My Back is Back

I have spine issues from time to time.  I've had surgeries and years of pain and medication and some of it's resolved but some it will always be with me.  Some of it's degenerative and will worsen as I get older, but we're all wearing out our bodies as we age, some people just have parts that are on an accelerated track.  In my case, it's my spine.

Usually when something gets bothersome it goes away fairly quickly.  It might be high up, like T1-T3 vertebral area, or it could be as low down as the sacral region at the bottom of my spine.  I'm not on any medications regularly to manage pain, inflammation or muscle tightness but I do take an over the counter anti-inflammatory when it becomes bothersome which helps it resolve more rapidly.

Every so often, something will show up that won't correct itself in a short period of time.  I go to a chiropractor when I have a need and they have helped me find pain relief without medication for years.  I've had a situation where it felt like a bone was pressing up in the middle of my clavicle for months--which is distressing and painful.  I've had floating ribs in the middle of my torso take weeks and weeks to get back to normal.  This time it's all lower back and it just will not give up.

It started over two months ago.  It's sometimes hard to bend over because the muscles are so tight on the right side low down.  It's moved up to my lower ribs now and it is tiring mentally to fight the pain every day.  It's been waking me up at night and I really, really dislike anything that keeps me from my sleep.

I recently realized I'm favoring that side and in so doing, I'm not standing and sitting in a straight position always because I want to avoid the pain.  I think that's making it worse.  At least, I hope that's what's making it linger.  I'm trying to correct my posture and be aware of how I sit all the time right now.  I'm hoping it will fix the problem.  I don't like pain, but who does?

The Big Boy Update:  My son told me two interesting things today.  First, he told me, "somebody's poopy."  He was right, she was.  Second, he told me an important lesson he learned from his sister earlier today when daddy lost his temper at her, "we never put feet in the potty."

The Tiny Girl Chronicles:  My daughter needed to wash her feet.  She decided the potty was a good place to do so--it's full of water and there's a nice oval seat to sit on.  Daddy was unthrilled.

Fitness Update:  Cold outside, warm in the gym.  It was below twenty degrees this morning and I went to the gym in lots of over clothes.  I  left the gym in a tank top and shorts and I was comfortable in the cold air as I walked to the car.  That's what exercise does to you.