Severe Backaches

I know when I started have mystery back pain my Dr. said it was from how I was lifting my daughter. I was alwyas bending over to pick her up, he said I should try where possible to bend at the knees and not the waist. That way I would be using my legs to lift the wight rather than my back. He was right after a few days my back stopped bothering me!

Good luck!

If you are experiencing inflammation, the heat will exacerbate the problem. Ice is the answer to help keep down any swelling, which will relieve pressure and therefor pain. If you put your hand on your back and it feels warm, that's a good indication that it is inflamed. Ice alone will not make it better, however. I know the last thing you want to hear after starting an exercise routine with a trainer is that you probably need to rest your back but if this happens every day, you should take it easy until you are better.

I am concerned that the trainer who suggested you put heat on it is trained on exercises but not necessarily in physiology or injury. They may not know that you need to heal. There were already some great ideas passed around. I would hydrate more than usual, especially with a young child and an exercise regimen. I would also recommend that you see a doctor. I know that with no insurance that is a challenge but back injuries are serious. Once you have them, you have them and it's difficult to "cure" for good. You could be more susceptible in the future and the longer it goes, the harder it is to keep it at bay. This is not meant to scare you but to encourage you to seek medical attention to determine if you have muscular or skeletal damage.

If you want a cheaper first step, you may just need an insert in your shoes. My feet are unrecognizable from before I had my kids. There are tremendous changes that take place all over your body. Shoes that once provided the support you required may not fit you the way they used to. I know that some Pharmacies and the larger Wal-Marts have a machine in their prescription areas that you stand on without shoes. It has you stand still, raise one leg then the other, and lean forward, back, etc and then tells you which Dr. Scholl's insert would help you the most. I would start there and try to wear tennis shoes with the insert as much as possible so you can get the greatest result. If that doesn't provide relief within a few days, you should find a doctor.

I hope some of this helps! Good luck!

You have a lot of changes going on here - a new workout routine, and a baby who is getting heavier. I know you think that July was a long time ago, but the strain can increase over time especially if you are not doing your workouts properly. Carrying a baby on one hip can put strain on the back over time, especially as his weight increases.

My friend is a massage therapist, and she recommends ice after an injury, not heat. Then do some stretching - static stretching for about 20 seconds on each stretch. Also do some abdominal exercises - strong abs protect the back. Your trainer should be able to help you.

You may be experiencing some swelling at night which is why it hurts so much in the morning. Stretching before bed and upon waking may help. Give yourself some extra time - try to set the alarm for before your child wakes up so you aren't vaulting out of bed to deal with a hungry or demanding baby! I know you need your sleep but you need your back more!

There are some nutritional products you can take to reduce inflammation - better for you than things like Advil or other OTC meds, which can store in your liver and cause stomach problems over time, not to mention the expense.

Sounds like a kidney infection to me. I have those way too often, and you'd be suprised how much pain you'll be in. It does feel like back pain, and is worse in the mornings. Drink pure cranberry juice, and a lot of water. NO sodas or alcohol.

It could be that you're dehydrated. How much water or clear liquids do you drink, especially in the evenings before bed and when you wake up?

Some mornings when I wake up my back hurts so much that I can't stand completely straight. It always hurts more on one side than the other. It is my kidneys hurting because I'm dehydrated. If I drink water it quickly eases the pain. The more I drink, the quicker the pain is gone. If I drink my usual morning coffee, it doesn't help. The doctor told me it has to be water, clear fluids (like white grape juice), or cranberry juice. Heat and ice won't help much if it is your kidneys.

Try drinking more and see if that helps.

Cold on the back. I disagree with your trainer and agree with Shannon.
Just a thought...and I don't mean to bash your trainer, but they are saying heat, which might be making things worse. Might they also be having you work out in a way that might be unsafe?

If it were me, I would swim instead or do yoga or pilates or stretch for 2 - 3 weeks and see if the pain diminishes. If it does, you have your answer.

Also, seeking medical care for a back issue is important. Save the money from trainer charges (put him on hold) for a month or so, cut coupons, don't eat out, no new fall clothes...whatever you need to save $$ & see a medical professional about your back pain. It is pretty important to get answers. Take care of you!

You mentioned that you work out 4 x a week. I'm thinking that you probably pulled something on your back. All it takes is bad posture while lifting weights. Maybe you forgot to suck in your abdomen while working out. I work out myself and sometimes I forget to suck in my belly and boy my back feels it right away. Try heating pads alternating with cold and maybe something over the counter that a Pharmacist can recommend.

Good luck to you.

When was the last time you changed mattresses? Or pillow? You'd be amazed how something that simple could help. You mentioned that it really hurts in the morning. That tells me something is aggravating your back (or has been) all night.
The life cycle of a standard mattress is 5-8 years, depending on how the weight of a person. It sounds like tempurpedic might be a little too costly for you at this time; however, you can always purchase those tempurpedic 3"-4" mattress toppers from Bed, Bath & Beyond that help a lot. If you can't afford that, try rotating your mattress so that where your feet have been resting is now where your head will be resting.
Hope this helps,
J.

I was 37 when I had severe back pain. The kind where I crawled out of bed in the a.m. literally. I started with a chiropractor and accupuncturist and finally went to a back doctor who took xrays and informed me I had arthritis. The xrays are relatively cheap to have done. I actually recommend them before anything else. Physical Therapy was brilliant and took many months, but if you explain to them you have no insurance, I'm pretty sure they'll give you a home plan that you can do for weeks until it needs to be updated by them. The good news is that the pain gets better when the bones finally fuse. Took mine about 2 years. Hang in there.

I have back issues so I agree that cold instead of heat could help for inflammation. Also what condition is your bed/mattress in and what position do you sleep in.

One thing that helped me is a body pillow. The pillow between my knees, knees bent and sleeping on my side really helps with back pain. Another trick i learned in PT is to roll up a towel, tape both ends and put that where the small of your beck, waist is and lie on that sideways. It helps support your spine. Finally you may want to look into a good quality pillow for your head.

Make sure you stretch before and after bed. Tight hamstrings can cause back issues too!

I just went to the doctor for back pain---turns out it was from poor posture! I've been spending more time at the computer 'cuz I'm working on a website and I was slumping while I was sitting---it was also more on one side than the other 'cuz I favor that side when I'm sitting. I thought the doc was full of it but my symptoms cleared up immediately. Good luck!

First try a sleep number bed, lifting your son may be part of the cause, A Chiropractor did not help me any. My fofth vertibrae is 50 percent thinner than it is supossed to be do to lifting toddlers/baby's over the past 13 years in my daycare. You have no insurance through your job? how did you have a baby?

try using icee/hot its cold at first but gets hot and it helps me relieve my back pain.... and my back hurts the most when i bend over to pick my 10 month old up

It's probably your child. Since the pain is more on one side it's because you probably carry him on one side. It hurts more in the morning because your muscles have gotten cold. Stop working out any muscles that involve your back. They need to heal. Sounds like a pulled muscle. That happened to me. For the pain, use COLD. No more than 20 minutes though. Cold is the best analgesic.

I would try the chiropractor. We go to one that has a 'no insurance' plan that is very affordable & she is very competent. Usually the initial meeting is free, so you can check it out. Also call around, there is a wide range of pricing scales.

If the pain is from a pinched nerve or a vertibrae out of line, there is none better than a chiropractor. I've had a pinched nerve and it was better in 3 treatments.

I agree with Reba about the pillow between your knees when you sleep on your side. And if you sleep on your back, put one under your knees.

Also try alternating which side your carry your baby on. Your muscles get stronger on the side you use the most. So you may be out of balance on muscle strength. And when picking up your baby, make sure you bend from the knees-don't bend over to pick him up.