Last night I fell asleep in an oversized, overly soft chair. BIG mistake!!! My back is killing me. I have Tylenol, Motrin, and Advil. What should I take? Is there something else that would be better that I could pick up at the store? Should I get out the heating pad? I feel like having one of my kids walk on my back. Would that make it worse? I am so mad at myself. My husband has been out of town for a week and is coming home this afternoon. I'm going to be hobbling around pathetically. Great welcome home!!!
Thanks in advance!
Motrin for now, and then get to the store and get some Aleeve---take 2 Aleeve.
My hubby is a doctor, and this is what he recommends for back pain.
I would alternate the motrin or advil (I usually take 3-4) with tylenol every 4-6 hours. And definitely use the heating pad!! I hope you feel better soon!
First, Advil and Motrin are the SAME drug (ibuprofen). These drugs are anti-inflammatory, anti-puretic, and analgesic which means they help with swelling (seen and unseen), fever, and pain. Aleve (generic name naproxen) is a "sibling" of these drugs and does the exact same thing in the body. Tylenol (generic name acetomenophen) is more of a "cousin" to the above mentioned drugs. It only helps with pain and fever.
Whenever I have a choice I use ibuprofen (Advil/Motrin) taken with some food. I only used Tylenol while I was pregnant and for my son while he was an infant. A warm bath or shower will help with the kinks as will some stretches. After some TLC today and a good night's sleep you should be as good as new tomorrow.
Buy a bag of epsom salts and soak in the tub after taking a couple of Aleve. After you are up moving around your back will loosen up some is my guess. If you have an ice pack it will be more helpful than a heating pad, you want to cool down the inflammation. If you have any fish oil pills and vitamin D3 these both help reduce inner inflammation as well.
Take a hot shower, then stretch. My fav for back/neck/shoulder pain: I grab our pull up bar with both hands, then hang... then I stretch sloooowly, tilting my head every which way. Works like a charm every time! Take some tylenol and have a nice hot cup of something... that always helps me too. Feel better!
Ice first. Heat after a day. Anti-inflammatories (e.g. ibuprofen - better than tylenol). Light stretching particularly lying on the floor and flattening the small of your back into the floor. Do not have the kids walk on your back! No no no!
Otherwise, massage (professional) or chiropractic (applied kinesiology so it's gentle and not a lot of cracking and snapping).
I like the therapeutic heating pads you can buy that you wear all day. Not a big fan of meds, myself.
Aleve and an ice pack. If that doesn't help get to the chiropractor asap or make an apt for a massage :)
I usually take advil because it is more for inflammation and muscle related issues. Motrin and Tylenol are more for fever reducers. I have heard though that aleve is the best to take of all of them. It is the most gentle on stomach and liver. If you can go get a massage. It will do wonders. I often sleep on the floor next to my son because he wakes up a lot in the night. I always feel like I have been hit by a truck the next day! Hope you feel better soon!
A.
Bayer athletic aspirin I SAID WOW the first time and have used it ever since.
Warning: Motrin and Advil are the same med. Two different brands of the drug ibuprofen.
When I'm in minor/moderate pain I take 1000mg of Tylenol & 600-800mg Ibuprofen together, like they have you take after giving birth, or after dental work.
When I have minor, but irritating cramping (like a kink in my neck I can't massage away) Midol or Midol cramps and body aches is fantastic. The prostoglandin inhibitor is phenom on kinked up muscles and acids. Like ALL drugs, however, read the active ingredient list on the back to make sure you aren't doubling up on anything.
I can't speak to aleeve, since I'm allergic to it.
(For severe pain I turn to Percoset -a narcotic pain killer that's oxycodone & tylenol- with ibuprofen, or Soma -an Rx muscle relaxer-)
Whatever you take or not, alternating heat and ice, and drinking a LOT of water (to help flush away the lactic acid build up), and upping your calcium and potassium will help a great deal with muscle soreness. ((You need calcium to flex a muscle, and potassium to relax it. Have a cramp? Eat a banana. Is always solid advice. However, some cramps can be due to an imbalance of ca++ and k+ so I always make sure to have both.))
Whenever I have had back issues, I take Aleve. It is THE ONLY thing that has helped. You should get some and at least try it. It was a lifesaver for me.
Also, you can alternate heat and ice.
ICE ICE ICE!!!! no heat, that will feel good at the time but only inflame it in the long run! Ice and stretches will help, if you can get in to see an Airrosti therapist they can do wonders for you in one appointment!!! but according to my Therapist ICE only no heat! soaking in a epsom salt bath then icing also feels really good and should help, and if you must heat, ice after!
Advil and Motirn are the same thing, just different names, each drug will work differently for different people, if it is muscle related I usually take advil/motrin if it is arthritis related I take tylenol, but be careful mixing! not always a good idea. I take Alieve for migraines and that helps!
