Thanks Herbs. I was thinking of Beachy when I said where I was. I like it in Pedant's corner thought 
. I had finished work and driven to Sainsbury's, parked in the car park, and took the opportunity to check my phone. Better?
When my back's been horrific Cremo have a couple of bulgy disks/c(s) sorry Herbs. I've had the soundest advice from physiotherapists and the best instructions delivered to GPs via them too. I once let one stick 14 needles in my back, upper bottom and thigh because I didn't think I had anything to lose. I don't know if it was the massage, the exercises, the manipulation, the drugs or the acupuncture but it did seem to make a difference. Nothing has ever been that bad again. The first sign of a twinge I have anti-inflammatories, heat pads, exercises, the physio's number and wrap myself in cotton wool for a few days. Not sure if I've ever been in as much pain as you though - pain enough that I can't let DH sleep in the bed because it hurts too much when he moves; let alone when I move.