Arthritis Vs Legitimate Disc Problem

Hello everybody ..

I'm unfortunately among the others in this online community who have suffered a traumatic and life changing back in injury. My sympathy is sent to all of you because I know the pain you're going through.

I'd like to post some information regarding my injury and ask for some feedback if I could.

I'm 41 and have worked hard all my life. My current job is at a distribution center for the largest chain stores in the world. My job is to drive up and down long aisles of inventory on an electric pallet jack and build pallets with the items. The most common description of my job is a "picker" or "selector". My days last anywheres from 8 to 14 hours long. It's an extremely physical job and one which most people don't last long at.

Two months ago I was lifting cases of bottled water onto my pallet when all of a sudden I felt what I can only describe as something squishing in my lower back. I liken it to squeezing the jelly out of a donut. The feeling nausiated me and I imidiately knew I had hurt myself bad. Within a couple minutes the pain was making it difficult for me to breathe and I was practically frozen in an upright standing position unable to move without unbearable pain. I had to be physically carried out of the warehouse to the company's doctor.

I've had an MRI and a consultation with a back specialist who read my MRI from a cd-rom disc of 4 pictures. His examination of me consisted of me standing on my toes and the balls of my heels and then telling me I had arthritis in my lower back. Total examination time was no more than 5 minutes.

The company-connected doctors at Concentra I've been seeing for the past 2 months have clinged onto this "arthritis explination" and have refused to entertain any other possible causes. They've also told me the odd's of me feeling a squishy sensation in my lower back are pretty remote.

Since my original injury I've been unable to lift anything of any weight without feeling something physically move in my lower back which results in me being all hunched over with accute pain within 5 minutes. It feels like something shifting in my lower back.

I've also re-injured my back at the same spot twice when my bosses had me lift heavy items that were beyond my medical restrictions. I definately am not trying to turn this into a "legalities" post .. just conveying how easily I've reinjured my back since the initial incident. Both occurances have me hobbled over within a matter of time.

I've requested a 2nd opinion thru a highly reccomended back specialist but my appointment won't be for a few more weeks.

Has anybody else heard of or felt that feeling of something squishy being squeezed within their lower back at the time of their injury? I know I felt it and it still makes me twinge when I think about it. I guess I'm just looking for affirmation that it wasn't in my head.

Thank you for taking the time to read this and thanks for any feedback you can offer !