To ask you what the fuck so I do now my back has completely seized up and I can't move

[darrenlacey]

Hi I'm not on my own my partner is here we have an 8 month old baby she is exclusively breastfeeding though - I can't get off the floor or move my lower left back is completely seized up.

Partner tried assisting me to walk but I can't do it and now on all fours on the floor unable to move !! Any slight movement is agony - any tips?!

What happened?

This has happened to me before. Can your partner carry you to bed so you can lie flat?

You may have trapped a nerve?! Very painful

I get this sometimes, and rolling onto my back and gentle pulling my knees in and rocking (gently!) Side to side eases the stiffness

Does it hurt a lot, or just seized up?

Take some pain killers and wait until they kick in , use hot water bottle on back until then. In about 20 mins try to get up and move around a bit as you'll be better moving if you can they staying lying down. Good luck

You need to lie flat. If your DP can't lift you to the bed then just lie flat where you are on the floor. Do you usually have back problems? Do you have any medication you can take whilst breastfeeding?
When my back seizes, I just need to lie flat for as long as it takes to recover. Sometimes it's a few hours, sometimes closer to 24.

When this happens to me I usually go to my osteopath! So, I'm not a doctor but I will tell you what I did when I had this two weeks ago. I took ibuprofen 1 tablet every 3 hours during the day. This didn't ease the pain but my osteopath has previously said to take it this regularly to work on reducing swelling. I took 3 very hot baths a day and used cold packs in between. And I did the exercises they've recommended to me, but only very gently as I was so sore I could lie on my back even with knees up. Once I was able to be on my feet I began taking long walks. The process took about a week. I still have twinges and wake up stiff but I haven't taken the ibuprofen for several days now and feel I'm returning to normal. I wish you well OP.

Speaking from experience when I damaged the facet joint on the right side of my back I spoke to the GP who organised some diclofenac which can be used with paracetamol. This really helped. I appreciate you are feeding your baby but can you Express so that you can take pain relief ?

I got prescribed diazepam to relax my back muscles when it locked...I eventually got an operation. Don't know if that's possible for you. Good luck it's bloody horrible.

Could you or your partner call 111? DM did this and needed a doctor to come out and administer valium one night.

Thanks everyone I have managed to get on my back I am going to rest for 20 mins and see if it helps

How are you writing this?
I always needed diazepam when it went like this to release the muscles.
Take a good pain killer.
Get some great on your back.
Tens machines are great if you have one or could get one?

Not great... Heat

I have my phone I am able to move my arms as long as I don't shift the position of my back

I had codeine and a back support belt I feel your pain. I'm not sure if codeine is safe for BF though. Also I was told to keep moving to release it even though it killed me.

Take some ibuprofen and use a heat pack if you have one. A warm towel may help or a bath. It’s important though to try and keep moving as much as you are able.

This happens to me every so often. It's almost certainly muscle spasm rather than tissue damage or a spinal injury, which doesn't make it less excruciating but may be reassuring?
When it happens to me I take cocodamol and ibuprofen (I can't remember how this is with breastfeeding) and keep warm, and make sure I don't stay still for too long - very gentle movements, slow breathing, relax as much as possible. Even if you're lying down try and do gentle small rotations with your spine and shoulders Evey so often. Hope you feel better soon x

NHS 111 - it could be a 'simple' muscle spasm, but if you genuinely have difficulty moving your arms - or you haven't got bladder control/numbness in your backside/thighs - it could be something you need to be treated for urgently.

My mother had similar when I was a kid, it just went on her suddenly - she was taken into hospital and needed spinal surgery.

I too have had this - I phoned 111 - GP came out and prescribed Zapain - a very strong painkiller which worked. Once it is over and you can move then walk, you need to keep moving. I was signed off work for 3 weeks and walked miles each day - and I mean MILES. Bored the pants off me but it did work. Have my first ever bunch - I have felt your pain. Good luck!

I have an ongoing back injury and this happens to me 2-3 times a year (incidentally initially caused by breast pumping so when this passes try to watch your posture when breastfeeding as the hunching + relaxin Is what did mine in).

My GP prescribes me a small amount of diazepam when it happens which enable me to move enough to do the stretches given to me by physio. I would call 111 to get something prescribed (heavier duty Prescription anti inflammatories also will help).

If you really can’t get hold of an out of hours doctor, see if someone can go to a pharmacy and get you some voltarol gel, some original Syndol if they sell it (paracetamol + codeine + an antihistamine which works as a very mild muscle relaxant), and some buscopan (anti spasmodic usually used for IBS but can help a little with muscle spasms). This is the combo a pharmacist recommended to me when it was a weekend and I sent DH in while I lay on the floor at home!

Yes - I agree with Mitzi - check that you don’t have any of the red flag symptoms for cauda equina. It probably is muscular but play it safe.

Is it upper or lower back? If it’s upper back, I find this really helps - you just need a rolled up towel

And this way (vertically) which I find even better.

Not sure if it’s lower back I’m afraid!

I’ve done this several times in the past year. Each time it hasn’t fixed until I’ve had naproxen and cocodamol from the doctor. 111 should be able to help you get hold of a prescription if you tell them you can’t move.

This happened to me when I had a slipped disc. There are lots of things it could be, I'd try rest and Ibuprofen to start with. Hot water bottle or heat pad is useful too. However, if you lose bladder or bowel control, phone 999, you need to be in A&E.

If it doesn't go away by itself after a while, phone 111. They'll be able to arrange for someone to come out to you and either take you to A&E for treatment (probably some kind of muscle relaxant) or they might be able to give you something at home.

I'd give 111 a ring personally. I don't mess about with back stuff.

Thanks so much everyone. I had some naproxen left over from a few years ago so took a couple and my partner massaged my lower left back where the pain was for 10 mins and it did ease, and managed to hobble up to bed and breastfeed baby (we bedshare). I have very limited movement still, and have a huge lump in the lower left part of my back. I can't bend over or move my back much at all. What could this lump be I wonder ?! It's very hard