Horiffic back pain - tell me what to do please!

[TokyoSushi]

Sitting on the sofa last night, all fine, all normal, stood up and had the most excruciating pain in the centre of my lower back. Really painful all night and not getting any better today.

OK sitting, awful to stand, can only walk slowly, can only stand 3/4 straight, twinges make me gasp with the pain!

I never have a bad back, what do I do? I assume the GP would say ibuprofen and it will sort itself out, but what else, move, don't move, sit, lie down, none of the above? Just ibuprofen? It's really, really hurting and not improving - help!!

I would see the GP. It sounds horrible.

Go to your gp.
It depends on what kind of injury you have; slipped disc, muscle spasm, sciatica etc.

I have sciatica which can stop me in my tracks. Worse when I lie down. Painkillers (even cocodamol) don’t touch it.
Ice is better than heat. And keeping it strapped up at work (on my feet all day, manual job) helps until I stop moving.

Hope you get an appointment today.

Really depends on why it's hurting. Tweaked muscle - ibuprofen and hot water bottle, keep moving. Muscle spasm - GP might be able to give something to relax it. Slipped disc - GP.

If the pain killers aren't doing anything, probably need to see the GP.

I thought you might say that! I'm at work until 5 and have an important meeting, I might go to the walk in centre tonight if its still the same, its so sore!

When I had similar my GP prescribed naproxen over the phone which at least took the edge off.

Osteopath or chiropractor is a better bet, you can usually get in quicker than a GP as well and can treat the cause rather than medicate. Countries where people have o pay for the GP, and osteopath/chiropractor is the same price, it’s completely normal to go straight to them. And you’ll feel better sooner.

It's best to keep moving, and keep icing it for now. I had a badly pulled muscle in my back and the spasms were excruciating, eventually it seized up and the GP took pity on me, I was never so happy to get to the pharmacy with a prescription in my life. As it had been a few weeks and I was struggling she gave me naproxen, cocodamol and diazepam. If you can keep moving, take something like diclofenac or ibuprofen, get naproxen prescribed if these don't touch it. The last time I did it I found Voltarol (topical diclofenac) good for quick relief, don't use it alongside any other NSAIDs. Then i took OTC strength cocodamol when really necessary too. The key thing is thouh not to give in to the temptation to lie down too much. Hope you're feeling better soon.

I’ve had a muscle spasm in my back on several occasions and a mixture of Valium and cocodamol was the only thing to help me actually straighten up. Get the 500/30 dose from your gp. The Valium is a muscle relaxant.

Sounds like sciatica. I've had it a couple of times and the pain is excruciating. In the end I went to an osteopath, which sorted it out.

It sounds like spasm so an ice-pack and whatever painkillers you have but yes go to the GP and you might get some better ones for short-term use. Sciatica tends to be in the legs, butt or hips not the actual back so much but back pain does get around a lot! You are tough indeed still being at work. You can rest up for one day with back pain but its best to not lie in bed any more than that.

You have a tweaked muscle and yes, it's horrible. I deal with this several times a year for some unknown reason, and I can promise you the very best thing to do is keep walking, even though it hurts. Also, using a heating pad helps to loosen it up. It usually lasts a couple of days and then it goes away.

Thanks everybody, it's better today, not great, but better so I expect it'll go away in a couple of days