I broke my back last year and didn’t know it
Last year I was doing a bunch of temp work. I worked for Goodwill for a few weeks and broke my back lifting a couch. I was in excruciating pain that day. I went to an urgent care clinic, and they sent me to the ER. I got an MRI, and then clinics sent me to my PCP.
The MRI basically showed that some of my vertebrae were compressed. My doctor told me I likely had some muscular injuries too and that it would heal on its own. He also said I had some spinal curvature, most likely from birth.
Now it’s a year later. The pain hasn’t gotten worse, but it hasn’t completely gone either. It’s been a fairly dull but chronic pain for almost a year. I finally decided to see an actual orthopedist and get another MRI. The orthopedist said that apparently what happened was that last year I actually BROKE MY BACK. It has healed in the mean time, but in a bad position, hence the chronic pain and the curvature.
“I can do surgery on this if you really want, but I wouldn’t suggest it, as fixing that problem could lead to other problems, especially if you have bad bone density. I’d have to break a couple ribs, re-break the spine, realign the spine, and then screw it back together in the right position. Or you can just deal with it how it is if the pain isn’t that bad.”
I decided not to do anything, but I’m having second thoughts. I’m only 34 years old. Most guys don’t start having these problems until their 50.
The MRI basically showed that some of my vertebrae were compressed. My doctor told me I likely had some muscular injuries too and that it would heal on its own. He also said I had some spinal curvature, most likely from birth.
Now it’s a year later. The pain hasn’t gotten worse, but it hasn’t completely gone either. It’s been a fairly dull but chronic pain for almost a year. I finally decided to see an actual orthopedist and get another MRI. The orthopedist said that apparently what happened was that last year I actually BROKE MY BACK. It has healed in the mean time, but in a bad position, hence the chronic pain and the curvature.
“I can do surgery on this if you really want, but I wouldn’t suggest it, as fixing that problem could lead to other problems, especially if you have bad bone density. I’d have to break a couple ribs, re-break the spine, realign the spine, and then screw it back together in the right position. Or you can just deal with it how it is if the pain isn’t that bad.”
I decided not to do anything, but I’m having second thoughts. I’m only 34 years old. Most guys don’t start having these problems until their 50.
36-40, M