Husband in acute pain with back spasms

[yoyou]

Any advice? We are on holiday in the UK. He has co-codamol, diazepam and iprufen but nothing working. I've heard Feminax Express might be helpful as it contains a drug that helps with spasm?

Paracetamol is an anti spasmodic, there is some in the cocodamol. He should alternate that and ibuprofen which will help inflamation at max dose every two hours. (One, then two hours later the other) Be careful about overdosing especially the paracetamol.

If you can find a pharmacy then a tens machine may be a help so he can at least function.

Hot bath, ice packs, otherwise lie flat or what ever position stops the spasming. It will be getting worse and more sensitive and painful and inflamed if it keeps happening.

Physiotherapist if the above doesn't work!!

Do not mix diazpan and cocodamol!!

Thank you

The doctor prescribed this?

I used to get this regularly and found the best way to cope was ibuprofen, the freeze/cold gels and after the first day, to keep walking as much as possible.
Sitting or laying around just seemed to seize it up more and then spasm again when you moved.
Swimming is also good if you can get into the pool!

I do feel for him. Back spasms are so hideously painful. Can you book him in for a massage where you are? When you get home I’d fully recommend getting an MRI to see exactly what’s going on. I put up with back spasms for way longer than I should have done. It inevitably went into crisis mode and an MRI revealed 3 prolapsed discs, which were never going to recover without surgery. The wait was literally agony. If I’d acted sooner I’m sure I would never have got so bad.

The spasms are your body’s way of protecting your spine. So please get your DH’s back pain investigated as soon as you can.

Alcohol is a muscle relaxant 😁
I find the best cure is 24 hours flat on my back.

Why ? One is an opiate and the other a benzo . They can be taken together . I'm prescribed them .

I've found the best thing for my spasm is a hot water bottle on the area. I also take cocodamol and diazepam . Tbh it usually takes time for it to settle down ie weeks .

Call 111 and get specific advice around the medication. Diazepam is the antispasmodic/ muscle relaxant. They will ask about specific doses and may be able to get a doctor to advise on the best combination of meds.Paracetamol is not an antispasmodic. Feminax is very similar in formula to cocodamol. Both contain paracetamol so you need to be very careful not to mix them. Paracetamol is dangerous if you take too much.

Don't mix alcohol with diazepam or cocodamol!

Feminax doesn't contain an antispasmodic. It is an NSAID very similar to ibuprofen so you shouldn't take both.

Ice pack . And lay flat on back

I checked feminax express and it now only has NSAID. Years ago it was cocodamol. It must have been changed for safety reasons.

I get this from time to time especially when stressed and have had little sleep. Apply Uddermint and heat. The only thing that releases it for me is a massage.

Yes but its only recommended with proffesisonal oversight. The drugs are both sedatives and obviously we aren't Op''s DH's doctor so dont know his history, if eg he already has respritory issues which sedation will worsen. Combined they also heighten the risk of overdose generally but also potentially loss of coordinaltion, dizzyness etc that you nwould get with any strong sedation. Not something that should be offered by strangers on the internet.

If its prescribed then fine, i take back my comment!

I know, I'm a retired nurse . Nothing in the OPs post suggests he's not been prescribed them.

This thread is a really good example of why you shouldn’t get your medical advice on Mumsnet.

This happened to my DH abroad this year. 3 days before our flight home! 😮 We went to the doctor and he was prescribed an anti spasmodic (Tizanidine) which at least got us home. Took a month of visits to the osteopath to get back to normal.

Call 111.
Sudden back pain can occasionally be something every dangerous which needs immediate treatement.
And if that's not the case, they can direct you to pain relief (maybe walk-in).
Longer term, they should recommend physio/exercises depending on the situation.

Book a chiropractor appointment as soon as possible as well as using meds and cool packs/hot water bottle. Hope it eases soon.

Curaheat wraps are v helpful alongside co-codamol and Naproxen.

Thermacare lower hip and back wraps are the only thing that helps me when mine goes (plus a load of meds) I usually take dihydrocodeine or oramorph

Mumsnet has been mine and many others actual life line in a time of extremely poor care from medics
It's already thrown up many ideas and we are all adults here who understand we need to check what randoms are saying even if they are cleaning to be medics.

However the hive mind has literally got people into hospital and helped with their care in hospital !