What can I do to ease this back pain?

[Guineapig456]

I bent down to pick something up from the floor on the 23rd and since then I’ve had intermittent back pain. However, today I cannot straighten up, walking anywhere is so painful. I’ve tried deep heat, paracetamol and ibuprofen but nothing is helping. We’ve even had to cancel our Boxing Day plans because I can’t do anything. The pain seems even worse than when I woke up. Any ideas how I can ease it?

I found cold more effective than heat for my back. Deep heat do a freeze spray and gel, or even an ice pack seemed to help.

Only thing I would add is a hot water bottle on the site. I find that when I have a sore back I can't sleep in my normal position so tend to get more pains. I also tend to try and save the sore bit by moving around more awkwardly so get even more pain.
Best thing is to use every means to get a good nights sleep and hope you feel better in the morning.

Alternate ice and hot water bottle,ten mins at a time. Pain killers,physio if it doesn't ease.

Thank you for the replies. I will give them a try, just sneezed and it was agony. 😟

Lie on the floor on top of a tennis ball, positioned just slightly further down your spine than where the pain radiates from. If you can't manage a tennis ball then use a rolled up hand towel instead.

Alternatively sit on a low backed chair with the chair back positioned just below the point of pain. Put your hands behind your head then slowly lean back over the chair as far as you can. Try to relax your muscles and take some deep breathes.

I spend half my life at the physio because I've put my back out. These are the exercises they taught me to try and fix it myself at home.

I do the tennis ball thing up against a wall,works well if you can't get up and down from the floor easily.

I also find it works better if you position the ball just to the side of your spine rather than directly under it.

I’d see a chiropractor.

If you can’t, in the past I’ve fixed my back diy style. No doubt some people will say don’t try this though!

Lie on the floor and get a partner or friend to push on the sore bit in your back. There will probably be more than one. It hurts like hell but it’s because something is out of position and needs pushed back in. A chiropractor can do it painlessly. Take a couple of paracetamol. Don’t put any strain on your back afterwards or it could pop back out again.

Hopefully it's just muscular. If that's the case, a bath with Epsom salts can help.

Alternate heat and cold treatments.

My sympathy, back pain is the pits.

Thanks everyone. Lots of good ideas although I wouldn’t be able to get in the bath or on the floor. Will try to persuade the dog to lend one of his tennis balls and try the exercise suggested. Trouble is that all of my back feels so tender to touch from hip to hip and up to and beyond my waist. It’s been horrible today :(

You could lie on your front on your bed and get someone to stretch out your back muscles for you. Start at the bottom and put the heels of the hand in the middle. Apply as much pressure as feels ccmfortable, then slowly move them out to the sides while maintaining the same pressure. Repeat a few times then move up the spine a little and do the same. Keep going until you get to the shoulder blades.

www.nhs.uk/conditions/back-pain/
Advice here

I use hot water bottle even if sitting on sofa. Also ibuprofen type rub onto area helps a bit. Sleeping on the floor sometimes helps too.

Also try and not sit still for too long as can make pain worse.

Voltarol gel. Don't try any self fix methods, you don't know what you've done, and you could make it worse.

Keep moving, carefully, and keep up with painkillers. I find voltarol gel the best thing for localized back pack. I've just had something very similar to you, it did ease off after about a week, thankfully. Any longer and I'd have gone to the GP.

This was me 5 weeks ago.

It sounds dodgy but can you ask around friends and fam if they have tramadol? It literally zapped my pain away until I was able to see an osteopath.
Had 3 sessions with him and it was fixed.

Tried the ball suggestion but it was too painful to tolerate. I can’t take tramadol as it makes me feel so sick plus no-one that I know would have any. My gp does occasionally prescribe diazepam for muscle spasms in my back but I can’t face sitting in a crammed waiting room straight after Christmas. That’s assuming I even got an appointment!
Plus this feels more generalised across most of my lower back even though it did start just in one area on Monday. I’m trying to rest it as it hurts to walk/stand but then I’m gritting my teeth to walk to the loo, get a drink etc. It’s been miserable and I feel so bad that the DCs have not been able to do much on Boxing Day because of me.

If you are looking for heat, I know this sounds unlikely, but I had a heated pad from Poundland recommended to me by a friend (you get 2 in a box from poundland - honestly!)
It says not to stick directly on to skin (my friend said she did, but I stuck it on to a vest top) and you just wear it all day. Honestly it lasts for hours and doesn't get out of position like a wheat bag or hot water bottle or whatever does. Everso effective if you have done something that heat will help. Not going to hurt you if it is something different.
I was really sceptical, but it was brilliant.

Thermacare lower back and hip wrap
Heated, usually found in Tesco/Superdrug or most chemists. They actually kept me sane while waiting for a spinal op

I would see a GP and try to get hold of some naproxen and codeine. Strong anti-inflammatory and muscle relaxant.
Must importantly I would book to see an osteopath, chiropractor or remedial massage therapist. Yes, you will need to pay for this but with the amount of pain you are in and the lack of mobility it will be worth it. They will be able to determine exactly which muscles you have strained and be immediately hands on. Do keep moving a little even though it’s painful, if you just lie in bed it will seize up even more.

Sorry to hear you are in such pain and discomfort OP, especially over Holidays. Painkillers/heat/ice may help in the short term. In the long term I would advise you to go to a physiotherapist who works with the patient to improve the musculature supporting the spine, ie the spinal muscles and the abdominal muscles, and checking your progress with ultrasound.

This is what I did for my back problem, and I manage to keep myself pain free, for years and resumed a normal lifestyle.
I do not know where you live, but a physiotherapist can help you in the short term immediately after the holidays, and advise you in the long term.

For pain relief

Drugs - tramadol, naproxen, diazepam
Ice (save the heat for when it has calmed down a bit). Bag of peas tied with a scarf on the painful bit.10 minutes every hour.
Walk / hobble around or lie down, either on yr back with your legs elevated or on your front with a pillow under yr tummy.
TENS machine gave me a lot of relief. You can order one from Amazon, same day delivery. Not expensive, give it a try.
Time.

Courage