Owy owy owy - back gone again and need to do school run in 30minutes...

[wahwahwah]

I think it may be yet another disc slipping! It hurts like hell and I need to get off on the school run in 28 minutes. Anyone got any ideas to patch me up and get me out (vertical)?

I know it is a bit late for the school run now, and I don't know of anything that works instantly (ibuprufen?) but my back goes occasionally and I end up barely able to move too. The last time it happened, a friend lent me "Treat your own back" by Robin McKenzie and the exercises in there really helped. As my back seemed to go on a regular basis, I've started taking serious steps to sort it out when it isn't hurting and got myself the Lynne Robinson "Body Control" DVD (Pilates). It has 2 parts - a 25 minute warm-up and a longer main programme. I just did the warm-up every day and after the second or third time noticed that my back was absolutely fine (although it would still hurt when I bent over). Then after a week and a half of doing the warm-up first thing in the morning, my back didn't even hurt when bending over. It's a bit of a push getting it done in the morning when everything else needs doing but it worked so well that I just got up early to do it. It works on improving core strength which are the muscles which support the spine, so help prevent any problems arising in the first place.

I only did the Pilates when my back had improved significantly but was still aching though. The McKenzies book was the best for the "ok, it's gone again" bit.

Hope you get it sorted and aren't in pain for too long.

Thanks for that - I will check out the book.

It was a little better this morning but hurts like hell now. I am hobbling around with my grandfathers walking stick, like the witch out of Hansel and Gretel. I am considering using it outside but I may scare the local kids.

I really shoudln't have cleaned the bathroom and hoovered the floor. Not smart, really.

Noooo nooooo - essential stuff only, and that takes long enough when you're going in slow motion anyway (although if you have boys, certain bits of the bathroom can become essential very rapidly), but floors are never essential. How are you getting on today?

One of the things the book mentions is spending a couple of minutes lying on the floor face down, really relaxing all the muscles, and doing this regularly (I think at least every couple of hours). It then mentions various other exercises (it classes lying on the floor as the first exercise, so it's nothing strenuous) which I can't remember now as I've given the book back. Mentions a lot about posture and training your back to keep the correct curves all the time.

Sounds obvious, have you any strong painkillers? I have had 2 episodes now of disc prolapses, and I take Solpadol with Dicloflex for usually the first 2-3 weeks, just so I can move around. I then switch to over the counter ibupfofen when needed.

I am 9 months on from my last disc slip, and have found swimming a massive help. I usually swim around 4-5 miles a week, couldn't quite 'get' pilates but know I should give it another go.

Like someone else has said, forget doing anything non-essential, housework is a no-no imo. Another obvious one - absolutely no lifting, and when you are in your recovery phase, still keep lifting to a minimum. I now shop with dd's umbrella buggy and use it as a trolley so I no longer carry any shopping. Looks weird, but I'm past caring! Oh, and forget gardening, I find even 'gentle' gardening causes considerable pain, so I simply don't garden, it's not worth it.

Hope you feel better soon, you have my sympathies! Try and keep positive - it's very, very easy to get low, talking to close friends helps, I had no idea just how common back problems were.