[PornMaster]

I got in a car accident about 2 or 3 weeks ago.
I got some really bad lower mid back pain from it

for some reason my left leg is going numb and my ankle is in HELL of pain.
feels like I twisted it but I haven't

What the hell is causing it and how can I relieve the pain until I see a doc.
I cant sleep because its so painful and annoying.

[LSF22]

Is the back pain on either side or just in the middle?
Do you have any sort of sharp pain from say the top of your leg shooting all the way down?

[PornMaster]

left back leg feels numb from ass cheek down.
No pain however.

The back pain is mid lower back not on sided

[LSF22]

Does it get numb randomly or after certain activities only? I experienced the same kind of numbness on my left leg as well, thought it was just a muscle problem and 4 months later I found out I needed surgery for 2 slipped discs.

[PornMaster]

its constantly numb right now and my ankle is in insane mounts of pain and throbbing and being numb.

I haven't experienced this ever.
Hopefully its not that serious going to docs in the morning

Thanks for quick replies dude

[LSF22]

Hopefully it's not that bad. I didn't have much ankle pain at all, it was mostly sharp pains then the numbness.... 4 fucking months of it.

No worries dude, I'm an insomniac anyways. Lemme know how it goes.

[TheNewGirl]

Is the pain radiating down your leg to your ankle?

I was in an accident and pinched a nerve in my lower back and dear god on the bad days the pain would get to my ankle. I would measure the good and bad days by how far down my leg it went like a thermometer.

You need to see a Dr like TODAY, and open a claim report.

You can use heat (I found a hot bath helped a lot) and Aleve worked well for me. Just take it every 4 hours, always with food since it can be hard on your stomach. If you can find some of the Salonpas pads (they're like sticky bandages with icy hot in them) you can slap one or two of those on your back where it hurts and that should help too during the day.

[Spidey]

sounds like sciatica.... which is an umbrella term for any aggravation to your sciatic nerve.. which can cause the symptoms that you are experiencing. sciata can be caused by anything from trauma(which you experienced), to muscle issues.

go see a chiro and or physio... your dr will most likely just prescribe you pain killers and or x rays which may not show anything.

[PornMaster]

My chiro is not open today and I already have a claim.

But OH GOD I can't even walk using my left leg... my regular pain killers don't even work

[Cassijon]

can you go to a walkin clinic and ask the doc for some stronger pain meds?

[vash13]

At your own risk lay on your stomach for a good 5-10 minutes. Focus on relaxing the low back by not contracting any of the muscles. Feel if the numbness decreases. If not discontinue. Hopefully this will give you short time relief. Place hands on forehead.
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[LSF22]

Not sure how sciatica feels like, so this might or might not work but if you need short term relief try a back inversion machine

http://a248.e.akamai.net/f/248/9086/1h/s7diod-isorigin.scene7.com/is/image/Hammacher/74218?wid=1000&op_sharpen=0&qlt=80,1

I've started to see this in some gyms and it helps me. Again mine was a slipped disc problem so the pain and feeling for sciatica could be completely different. As everyone in here says, best would be to consult a doctor first so they can let you know if you even need an x-ray or MRI.

The Gentle Return Inversion Machine - Hammacher Schlemmer (http://beta.hammacher.com/Product/Default.aspx?cm_mmc=CJ-_-1528530-_-1650877-_-Hammacher+Schlemmer&sku=74218)

[PornMaster]

Went to family doctor today, he says its to early for X-ray or MRI. Gave me meds he said do some simple rehab exercises. Go to a pool and just walk in water to help rehab.

If pain and numbness is there for 1 month+ come back.

[MindBomber]

Went to family doctor today, he says its to early for X-ray or MRI. Gave me meds he said do some simple rehab exercises. Go to a pool and just walk in water to help rehab.

If pain and numbness is there for 1 month+ come back.

You have a claim, I don't know why he's not referring you to a physiotherapist to begin treatment, because unless your paying off the accident yourself it's all on icbc's buck.

Not only will the physio help you to target the specific issues immediately and show you the most effective ways to rehab it, but they'll give you treatment to help alleviate the pain more affectively than loading you up with meds. Not sending you for xrays also seems strange, I've always been sent for xrays when there was even a mild concern, but that's just me. I doubt you'll get an mri at all, unless this injury lasts more than 6 months..

[PornMaster]

my doc doesn't believe in physio or chiro at all.
I asked him to recommend me to go physio and such and told me not to.
Recommends just going gym and do simple exercises myself.

Maybe he didn't tell me to get an x-ray because this just started yesterday?

[LSF22]

Depending on what kind of back problem it is, my doctor also agrees that chiro doesn't help, although I did get sent for physio.

Like you said it's prob because it just started yesterday so he doesn't feel it's too serious yet, and doing basic stretches and exercises will help relieve the tension.

[vash13]

Sorry porn master but your doctor is pretty ignorant to say chiro and physio won't help. I am a kinesiologist and I work with a lot of icbc claims and with the treatment I provide gives the clients a lifestyle change on how to manage back pain. Pm me if you want more info because I want to help you.
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[vash13]

One other thing. Exercise can be harmful to you as well with your condition. You can actually make it worse.
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[Spidey]

have to agree with Vash13 on all acconts.. Although not everyone believes in chiro, especially old school western medicine doctors, physio is something you must do. You will never be the same again unless you start an active rehab ASAP. The worst thing people do, who are injured (whether from car work or sports), is to REST TOO MUCH. If a doctor prescribes rest and pills until your body "heals itself", find another doctor. I realize he may be your family doctor since you were young, but you have to realize this is your health.

The best thing you can do is at least see a physio, from there they will give you exercises that are SAFE and controlled, and specific to your injury.. Not just some back strengthening exercises your doctor gave you without even having xrays to see if there is any disc injury. You obviously have a nerve issue, and if it stems from your spine, it is serious stuff.

There must be a reason why most if not all chiros handle ICBC claims. They are recognized, and the faster you get better, the happoer ICBC is...

[vash13]

With your claim you should be partially covered for physio and active rehab. The only thing is that you will need a doctors note. If he won't give you one, find a new doctor. Blueg2 is correct that you should be exercising but it has to be safe. I work in rehab and it is crazy what people do in the gym when they have a back injury.
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[PornMaster]

thanks for all the support guys

vash13 pm sent

[Girl]

I use to have really bad sciatica after an injury and my toe went numb for a long time. The chiro helped with my sciatica and lower back pain but never the numbness. It was actually acupuncture and not the muscular kind, I meant like straight up Chinese Acupuncture where they put needles in OTHER parts of the body to help the flow of qi. I seriously tried everything (Chrio, Physio, Specialist, Massage Therapy, etc) and I was starting to lose more and more feeling in my left foot and it got worse when it got cold out. But now numb and pain free. It's definitely a nerve issue, I'd go to your GP and get a specialist first. I did, CT Scan showed nothing, he couldn't figure out whats wrong but he knew during the physical exam, I had issues but no tests were showing any problems. But try your basics first.

Oh and I had ankle pain too and was spraining my ankle all the time. It was actually all linked, over time my posture overcompensated for the pain in my body adding unnecessary stress on other joints and such and I also have flat feet so guess nothing was helping. So after you fix the pain, fix your posture, it makes a huge difference.

[goo3]

Just wondering, if you need someone to check you out in the middle of the night, can't you head to VGH?

[MindBomber]

^
That's what emerg is for.

my doc doesn't believe in physio or chiro at all.
I asked him to recommend me to go physio and such and told me not to.
Recommends just going gym and do simple exercises myself.

Maybe he didn't tell me to get an x-ray because this just started yesterday?

:speechless:

Find a new doctor bro, I'm not trying to sound harsh, but if that's what your doctor recommended he's not who you should be seeing.

Your doctor basically recommend you do unsupervised physio, which has the potential to complicate your ICBC claim and worsen the injury if you push yourself to hard or in the wrong way. Worsening the injury is especially possible if your sore, you take a couple pain killers and follow his advice by heading to the gym. Let's not forget, even if an injury feels better when the discomfort disappears, it doesn't mean it's healed properly. A physio or kines, depending on the type of treatment, will help you target the exact areas that are strained and work them back to full strength to prevent you re-injuring yourself or having long term issues from it healing improperly.

[PornMaster]

Update:
I dragged myself out of the house to go to the chiro (Longest mission EVER)
and he said that I either have a bulging disc or herniated disc.

I have to wait until the pain goes away until he can do anything.
My plan is to go active rehab after the chiro gives me the OK.
He said doing anything right now will risk worsening the injury and I shout just sit my ass home and take some pills.

This is the worst thing EVER!

[LSF22]

Get your doctor to recommend you for physio so you can start strengthening the back muscles

[Spidey]

you should really get an xray to see if you indeed have a bulging disc...

[vash13]

You most likely do have a disc injury. Just try not to sit as much.
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[kalekain]

Try rolfing. It's not usually covered, but they do effectively treat disc injuries. Also try acupuncture for pain and numbness in your legs.

[KChen]

my bf is a physio and he read through this whole thread... and he definitely thinks you should see a physio for a proper assessment.

he thinks it's a disc problem, doesn't sound like sciatica, but you will need to be physically examined to be sure. pm me if you have any further questions/concerns.

[vash13]

Sciatica can be caused by a disc injury.....

[Spidey]

my bf is a physio and he read through this whole thread... and he definitely thinks you should see a physio for a proper assessment.

he thinks it's a disc problem, doesn't sound like sciatica, but you will need to be physically examined to be sure. pm me if you have any further questions/concerns.

sciata is an umbrella term for any type of aggravation to the sciatic nerve that can be described by a number of symptoms...

[KChen]

Yes, I agree, sciatica is very much a vague term that is used very loosely to describe a variety of symptoms in the back. But by definition, a disc injury aggravates nerve roots, not the sciatic nerve.

[dlo]

sorry to highjack this thread, but im having something similar to this, got in a car accident, and my mid lower back is having a lot of pain, 2 days ago i awkwardly cracked my back and the pain disappeared, but now its my ankle that has tingling feeling and it gets numb/hurt at time, i suppose i will see my doctor again, he just said its normal whiplash and it should disappear...

[vash13]

Sounds like referral pain from the low back. It's common for people to have no localized back pain when sciatica symptoms and severe.
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[vash13]

Pm me if you got more questions.
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[FlyNvBaller]

ohh god sounds terrible... i think i had the same thing years ago, lasted for 2 years. It was a pinch nerve I believe. Pain in my lower right back that shoots pain all the way down to my calf... especially when I bend back. Went to vegas with that pain... brutal had to walk around in that pain was deadly.... Chiro didn't really help... time did

[PornMaster]

Forgot about this thread lol
Heres an update

I finally did an MRI a week or two after I started feeling pain. Had to wait till pain subsided so I could drive and walk to the MRI.

Results came in and I have bulging disk l4/l5 lumbar or something

well fast forward today and it has been 3+ months.
Hasn't got any better and I feel like an old man can't lift or do anything. Even brushing my teeth over the sink hurts my lower back.

Been going chiro twice weekly and it has been helping with the pain.
ICBC is taking forever to approve funding for the Rehab but eventually it will be started...

Thanks for the responses guys really helped me out figuring WTF happend lol

[MrGoodbar]

I'm going through the same shit right now. I found that a few excercises really really helps me get through the day and the morning. Basically what I learned is that the disc has a hard time getting nutrients and stuff to heal itself. But you can aid this and I've felt some really positive things with the things I am doing:

For me: I use one of those excercise balls, sit on it and lightly go up and down on it while sitting straight up with my arms to my side. It was explained to me that this pumps the disc very slightly to manually get some of the good stuff into it and pump some of the bad stuff out. Do this very very gently. You should even lift your but off the ball.

Second thing is just marching in place gently. This helped me quite a bid.

Sleep on your side with a pillow between your knees. If you sleep on your back, put a pillow under your knees. This helps me get through the night with a very noticable decrease in pain.

Use ice on your back where your L4/L5 lumbar spines are. Ice will help reduce the inflamation of the nerves. Using something hot will most likely cause the nerve to inflame.

Of course I'm not a physician or medically qualified to suggest the above. But this is what I did and it has helped tremendously. Do the above at your own risk. I have an appointment to see physio and a spinal surgeon myself.

Good luck and know that you're not alone.

[PornMaster]

Thanks for the tips, but I don't want to risk doing any exercises without a proper supervision.

I used to do super slow squats with no weights, just my own body weight and go as low as I can, that helped a little bit but now I can't do it anymore because it would hurt to much next day.

For the sleeping tips that's exactly how I sleep lol, but instead of using a pillow I just bunch up my blanket.

Hope you get better soon as well. It is really annoying injury to live with day to day.

[vash13]

Good decision in not doing any exercise. Hopefully we can get you in sooner than later. Hang in there.
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[instantneedles]

Your nervous system originates from your spinal cord. Depending on where you injured your back, associated areas of the body will more or less be stimulated.
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[healthyfocus]

First off...not all chiro's are the same!
For sure you have something wrong with your spine...hence the numbness - the spine holds the most important thing in your body - your nervous system!
Going to the right chiropractor will help you immensely. The awesome chiro I see would NEVER tell you to sit at home for he is an ironman competitor and totally is against all drugs and conventional thinking.
Best to look into other options because if you aren't getting better you haven't tried the solution that will work for you!
Check out my chiropractor:
Chiropractor | Vancouver Chiropractor (http://www.kilianchiropractic.com)
Dr. Trevor Kilian will have you moving and out of pain so fast you will be shocked!
Good luck!

[vash13]

He is doing a lot better now. He is seeing me for treatment.
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[PornMaster]

Thumbs up for Antony!

In his active rehab program and it is doing wonders. He changed what I do day to day and it has helped tremendously.
Little things like walking, brushing my teeth, sitting. That kind of stuff i would never think I needed changing to recover.

I am not 100% yet but hopefully I will get to that point.
Its night and day from what I was before.

Anyone that needs some physio should pm him!