Is there someone knowledgeable about back pain on here who can help me?

Question

I think it was a few years ago that I hurt my back lifting up a large heavy bucket of water. It felt better for a while and then it would start hurting when I would bend down to do yard work and stuff. It would feel numb. Then last year or so the pain has started getting worse. It hurts most of the time anymore. I tried to do exercises and stretches but it makes the pain worse. Should I keep doing them? Will they eventually help my back or is it doing more damage to it? I haven't told my doctor about it because my mom has had back pain a long time and hasn't done anything about it. So I don't know if it is worth discussing with a doctor. Is there something a doctor could do or should I just try to get used to it? I am worried as the pain gets worse my parents will find out. I don't want them to know because they depend on me for things and they might think I can't help them if they knew. I was planting some flowers for them the other day and was miserable. I kept praying for help getting through the pain to finish. What do you suggest I do?

Anonymous · Accepted Answer

You should probably see your doctor and get an MRI scan to see if you damaged a disc in your spine by lifting the bucket.

The vertebra - bones of the spine - are separated from each other by tough little pieces of tissue called discs.  They provide padding between the bones.  Wrong lifting techniques and old age among other things can weaken and rupture the discs slightly, resulting in very very nasty pain.  Once a disc is damaged the pain may reccur for the rest of your life if you lift badly or twist or bend in a way that sets it off.  If the rupture gets worse the pain gets worse and you also have some risk of the spinal cord which runs inside the vertebra being irritated or squashed. This can result in numbness in parts of your legs or feet which if not treated can become permanent.

Bad backs are so common many people do just put up with them, particularly if medical insurance is a problem.  That doesn't mean to say you should ignore this pain and not try to get a proper diagnosis and advice on your options.  You don't want to make it even worse by not understanding what you might be doing wrong.

Tavy · Answer

Obvious, go and see a Doctor.

Is there someone knowledgeable about back pain on here who can help me?

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