lower back pain + toddler = nightmare

[joannita]

Hi,

I've had some lower back pain before related to overdoing it with carrying my toddler, but this morning I stooped to pick him up (didn't even get as far as lifting) and put my back out completely. The doctor says I've pulled a muscle and it could take weeks to heal. I'm scared because I can't walk very easily, find it hard to stand up straight and lifting things really hurts. I don't know how I'm going to manage looking after my little boy. There is always a lot of lifting to do - in and out of cot, pushchair, highchair, bath. In fact almost every activity seems to involve some lifting and that's not even taking into account how much he likes to be picked up. I feel like I'm just going to end up making the problem worse.

Really interested to hear from anyone who's had a similar problem and how they coped. Also what helped you recover - osteopath, pilates, yoga?

Thanks for any advice

I feel your pain (although my DS is 6 months so I'm on the same road as you just a bit behind!) and am watching with interest. I hope your back improves soon. I'm considering paying for an osteopath, and somehow making time to go swimming.

Have had this problem twice now still off work at mo recovering from same injury been off seven weeks, have really busy job lots of bending and lifting , no magic answer I am afraid just ask for help from family and friends see gp and get some decent pain relief, and osteopath when you can get there, I find wheat bag heated up and put on back helps, first time was when my youngest was preschool and it was a real pain no pun intended, the severe pain died down after about two weeks but niggling pain still lingering , sorry bit rambling trying to cook evening meal as well

Have been to osteopath and he did some quite alarming wrenching and cracking which seems to have helped! He also gave me exercises to do and told me to put an ice pack on my back 4 times a day. So far I'm doing better than day 1 but still in quite a lot of pain and find lifting hard especially putting DS in cot as I have to bend down quite low. Going swimming this afternoon. Hoping that will help.

Have you tried alternating an ice pack for 5mins and a heat pack for 5mins straight after one another, as in heat/cold/heat/cold and so on? I've tried it myself and it can work, although it may only work for a short time.

I really feel for you OP because although I have severe chronic back pain due to wear and tear (I'm 33) and am on morphine patches, I have a lot of sympathy for anyone even with the most minor backache. It can be debilitating at times.

Could you try 200-400mg of ibuprofen and 1000mg of paracetamol at the at the same time, every 4-6hrs for a few days and see how you feel after then? They can be both taken together and if you're not sure about the dosage, look at the back of the packs.

Hope you see a big difference soon.