Back troubles?

[atlcrashpad]

Back trouble

I'm a regional airline captain with back trouble. I had some pain about 5 yrs ago that was treated with a steroid injection. The disc in question was aggravated and finally ruptured during my deployment to Iraq (OIF III). I just had a discectomy (19 Aug 05) and they opened my back too. I'm slowly recovering, but recovering.

I was in such severe pain before leaving Iraq that morphine did not help the C141 ride to Landstuhl, Germany. I have some relief now, although swelling in my lower back replicates some of the sciatic pain I experienced before. I feel I’m now on the road to recovery. I cannot wait to climb back into the cockpit again.

 

[mrflier]

I did have a good result and have had no problems since. It was two months and I was right back on the line. ALPA medical had some good info, and you may want to involve them as well.

If you have any other specific questions, just PM and I can tell you what has worked for me.

 

[DC8 Flyer]

I had some pretty serious lower back problems a couple years back. Went to see a chiropractor. Took x-rays, found that I had a serious misalignment in my hips, and terrible bow in my spine from right to left. Said it was probably from playing sports such as football and soccer in school. Two months of adjustments at twice a week, and everything was as good as new. I was very apprehensive at first, but I swear by it now. Now just working out regularly to maintain muscle mass, as it helps tremendously to keep everything aligned.

box

I had almost the same thing. Doc said it was most likely from playing football and lifting weights. About 2 months of twice a weak therapy I was good as new. I was almost to the point of not being able to get out of bed in the morning!

My humble advice to all you "younger" guys just coming out of college, lay off any heavy weight training and get your core body strong by stretching, yoga, pilates, (I know it sounds wimpy) etc, but do whatever you can now to offset the effects of sitting for hours at a time followed by sleeping on bad mattresses.

 

[jobear]

Fused C5+6+7 looks great on an X-ray, since the surgery I've met atleast 7 other pilots that have had the same or similar surgery.I have as yet to figure out a reason for this,maybe its the headsets???

 

[captain caveman]

There is a fairly new procedure called spinal decompression. They attach a harness to your waist and a machine pulls you apart to help with disc problems. It allows herniated discs to heal. The proceedure worked for me and saved me from probable back surgery. My Chiropractor had the machine. This is no joke.

 

[partypilot1]

I had back surgery as well. I was flying a week and a half later. Surgery was easy and the drugs were great, no pain problems anymore.