Anyone have any legal remedies for lower back pain that don’t involve going to a doctor? Apparently the TRANE for my apartment leaks water, and I slipped on a patch of ice on my deck while taking out the trash last night and caught myself before I crashed to the ground, but sort of wrenched my lower back.
It isn’t serious enough to go to a doctor- I don’t feel any swelling and I didn’t hear any snapping, but it does hurt pretty bad. Ibuprofen is not doing the trick.
Laura W
Before anyone suggests that Tunch sits on it to crack it, I’m sure you’ve thought of the obvious heating pad? Hot bath with epsom salts? Hot castor oil pack! That’s the answer…as per Edgar Cayce. (Seriously).
Back pain sucks. Makes everything miserable.
Tony
Naproxen (Aleve). My fiancee has bad lower back pain and gets much more relief from it than aspirin, Tylenol or Vitamin I.
michelle
try a hot bath with at least a cup of epsom salts. cheap in any drug store.(if you cant manage a bath, put the salts in a rolled up towel and soak that in hot water and use it as a compress til it gets cold. but bath works better)
DrDave
Ibuprofen (600mg every 8 hours) and heat, preferably moist heat.
I herniated L4-5 this past spring and have been living on this regimen for months. When the pain is such that ibuprofen doesn’t relieve it, I add Tramadol (prescription drug) at 50 mg every 8 -12 hours and it it is really bad, I add Skelaxin (also a prescription drug that causes sedation).
Good luck, lower back pain is a motherfucker.
MathInLA
Not to worry you, but especially if the pain is persistent, I’d recommend going to a doctor anyway. A lack of swelling or snapping can still leave you with spinal problems, especially in the lumbar region. I doubt you’re in the same boat I am– the doctor said my spine was an accident waiting to happen, due to a fairly common extra vertebrae– but after a fairly simple trip/fall I found myself with what has now been two years of pain from a slipped disc.
The specialist I went to see about it (after finally being told what the problem WAS, but that’s a different story about medical misdiagnosis) said the damage wasn’t severe, but the pain was because it had gone without treatment so long. Back problems can suck like a hoover or go away fast; it’s always a good idea to check.
There’s an interesting bit of evolutionary sideline in there– we’re so prone to back problems because our spines and back muscles and so forth, despite millions of years of evolution towards upright are still originally evolved to fit horizontal, rather than vertical, critters. We’re a work in process.
greynoldsct00
Definitely a heating pad; that helps me. Also, if you can handle aspirin, Bayer Back and Body pain reliever really works.
charles
I recommend drugs, and lots of them. But that’s pretty much my prescription for everything.
Juan del Llano
Painkillers, muscle relaxants, and REST…
A doctor could prescribe stronger drugs. That’s about it. You’re in for at least a couple of days of feeling very lousy. Long hot baths might help, if you can get in and out of a tub. You WILL get better, however. It’s just going to take a while. That will be the hardest thing to accept. A couple of weeks, probably. Deep breaths. Employ all tension-reducing aids and lie down. Cancel appointments. Let nature take its course.
I feel for ya, dude. Been there, done that, many, many times.
bikelib
Dr. Bikelib prescribes 2-3 shots of JD with coke prn. It may not help; but on the other hand, it won’t hurt either.
greynoldsct00
and PS, I just learned that Epsom salts are a miracle. Sprained my ankle not too long ago and two nights soaking made a HUGE difference…
Connor Cochran
Go to http://www.activereleasetechniques.com, read the background information on this method of physical therapy that you’ll find there, and if you find it interesting use the zipcode-based practitioner finder to hunt up someone in your area. A.R.T. has been a miracle for me — it got rid of the terrible carpal tunnel I had in both wrists and help me heal from a rotator cuff injury in a tenth the time it would otherwise have taken. Nothing like it for dealing with soft tissue damage.
— Connor Cochran
J. Maynard Gelinas
You need Flexeril. It’s a muscle relaxant. Works great for back strains. You might also want to stay on your back for the day and give it a rest.
cleek
i’ve got a friend with chronic (ahem) back pain who swears by this funky green herb that he keeps in a little mason jar. seems to work for him.
Third Eye Open
a muscle relaxer every 4-6 hours with a four-pack of anything Dogfish Head Brewery makes.
If, that ain’t yer bag, then try the bath with salts, and in about a week or so, pay a visit to a chiropractor so they can show you a few neat stretching tips. Many times it takes having something stupid happen, out of our control, to realize that something else is adding to our problem that we CAN control.
nikkos
Cleek? Have we met IRL? :)
evie
Three Aleve every 3-4 hours for at least two days. It takes time to build up in your system. If after two days, you’re still in pain, you need to see a doctor.
Also, bed rest with your knees raised or, if on your side, with a pillow between your knees so they are parallel to one another. Moist heat on the area also works well.
SDM
this is not for right now, but long-term, doing a little yoga is actually really helpful to keep those lower back muscles flexible and strong. i pulled my lower back helping a friend move almost a year ago and sit in front of a computer all day, so i have some lower back issues, and going to yoga on a weekly basis has been great. never feel better than the two days after i put in an hour actually moving my body around.
shaun
Single-malt Scotch. And rest.
drag0n
If Advil doesn’t work see a doctor. Don’t fuck with your back.
Tim Fuller
Aspirin. Wonder drug that works wonders. And weed. Chew aspirin before swallowing and wash down with a cold 40 ounce Budweiser. Do not attempt to drive or operate heavy machinery when on any of the medications I prescribe.
Enjoy.
Jay Severin Has A Small Pen1s
Why is your AC leaking water and that water then freezing?
Thomas Allen
A good lawyer may not address the immediate pain, but your landlord’s negligence really should be addressed.
Catsy
Someone above mentioned Naproxen, which I would also recommend, depending on what’s wrong. It’s an anti-inflammatory and can help relieve pain from sore muscles, if all you did was bruise yourself or pull something wrong. Heating pads work too, and if you don’t have one, take a sock, fill it with rice (your basic Japanese short-grain white rice is what I use), and tie it off at the open end, then microwave it for about three minutes. It will last for years.
In all seriousness though, don’t fuck around with this. If you have insurance, go to a doctor and pay the copay. Find out for sure what happened, because back problems can fuck you up for the rest of your life if you don’t deal with them (and sometimes even if you do).
Oh, and I also recommend cleek’s homeopathic remedy. :)
MattF
Hot bath, jacuzzi-type if possible. Muscle relaxants. Whatever works for pain relief. Not so much bed rest, IMO.
David Martin
I have lower back pain too — actually suffering right now for the first time in over a year — and I’ve always used an ice pack to reduce swelling. It works wonders. 10-20 minutes every 2 hours. And never put an ice pack directly against skin.
What has always helped me is getting a spinal adjustment from a chiropractor. A lot of people think back crackers are quacks, but they know their business.
Doctors just treat the symptoms (i.e., the pain) by subscribing drugs. Chiropractors realign what’s twisted out of place.
steve
Heat never works for me. I’ve had back problems for 16 years (after 2 disc surgeries) and cold works best for me. Wet a dish towel and fold it lengthwise till it is a long band about 4 inches wide. Put it in your freezer. When you take it out, you have a bendable cold pac for maybe half an hour (plenty of time).
You may want to have a towel or something between your skin and the pack.
An anti-inflammatory like ibuprofen works best with a muscle relaxant like flexeril.
Dulcie
I have two herniated disks – i’ve fallen three different times (ice, wet pavement, high heels). Heat is your friend. Naproxen, as mentioned above, works too.
Also, if you don’t have a heating pad handy, those Thermacare heat patches work amazingly well. I use them when I travel so I don’t have to schlep the heating pad with me.
If it’s not better by Monday, you’ll want to see a doctor. Really.
passerby
Ooh. you have my sympathies. No fun with the back pain.
I’m chiming in to echo the suggestions of comments 1,2,& 3 (et alia):
Hot bath with Epsom Salts for several days. Aleve every 4 hours.
Also: Good music, book or video games to keep your mind off it. Hot Cocoa with extra marshmallows. Sit Tunch in your lap and rub his back. Apply heat occasionally.
Finally, and most importantly, be idle without feeling guilty. Breathe in comfort and joy. Breathe out tension.
DrDave
I second that. I herniated L4-5 last spring and it is a chronic nagging pain in the ass but for the acute injury, you might benefit from a stronger analgesic like tramadol or a muscle relaxant like skelaxin.
(Skelaxin can cause profound drowsiness which is a benefit when pain is severe.)
Also, how much ibuprofen are you taking? 400mg won’t do it; 600 or 800 mg is the might be necessary for acute pain.
Binkyboy
I second SDM’s suggestion about yoga. A 2-day a week yoga practice will strengthen the core muscles and your back enough that it can withstand damage.
S.O. is a yoga/pilates instructor, however, so I might be a bit biased.
But in the meantime, if you’re using a hotpack, make sure you also use a coldpack with it in 15 minute intervals. You need to reduce the internal swelling with the coldpack and then increase the bloodflow with the hotpack.
Mar
Here’re the two things you should concentrate on:
(1) Reduce the swelling:
a) Can do this through icing your back
b) Can do this through taking ibuprofen (Motrin, Asprin, etc.) Since this is a fresh injury, overdosing on more than 400 mg 3x a day can be a godsend, but only for a few days. Careful since ibuprofen thins out the blood, which may cause nosebleeds and reduces your alcohol tolerance considerably.
c) rest and time
d) if you need to keep popping ibuprofen after a long time, then you might need to talk to a doctor and upgrade to oral corticosteroids or an injection
(2) Stretch and relax the muscles:
a) Can do this through epsom salts. REALLY hot bath water, and pouring, like, 2-3 cups (I shit you not…use almost 1/3 of a bag) into the bathtub and soaking for 10-15 minutes. Do this in the morning before you exercise and start your day, sometimes it’s great to do it at night too. Epsom salts are dirt cheap, maybe $2-3.00 a bag.
b) Proper posture. Don’t lean forward when typing, don’t lean back and slouch. Bring shoulders back and maintain your lordosis. Rest on your back as much as possible
c) McKenzie Exercises. The first two are a godsend. The first is to lay on your stomach, hands at your side, head turned to breathe, and just relax your lower back for a good 2 minutes. The second is, from the first position, prop yourself on your elbows. Again, relax. Breathe slowly. Again, 2 minutes.
Later on, when you’re better, do core muscle training. Strengthening your core doesn’t make you better, but it does prevent you from injuring yourself again/further. So, when your body heals itself, you’re not injuring it again.
Of course, none of this supplants a good doctor. If you do decide to go to a doctor, go to a sports medicine doctor or a spine doctor, not an internist.
CatStaff
I agree with the commenters above, but when I hurt my back, my doc advised me (in addition to telling me to take the usual pain relievers) to alternate a heating pad and a cold pack. 15 to 20 minutes of each, with short breaks in between if you feel like it.
Acupuncture’s good, too, but it does involve seeing a doctor.
Feel better.
JGabriel
4 Ibuprofen and a bottle of red wine.
If you have to work, caffeine and aspirin.
.
John Cole
The last time I did something like this it only hurt for a few days. If it continues or gets worse I will go see a doctor.
TCG
Chemical heating patch like this works if you are on the go and don’t have time to rest.
The Raven
Krawk? Have you had lower back pain before? Do you have occasional lower back pain, once a week or once a month?
Mar
A warning about chiropractors. Chiropractory is a great science, but about 90% don’t know what the f*** they’re doing. For some reason, lots of stupid and incompetent people go to chiropractory school (possibly b/c they couldn’t get into med or dental school? *shrug*) If you do decide to go to one, get recommendations from trusted sources. Preferably go to one who’s also studied acupressure/acupuncture or gotten some other masters in alternative medicine.
Dave Herman
Most OTC pain medicines, including Aleve, do nothing for me, but Excedrin always works surprisingly well. (Which, I think, is pretty much the same thing as the aspirin + caffeine JGabriel suggested.) Other people swear by Aleve.
p.a.
Boy did you open a can of worms with a back pain thread. Could go on forever. I have to agree with one commenter above: cold not hot. 20 mins on an icepack every other hour (I do every hour, but I have 20 yrs experience w/back pain so I know what works for me).
And naproxin works better for me. High ibuprofen use can lead to kidney stones.
Laura W
We know you have epsom salts in stock, John, since they are part of your foot beauty regime, so go soak. I think the trick with that is to get it as early as possible.
Bayer Back and Body, and Alleve, both make me sickish, so agreed on upping your ibu to 800mg if you are not already there.
And of course, as always, red wine.
What a great advice column this has turned into, pushing me a bit further along on the yoga/Pilates NY’s resolution path.
(BIG YES to acupuncture as I go every two weeks for neck pain. Also YES to cold as well as hot. Sometimes it’s just so much more effective. Should we open this thread up to Magical Cures of Cilantro now?)
t jasper parnell
Re long term plan: I used to have a back that went out once a year or so. I have since got rid of my car and ride my bike everywhere: no more back or knee problems. Start turning some circles and all will be well.
Hawes
I spent the fall working through two different wrenched back episodes.
I recommend massage therapy for acute pain. Traction works great, if you can find it. Inversion therapy is really nice.
You can get a hard foam tube at big sporting good stores. They’re about 5 inches in diameter. Start with it under your neck and SLOWLY roll along it until it’s under your lower back. It basically works like massage, but mine cost $22 and there’s no uncomfortable moment when it gets near my butt. I do it every morning now, and my back is good enough that I can get out on the wrestling mat with the team I coach.
ThresherK
Recommendations to me from MDs were ice/cold first for immediate swelling, then heat (moist if available) after about 24-36 hours. OTC/Rx analgesics also are on the table.
My physical therapy of several years ago wasn’t called McKenzie, but darn if the stuff doesn’t look the same.
DougJ
Stretching has always worked for me. But the specific stretch I do might not work for you. I lie down and squeeze my knees to my chest. Works like a charm.
SGEW
Along with Catsy*, I recommend Cleek’s "funky green herb" prescription as well. Seriously.
My last partner had terrible, terrible joint and muscle pains (neck, shoulder, and back). Ibuprofen, a hot-pack, and half a happy brownie did the trick like frickin’ magic. (We did comparative tests as well [ibu & pack, pack & brownie, ibu & brownie, etc.], but the trifecta was the most effective by far).
But please note: this is for short term relief only. See a doctor. Investigate chiropractic remedies**. And above all, take a good look at your ergonomic environment – Does your mattress suck? Does your chair give you bad posture? Is Tunch sitting on your lumbars whilst you sleep? Any of these could contribute to chronic back pain.
Otherwise, try a double dose of ibuprofen, a good hot-pack, and a buzz.
Warning: may lead to jazz appreciation or Adult Swim viewing.
Legal Disclaimer
This comment is purely hypothetical, rhetorical, abstract, fictional, and/or is for theoretical purposes only, and is not to be construed, interpreted, or inferred to be an advocacy for illegal activities.
Ahem.
*But I take great exception to the labeling of it as "homeopathic." Homeopathic "medicine" is a complete fraud, while the medicinal effects of our li’l green friend is well documented and based on actual science.
**Debate on chiropracty aside.
Rex
I recommend an out of court settlement with your landlord and a couple of weeks in Bermuda.
The Moar You Know
Then you need to go see a doctor. Really.
@charles: Amen.
chris
For me it always gets worse if I’m not moving. If you think you can do it, bundle up and go for a long walk.
Tlazolteotl
If it was a muscle pull, really the best remedy, aside from heat packs, is to walk it off. Seriously, walk 4-5 miles a day as often as possible, at least every few days. This will stretch things back out and strengthen the core muscles in your lower back and stomach, which will help you not hold your body at an odd angle and exacerbate the injury.
I did the same thing last year, and walking was the only thing that addressed the underlying problem. Heating pads and analgesics were a temporary fix only, and muscle relaxants, I hate to say, are what doctors give you to shut you up and make you go away, because they don’t want to give you a real painkiller.
Blake
Go see a PT. They’ll start with less disruptive treatment than an MD, and will know when to refer you to a doc if that becomes necessary.
Provided you hold up your end of the deal and actually do the exercises they’ll prescribe, you should be in good shape shortly.
Morgan
My own personal home remedy:
2 parts tequila
1 part triple sec
1 part fresh squeezed lime juice
Repeat as necessary.
TheHatOnMyCat
Take it from an old guy:
Day one, rest the back and take Tylenol to ease the pain.
Day two, if you can move around, do so gingerly, but don’t sit or lie down more than you have to, it will just stiffen those muscles up. More Tylenol.
Day three, if you can tolerate it, some mild exercise (see the web for examples of gentle back exercises that keep the muscles limber and eventually strengthem them too) and more Tylenol. Do the exercises from now on.
Day four, you will be feeling better. Taper off the Tylenol if you are still taking it.
Get some salt for that porch and de-ice it.
orogeny
John,
I broke my back 20 years ago (jumping out of a perfectly good plane) and had some fairly major reconstructive surgery. Whenever it starts acting up now, I have found that applying heat while sitting in an Adirondacks chair for an hour or so really helps. If you’ve got any, Flexaril will help too. But, for me, the chair is the key.
jackson
One of your commentators said to take 3 pills of aleve every 4 hours. Aleve is naproxen. If you did this, you get an ulcer and put yourself in kidney failure. Advil (which is motrin or ibuprofen) is an every 4 hour drug – naproxen every 12 hours.
(Disclosure – I’m a palliative care doctor and do lots of pain management)
Jay C
I’ll second the recs for cold/heat treatment for the swelling, and IB (plus hemp therapy – can’t hurt): but if it remains a pain issue, check with your local pharmacy for a pain-relief gel like IB or lidocaine in gel form (Voltaren gel works pretty good: IF you can find it, as does Topricin) – if you’ve wrenched or stressed the muscles, the topical application might give you relief without stressing your innards by ingesting all those NSAIDs (saving your insides for the scotch, or whatever).
And if it doesn’t get better in a day or so, hie yourself off the local sawbones – if only to get something stronger.
Feel better!
Egilsson
@David Martin:
Blah. Chiropractors are quacks, and this whole "alignment" theory is based on stone-age understandings of anatomy.
John, please don’t listen to this guy.
However, I will acknowledge that Osteopaths are actual doctors and what they do, while similar to chiropractors, can be helpful.
Basically, load up on muscle relaxants (I second the flexeril suggestion – your PCP should call it in without even making you see him), heat, and after 1 day (no more) of rest, then start slowly and gently stretching. You cannot let those muscles stay bunched up.
Keep stretching.
Then take up yoga, because it would be good for you and help avoid this in the future.
But stay away from those effing chiropractors. It’s a ridiculous line of work, and they are all quacks.
scarpy
Just to pile on with all the contradictory advice:
I’ve had lotsa lower back trouble, starting from disc trouble when I was younger. That eventually healed, but I still am prone to throwing it out.
I’ve found you have to recuperate in stages.
First stage, like the first two days after injury, I go with any of those anti-inflammatories (ibuprofen, naproxen, whatever) in massive quantities. Like, 1200-1600 mg of ibuprofen at a time. Lay off the booze while you do this.
I also use ICE, 10-15 mins per hour, because that reduces swelling and that’s key at this stage. And for God’s sake, stay off your feet. Lie on the floor, with your thighs perpendicular and your lower legs resting on a couch or a chair or something. Don’t stretch, don’t exercise, don’t do anything. No relaxants either. Those make your back weaker; it may feel good in the short term, but it lengthens the recovery time by quite a bit in my experience.
Second stage, after two days of this hopefully the pain has subsided. now you should switch to heat and some very gentle stretching. this helps get the blood back in those muscles and softens them up. Baths with epsom are good here too. move slowly, carefully. most of all, try to avoid sitting in chairs, which puts the most pressure on that area. if you’re standing for a long time, put one foot on a small ottoman or something to relieve the pressure. try not to stay in any one position very long. Oh, and keep up with the drugs as needed.
if after two – three days of stage 2, you’re not feeling mostly better — if you still have pain — go to the doc. but be wary, because you never know what the hell they’ll tell you.
For long-term care, gentle yoga was a miracle for me. I credit it with fixing my disc problem.
good luck!
greg
Chiro and massage therapy. Work wonders for backs.
reality-based
Oh NOES! Poor John,
I’ve yanked my back out four times in the last six years, but I’m getting much better at treating/preventing it now. Hence this long comment
1. For fastest healing, ALTERNATE heat and cold – Keep a couple of those Gel-packs you get for sprains in your freezer – take one out, wrap in a thin dish towel, and apply for 10 minutes. (If you can get a really big gel-pack, made especially for backs, they work best.)
Alternate with this great thing called a buckwheat heat pack (mine is called the back buddy) – it weighs about a pound or two, its a heavy cushion filled with buckwheat hulls, you heat it in the microwave and strap it around your lower back – the combination of the weight and the heat makes it twice as effective as regular heating pads. I love this thing – though I suppose a big microwaved gel heat pack would also work. But there’s something about the weight of the buckwheat hulls -and the velcro strap – that makes it really effective.
2. Cats and Bad Backs are a problem. Believe me, I know. You will either have to feed the Mighty Lord Tunch on the counter for a few days – thus negating whatever small kitchen hygiene discipline you have been able to impose – or adopt what I call the Dying Swan Maneuver, to get the food on the floor. (Lift back leg at 90 degree angle behind you, gently bending forward knee and kinda swooping down. ) This is hardest to do with the water bowl.
3. These three exercises – do GENTLY, 3 or 4 times a day. First, lie on your back, and gently suck in your stomach and use your abdominal muscles to press the small of your back into the floor (or the mattress) Hold for a three count, repeat five times.
Next, still lying on your back, with the small of your back pressed into the floor, gently raise one bent leg, grasp around your knee, and pull it GENTLY toward your chest, hold for three counts, then release. Repeat five times on each leg.
Lastly, get on your hands and knees, and gently arch your back as high as it will go, hold for three, then return to normal straight position.
And if I remember to do these exercises at least once a day, I never have back trouble – but that’s another story,.
4. The Hot Bath/Epsom Salts thing also works – IF your bathtub supports your back well, and doesn’t strain it further.
5. I have learned by sad experience that you need to get up and walk – and yes, I know it hurts. But at least every two or three hours, get out of bed and shuffle slowly and painfully around the house or the block. This keeps your back from kinda freezing up in a painful position and making it hurt longer. Really, you heal a lot faster if you do.
6. Speaking of which, the easiest way to get out of bed if you have wrenched your back is to position a kitchen chair next to your bed, so you can use the back of the chair, rather than you aching back, to lever yourself upright. Simple trick, helps a lot.
7. Have someone bring you some yummy things to eat. And some videos. Personally, I think that Vietnamese Food heals sprained backs – but your choice.
(All this said, the best treatment for me is flexoril or Valium – skelaxin makes me nauseous – and Ibuprofin. Though there have been times when only Vicodin for the first day or two would let me rest. )
You need a friend to come over, though, to feed the cat, clean the litter box, give you nummy food, etc. Suffering alone is just too depressing. So call somebody.
The Pale Scot
John,
Go see the doc, if your over 30 and don’t work in a physically demanding job, your more likely to herniate a disc just because your abdominal muscles aren’t as strong as they use to be and your spine isn’t as flexible as it was. Avoid long term back pain, its hard to diagnose and its really hard to get insurance if you have a history of it, so go get it fixed. And a prescription muscle relaxant can be very effective in shaving off a couple weeks off recovery. The 90 bucks for a visit and script is worth every penny.
Gorgias
Ice on the back and advil. If it’s not better in a day or so, get a really good massage. If you are still in pain after a week, see a doctor.
kwAwk
I don’t buy it about the ice on the porch thing. Cole was doing fine until the Hall and Oates serenade on the TV.
When will he learn that he is getting too old to break dance?
MathInLA
I should add that when I said go to the doctor, it’s to get it checked out for actual examination/treatment. I’m lucky; my general practioner does team sports as well so he sent me off to get pool therapy (yes, yes, yes a THOUSAND times yes for pool therapy) and, when things got worse, a specialist for other reasons. Pain management and spinal specialists are important if it’s chronic.
Another reason to see about assessment even if it isn’t chronic, but just a single other episode is that back damage can be persistent and cumulative. You can knock it out of whack with one injury, and then get further degeneration later– and it can last years. When I first started weightlifting in junior high, I had no supervision, so I did damage on the leg press, which got me spasms while I was in high school, which contributed to my current problems after my fall.
So since you did have that prior injury, it becomes even more worrisome.
R-Jud
I’ve done something similar (high heeled boots + G&Ts +icy sidewalk = owie). Mineral ice is good, but smells funny. Alternating heat and cold helps. So did sitting with a pillow or other prop under my butt, so that my knees were lower than my pelvis.
Once you’ve recovered, yes, yoga helps, especially cat/cow and planks. But so do deadlifts and good-form pushups. I seriously think the latter two exercises are the reason I’ve not had a day of back pain during the entire 31 weeks of my pregnancy so far (/knocks on wood), even though I now have to do my pushups on my knees (the replicant pod is getting a little heavy).
reality-based
And by the way – DON’T SIT! You are now restricted to either standing or lying. As other commenters said, sitting makes it much worse.
Of course, I don’t want to discourage you from posting – the bit on the Village Cocktail Party fiddling while the country burns has already been forwarded to friends – but can you post standing up?
Also, the reason you need some Videos is to keep you from watching too much Cable TV – I don’t think the motion one makes throwing things at the talking blabberheads is good for the lumbar region, however much it satisfies the soul.
tballou
I have had numerous minor back injuries over the years and can tell you from first hand experience that the best approach is active rehabilitiation. Basically, rest for the first day or so at most, and gradually increase your activity level -walking, moving around etc. The back is one of the most resilient parts of your body, and it needs to be excercised to heal up, just do it gradually, but not too slowly either. Painkillers like ibuprofen are good, but you really need to stay mildly active.
tballou
PS – about 90% of back injuries heal themselves without any surgical intervention. Chiropractors, back doctors, etc – stay away from them unless this does not get better in about a month or so. Give it time!
MNPundit
Sue the landlord for negligence? The thought of a massive monetary award tends to dull the pain for ME.
Atanarjuat
Mr. Cole, unless your health insurance won’t cover it, I do strongly recommend that you see a chiropractor. It also wouldn’t hurt to get an X-ray done of the affected area, just to be sure the damage isn’t just muscle tissue.
In short, these injuries are the type of things that can come back to haunt you in a bad way as you get older IF you don’t get proper treatment now.
Please do take my advice with all the sincerity I’m expressing, political disagreements aside.
mark
Naproxen (Aleve) is the way to go. Aleve has 225mg of naproxen, so 2 – 3 should be a fairly close approximation of what you’d be perscribed. (500 – 600mg for Naproxen) if you have a mild muscle relaxer, take half of one before you go to bed, or during the day, particularly if you’re having any sort of back spasms.
About the only thing a doctor would do is just verify you didn’t fracture anything, and if you continue to suffer pain and spasms over several days, go ahead and go see one.
I’d suggest 2 days of mostly bed rest (and that includes no laptop or other activity where there’s potential for awkward sitting or hunching over).
then start doing activities that use the back naturally, such as walking, moving or otherwise anything we take for granted. But also refrain from anything that specifically strains the back (no heavy lifting! No running or biking or weights!).
More Important. If you have a General Physician, go see him or her, or have them call in something. Usually I’ve found GPs to be the best doctor a person could have. and usually they’re not terribly expensive, even without insurance.
IANAD – and what I’m saying is just my personal experience. Take it as you would any anecdotal evidence. :)
TheHatOnMyCat
More on the subject of sitting … a co-worker has an injury that creates discomfort and back pain from sitting, so they built him a stand-up work surface in his cubicle. He reports that the back pain is down 90% in the first month.
I am thinking of doing the same thing. I get stuck in a chair for hours at a time and I can hardly move sometimes at the end of that ordeal. I find it very comfortable to work on the computer standing up.
Charity
My chiropractor friends say ICE the first 24 hours after a trauma. Ice brings down the swelling. After that, heating pad.
jake 4 that 1
You work with Don Rumsfeld?
Tsulagi
I hear you about doctors, they occupy a ranking on my warm fuzzy list about on par with politicians. But if the pain persists and your back stiffens up to where you can’t stand upright, go see one.
I did sort of a similar fall four years ago. In a spaz moment I slipped in the shower. During the fall, I twisted my body and weight to prevent going through the glass shower doors. When I got up, I was in pain.
For me, the pain kept progressing and my back stiffened up to where I couldn’t stand completely upright. After about a week and a half of that, the wife got pissed off watching me at night wash down Naproxen with Scotch for the pain and pulled her ace card: No sex for me until I saw a doctor.
The next day the doctor (not a quack chiropractor) told me my spine was slightly out of line and my back muscles had tightened up keeping it that way. He realigned my spine then gave me a shot of cortisone directly into my lower back. He said I would likely need a series of shots, but after the single shot, within 24 hours I was completely fine and could even run without any pain. No problems or pain since.
So if it gets worse, save yourself some grief and see a doctor.
MH
Walk it off, Cole! Take a lap!
Myranda
I will join the Alleve plus warm baths/heating pad chorus and also so that, when I wrenched my lower back dead-lifting a sleeping four year old a couple weeks ago, Tiger Balm patches really, really helped ameliorate the discomfort. If you can’t find Tiger Balm (it might be a northeast regional thing), look for a general topical pain-reliever/muscle warming patch that you can stack with other methods of pain management.
Poopyman
I’ll just add to all the people up above about moist heat – sleep on a heating pad. I keep a heating pad in my office too. Does a world of good.
And for me, Ibuprofen beats the hell out of acetaminophen or aspirin. The label says 2 tablets (@ 200 mg each), but in bad cases such as yours I’d stretch that to 3 tablets. Any more than 3 and you’re on your own, buddy.
canuckistani
A mix of ibuprofen and tylenol, followed by a visit to the hottest doctor you can find.
fastandsloppy
I’m an old hand at lower back pain and my remedy is Aleve and alternating a heating pad and an ice pack while laying flat on a firm surface.
Also, I’ve had good luck with chiropractors, but ask around for a reputable one (i.e. one that won’t start waving a frickin’ crystal around)
Poopyman
By the way, this also means you’re getting old.
Stuck in the Funhouse
Take Two Fifths of Jack Black and call your Doctor if you can find the phone.
TheHatOnMyCat
You work with the associates you have, not the associates you wish you had.
zsa
It’s not appropriate for injuries like this, but for long-term back care I’d recommend an inversion table. Hang upside down for a few minutes a day … stretches the vertebrae out.
Good for the dorsal fins, the thorax and even the carapace.
Church Lady
Naproxen. Either get your doctor to call in an Rx for 500 mg. tablets or take 2 1/2 to 3 over the counter two to three times a day. I prefer a 500 mg. tablet a couple of times a day, just because it seems to provide relief quicker.
John Cole
I can’t believe we went 82 comments without anyone pointing out I wrote “here” instead of “hear” in the original post. I just caught it and fixed it.
Are you all trying to let me look stupid?
nitpicker
Before I went to Afghanistan, I was suffering from wicked lower back pain. Chiropractors and doctors had all taken a whack at fixing it, but it had done no good. So, while going through deployment medical processing (and pretty much covering up my pain so I could deploy with my unit), I got to talking with a California Army Reservist who mentioned that he was an accupuncturist in what we euphemistically call "the real world." I said I’d been considering giving that a try, since my back had been killing me for some time. He said, "I’ll go get my needles." Noting that I’m no New Agey incense snorter (not that there’s anything wrong with that), I was not very hopeful that sticking needles in my lip and my back was going to do any good, but I had little to lose. I had just that morning had to "hand walk" up the wall in order to stand erect. Long story short, I stood up from being poked with absolutely no pain. I used the two-and-a-half week respite to do many sit-ups each day–building up the front makes the back’s job’s easier–then went back for one more treatment. My back hasn’t hurt since. Don’t think about it, just do it.
The Dangerman
Just have to add my support for yoga; for me, Cobra and Child’s Pose is all I need, so you don’t have to go crazy (although, going crazy with yoga is fine, too, and will give your cat the opportunity to watch and wonder "WTF is he doing"). Also, 800mg of Advil and, as others have stated, don’t dismiss going to an MD if it continues. Last thought, if you continue to have problems and Western Medicine isn’t your thing, think about a visit to an acupuncturist; I had a horrific back and after a few trips to get needled, the back popped bigtime – and no more hurt. Don’t understand it, but The Dangerman says if it works, go for it (this also applies to the JD suggestions read previously).
PaulW
I’m sorry but you should go see a doctor if you’ve got the coverage for it. Preferably a physical therapy doctor. Taking care of your spine is one of the top five things you need to take care of on your body. You may not have snapped a vertabrae but you might have a pinched nerve, and that can get worse.
For personal treatment, either a heat pad or cold compress, I’m not sure which, so ask someone. Stretching exercises also. A physical therapist can develop a routine for you.
Leisureguy
I also recommend a doctor, since the most effective medications are prescription only in this country. When I had serious back pain, my doctor gave me three meds: one for pain, one a muscle relaxant, and one to reduce inflammation. They did the trick, though my back seemed to be more easily hurt for a while (an occasional recurrence). But after some months, my back is as good as ever—and I am considerably more cautious.
magisterludi
20 minutes heat, 20 minutes ice. Alternate tylenol and ibuprofen. If no relief, go to doctor.
Does your insurance company provide a nurse-line?
Martin
Agreed. Osetopaths are full-on physicians. Just a little different approach, but their education is virtually identical to MDs (and the schools are equally hard to get into) but have additional training beyond there. A DO is a good choice for back pain. Might be hard to find one in WV though – we’re swimming in them here in Cali.
I skip the doctor for almost anything other than back injuries short of losing a pint of blood. I’ve had enough back injuries to know that the fucking things take forever to heal, and the happy pills really do help a lot.
As for maintenance, yoga is good. So is a lot of sex. I’d go with the cheaper of those two options.
kismet
One word: Mobic. Unfortunately, it’s prescription, but it’s good shit. My doctor says it’s OK to take it consistently, and my co-pay on the generic costs less than a bottle of Aleve.
Also, gentle stretching. If you can, walk. If it starts to improve, my physical therapist says that much back pain starts with weak lower abs and you should do things that strengthen them. My problems are sacroiliac in nature rather than lumbar, but in principle that should help either area. Lie on your back, knees up, medicine ball between knees, contract your lower abs, squeeze the ball. Repeat until bored.
Stuck in the Funhouse
@John Cole:@John Cole:
Yes, I did sea that, but didn’t want to embarrass.
canuckistani
@John Cole:
Do. Or do not. There is no try.
BombIranForChrist
Just to add more fuel to the fire.
I had back pain with no apparent trauma, and the doctor told me to do this:
1. Take twice the recommended amount of ibuprofen for only one week.
2. Alternate ice packs with heating pads. Do ice packs for half an hour and then heating pads for half an hour. Do this several times.
3. Stretch.
I did it, and it worked.
roseyv
There is no such thing as a back injury that isn’t serious enough to go to a doctor, or at least a chiropractor (and chiropractors are doctors). If you’re in actual, serious pain, you’ve got an injury and it shouldn’t be ignored.
Meanwhile, apply an ice pack(not heat! Your muscles are probably inflamed and heat will only make it worse) for at least twenty minutes at a stretch, don’t sleep on your back, and if you can find time during the day to do so, lie on the floor with your feet on the seat of a standard straight-backed chair. But seriously, see a chiro. They’re surprisingly cheap, will usually see you without an appointment, and if you have insurance, they may well accept it. I wish I had taken my own advice the first time I injured my back many years ago. Intermittent occasions of my back “going out” over a period of about twenty years finally ended in the fall of 2005 in pain that I am still experiencing today, although it’s endurable now, and it wasn’t for most of the first two years. The chiro is mostly responsible for that.
roseyv
Oh, and as for the exercise thing — I thought it would help at first, too, because exercise is always my first plan of attack for any illness or injury. But with a back injury, don’t attempt anything — even moderate walking — until you feel better. If there’s actual “pain,” as opposed to just discomfort or soreness, don’t push it. The thing about back pain “going away by itself” is that yes, it does. But the underlying injury doesn’t, and it will just keep flaring up without treatment.
James
I’m with Myranda: TigerBalm, and use it liberally right on the injured area. And for those who diss chiropractic – on three separate occasions a "doctor" told me I’d need back surgery and chiropractors were "a joke." On all three occasions I didn’t need surgery, because, apparently… the chiroproctic treatment worked.
Will
@cleek:
Amen to that… nothing busts aches and pains like some Tasman Diesel. Seriously– I walked from Mexico to Canada in the summer of ’07 and it was only the green that kept those knees bending.
Zuzu's Petals
First, ice it ’till there’s no swelling.
Then an epsom salt and apple cider vinegar bath. As hot as you can stand it.
Yes, I know it sounds stinky and weird, but I used to be married to a painting contractor … after a massage therapist recommended this soak he never had backaches again.
But I also second/third the suggestion that you see somebody. Wrenching your back is not just an everyday ache.
Mary
From my permanently disabled (5th and 6th vertabrae) husband. Icy Hot brand back patches. And those awful black velcro back supports when doing any twisting or lifting until it is better.
Roza Hussein
See a doc just in case as you never know.
Zuzu’s soak sounds like a great idea.
You were lucky you caught yourself, I did something similar that ended with surgery, pins, plates and months of grief.
Pooh
Stretch your hamstrings.
try this.
Mary
A doctor.
If doctor says it’s not a rupture or other more dangerous issue, then the thing I use that I don’t see mentioned (in addition to ice, various stretches, epsom soaks and ibuprofen which are mentioned) is a really good arnica product (liniment, ointment or gel). And even more than chiro, a great massage can untie the knots and restore function.
Barry
I’ve had both simple low-back muscle strain and sciatica. Get a heating pad and at least two of those gel packs from the drug store you can put in the freezer. In the evening for a couple hours do 30 minutes heat, 15 minutes cold, 15 minutes nothing, two or three iterations of this, then an epsom salt bath before bed. Muscle relaxers aren’t bad, but if they aren’t working and the pain doesn’t get noticeably better within a couple days go see a doctor.
An excellent first aid reference for back pain long term is the little book "Treat Your Own Back" by Robin McKenzie, who’s a Kiwi MD. It’s got a lot of good, easy to do stretches in it that are great first aid and good for helping you build back up to normalcy. This all might be overkill, but back pain is awful. I’m sorry. Feel better soon.
imadoc
Up the ibuprofen to 800 q 8 hours. Take with food and 8 ozs of water. Take the ibuprofen ROUTINELY, whether or not you’re hurting. It’s an anti-inflammatory, not analgesic, and it will take at least 36 hours for it’s primary effect to set in.
Heating pad, on low, for 20 minutes every hour.
After a day, gentle stretches and increases in mobility.
GO TO A DOCTOR IF:
You begin having pain in the butt, either side
You have pain radiating through the butt into the legs
You have difficulty emptying your bladder or
controlling your bowels.
Barry
Sleeping on your side with a pilow between your knees keeps you in a neutral position that helps.
David Martin
Same thing with me… always heard people dis back crackers. Ten years ago when I was in the army, I got terrible back and leg pain during and after running. (Not running of course was not an option.) Doctors did x-rays, bone scans, and a bunch of other tests, and even suggested that the pain might be psychosomatic. They wanted to open me up for explorative surgery.
The only treatment that helped was chiropractic. Give it a shot. The only thing you have to lose is pain.
Delia
@Atanarjuat:
For once this guy’s right. I’ve suffered from low back pain for years. Something as minor as picking up a laundry basket could set off a back spasm that could leave me unable to move for a week. For years I’d go to the doctor and get muscle relaxants that would make me drowsy for days until the spasm would relax. I tried exercising at the gym which helped for a few years, but finally that wasn’t working. The doctor sent me to physical therapy which was useless. Finally my son told me to try his chiropractor. That was the first thing that helped. Now I do yoga once a week, go to the gym, do some yoga exercises at home and see the chiropractor for an adjustment once a month. Unless I do something like fall on the ice or rack up my back doing yardwork. Then I have to go more often.
But be sure you ask around and get someone to recommend a good chiropractor.
gsp
One of the very first posts I read on BJ was when you had that horrible ear ache and someone recommended a bullet as a remedy. For this one, how about just severing the spinal cord? The pain will go away in no time.
TigerBalm? Wouldn’t you want the inflammation to go down? That would just agitate it I would think. I’m thinking ice alternating with heat.
Will, what the fuck are you walking from Mexico to Canada for? Drive for christsakes. Better yet, fly. Fucking walking…damn hippies.
Wilson Heath
I did PT using the McKenzie stuff for whiplash. The book is cheaper if you want to read it and do the exercises. The basic therapeutic trick is to hyper-arch your back to help get everything realigned and relieve any pressure between the disks. The thing from lying flat on the stomach is also a yoga position, I’m told. Anyway, that’s what to try if it doesn’t go away after the anti-inflammatories, muscle relaxants, heat/ice.
The Raven
OK, no answer on any possible previous conditions, so I’ll put out a few remarks and hope they’re of some use.
Much of the advice I’ve seen above is good for particular injuries. There’s no way to know which of the advice applies to your injuries (except see a doctor), unfortunately; spines are very complex, and distance diagnosis, even for an expert, is very difficult. I like TheHatOnMyCat’s and imadoc’s comments but, still–there’s only so much reliable advice anyone can give you without examining you.
Most minor back injuries resolve in a week or so. Keeping comfortable and mobile while injuries are healing is usually what’s required. Warmth feels good and mobilizes muscles, but cold reduces inflammation and swelling. Warming the area for fifteen minutes to mobilize it, exercise if you can, then chilling it for fifteen minutes twice a day. If this makes things steadily worse, stop it.
If you experience numbness in your legs, see a doctor. If you experience severe abdominal pain, or your shit starts looking strange, go to an ER–you could be having bad side effects from anti-inflammatory medication.
Some chiropractors are very good at injuries which can be treated by manipulation and are often the best back doctors available. Many chiropractors, however, don’t recognize when they are out of their depth, and this can be very dangerous. Never let a chiropractor work on your neck. What chiropractors can do, physical therapists can do.
Most back problems of your type can be treated without surgery. If any doctors suggests surgery as a first choice, chances are you’re seeing the wrong doctor. Doctors who don’t believe in physical therapy (and there are still some around) are also dangerous.
Get well soon! Krawk!
Bear Wilner-Nugent
I hope you feel better very soon.
mike in dc
1. Up the Ibu to 800 millis three times a day.
2. Hot bath in the morning and evening, epsom salts a plus.
3. stretch after bath.
4. There’s this stuff for older people with sore muscles and joints. It’s called Ben-Gay. Apparently I made it to 40 before realizing it’s the shiznit. Woke up with incredible shoulder pain…took 4 Motrin, a hot shower, and slathered Ben-Gay all over it. 2 hours later, I’m able to use it again. Try putting it on the part of your back that’s the most sore. Combined with the ibu, you should be able to manage.
5. If all this stuff isn’t making the pain subside(not go away, but subside), it’s time to see the doctor, because it’s not a sore or strained muscle but something more serious.