DD hurt her back sneezing. Not sure what to do.

[Pinkkahori]

Dd is 13. Earlier today she sneezed and she felt something hurt in her back.
She soon seemed fine and we went out for the afternoon. She was running around and all ok.
When we came home it hurt her to get out of the car but then was ok.
Now it's suddenly a lot worse. DH had to help her off the couch.
She's now lying on her bed.
I'm swinging from being really worried and calling out of hours to thinking she has form for being dramatic and that Nurofen and a night's sleep will help.
I can't decide.
I realise no-one can diagnose her. Just looking for opinions on what others would do.

I once sneezed & disclocated my coccyx. Could that be it?

I'm not a professional but dh and I are serial back poppers and usually it takes 2 to 3 days of hobbling around and then it gets better. Ibuprofen helps and I like a hot bath and gentle massage. Moving helps too so make sure she tries to move around tomorrow rather than stay in bed.

I slipped a disc during a hayfever sneezing fit. Hot water bottle on the lower back should give her some relief then get her to doctors asap

It might be. She said it hurts very low down.
Was there any treatment for it?

Not really usual for a 13 year old to put their back out so easily or really complain of back pain at all unless it’s a pre-existing back problem like scoliosis or something.

Is your dd very tall and slim by any chance? Is she breathless at all?

Whereabouts is the pain?

See if a hot bath and nurofen helps. If it does, ride it out.

If it continues to get worse, or

she feels like she is getting pins and needles or numbness in any arms or legs
One side of her body gets weak
She starts to run a temperature
Her face starts to seem lopsided
Or her speech goes odd

Then call for medical advice

If she is still needing significant pain killers in the morning, take her to the doctors as she might be better off with a muscle relaxant rather than lots of neurofen

She has probably just put a back muscle into spasm and that one is now starting to yank on all its neighbours and set them off too.

Actually if she can sleep on her back try and prop her with pillows to keep her neck/head well supported and both arms on each side, sort of like a cocoon, even get her legs supported under the knees, if her limbs and neck arent relying on her back muscles to support them, her back muscles might relax iyswim

Could she have pulled a muscle?

Could it be a trapped nerve? I sneezed a few weeks ago and I could hardly breathe in and out for a few mins the pain was so bad when I moved my rib cage. I forced myself to make a bigger movement (just to make sure I wasn’t dying ) and something popped either back in or out. I don’t know what it was.

I’ve had disc trouble too, with numb legs. Horribly painful! Hope it gets better soon. I don’t think the out of hours would be impressed if she CAN actually move, just with pain. I do know people whose back has completely locked, they have been in pure screaming agony and can’t actually move.

I don’t think being hunched over screens is helping our kids’ posture. Ticking time bomb for back and neck problems in the future

I did this once, but it was my neck. I actually had to spend a week in bed as I couldn’t support my head/neck when upright without being in agony. When I went to the loo I had to hold my head up with my hands! It was fine after a week, I assume I pulled a muscle/trapped a nerve.

A few years ago I sneezed and felt something 'pop' in my back/side. The pain was horrendous and got worse over the following 24 hours. In the end I went to minor injuries (after phoning my GP who told me to to do so) where they confirmed I'd broken a rib! Not much they could do other than give me codeine and tell me to take it easy for a week or two.

If she has no trouble breathing I'd wait and see how the pain goes. If it's still bad tomorrow, phone your GP or go along to MI/walk in centre.

Has she had any pain killers? Try that first and some heat to the area.

Maybe check for symptoms of Cauda equina, can be caused by sneezing, although it is supposed to be absolute agony

Ibuprofen and paracetamol and doctors tomorrow I would say
Not a usual age for back issues so I would get her seen. For now try and make sure she doesn't bend or twist or do anything to aggravate it
If she gets any numbness or her bladder or bowels are affected then straight to a&e

Thanks everyone. I cross posted with some of you earlier.
The pain is in her very low back/top of her bottom.
I've given her Nurofen. Boiler not working so can't run a bath.
She's not tall at all, really quite short for her age.
There's no doubt it's hurting but she is a catastrophiser so it's hard to assess how bad it is.

@WingBingo can confirm absolute agony, the total numbness was a pleasant relief!

Sleeping - if she sleeps on her back then a pillow under knees, or on side with pillow between knees, that can relieve some pain

Seems a daft question as it can lead to complications, but @YesQueen I hope you’re ok now

Nurofen, warm bath, hot water bottle alternated with ice,ten mins each one and massage.

Doctor if it doesn't ease after a couple of days.

@WingBingo v lucky. I drove myself to a&e (about 36hrs before my planned spinal op) and said "I have Cauda equina"
They went and put me back in the MRI and then went and found my neurosurgeon. By this point it was a couple of hours before my planned op luckily so I just went straight to theatre. Left with crawling sensations, some numbness and cramps but I can walk/gym/jog

I've just been to help her up and she managed getting to the bathroom without too much fuss so it seems the Nurofen has helped.
I'm going to keep an eye on her for now and see how the night goes.

Exactly how I put my back out at 15. Keep an eye especially if she gets pain in the groin or any trouble going to the loo. Poor girl. Id go to tge gp as some physiotherapy will help her strengthen her back for the future. Hope she's ok, back pain is utterly miserable.

Thanks goaway. I'll be interested to see how she is tomorrow. We've previously had the 'so painful it must be broken' ankle which caused her to limp dramatically for several hours and then magically healed when she met her friends and the 'broken wrist' which led to visits to two different hospitals and turned out to be a very slight sprain.

Yeah, I have a dramatic teenager too, back pain though is horrific and one of those things that can be ok one day and excruciating the next. I do think that once you’ve ‘put your back out’ that’s it, it’s a weak spot ever after. Be open to physio, chiropractors etc if needed. It can be a myth back pain needs movement, I think it depends on the pain level, it’s common sense an injury needs rest to heal, a slight muscle strain probably does require gentle movement, not all back pain (or any) is the same (nobody would suggest a good walk on a broken bone in the foot)

How is she today, @Pinkkahori?