see a DC in a couple weeks when bruising and swelling has gone down but do get xrays just in case your spineous processes were cracked during the fall.

Kevin Friesen wrote: 1 scoop-Collagen powder Type I & III by Neocell...

Maybe add a tablespoon of snake oil, too.

Steve Lynn wrote: Maybe add a tablespoon of snake oil, too.

It (collagen) has worked miracles for me. I first discovered it while in California for a summer. I had 'tennis' elbow (from climbing and a traumatic injury) so bad that I had to shake hands with my left hand. I was playing tennis with my wife using my left arm. It was lasting for weeks until I started using collagen. It cleared up in a week.

That was 10 yrs ago. Since then, it has worked over and over. I put together the recipe to enhance the effects. I have reccomended it to others along the way and it works every time.

I encouraged my Dad to take it every day after his knee replacement. His PT told him that he had less inflammation 1 month out than most that she sees 6 months out.

I am glad that you don't have injuries that require such a cure, or that you have found other cures that work for you. However, for much less that 1 copay, I have found a cure (for strains and sprains) that works 100 times better than all of the doctors I have gone to.

Steve Lynn wrote: Maybe add a tablespoon of snake oil, too.

Becuase when you're thirsty, don't drink water, you need to have your kidneys checked and get a prescription for anti-diuretcs, right?

Fair enough, Kevin. I take glucosamine: Does it work for real or just as a placebo? I don't know.

Evan, Thanks for the advice maybe I will do that to stem the flow brought on by my coffee/drinking habits.

All in jest and good fun.

Steve Lynn wrote:Fair enough, Kevin. I take glucosamine: Does it work for real or just as a placebo? I don't know. Evan, Thanks for the advice maybe I will do that to stem the flow brought on by my coffee/drinking habits.

Steve,

That's cool.

Re: glucosamine... I believe that it works. However, in addition to or instead of glucosamine, try CMO. Jarrow makes a good one called True CMO. CMO is not well known and it is an acronym for a biochemical that is involved in cartilage metabolism.

The stuff is amazing. It has an immediate effect as an anti-inflammatory. In 2-3 weeks the primary effect kicks in of optimizing cartilage. The biochemist I learned about CMO from described it as PTFE for the joints.

My left knee cartilage really started bothering me last year. I started taking CMO and I haven't had any problems since then. I now take it intermittently. (The directions say to take it with a meal, but I only take it between meals.) If my budget only allowed glucosamine or CMO, without a doubt, CMO.

Kevin Friesen wrote:
"Dont' use NSAIDs such as ibuprofen. Aside from being really hard on your kidneys and liver, they can slow healing."

This is NOT true. When taking NSAIDs you should definitely stay well hydrated in order to assist in eliminating NSAID metabolites, but these are NOT hard on your kidneys and liver. Inflammation can cause additional tissue damage and hence slow healing. Therefore, NSAIDs, such as ibuprofen, can actually speed healing by keeping the inflammatory process under control.

AnnaT wrote:Kevin Friesen wrote: "Dont' use NSAIDs such as ibuprofen. Aside from being really hard on your kidneys and liver, they can slow healing." This is NOT true. When taking NSAIDs you should definitely stay well hydrated in order to assist in eliminating NSAID metabolites, but these are NOT hard on your kidneys and liver. Inflammation can cause additional tissue damage and hence slow healing. Therefore, NSAIDs, such as ibuprofen, can actually speed healing by keeping the inflammatory process under control.

Well I have heard both arguments, so it sounds like an area in some flux. A quick search shows there are medical studies on both sides and sports medicine professionals on both sides also. A few:

unc.edu/news/archives/nov01…

caringmedical.com/sports_in…

arthritis.org/nsaids-fractu…

chicagosportsmedicine.com/n…

So do your own research and make your own conclusion would be the bottom line. But almost all agree on them inhibiting bone healing.

Have you tried falling onto your front to counteract the original fall?