Hi Mama/Papas - I know that you're not doctors and that I can call mine on Monday, but I also know that back pain is pretty common so I'd like see if any of you have had this kind of pain and know what you did (or later found out that you should have done) in the first 24-48 hours to speed your recovery.
This morning I jogged 2 miles, which is pretty typical for me (I do 2-3 miles a few days a week). Right after that, I volunteered at a community construction project, where I scraped wallpaper for 5 hours. About 2 hours in, while on a ladder and scraping upward at an odd angle, I felt a sharp twinge of pain in my lower back, around the tailbone. I immediately had trouble standing up straight, lifting things etc. and felt some pain in my hamstrings as well. I was pretty stiff but kept working. When I got home, I lay down for a bit, then took my kids swimming. I spent 10 minutes in the spa, then swam 600m, 50m at the time, over about an hour. The first laps were very stiff and I felt like I couldn't even straighten out to swim but once I got moving I felt great, then it was back to soreness and stiffness as I got out of the water. It still hurts to stand up straight and when walking, the first few steps are pretty ginger.
So my question is...should I focus on rest or on keeping moving so that I don't stiffen up? Anyone recognize this as similar to their own past back pain? What was your diagnosis? I'm guessing that it's something around the L5/S1 disc (definitely feels more like a disc than a pulled muscle)...any stretches for this? Ice or heat? And...is running tomorrow morning out of the question? I think that once I get past the first few steps I'll feel OK enough to jog but won't if I'll just pay for it later with more damage.
Final question...if I'm not feeling totally better by Monday...primary care or go straight to chiro? Thanks!
Sombra Warm Therapy pain relieving gel is awesome. It works quickly and very well. You can call around to the local chiropractors and physical therapists to see who sells it near you to get it quickly. Online, I found Ithaca Sports had the best price. Good luck!
Sounds like the pain I had when I had low back problem...L4/L5, which triggered the sciatic nerve. The nerve runs throughout the body and I could feel it along the outer seem area of my thigh. I could run my fingers up and down the seem area and feel the pain down into my toes.
I used to relax and ice when possible in the evening, then stretch in the morning. Your muscles are probably fatigued from the awkward position you were in.
Ice for 24-36 hours - 20 minutes on, 20 minutes off. Don't use heat until 36-48 hours. Sounds like sciatica except it's in the middle of your back, rather than shooting down one side - but you never know. If you have a herniated or inflamed disc, you should take a patented anti-inflammatory solution with clinical trials (not pills like ibuprofen, which are not absorbed and wreck your liver). Don't run - the pounding is not good. Rest rest rest.
I recently had a big problem with my upper back (major muscle spasm), to the point where it hurt to sleep, sit up, turn my head, you name it. I went to the chiro twice to no avail. Finally I went to the emergency room. They gave me muscle relaxers and 800mg Ibuprofen and told me that I should have applied ICE immediately, not heat (like you, I felt like heat would help... but no, apparently that just makes it worse). They told me to lay off of physical activity until I felt better, in order to give the muscles time to recover. For me, it took about a week to feel totally better, and I have been fine ever since. If the root cause of your problem is a muscle spasm, going to the chiro may not work - s/he will get you back in alignment, but the muscle spasm will pull you right back out of alignment again in a hurry. Basically, you have to get the muscle to relax and the swelling to go down in order to feel better (in my experience, anyway). Feel better soon!!
Better hope it's not sciatica.....incase it is.....bed rest 1st day....use ice to reduce swelling...20 minutes at a time.....day 2....heat 20 minutes at a time....and of course no running....are you crazy!!!
Yeah, 8 days on a Naproxyn, Loritab, Codeine cocktail.
Hope you feel better!
:)
Chiro first. Keep moving; that is a must! Get in the shower in morning and
let the hot water run on your back. Do stretches while in there. Reach for
ceiling, side to side, bend a bit. Amazing how much it helps. Since we
humans walk on two legs, we all at one point experience low back pain.
I blew a disc getting out of chair and that was much different than the low
back pain I had in the past. I fell to the floor and crawled to couch. Weeks
of incapacitating pain. It eventually got a bit better, but when my leg started
giving out on my and tingling, I resorted to micro surgery to fix. Best decision I ever made. You do not sound like that is your problem. Feel better. Chiro should be able to help you. I had gone to a chiro but he would
not touch me. He knew immediately it was bad for me. I still have the low
back pain that sometimes gets worse, but a hot shower and stretching
helps.
I just had this same problem...back in October. I tried running to get the kinks out...and that was a mistake. I learned you have to rest...lie down and take it easy and alternate heat and ice. After x amount of time (for me it was about 3 weeks - I really damaged a disk. For you it may be only 3 days) the doctor had me start seeing the physical therapist who gave me exercises to do (all very mellow - kind of like easy yoga or pilates moves) specifically to help that disk. It really really helped. After a few months I saw a chiropractor too which also really helped. Once you damage a disk it is easy to have this happen over and over again when you move the wrong way...so be very careful.
I'm not as active as you are at all. I like heat on back pain but I have heard (from a PT assistant) ice for the first 48 hours then heat. I would skip the run but move enough you aren't totally stiff. I would go straight to the chiro but I have been going to the same one for years and I trust him. When my lower back is sore I like to bend over the bed so my weight is supported and I still get a stretch in the low back and legs.
About 20 years ago, a doctor gave me this book for my back pain:
http://www.amazon.com/Treat-Your-Own-Back-802-9/dp/098765...
He told me never to lend it out because it would serve me well. He was right! I've used the exercises in it whenever my lower back hurts, and it is very effective. Unless you have a serious problem, like a ruptured disk - then, you would want to see a doctor.
I would take it easy, stop physical excersize until you know what happened. Always ICE it, on for 20 min off for 20 min-- it will feel better. I would go to the Chiropractor, they will take xrays and adjust you. Sounds like a pinched nerve. I have struggled with lower back pain for years. Do not over- do it, you will regret it. When you are given permission to run, start slow by walking and progress from there. My diagnosis is degenerative disks where they are wearing with time. good luck!
Rest up - change positions every 10 ish min and stand for a few min each hour, until you KNOW what it is I do not suggest heat/cold and I suggest no strain, pool time, but relaxing not laps and see your GP on Monday - NO CHIRO they caused me to have back surgery from something minor in my early 20's.
I have a disc injury to that same area. The only things that work for me are ice, ibuprofen, chiropractic, and massage therapy.
