I just wondered if anyone out there has suffered with two or three bouts of lower back pain (severe enough to confine them to bed for two or three days) from which they have recovered completely?
If so, what has helped the most? (Regular physio, losing weight and getting fitter?) Or did it just recover by itself?
Or are you always plagued by it intermittently from there on in?
For context, I should add that I'm seeking advice for myself. (I'm in my early fifties, overweight and unfit.) I had my first back related "incident" in Feb. I didn't injure myself but woke up immobile having spent the previous day doing a lot of bending. I had to call out the doctor who gave me an injection and I could move again after about three days. I had a couple of physio sessions and eventually recovered and thought that was that.
Unfortunately though I had an unexpected recurrence of the same thing the day before yesterday (although not quite the same severity) which is bizarre because I hadn't been doing anything out of the ordinary or particularly strenuous.
I'm worried now that I should be actively doing something to stop this recurring and would appreciate any advice/info from anyone who has been through the same thing. Thanks in advance for any tips!
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General health
Seeking the collective wisdom of Mnset wrt lower back pain (not pregnancy related)
SpareCrust · 25/05/2016 12:19
The immobility is very likely your back muscles going into spasm. They do this to protect an injury usually. After an episode like your last one,mits can be incredibly easy to provoke another episode and sometimes they can take longer and longer to resolve.
I suggest GP for pain killers and possibly diazepam to relax the muscles. Heat to relax the muscles. Rest, potter and rest. Avoid sitting so lie down propped up comfortably with knees bent and supported then walk around. When the pain begins to subside find an excellent Pilates instructor and learn the basics before joining a small class, a rehab one if possible.
If this continues you might need a scan to diagnose the problem but TBH back pain generally does resolve but it can easily become a chronic problem without a lot of work by you. Losing weight would almost certainly help but I guess you know that. 
Feel free to join the back pain support thread.
GP also said that lower back spasm can often be the worst type of back pain: worse than sciatica or a slipped disc. So 
oh, just looked up this thread to find it is you SC 
my pearl of wisdom is that you can use a laptop from a reclining position ( I am currently lying down in bed 
with a pillow under my head, it is just a bit less official seeming, but you can still type. I rest laptop on my bent knees at a slight angle.
I am finding driving and sitting makes things a lot worse. Walking really helps as does learning to squat down rather than bend, which is very hard on the ankles and thighs at first but you can build strength in that, just takes a while if you are used to bending over. I am holding in my stomach all the time when I remember, but not holding my breath, so remembering to breathe normally whilst holding the muscles firm round my stomach and lower back (this stops you tensing your neck at the same time)
It is very debilitating and depressing so I think you have to keep reminding yourself that you are going to improve, and that pushing yourself or criticising yourself isn't going to help but self compassion is important (which is not the same as self pity)
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