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?

@AllJoyAndNoFun how did you do no 2?

Op as pp said what is it...muscle pain spasm ?.
Or actually the spine ?
Muscle spasm is relaxant like diasipam and naproxen and the other one in not sure

The inflammation will reduce if you keep up the ibuprofen. It will feel like you’ve been kicked in the kidney next- less sharp, but tender and bruised feeling. Then it will ease. In future pay attention to niggles and learn how to manage them- ibuprofen and gentle stretches.

I think it's better to gently move around if you can. I actually found ice more helpful than a hot water bottle. I ended up with a freezer block wrapped in a flannel tucked into big knickers so it was as much in contact with the site of the pain as it could be. Then I'd have a hot water bottle in bed.
I've every sympathy for you - it's the most awful pain!

Going forward, when it eases, I find an ironing session helps as recommended by my osteopath. In fact I've finally cleared my ironing today and my back is much easier now, it had been quite sore for the last few days. It seems to "unlock" something.

Absolutely do not do any hoovering though!

@Cactus1001 what strength diaspoam did you get

@PrizedPickledPopcorn how can people manage them ?

When you are more mobile, a deep tissue massage might help. It did wonders for mine, after several days (or perhaps a week) of waiting for ibuprofen to make a difference.

Ha ha- v good question. With great difficulty! I took fybogel to make it as easy as possible and waited till I had an urgent need and then sort of hovered. It wasn't great though.

Go and see an Osteopath and get a deep tissue massage. Try not to sit for too long and try to keep moving. Look at stretches to relieve it, use some ice and then switch to a heat pad. You can buy stick on heat pads from B and M which are great.
alternate paracetamol and ibuprofen until the spasming has settled down.

You have my sympathy. This happens to me reasonably regularly and it is incredibly painful. Now, when it happens I stretch straightaway, use ice then heat and get myself booked in for a deep tissue massage. You don’t need to see a Dr - they are hopeless with anything like this.

Gentle stretching helps once you can actually move. Pilates and lying over one of those big exercises balls. Get to a decent Osteopaths rather than GP.

I do sympathise OP! Did you twist slightly when bending down? Something to avoid doing in future if so.

As others have said, it does depend on exactly what has happened. In my case, it was ligaments and gave me back spasms which are incredibly painful. I was prescribed Diazepam which does calm those down and allow recovery, and Naproxen for the pain. I ended up going to a private physio as my GP just gave me a sheet of exercises. At least the physio could explain what was wrong and help me with the correct things to do and not to do! It can feel counter-intuitive to move about but you do need to do it (little and often).

It could just be a muscle spasm which will pass in a day or two. Put ice on your back.

firstly, not ignoring it because it’s ‘just a bit of a twinge’, or ‘not too bad’. If it’s niggling, do something. In my case, ‘something’ is regular doses of ibuprofen until the niggle has gone, and gentle stretching/swimming/massage.

The spasm is the muscle trying to prevent further damage. If you get in there and address the niggle, the spasm doesn’t have to happen.

I spasmed yawning, once. Ridiculous.

Something that kicks off the niggle for me, is supermarket trolleys. They are really hard work. I only use a small one and don’t let it get too heavy now.

I feel for you OP. I did this in November. The pain was dreadful. GP said I needed to be in pain for six weeks before they’d see me. 111 were kind but really only interested in checking I wasn’t losing continence. Obviously a really important consideration but didn’t help the pain.

I couldn’t even access any drugs beyond over the counter because of the approach of the GP surgery.

As others have said the only things that helped were hot water bottle and private physio. The physio was reassuring that as far as she could tell I hadn’t injured myself in a long term / very serious way. She did deep tissue massages and acupuncture. She was also very kind and sympathetic which given I was a grown adult moved to tears by the pain but given short shrift by the GP was very welcome.

Hope it improves soon… try to stay mobile. With mine getting up and down was horrifying but once I started to have a little shuffle around the house it did feel as though it was helping.

It sounds like you’ve slipped (herniated) a disc. Awful pain, very similar to the end of childbirth?

I’d rest for 24 hours (no more, it can be counter-productive) with some ibuprofen gel on the site and a hot water bottle. Longer term the heat patches which stick to your skin are excellent.

www.nhs.uk/conditions/slipped-disc/

As someone who has three herniated discs in my back and thirty odd years of back pain, you must try to keep mobile (I know it’s hard).

Get on the phone to your GP and ask for stronger pain killers. I was prescribed diazepam and codeine.

Go to see an osteopath who will loosen you up sufficiently to be able to at least move around (I found them better than physiotherapists, chiropractors etc - I’ve tried them all).

Get some of the adhesive heat patches for your back, they really help.

I was told there’s no such thing as your back “just going” and it’s a culmination of poor posture, a weakness etc. I’d suggest doing some core exercises once you’re better, to strengthen your lower back and core, to try and prevent this happening again. That’s been the best thing I’ve done (and I’ve tried everything).

Hope it eases up soon!

So sorry, hope it eases soon! You really need to find out what the cause is... going to a private physio might be your best bet.

Ibuprofen should not be the first choice if it is a soft tissue/ligament issue as although it can help with pain by reducing inflammation, reducing inflammation slows down healing.
Other injuries, ibuprofen would totally be the first choice.

Se a medical professional.

I know I need to move around but it’s absolutely agony and I can only do it with support from my husband. I’ve looked doctor and someone is phoning me back apparently. I need something stronger.

what is better than ibuprofen? I’ll try anything

The doc will discuss pain relief and/or anti spasmodic medication options when they know the root of the problem.

It is not that there is anything better or worse, just that you should not use some medications for some injuries. Those guidelines are updated regularly, but online discussion sites don't always keep up.

Would always seek advice from a medical professional.

As you’ve got BUPA I would contact the BUPA GP service which is great. They can prescribe medication and refer for further investigation as appropriate.

I also use Deep Heat roll on when my back twinges - recommended by my physio and I find really helps.

Hope it eases soon 🤞

I'm going through the same thing OP, it's horrible. Walking is painful, so is sitting. Lying down is comfortable while I'm doing it, but it's almost impossible to get up. When it first happened I lied down in bed, then I had to get my kids from school so I had to to get up, it took an hour literally. It's been a week for me and getting up wasn't so bad today and it only took a few tries.

Agree with the recommendations for Naproxen. I've been having spells of back/leg pain and whilst they don't take the pain away completely, they definitely take the edge off. Its been the difference for me between being able to manage or curling up in corner crying!

doctor has prescribed codeine, naxproxen and omeprazole as the naproxen affects your stomach

Hopefully the new painkillers ease the pain.

When I have done similar in the past, my GP gave me an exercise sheet.
It felt insufficient as I, like I think you do, felt desperate and you want something done, now! and a physio sheet doesn't cut the mustard. But actually, in time, with loads of rest and painkillers, and hot wheat bags, I managed bits of exercise and the pain did ease and pass completely eventually.

Good luck.