put my back out. Worst pain ever.

[niop]

I leaned over to pick up dirty washing this morning and the worst pain ever in my lower back. Agony. I couldn’t move and ended up on the floor in my bedroom for 2 hours. Luckily people were in house with me and helped me. I finally with the help of a youtube video showing how to get to standing position after this sort of incident, managed to walk to my bedroom. I’ve taken ibuprofen, two doses since it happened at 11.30, but it’s having minimal impact. I’m reading conflicting things online saying I should try to move and some saying I should rest whilst pain severe. I walked to the loo half
an hour ago and it took ages to shuffle myself out of bed and on to loo, with help. Is this normal? How long will
it take to feel
better?

Can you alternate the ibuprofen with cocodamol until you can see the GP?

Take paracetamol as well or cocodamol if you can
stand or lie down, don’t sit as that’s so bad for backs
if you’re on your side put a pillow between your knees

It honestly depends what you've done. I herniated my L4/L5 lifting some tiles and it was absolute agony (sciatic pain down left leg). I got a week of Diazepam from the GP and 1000mg/day of Naproxen for about a month but I still couldn't sit down (had to pee standing up) for 3 weeks and was counting down the days to the next dose. Then it slowly started getting better and now I'm 90% normal.

yep, only sat on loo as bursting for a wee!

Things that helped

• Lying on my back over a foam roller (this was because it was pushing the herniation back in)
• Walking
• hot water bottle in small of my back
• dont try to stretch it out

But, it does depend on what you've done.

not sure what Ive
done, except that i leaned down to pick up some dirty laundry. And it went. I guess it’s acute muscle pain or ligament or maybe disc? I don’t know.

Honestly, massive sympathies- back pain is horrific. I found it really hard to stay positive. Where is the pain? Is is going down your legs/ buttocks or is it in your actual back? Herniated disc usually hurts more in the legs and butt than actual back (I had zero back pain weirdly). Any tingling in your feet? Good news is if its muscle a short course of diazepam will help a lot as takes it out of spasm. Might have to beg GP though.

Also, this is important, if you get numbness in your "saddle" (basically if it's numb around your bits when you wipe after the loo) then you need to go to A&E.

You need to be seen at the hospital!

lower back only. Nothing in my legs. No numbness or tingling either. I can’t physically get myself to doctors but assume 111 could help get me a phone appointment for stronger medication than nurofen?

I’d suggest going to a private physio asap after the GP as their advice is so much more targeted and useful and depending on what you’ve done they’ll probably give you exercises appropriate for so soon after the injury. They might be able to give you an adjustment too. I’d also recommend ibuprofen gel for putting direct on the area and taking paracetamol rather than just taking ibuprofen. And alternating a warm hot water bottle and a cold ice pack. Plus a magnesium spray might help a tiny bit too. I’m so sorry OP, putting your lower back out is hell xx

I have done similar. Get onto your GP tomorrow and ask for Naproxen 500s (anti inflammatories) and take them regularly for a couple of weeks. Ask also for omeprazole to protect your tummy. You could also request a short supply of cocodamol 30/500s but of you do start necking the laxidol. I find the acute stage lasts about four days, then a week of sore discomfort, and then takes about 4-6 weeks to resolve.

I find the heated wraps hugely helpful during the v painful stage - Thermacare I think - for some reason always on the bottom shelf!

I have some degeneration at L4/5 - nothing serious and have had a few bouts. Get yourself checked out. Get a good physio and physio guided pilates. Pay fkr it if you can.

Get well soon.

thank you. I’ve got BUPA cover so can ask for a consultation there and see someone quicker. Ill
phone doctor
tomorrow re pain relief too.

When I put my lower back out, one thing that helped was lying on my back with hips and knees up at 90 degrees resting on a stool.

yes, I’ve been doing this. It’s helping.

If it’s muscle spasm, I always find gentle stretching helps.
I used to lay there seized up and in agony but stretching and alternating heat and ice keeps me mobile as I can’t tolerate strong painkillers
Hope it eases for you soon

I've done this twice... once bending slightly to put my coffee cup in the dishwasher and another time leaning over to stroke the cat!!! Couldn't move at all. Just complete spasm!
I rang the GP (having crawled to my phone!) and they prescribed a couple of days of diazapam and naproxen to unspasm me.
Try and move a little as soon as you can, as it will help.
You have my sympathies... it's awful!

I had similar and you have my sympathies, it’s awful isn’t it.

I managed a call with my GP who prescribed me a few days worth of diazapam and naproxen. Stock up on the head pads and the cushion between the knees when you are lying down on your side will help too. I felt quite a lot better after a few days, although still in discomfort, and then had a session with a chiropractor which helped.

I found going to the loo really painful as I was frightened to lower myself down because of the pain so I’d time my trips to when my painkillers kicked in which helped. Also try 3 times to lower yourself down as each time you will be able to get a bit lower so by the third time you should be able to sit down as you’ve stretched out a bit more.

Be aware that the diazapam is strong stuff and, for me, it allowed to get to sleep really quickly and took the terrible pain away and allowed me a bit of respite but it is strong. Good luck.

Feel very sorry for you :( what happened to the dirty washing?

I had 3 days of diazepam for the same thing. I'd sooner childbirth than that.

Feel better soon

it’s ok when i lie down with a hot water bottle but struggling to walk and I have only walked to the loo and back, with help. I’m worried that inactivity will exacerbate it but I really can’t move as it hurts so much. And surely walking when it hurts so intensely isn’t good for my back?

I think just do whatever you can not to set off another spasm and you can get moving with a bit more confidence once you have a diagnosis and hopefully some specialist exercises / stretches. It is important to get moving, but you’ve only just done it relatively speaking. It’s not like you’ve been immobile for 2 weeks already. And you’ve done really well making it to the loo. Very best of luck. It’s rotten but you’ll feel better with a diagnosis and if it’s just muscular it will be painful for a while but you’ll soon see progress. Hope you get some sleep tonight xxx

If a hot water bottle helps, can you get yourself into a warm shower… or even better…a bath?

It’s hard for anyone to advise because we don’t know what you’ve done. (I don’t mean to sound unsympathetic - acute back pain sucks!)

I have a couple of bulging (not slipped) discs and I’ve learned, through literally painful experience, that staying immobile is the worst thing I can do for them. When my back is playing up badly the first few steps are really painful, but I can usually grit my teeth and get through it, and a careful 20-minute walk around the block will leave me feeling a lot better. Lying around on the sofa or in bed for long periods guarantees that the acute pain will last much longer.

But that might be rotten advice for you, depending on what’s actually going on in your back. Hope you can see someone quickly.

almost like trying to win the lottery getting an appointment at my doctors. I wonder if 111 is an option tomorrow if I can’t get an appointment at the doctors? Mondays are always the worst day to get through too