Painful back that goes into spasm

[Jellypudmum]

Jarred my back yesterday and now cannot straighten up (bend over to the side) and unable to move without immense pain or spasm where I physically cry out it hurts so much.

Am starting my first day in a new job tomorrow (after searching for over 18 months for one) and just cannot be ill!!

Any quick fixes or advice to at least help me manage the one day before the weekend.

The job is teaching 5 and 6 year olds!

Probably too late to help, but just hope a night's sleep and painkillers helped relax the spasmed muscles!

And also that you were careful lifting today

If it's still bad, try and see an osteopath immediately - and GP if you need stronger painkillers.

The only thing I find helps in the short term with this kind of thing is codeine based painkillers and rest: it relaxes the muscles enough for the inflammation to ease, and then I can do the osteopath/stretches thing.

Slow release Nurofen for backs is also good, if you can take Nurofen.

Thank you Eli. Sent dh for codeine and have managed to hobble about but still bent over. Thank goodness it's the week end!

Over the counter diclofenac/voltarol can help too.

I had your sort of lower back pain, on and off, for around 15 years. It went when I got pregnant and hasn't returned. . But I suspect that you have already used up this magic cure at least once. My best advice is to see a chiropractor and get advice on posture, lifting and specific back exercises and to tell you what you need to do to correct specific problems (e.g. wearing heel lifts to compensate for a short leg, or using a SitFit cushion to get your pelvis mobile, better mattress, etc.).

But for short term emergencies, as codeine can't be used for longer than 3 days, nothing worked better than a TENS machine. You can get them from Boots for about £50, I think, and they deliver a tiny pinprick stimulus from the pain area to your brain that tricks it into forgetting about the pain source. The inflammation decreases, and when that happens, you can get your mobility back - but you must be really careful not to set your back off again. Acupuncture treatments did something very similar, but at eyewatering cost. Also, you can wear the TENS under your clothing at work.