Does a muscular injury really cost this much pain??

[Tamarachick]

DM had another fall last week, falling onto a lino floor on her back. She fortunately, didn’t break any bones - she’s been examined twice and has also had a pelvic x-ray - but it seems she has damaged the large muscle running down her back.

She is in an extreme amount of pain, has been prescribed Co-Codamol and Naproxen plus ice packs three times a day.

It’s been 2 weeks now, and she is completely debilitated by the pain – I’ve taken her to hospital twice to get her checked over, at her insistence, but having been thoroughly examined, we’ve been told, it’s a matter of time and taking the painkillers.

My question is, should she still be in so much pain with a muscular injury? I’m once again on my wits’ end, know how to cope with her.

Thank you in advance for any information or similar experiences anyone can share x

My nan had the same. She was in unbearable pain and has been housebound ever since even though the pain has now gone.. Thats opened up a host of other problems. She was taking Zapain which apparently didn't touch it. No advice but I know how hard it is to cope and stay sane when someone is in this much pain and you can't do anything to help.

I am 48 and am hypermobile - I regularly fall over or damage muscles. I'm afraid it is normally 6 weeks minimum if there is bad damage. My mum who is the same (66) is on week 7 of a knee injury and was just moaning about it to me last night. But I think 6-8 weeks is the standard. It's not easy to go through though! Empathetic hugs to your mum 🤗

i'm going to disagree. i think if there hasn't been an MRI then she needs one. i don't think she abounds be in absolute agony with no improvement unless there is a more serious injury going on. DHs broken foot was never actually seen on x-ray but the orthopaedic consultant said (despite 2 x-rays and 2 hospitals not being able to see a break) that there was a break but an MRI would be needed but it wasn't really worth doing so treated him for a foot fracture because everything said there was one except the x-ray!!

abounds = should typo!

The muscles in your back are large and powerful so when they are injured they take time to heal... I pulled a muscle in my back and for a week I was in agony just breathing. It took about 3 weeks to resolve completely.

Muscle damage can take a while to repair. And sometimes osteoporotic fractures of the spine get missed on X-ray, and they can cause a great deal of pain.

Yes they can. My horrendous back pain that lasted years was caused by the sofa not being supportive enough for my lumbar region. It was fine for others.

So mine wasn't caused by tearing/straining the muscles like your mother, it was purely by not supporting my back properly for a couple of hours a day.

She needs to support her back better (back brace?), and keep walking so she doesn't make it worse, heat and medication to stop it going into spasms by trying not to move. It could take months depending on her mobility, pain relief and support (washing hair, clothes etc).

Sorry re read
plus ice packs three times a day.
Some people respond better to heat. Try a heat pad or bottle. It helps to relax the muscles as opposed to reducing inflammation. Tense muscles (fear of pain) can eventually start cramping or going into spasm which adds another layer of pain.

@Nodancingshoes thank you for sharing your experience, and I am so sorry that your Nan has become housebound after her injury. May I ask how long it took for her pain to subside?

@YouBetYourBippy thank you for sharing your experience – and for your empathetic hugs! My worry is that we are now two weeks down the line, and it doesn’t seem to be an improvement at all, which is a concern.

@urghhh47 that’s my worry. If there’s no improvement by the beginning of next week, I think I’m going to push for further investigations.

@SleepingisanArt thank you for your reply. The fact that we are two weeks down the line and there doesn’t seem to be any improvement at all worries me. I know it will take time but I would have thought that would be a minor improvement by now?

Thank you for your reply, and I’m sorry that you are experiencing the same thing! She has been told to use ice packs by her physiotherapist, so I do think that helps.

I fractured (green stick) my ankle and carried on as I thought it was a bad bruise, retrospectively you can see and feel a small step in the bone where it has healed. An actual pulled muscle in the same ankle had me crying in A&E and off it for weeks.

@Tamarachick it was about 4 weeks I believe. It just eased suddenly. Unfortunately it was replaced by swollen legs and a pressure sore caused by her not moving from her chair for 4 weeks! The doctor said that moving was an absolute necessity with this kind of pain.

@Nodancingshoes thank you for your reply – she does seem to have improved this last day or so. So she was in intense pain for two weeks which has very gradually began to ease.