Broken Vertebrae
Posted , 4 users are following.
So I broke 2 vertebrae after a fall on Monday. The pain went away for a few days but yesterday and today I started pushing myself and I've also been in much more pain, especially today since I did more (sat up for 2+ hours in one go with only two <5 minute breaks with only my back brace as support, stood up for 15 minutes with no support while I was showering among many other things).
Should I go back to more bed-rest or should I continue trying to push myself? I'm determined to try and become independent again, but I'm worried that the efforts I'm making is causing more harm than good.
Also, when I'm lying down, if I lie down for around half an hour the lower half of me starts to hurt (around my bottom) and the only way I've been able to resolve this is by laying completely flat or walking around. Are there any other ways to stop it? It's stopping me from being able to rest as it causes me pain too.
0 likes, 13 replies
Carolineq8 Guest
Posted
It's very early days so I would listen to your body and don't push it just yet, keep active but for now just walking a few minutes at a time then rest and build it up over the next few weeks but I wouldn't be lifting, bending, twisting...try using ice packs 20 mins on 20 mins off, prevention is better than cure, please give yourself time to heal properly you really don't want to end up down the same path as the rest of us, good luck😊
Guest Carolineq8
Posted
Thanks for the reply
I have been in non-stop pain ever since I woke up and am worried I've done more damage from yesterday, but unfortunately I get discharged from hospital tomorrow and I don't have another x-ray for 2 weeks. They gave me a hot water bottle yesterday (aka a glove filled with hot water in a pillowcase) which helped but when I had to get up around an hour later so that I could change and brush my teeth etc, the pain was still there.
About lifting and bending, I have been lifting stuff when I've felt able (e.g. When I can actually lift it and it doesn't feel too heavy. Same object- chair, which isn't heavy but my bones say it is sometimes). Bending isn't very painful so I do it when I know I can get up again (also normally wearing the brace).
It is so strange going from being able to do everything to being able to do little I know the fall was my own fault so I feel like I need to push myself and stop feeling sorry for myself but it's hard.
They said the breaks weren't as bad as they thought so I don't know if that means they're almost non-existent fractures or not.
Carolineq8 Guest
Posted
My mams partner fractured his vertebrae a few months back and it took him about 8 weeks to recover, don't be to hard on yourself and forget about trying to do what you used to for now and concentrate on healing, you don't want to never be able to get back to normal I can tell you it is a living hell so please take it from me, to fully recover you really need to listen to your body, don't over do it but keep moving, ice/heat what ever works best for you and don't rush it. A few weeks/months of frustration now is better than a life time of it, your fears are normal and as you heal they will go away 😊
Guest Carolineq8
Posted
Thankyou I'm fairly young (17) so I'm normally quite active so it's hard to break those habits. I remember on the first day I couldn't move my back at all and had to be log rolled into the ambulance and on both hospital beds, among other things that I couldn't do myself.
Carolineq8 Guest
Posted
You will get back there soon enough, your bones will be strong and heal well hopefully, I understand your frustrations totally and the log rolling.. Ye I had to do that for 7 years after I had a fusion, it was only when I started having cortisone injections in my spine that I could move better, in a few months hopefully you can put it behind you and get back to normal life, I wish you well and a speedy recovery, my mams partner is doing great now so it won't be long for you to😊
hypercat Guest
Posted
Hi I have to say no bending or lifting even if it doesn't hurt too much. Doing this is putting more strain on your back and might cause further damage. Gentle exercise and often is the key. You are very young and your body will heal itself but try and help it out will you.
I know it's hard but unless you want a lifetime of back problems listen to us please as we do know what we are talking about. x
Guest hypercat
Posted
I fell down the stairs yesterday after my stepdad left a towel on the stairs. There was no initial pain but about 10 or 20 minutes later it started up again. Not major pain (around 5/10) but more than I had been having (which was around 1/10 or 2/10). Today I’ve been in more pain vs yesterday with little pain. The tablets don’t appear to be making much difference.
One good thing that happened was that I learned how to tighten my brace, which I kept having to hold up while walking because it became looser since I left the hospital (typical!).
amkoffee Guest
Posted
Evamore I think you might have hit your head when you broke your back. It is way too early for you to start doing things like lifting. I have chronic lower back pain and I've mourned for my old life. Now I just try to manage the pain and I'm going to suffer this pain for the rest of my life and the only way I can manage it is on opiates. If you want this kind of life than keep up the stuff you're doing. But if you want your back to heal and not be a constant cause of pain then you definitely need to slow down. If laying down hurts you might try putting a pillow under your knees lot of times that feels better to my lower back. If your on your side put a pillow between your knees. Carolinque8 made excellent suggestions. For now you need to use ice rather than heat because that will help with the inflammation. I would also recommend you take ibuprofen which will also help with the inflammation. Did the doctors give you anything for pain? If so it's important that you take a pill before the pain gets really bad because otherwise the pain has to work extra hard and it will not be able to control your pain as well. At the end of two weeks then you should be able to get up and function but even then take it easy no BLT which stands for bending lifting and twisting. And between now and then do a few easy stretches. You can find them online probably on YouTube so that you can get an idea of how they're supposed to be done. But do this very slowly and do not press yourself. And I'm sorry if I sound harsh but I know what it's like to live with chronic pain I have been doing it for 13 years.
Guest amkoffee
Posted
I have another X-Ray in a week so I may mention the pain then to see if they can increase the X-Ray area just incase, as I have this niggling thought that I may be right.
amkoffee Guest
Posted
That really upsets me a great deal that your mother treats you that way. Unfortunately it happens all the time to a lot of people who have chronic pain. Family members and friends don't believe them. They think they're being lazy. And if you happen to need to be on opiates to control the pain so you can have a life then you're an addict. It just sucks. And I'm sorry that you have this burden to deal with.
Guest amkoffee
Posted
hypercat Guest
Posted
Hi I don't mean you can't bend or lift anything very light but for goodness sake why are you lifting chairs? If you do have to bend at all ensure you bend without twisting and that you do it with your knees and let them take the strain. Being independent is one thing but being daft with it isn't. Unless you want a lifetime of pain that is....x
Guest hypercat
Posted