lumbar advice needed.

[McFLy]

Okay I been in tremendous pain in the lower back since injuring it at work last year. I made the mistake of accepting to go to the company Dr who only orderd xray (which doesn't tell u shit) got light duties for 2 weeks and was thrown straight back in to a rigid heavy job. I had a ct scan last week through my dr and the results are ss following.

Findings: there is maintenance of a lumbar lordosis. Vertabral dody heights are maintained. There is no evidence of antero or an antero or retrolistesis.there is no apparent paravertabal soft tissue abnormality.

L1-2 THE EXIT FORMINA AND CENTRAL CANAL ARE CAPACIOYS.

L2-3 THERE IS EARLY FACET JOINT DEGENERITIVE CHANGE WITH NO OTHER LOCAL ABNORMALITY.

L3-4 NO ABNORMALITY SEEN AT THIS LEVEL.

L4-5 MINOR POSTERIOR DISC CONTOUR IRREGULARITY WITH NO EVODENCE OF NEUTRAL IMPINGNMENT.

L5-S1 SHALLOW DISC BULGE AT THIS LEVEL. NO EVODENCE OF NEURAL IMPINGNMENT

IMORESSION: EARLY DEGENERTIVE CHANGES SEEN WITH IN THE LUMBO-SACRAL SPINE WITH NO OTHER FOCAL ABNORMALITY.

so im in intense pain 24.7 I know it says there is little to nothing wrong with me but my back feels fucked. Any advice? Can these early degenerative changes be work related? Should I tackle work for physio charges?

 

[Goosey]

Where do you live?

 

[McFLy]

Where do you live?

Melbn why?

 

[Goosey]

Melbn why?

I know a good place that specialize in lower back pain, I think you are a likely candidate.

 

[McFLy]

I know a good place that specialize in lower back pain, I think you are a likely candidate.

What suburb? U reckon my problem is serious like work cover serious about? I had a medical before I started and all I know I was fine before hurting it that time at work.

 

[WarbyD]

If you want to try and get work to pay then by all means go in and ask them about it, don't demand and don't try to push the worker's compensation route or you will lose and will potentially strain the relationship with your employer for no benefit.

Speaking from an OHS Professional point of view - as far as the company is concerned you were deemed fit to return to work, and did so, following your previous injury so if you have kept quiet about this between now and then you will have virtually zero chance of proving that was the cause of your current pain (especially given that you lift weights - very easy for the company to argue that you could just as easily have injured/aggravated it in the gym). If on the other hand you have, through appropriate channels (ie not just complaining to the guy next to you that "fuck me back hurts!" but actually talking to your supervisor and telling him/her about it), let them know that it continues to be an issue for you then they can be up the shit if they haven't done anything about it.

With regard to your pain, if you've only seen your GP so far then start shopping around physio/osteo/chiro/etc for other opinions - they all have their own personal/professional take on these things.

 

[WarbyD]

Oh and first thing tomorrow morning - make sure you tell your supervisor about this if you haven't already. Make sure it gets documented - you need paper trail started yesterday.

 

[McFLy]

If you want to try and get work to pay then by all means go in and ask them about it, don't demand and don't try to push the worker's compensation route or you will lose and will potentially strain the relationship with your employer for no benefit.

Speaking from an OHS Professional point of view - as far as the company is concerned you were deemed fit to return to work, and did so, following your previous injury so if you have kept quiet about this between now and then you will have virtually zero chance of proving that was the cause of your current pain (especially given that you lift weights - very easy for the company to argue that you could just as easily have injured/aggravated it in the gym). If on the other hand you have, through appropriate channels (ie not just complaining to the guy next to you that "fuck me back hurts!" but actually talking to your supervisor and telling him/her about it), let them know that it continues to be an issue for you then they can be up the shit if they haven't done anything about it.

With regard to your pain, if you've only seen your GP so far then start shopping around physio/osteo/chiro/etc for other opinions - they all have their own personal/professional take on these things.

Yea but just coz u lifT weights dont mean shit. If I was over weight that would be there excuse as well. I asked a few times to see there dr again they said no A month or 2 after it happend happened. It wasn't that till I visited my gp I was informed that an xray wouldn't show what I complained of pain wise and its a lil sus that it was there company Dr

 

[kaz]

NSW and VICTORIA work cover is different, however if you have a reoccurrence of a previous injury under 7 years the old claim can be re-opened. You also have every right to chose your own Nominated Treating Doctor and not the company chosen doctor.
Stipulate a work incident or activity that causes or has caused pain when you report a reoccurrence.

 

[McFLy]

NSW and VICTORIA work cover is different, however if you have a reoccurrence of a previous injury under 7 years the old claim can be re-opened. You also have every right to chose your own Nominated Treating Doctor and not the company chosen doctor.
Stipulate a work incident or activity that causes or has caused pain when you report a reoccurrence.

So where do I go from here? I feel the company and the company dr mislead me. Are my back issues serious for concern? Im in pain 24.7 since it happend

 

[WarbyD]

Yea but just coz u lifT weights dont mean shit. If I was over weight that would be there excuse as well. I asked a few times to see there dr again they said no A month or 2 after it happend happened. It wasn't that till I visited my gp I was informed that an xray wouldn't show what I complained of pain wise and its a lil sus that it was there company Dr

Yup - agree with you 100% but trust me, I work in OHS and my role often includes injury/workers comp management. I have walked from companies in the past over shit like this. The system is set up in the companies favour in cases like what you're describing.

To put it simply: You have 0% chance of winning a worker's comp case for last years injury at this point unless there is documentation to show that you've continued to report this injury and the company hasn't done anything about it (sending you back to doctor, modification of duties, etc).

Your best bet at this point is:
(1) Make sure it is reported and documented immediately - tell your employer about the pain you're in, what aggravates it, etc and discuss what you can/cant do at work - make sure this gets documented. Don't try to make up a bullshit story about hurting it today/tomorrow or anything like that or you will end up being caught out and fucked over. Tell them the truth about it;
(2) Discuss diagnosis/treatment with your employer - if they want to send you to their preferred provider then go with it, initially at least. If you have someone in particular that you would prefer to see then discuss this with them and be prepared to at least see their "company doctor" first (chances are this is the way their system is structured and the case won't progress without it);
(3) DO NOT do anything to shoot yourself in the foot - Don't mouth off about it at work, don't call anyone names, don't do anything stupid to make the injury worse and if you/the employer agree on modification of duties to manage things then definitely don't go outside of what you have agreed on;
(4) Start keeping a diary yourself of all communication with your employer about this - who you speak to, when, where, what is discussed, what is agreed, etc;
(5) If your employer won't come to the table at all then you have a couple of options - you can discuss the situation with the fair work ombudsmen and get their take on the situation, you can discuss it with a lawyer that specialises in injury claims or you can pay for the treatment out of your own pocket (which you will have to anyway - at least initially - if the employer wont come to the party);

Unfortunately, situations like yours are a MASSIVE pain in the arse to deal with (from both sides).

 

[myst]

How did you injure it exactly? Any minor problems prior to this?

A sports physio / osteo someone who treats and is successful with athletes might be a good bet, generally doctors know jack shit about musculature problems and will tell you to down a few neurofen and go away.

Hopefully it's an issue with muscle tightness and some imbalances in other parts of your body. I had a lower back issue for the best part of a year, turns out my hip flexors were to blame, 10 minutes massage on a hockey ball fixed it right up, I had to search for months to figure this out for myself no doctor or osteo knew how to treat it.

 

[McFLy]

How did you injure it exactly? Any minor problems prior to this?

A sports physio / osteo someone who treats and is successful with athletes might be a good bet, generally doctors know jack shit about musculature problems and will tell you to down a few neurofen and go away.

Hopefully it's an issue with muscle tightness and some imbalances in other parts of your body. I had a lower back issue for the best part of a year, turns out my hip flexors were to blame, 10 minutes massage on a hockey ball fixed it right up, I had to search for months to figure this out for myself no doctor or osteo knew how to treat it.

Lifting tubs off rollers from below knee height. The rollers where faulty the tub got stuck causing me to round my back during the lift. The pain was intense from that point on

 

[McFLy]

I feel like a cripple I struggle to pick my kid up after work. Walking around on hard concrete all day does it no justice. I get neck pain too. I know there gunna give me some shit job to be ****s.

 

[McFLy]

I also spoke to my boss today he said I need a letter for him from doc for him to give to hr so he can see if they will pay for physio.

 

[WarbyD]

I also spoke to my boss today he said I need a letter for him from doc for him to give to hr so he can see if they will pay for physio.

go get that letter then!

 

[McFLy]

go get that letter then!

Tomorrow I got rdo. I got an app for 10.30 I got union backing now all this happen pre union when we where treated like scum. Now also union rep I brought the union and signed every one up. The union will help they said too if things don't go my way.

 

[McFLy]

Besides the obvious are my results any area for concern ? With irregularity and the slight bulge? And degenerative isdues?

 

[Brick]

So where do I go from here?

A solicitor. Deadly serious. They have their own Dr's they use.

I took a shitty 10k workcover payout cause I was a company man. Worst thing I ever did. Your backs fucked it will get worse over time. Your boss is insured, who gives a fuck if you go the insurance for a payout.

Your talking good money, maybe not payout the mortgage but get rid of a half or third.

If you go that route be careful, they'll pay PI to follow you trying to get photos.

Don't fucking lie, but if your hurt go em for all you can.

 

[McFLy]

A solicitor. Deadly serious. They have their own Dr's they use.

I took a shitty 10k workcover payout cause I was a company man. Worst thing I ever did. Your backs fucked it will get worse over time. Your boss is insured, who gives a fuck if you go the insurance for a payout.

Your talking good money, maybe not payout the mortgage but get rid of a half or third.

If you go that route be careful, they'll pay PI to follow you trying to get photos.

Don't fucking lie, but if your hurt go em for all you can.

I feel incompaticated. Will a dr give me a few weeks off on work cover?