# Back in Pain... Need ideas



## chicamarun (Dec 26, 2006)

A few days ago my back got to the point I am having trouble sleeping and walking. It's my lower back area.

I've done heat/cold as I have done in the past with Advil as a pain reliever and even some muscle relief rub that a friend on mine makes that usually works great - but not this time. Plus I've done streches which at least usually loosen them up....

It's a LITTLE bit difficult to do the work required around the farm right now (can't lift a feed bag without payback)

I can't seem to get the muscles relaxed at ALL. Any ideas/suggestions?


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## davaseco (May 4, 2006)

A hot shower beating on your low back helps the muscles...so does a warm/hot soak in the tub...the weightlessness of floating in water is great to relieve constant strain on the muscles.... Sleeping with a pillow under your knees at night....icy/hot cream....tiger balm.....keep it working but take it slower than normal.......can you tell I've been there done that a few times lol....of course chiropractor is a good option also.

Hope you feel better soon.


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## northstarpermie (May 11, 2006)

Those mentioned above help with getting the muscles to relax. But you may need to get a professional to look at it if you have not already. It could be a pulled muscle, a bulging disc, etc. I have two bulging discs, my L4 & L3. My physical therapist gave me some exercises to get them under control and exercises to keep them under control. It was well worth finding out what was wrong and how I could keep it under control. 

I also wanted to say it took me 2 months to get it where I could lift more than 20 pounds. 4 months where my back was fine with 50+ pounds.


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## cozyhollow-gal (Sep 11, 2002)

Hi,  I have to agree with Northstarpermie. You didn't mention a cause of your B. pain. It is important to know underlying cause of back pain. Since it is lower back it could be a bad strain, muscle pulled, or degenerate disk. a injury of some kind**or any number of reasons. I have had my hip slip out of place from heavy lifting. And that causes back pain big time!! If you don't know the cause maybe a visit to your doc would be good. If you know what is causing it you will better know what to do for it. 
I had a lot of lower back pain from a car accident. I had trouble for over a year. I went to med doctor, no help there. So went to chiropractor. ( the insurance covered it) I had to have many treatments for entire back. Getting my spine and disks back where they were suppose to be. Neck ajustments also. I finally got back to normal. I still use hot and cold packs on lower back as needed, also Thera-Gesic,,,a cream that comes in a tube and can get at Wal-mart. I highly recommend it. Paul Harvey does too.  Also a massage to the area. Heating pad sometimes. I hate to take meds, but sometimes a mild pain reliever is in order. Perhaps a herbal relaxant would be in order til your severe pain subsides. I only use a small amount of aspirin once in awhile. I never take a whole aspirin. I had to back off from my usual lifting also. And more rest for back than usual. Just extra rest sometimes does wonders! I will look in my Natural healing book and see what they offer. And will get back to you. I hope you find out what is causing it and get some quick relief..


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## Jeff54321 (Jan 26, 2005)

This little book helped me tremendously. I strongly recommend it, Jeff

http://www.amazon.com/Treat-Your-Back-Robin-McKenzie/dp/0959774661


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## Peepsqueak (Apr 6, 2005)

I have low back pain and what helps me is to sleep on a hard floor. That way my back gets aligned. A mat can help with comfort, but the floor has no give like a bed and aligns my spine.


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## mammabooh (Sep 1, 2004)

This may be way off base, but I'll mention it anyway. I had spurts of horrid lower back pain for years and found out that it was pop and coffee causing it. It wasn't the caffeine, there is something else in both of those beverages that my body just can't handle in large doses. I can handle a cup of coffee every once in a while, but not every day. Oh...just wanted to mention that I used to be able to handle it and then my body (or the ingredients) changed.

Any chance that might be an issue for you? Back pain is NOT fun! I hope you're feeling much better soon.


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## chicamarun (Dec 26, 2006)

The funny thing is I have no idea what caused it. I think a Dr. visit might be in order - I can usually deal with a couple of days - but it's now almost 7 or somewhere around there and I am just about fed up. I have one of those air beds (sleep number) and I have it at about 85 which is really firm and for the past couple of nights I've at least fallen asleep and don't feel too bad until I have to get out of bed (this morning was a nightmare with pain - but at least the kids got off to school).

I've never heard about caffeine doing this - and I have my fingers crossed that it wouldn't be that (diet coke addiction and all)... 

I did tell my husband last night that this pain is different than the rest of them.... as a hot bath last night didn't help a bit and neither did the shower yesterday morning. I just hate going to the Dr. and admitting something is wrong. I feel old (only 34) because of all the "work" that's already been done on me - I would hate to have something else.


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## mammabooh (Sep 1, 2004)

I'd be going on a detox from diet coke if I were you. 

The pain I had from the pop and coffee was really my kidneys, I believe. If that's the area where you're hurting, try to get off the stuff! My hubby can't handle coffee or pop anymore either...especially coffee. It might not even be the actual ingredients, but maybe how the stuff is processed? I don't know. I just stick to water (at least a half gallon a day) and homemade juice now.

P.S. Unless you're going to a homeopathic doc, don't expect him to believe or suggest that diet (or beverages) may be causing your trouble. He'll probably tell you that you have a strain (which might be the case) and give you some meds.


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## chicamarun (Dec 26, 2006)

Thanks - I'll wait and see what he says and maybe I'll do a complete detox (haven't done one in over a year anyways). My Dr. is pretty good - open minded and isn't drug crazy which is really nice. Especially since I hate taking the drugs. Last thing I took was the anti-biotic for lyme's disease and I fought him all the way on it as I didn't want to take it for so long.... but it worked and he understood and told me to take pro-biotics as soon as I was done.


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## Jeff54321 (Jan 26, 2005)

The sweetener used in diet soda is aspartame. It is pure poison and responsible for countless health problems. Do a google search and see for yourself.


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## fixer1958 (Dec 12, 2005)

I had a disc problem that maxed out about 20 years ago that sounds very much like what you are describing. It feels different. It would be almost unbearable for 2 weeks at a time. I thought at the time bad backs were for lazy people. I was wrong and it doesn't sound like you are lazy. I wasn't either.
I finally had it removed and haven't had a lick of problem since. I'm very active and learned it's not what you lift but how it's done.
I don't want to get you freaked on the idea. It's just what happened to me.


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## mammabooh (Sep 1, 2004)

Did you go to the doc yet? I hope you're feeling better.


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## wilderness1989 (Feb 23, 2006)

I've had 3 surgeries on my back (and still have pain) and just had rotator cuff surgery, if you've had one of those you know about pain. My physical therapist just got me a Tens Unit, as long as I live I'll always have a Tens Unit (aka Transcutanous Electrical Nerve Stimulator) it has killed the pain and I finally have relief, WOW. :dance: A Tens Unit blocks the pain receptors. I can finally sleep at night. Below is a link to the unit I have.
http://www.empi.com/products/tens.cfm


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## okiemom (May 12, 2002)

I too recomend going to the Dr. i started having problems at 15 and the drs. patted me on the head and told me "it's just pain get over it" I bought this for years. Went to another dr told them what was happening took an z-ray and said the back is compressed but it was "normal". bought that crap too... until I could n't walk w/o doing lamaze type breathing.

Went to a new dr. had the MRI was sent to the surgeon who was amazed I had lasted so long. If I has has an MRI earlier It would have been real obvious what the problem was. I could even see how smashed my spinal cord was. 

Get an MRI for a baseline and go from there. It is hard to fix what you can't see.


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## insocal (May 15, 2005)

I have terrible back problems. I use Aleve (naproxen) liberally and sleep on a hot water bottle when it acts up. It's my upper back, between my shoulder blades.


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## chicamarun (Dec 26, 2006)

Well we are doing an internal exam next week - he says it sometimes can have to do with female internal organs pressing against the spine - which in my case is a possibility because my uterus is tilted back which caused back pressure while I was preg. So we are checking it on Tuesday morning. Otherwise, Tylenol PM at night so I can sleep and up to 4 Advil at a time for pain - but that's not working... however I did sleep last night which was great. Aleve has never done anything for me - it's never worked for me with anything (wish it did).

I know about the evils of diet coke - but I still like it and as my one true vice I deal with it. I do go through times when I don't touch it but then start again.


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## fishhead (Jul 19, 2006)

My lumbar disks are disappearing and that set off a spasm cycle that lasted about 2 years. Last summer I bought one of those inversion tables and I have to say I am impressed with the way it stops the spasm temporarily. That combined with stabilization excersizes and occasional anti-inflamatory pills has taken most of the pain away.


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## hoofinitnorth (Oct 18, 2006)

Please, please, PLEASE, go see a DOCTOR before you do any PT or anything else! An MRI is REALLY going to be helpful in telling you if it's something that can be helped with PT or if you have to have surgery. If you have to have surgery and don't know it, in the best case scenario you won't get better but in the worst case scenario you can make yourself worse! My husband has been there, done that. He kept going to chiropractor after chiropractor, only ever having xrays and no MRIs. When I FINALLY convinced him, after more than a decade, to see a doc, they ordered an MRI straight away. They found bulged discs impinging on nerves. They tried steroid shots first but it was too much pressure on the nerve to fix that way so discectomy or disc replacement were the only options. He had the former but may still do the latter in the future if his problems recur. He is in great shape now after only a couple months!


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## northstarpermie (May 11, 2006)

hoofinitnorth said:


> Please, please, PLEASE, go see a DOCTOR before you do any PT or anything else! An MRI is REALLY going to be helpful in telling you if it's something that can be helped with PT or if you have to have surgery. If you have to have surgery and don't know it, in the best case scenario you won't get better but in the worst case scenario you can make yourself worse! My husband has been there, done that. He kept going to chiropractor after chiropractor, only ever having xrays and no MRIs. When I FINALLY convinced him, after more than a decade, to see a doc, they ordered an MRI straight away. They found bulged discs impinging on nerves. They tried steroid shots first but it was too much pressure on the nerve to fix that way so discectomy or disc replacement were the only options. He had the former but may still do the latter in the future if his problems recur. He is in great shape now after only a couple months!


Wow, those chiropractors did not know what they were doing at all. I went right to my physical therapist thinking mine was my hip acting up differently. Right away he knew it was a bulging disc and which one with pain in my knee. Wow, it was bad if they did surgery on a bulging disc. Actually it sounds like it was not found soon enough to get it fixed without surgery. 

Glad to hear things are better! He must feel great now.


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## hoofinitnorth (Oct 18, 2006)

The chiros here NEVER order MRIs, only xrays. Maybe they can't order them, I don't know. They simply did not know what they were dealing with and no amount of adjustment was going to heal my husband's issues, he had to have surgery and that was it. He suffered needlessly for years (because he wouldn't listen to his little old wife  ).


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## lonelyfarmgirl (Feb 6, 2005)

I had severe lower back pain after an auto accident, and was told just pulled muscles COCKY!

An MRI revealed bulging disk between L5 and S1. I found a chiro with a fairly new invention called a decompresion table.

It is where you lay down on your back, and they strap you in and it goes back and forth, kind of stretching your back like a slinky. in-out-in-out, etc.

Well, you work up to longer stretching over time. I did about 40 or 50 sessions over 6 months, and the machine ultimately encouraged my disk to suck back into place. Now, a year later, I still have lower back pain, but this time I KNOW it is purely muscular. My inconsistency with daily stretching doesnt help, but the pain feels a world of difference from the disk pain.

no one should have to suffer with a bulging disk. It can be fixed. this table technology is still fairly new. some chiros have it, some dont. ask your chiro about it if they dont. Im sure it could be found.


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## hoofinitnorth (Oct 18, 2006)

I looked into the decompression, DRS, and other similar type treatments and they are either too new to have many studies done, are not available locally (yet), or have not been shown to be proven to help people consistently in controlled studies. I hear a few folks now and then say they had some relief though.


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## suburbanite (Jul 27, 2006)

You might want to try a thermacare wrap overnight.


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## chicamarun (Dec 26, 2006)

Well I go back in today. I have done 2 nights without Tylenol PM because I don't get up in the morning very well when I take it... but this morning I can barely walk. I did the thermacare last night (well a generic version) and it didn't seem to help (though those back hairs are gone)....

Personally I am just about done.....I've dealt with 1-2 days but never this long and I'm tired of it.


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## pickapeppa (Jan 1, 2005)

Hi Chica. It sounds like you could have a pretty serious injury. It may only be a pulled muscle, but it could be more than that. If your doc doesn't recommend an MRI or at *least* an X-ray, I'd seriously consider seeing someone else for this.

The best thing you can do right now during an acute phase of new pain like this is ice, ice, ice. NO heat. Heat could be making the problem worse if you have an active inflammatory process going on.

Ice until you're numb and then take it off. Repeat every hour or two if your schedule allows. Also, there have been studies done suggesting heat for longer than 30 minutes to an hour eventually causes vasoconstriction, thereby reducing the circulation to the injured area. This in itself can inhibit the healing process.

I sincerely hope your doc does more for you than an internal exam. Granted, he knows you best and your health history, but if you're in that much pain and it's getting worse maybe you should request further testing just to be sure.


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## chicamarun (Dec 26, 2006)

Ok - here's the news. Yesterday complete internal exam - everything seems fine. He was checking for nerve problems. I have a script for an xray and he gave me a script for a muscle relaxer. Told me 3 days on the relaxer - if no change I need to go see a back specialist.

From what he said - usually a pulled muscle will work itself out in about 4-6 weeks if it's a bad pull.... so that's why the waiting period and trying other things first. I'm at the time right before he says "see someone else"....so he said it already with the 3-day waiting time. Granted the script he gave me is for 10 days but it's letting me at least get some stuff done - at least it's suppose to.

I'm happy he isn't "script" happy though..... I know some Dr.'s that are - hand you a script for just about anything.... I had to ask for something because the tylenol PM and other stuff just wasn't working. 

So if it's not better after today (have to go to a seminar on grant writing  ) I call up and get the # for the Dr. he wants me to see and get a referal (love the insurance company) and I'll go from there.


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## northstarpermie (May 11, 2006)

I hope it is just a pulled muscles and nothing worse than that. Good Luck!


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## vicker (Jul 11, 2003)

I was scheduled for surgery for herniated disks last year. Then I read an article in the New Englnd Journel of Medicine ( I think) that said people who opt for surgery and people who wait are doing about as well in a year or so. So I waited. I'm much better now. This was for herniated disks in my upper back/lower neck. I also sufffer low back pain ( and mid back pain  )
Almost 20 years ago, I found a remedy for lower back pain that works for me. Lay on the floor on your back. Bring your feet up close to your butt. put your hands behind your head as if you are going to do a sit up. Inhale deeply. Now, as you begin to exhale, do as if you are doing a sit up but only roll your head forward and lift your shoulders off the floor. Hold that as you slowy exhale, then as you inhale lower yourself back down. Do only 3-4 reps of that a couple times a day. It works for me.


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## Irish Pixie (May 14, 2002)

suburbanite said:


> You might want to try a thermacare wrap overnight.


I agree, when I over do they are the only thing that helps. 

Stacy


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## chicamarun (Dec 26, 2006)

Monday I'm calling in the back specialist and getting an x-ray scheduled. I think what is worrying my Dr is the pain that it is causing in my legs at this point.

I spent Friday on my back on the floor - felt much better on Saturday with the help of Advil and the prescription he gave me - but it didn't last that long (and honestly it was pretty boring on my back all day - LOL - though I did get to read a couple of books).

I think I'm just frustrated - I'm bored of being in the house and not doing the stuff I need to do outside (we have over 300 chickens that need care, sheep, and a pig). I like reading, but I don't like it being the only thing I do all day.

Thanks everyone for the suggestions - I'm using as many as possible  Just wish it was warm enough to swim - cause I know I could do some great exercises in the pool without worrying about it as much.


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