Back pain advice

[tridim]

Yesterday I threw out my lower back lifting a heavy, oddly shaped item.. No, I didn't lift with my legs, the situation made it impossible. It didn't seem much out of the ordinary at the time, as it seems to happen about 3 times a year. This morning I awoke to enough pain that I couldn't walk. It took me about 30 minutes to put on enough clothes to let the dog out.

Since then I've been taking lots of Ibuprofen and reclining on a heating pad. It seems to be doing better as I can actually walk now. The pain is tolerable, but I'm afraid it'll happen again tomorrow.

I've always had minor back problems, but this was by far the worst I've ever had. Of course I plan to see the doc (and pay out the ass because I can't afford good insurance), but for the time being what else should I be doing to help with the pain and promote quick healing? I've never taken a prescription painkiller stronger than Tylenol-3 and to be honest I don't want to unless absolutely necessary. Any scoop on good OTC pain meds? Exercise?

[MercutioATC]

1. I use hot baths (ok, my hot tub) and Advil for back/neck pain.

Heat and Advil seems to work well for me.

[AwakeAtLast]

2. Aleve works best for me.

I hope your back feels better soon! If not, you probably need further treatment.

[Nite Owl]

3. If you have some kind of muscle relaxant

that will help. Keep moving but rest in between with some pillows under your knees to alleviate the pressure on your lower back. Been there.

[havocmom]

5. Yeah, pillows under knees if you're on your back, between them if you're

on you side. Believe it or not, when my back flares up bad, the hammock works well, with pillows under knees.

I found Orudis works best of the OTC stuff when the pain really gets bad. With it, or Aleve, go for the therapeutic (aka: perscription) dose which is more than on the label, but only if you liver functions OK.

Lots of fluids to flush out the bad acids in the muscles. Get enough calcium (which is a mild sedative too), magnesium. potassium, and zinc, to replace what you wash out. The right amount/ratio keeps fluid balance in the cells. You need lots of fluid to clean out the muscles, and keep your joints lubed. Dehydration can do terrible things to your body most of us don't even consider.

If you can get to a place that sells whole herbs, some raspberry leaves are nice. Brew up tea from them and drink it hot or cold. A little sweetener makes it very tasty and real raspberry is another mild muscle relaxant. I love REAL raspberry tea for summer evenings as it is refreshing but won't wire me and keep me awake at night. The raspberry flavored teas you can get ready made are NOT the same.

Short periods of rest and movement, moist heat, lots of fluids and the right minerals, OTC anti-inflammatory, meditation, warm baths (when getting in and out of the tub is possible - I know there are times it won't work), relaxing music.... go all out to de-stress while you give you body everything you can to help it heal.

Let us know how you are doing. It can be very frightening when your back goes out. Makes one feel a bit helpless. It will pass. Hope it is better very soon.

[SW FL Dem]

4. Warm Shower or Bath

I have had back pains off an on for 30 years. Take Advil and/or have a glass of wine or a beer. The Advil is an anti-inflammatory, the alcohol is a muscle relaxant. I always recover faster if I force myself to get out of bed and walk around every hour or so. Stretching can help or hurt, so be careful and take it easy.

[Gloria]

6. Lie on your stomach, with a very thin pillow if you're more comfortable...

raise your body up on a pillow or elbows....don't overdo the height.
This stretches the muscles along your abdomen. Do not do curls (on your back, pulling knees towards chest)....You want to counter the strain of lifting (bending forward) by stretching the front of your body.

Do this for about 10 minutes, about 3 times a day.
More if necessary, even if it's just lying on your stomach.

If you are sitting, every half hour or so, stand and put your hands near your hips and bend backwards....It's sort of like the lying down exercise above, but standing up... Again, you're stretching the front. It's not as effective as lying down, because your spine is in "loaded" position (all the muscles are working), but it helps.

If you feeling ANY twinges down your leg---stop...get to a doctor. I waiting a couple of weeks, then couldn't stand and wound up having surgery for a totally blown out disk. I'm still a mess from it...

[radwriter0555]

7. Get off the heating pad ASAP. You need ICE to reduce the inflammation, the

heat will make it worse.

Do a cocktail of 800 mgs (4 pills) of ibuprofin and 400 mgs (2 pills)of tylenol every 4-6 hours and take them right when you start to feel the pain creep back in.

Ibu for the pain, tylenol for the inflammation.

ICE, not heat please.

[Gloria]

10. Yes, use ICE early on, first 72 hours....

According to my sports injury book, for a back sprain in the lumbo-dorsal area (assuming that's it):

Ice pace 3 or 4 times a day ...Use for 20 minutes at a time

Wrap area in elasticized bandage betwen ice treatments.

AFTER 72 HOURS---apply heat instead of ice if it feels better. Use heat lamps, hot soaks, hot showers, heating pads, or heat liniments or ointments.

Massage gently and often to provide comfort and decrease swelling.



Use ice massage for 10 minutes before and after exercise if you wind up doing rehab exercise. (fill a cup with water and freeze. massage with top of ice, tear off small amount of cup to keep ice protruding as it melts).

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

8. Get on the floor on your hands and knees

arms shoulder length apart and then stretch backwards onto your legs which will stretch your spine...look up William's and McKenzie's stretches...and yes...the anti-inflammatories but use them around the clock for a couple days

[demgurl]

9. I have had the exact same thing happen to me!

I just got over it last week. I was mostly in bed for two weeks! The pain did not start out bad but by morning, it was awful.

You need to alternate cold and heat. Heat is actually not that great for your back even if it makes you feel good. Use cold on your back for 20 minutes. Then take it off. Wait about 40 minutes and then use heat for 20. You do this alternating heat and cold every hour for 20 minutes.

Call your local chiropractor and ask if they sell Biofreeze. It is cryotherapy. You rub it on your back and it numbs the pain. Should be between $5-8 a bottle depending on where you live. Make sure you wash your hands with cold/luke warm (NOT HOT) water very well after you apply it. If you do not wash well, you will rub your eyes and they will sting! Or if you are a man, you will feel a tingling the next time you use the bathroom! (My husband did not wash thoroughly after applying it on me!)

Walk. This seems counter intuitive to what you feel, but if you walk slowly, I promise it helps.

You can try a bath, but be careful getting in and out, it can strain your back! You need to roll over so that you are on your hands and knees and get up that way.

Is your back freezing up when you roll over in bed? Mine was. I found the only thing that helped that was actually tensing up my back even more. When I tensed back, it was bareable.

I do not have insurance and could not get prescription drugs for my pain this time, but I have used them in the past. I have always found Vicodin to be the best. Use it sparingly and only when you really have to because it is very addictive.

If you can not get to a doctor yet, try some Excederin or Tylenol PM. I find Excederin to work better for me. This will help you sleep.

Good luck and let me know if you have any questions. I feel for you.

[tridim]

11. DU'ers are awesome!

Thanks to all of you for the great advice!

:yourock:

[Hoping4Change]

12. A doctor will only prescribe painkillers. Why not spend the money

on a good one hour massage. I've had all sorts of different massage techiques but the one I found best for eliminating pain was Shiastsu. Really amazing. And if the budget is tight look up schools that teach Shiastsu and book with a student. (ps regular massage schools also have special rates if you opt for a student)

[nuxvomica]

13. Arnica Montana 30X

I took it as a last ditch effort to avoid going to the ER. My back pain was so bad I was nauseous. The pain disappeared in 10 minutes. You can buy at a health food store.

[greenman3610]

14. www.mattfurey.com

over the top sales pitch, but very, very solid exercise advice from
a world champion wrestler. Grounded in Chinese and Oriental
techniques.
Order the
"Combat Abs" workout book, 29.95 or therebouts.
Do the "magnificent seven" workout every morning,
supplement with the other workouts he advises.

I'm very serious, this is great stuff.