Help me - unbelievable back pain

[Merryoldgoat]

I’m in a state - I’ve barely slept for days now as I have awful back pain which I think is sciatica.

I can’t sleep and I can’t lie down.

Once I get moving it’s largely fine, just a twinge but after sitting a bit it becomes unbearable.

I’m so tired I can barely keep my eyes open.

Painkillers are making ZERO difference.

Are there any exercises I can do to get some relief? I’m desperate.

Ice it, not heat.
Get a bag of peas, or a freeze block if you have one. Wrap it in area towel. Place it in the area for 15 minutes at a time.
See a good chiropractor.

I’ve had back pain for years, triggered by a slipped disc when pregnant. I had physio then and the best advice I had was don’t inch out of a chair just do it and get it over with. I had a steroid injection to help with the sciatica it caused after birth. It does get better … even when it flares again, so just have faith. I find a good walk every day keeps it at bay, and ‘walk tall’.
I usually always wake with lower back pain but have made a real difference to it by doing back care Pilates. It’s made a massive massive difference to my back and generally flexibility. Try YouTube for some exercises… but a weekly class is amazing. If I have an off day a shoulder bridge settles it ( I can’t get very high but it still hits the spot and sorts it out).
When working I sit with a hot bottle too as I get stiff sitting.

I expect you need nerve type meds, Gabapentin etc. Get yourself to a medic.

Naxopren were my life saver a few years ago when I had something similar. I hope you feel better very soon

Honestly everyone - thank you.

I’m just waiting for the triage doctor to call me back. Hopefully they’ll be able to give me something stronger so I can move a bit more. I’ll go for a short walk once I’ve spoken to doctor to try to get things a little looser.

Dr wants to examine me so I’m propped up waiting in the surgery. I feel like crying but hopes they can give me something for the pain.

Another one saying naproxen. You need to take another drug with them to line your stomach. Dr will know. Hope you feel better soon.

Hopefully they can sort you out. Glad you’ve got an appointment.

Very lovely doctor - naproxen, diazepam and an antacid thing. Hopefully that will give me the relief I need for a while.

If it's caused by a sciatic nerve, naproxen etc will barely touch it. Nerve pain is a whole different beast. They might offer you amitriptyline or gabapentin (I've taken the former and it helps a lot). Don't be fobbed off by them telling you to alternate paracetamol and ibuprofen and use heat/ice. It won't help. Ask for a physio referral (and go through Bupa or similar if you have it).

Spend as little time sitting as you can get away with and get up and walk around often. Driving was my biggest trigger.

My physio was keen on me using a hot water bottle on my sacrum to improve blood flow in the area.

A TENS machine helped me when mine was in the acute stage - two pads on my arse cheek and two on my hamstring. I was using it constantly till it needed recharging - it doesn't cure pain but works as a distraction tactic.

Google McKenzie Protocol for exercises that will help far more than the generic sheet of exercises for low back pain that the doctor might give you.

@Merryoldgoat

Very lovely doctor - naproxen, diazepam and an antacid thing. Hopefully that will give me the relief I need for a while.

I typed too slow!

If you don't get any relief from the naproxen after a couple of days, phone back and insist on amitriptyline and a physio referral.

Funny enough I couldn't get diazepam out of mine!

@evilharpy

Thank you.

She said I was to call back if I got not relief so I will. Just about to hobble to the chemist now.

From having my back doing stuff like that for the last couple of months, I think it varies what actually works.

Diazepam and naproxen did nothing for me, morphine worked but didn’t get rid of it, tramadol and diclafenac were great, worked really well.... I’m now working my way back down, lol and I’m on naproxen and otc strength cocodamol.

Try rolling your back on a tennis ball. Works brilliantly for me when I get bad sciatica. Ibuprofen gel on my back also helped.

Hi i hope your back is much better for you today.

Thank you @paisley256

The advice on here was invaluable.

I have the diazepam and naproxen which really helped - I slept all through the night for the first time in a week.

I’m more mobile too so whilst still in quite a lot of pain, I’m doing much better than I was.

I’ve got a plan for some exercises when I’m more confident I won’t end up beached on the floor.

Much empathy. I've had sciatica for years but it went SO badly one day I got stuck in bed like some upside down turtle
Tried for an hour and the GP came out (I live like 200m from the surgery) and drugged me
I actually ended up having spinal surgery as an emergency but things that worked

Diazepam, naproxen, morphine, paracetamol and dihydrocodiene (yes all at once!)
Thermacare lower back and hip wraps
Pillow between knees if you're on your side or under knees if you're on your back
Google log roll for getting out of bed
Physio - she sent me for an MRI which kickstarted the spinal surgery after ortho looked at it and ran away and I had a neurosurgeon instead. It took the neurosurgeon 5hrs so I don't think ortho wanted to touch it!!

I am glad you are feeling better op. As a longterm back sufferer - two worn disks around L3/4 and a wedged L1 and T12 due to osteoporosis, I can recommend the following:

Physiotherapy led pilates to strengthen the core and used daily to manage;

Heat wraps during flare ups (work better for me than icing);

Naproxen during flare-ups (with omeprazole)

10mg Amitryptiline every night (also brilliant for sleep)

Cocodamol 30/500s do nothing for me.

Glad you are feeling better.
I recently hurt my lower back (again). It happened the week I'd missed my Pilates class, which may or may not be a coincidence!
I did some Pilates stretches which helped a lot.
Also went to a physio (privately). She hardly touched me but gave me a lecture on the importance of oxygen to the muscles. I then managed about 80% of my Pilates class, and felt a lot better afterwards.
If you don't do pilates already, give it a try. It's about control of your muscles, and flexibility.

You need a proper diagnosis first, mri the best. My dad has a prolapsed disc and has been offered a steroid injection, apparently will be (please gd) pain free after.

Missed the update, so pleased you are feeling better.

Really glad you're feeling better and you've managed to sleep well.

I'm having a medial branch block soon, it injects anaesthetic around the nerves in the back, I'm hoping to have relief from this pain, as it's really impacting on my life and my inability to do even the smallest tasks.

Tens machine!

Have you been referred for physio as well and is this the first time you have had back problems or is this recurrence of a chronic issue?

I'm a chronic due to a combination of various issues. I'd say if this is your first experience take the wake up call and look for a class which builds core strength (small classes).

What helped me was a combination of a good pain management clinic which taught me how to use a combination of meds, life changes and exercises to keep the pain manageable.

I have co/codamol, tramadol, naproxen and gaba and others at various times (not all at once or all the time!). I learned how to use them and schedule them to max effect at the pain clinic which reduced my overall need.
I also first met the miracle of rehabilitative pilates through the pain clinic in conjunction with regular physiotherapy. I've never stopped these and its key to keeping my problems under control. I used to go to a clinic in central London for this but have found a specialist physio locally.

The bad news is you are likely to have to pay. NHS provision for pain management clinics is now a cinderella service and physio services for chronic pain much the same. However if you have the money it will be the best you spend.