Getting old is hell....

[kybearfuzz]

Over the course of the holidays I hurt my back, somewhere around my shoulder blades. I'm not sure what the cause was specifically. I wish I could attribute it to a night of wild, passionate acrobatic and contortionistic sex with a nice furry bear (imagine that post!), but I think it was sleeping in the twin's old spare bed from his bachelor days. This wasn't helped by my lifting weights at the gym and a week in hotel beds the week before last. Monday, I felt a muscle in my back spasm and I nearly couldn't make it to work.

So, after much whinning and bitching at the office, my coworkers forced me to make a doctor's appointment (a few chat buddies, yes I mean you cincycub and fritzsea encouraged me to do the same).

My doctor's office is a family practice clinic with young interning doctors, so I only have the same physician for two years or so before getting bumped to another. I don't mind that, they may be inexperienced, but they have the most current knowledge and they are not afraid to pull in a more experienced doctor too.

I really wanted the cute dark-haired cubby doctor I passed in the doctors' office hallway, but got a young female doctor instead. She was a very pretty lady in a curvy, real woman sort of way, not like a vain, rail-thin supermodel. She pushed and poked around on my back and chest, twisted and pulled my arms certain ways, felt my back muscles as they moved around. After my description and her exam, she says I have a spasming muscle. Well, not a surprise on my part.

She offered to write me a prescription for anti-spasm meds, but said that their effectiveness is only so-so. I declined and she prescribed regular Advil for the week, stating the anti-inflammatory properties will cause the muscle to relax. No weight lifting for the week and only low-impact cardio.

I like her. Now only if she had prescribed cheesecake and chocolate ice cream....

Comments

[aries470.livejournal.com]

Sorry to hear about your back. Coming from someone with lower back issues, I feel your pain.

Oh, I think the cheesecake and chocolate ice cream are a given! :)

[queensheba.livejournal.com]

I bet we go to the same doctor's office. Mine is the same way, young residents that rotate in and out. I like them because they typically don't think that they know everything under the sun yet, and they're prone to listen more and try harder.

[mikiedoggie.livejournal.com]

THis is probably TMI. Look at the doctor's note icon you have. I used that note to get out of jury duty once. Hee hee.

[martini-tim.livejournal.com]

I had a similar problem just after Christmas. My young intern gave me a prescription for vicodin and also a fairly low-powered muscle relaxant. I felt good while taking those, but the pain returned when I stopped.

What really helped me was a professional back massage. I think it got the blood flow back to the muscle that was inflamed, and it relaxed the whole area so it could heal. And it feels darned good!

You want cheesecake? I'LL make ya cheesecake.

[anziulewicz.livejournal.com]

Maybe once or twice a year I'll suffer a debilitating muscle spasm in my back, apparently something I inherited from my mom's dad. It will start when a nerve TWINGES and begins setting off a very slow wave of pain that may take up to a week to clear away. How severely it affects me will depend on where the spasm is located. I remember one occasion when the spasm occurred near my left shoulder blade, and just turning my head would make me cry.

HOWEVER ... I found out that if one of those spasms occurs, the best thing for me to do is take 600-800 milligrams of ibuprofen and simply lie down for a couple of hours in a recliner and read or watch TV. In most cases the most serious pain can be completely aborted.

[cachorro34.livejournal.com]

I hope you get better bud! *HUG*

[sweetjimmyto.livejournal.com]

Now only if she had prescribed cheesecake and chocolate ice cream..../ you would be cast as the new character on "Golden Girls".

[truebrixon.livejournal.com]

I hope your back gets to feeling better. I actually thought about your post today at work when I was moving around kegs and cases of beer. I got to read it this morning before work but didn't have time to reply. Now as far as massages, cheesecake and ice cream I've been told I give great massages, make a tasty cheesecake and buy a mean pint of chocolate ice cream! ;)