anyone know about herniated discs/pulled back muscles ?

[jackal]

my lower back 'went' this morning as i lifted something heavy a funny way (heavy disc/upright/hub)

it's always been weak there and I have had little twinges before but this time I am quite incapacitated.

I cant move very much and cant really walk without crouching over. The pain isn't excrucating but its restrictve enough to mean that I won't be going anywhere any time soon or doing very much around the house.

My guess is that I have pulled a muscle or something (whatever that exactly means).

I don't have pains down my legs or arse and if i push my vertebrae in with my fingers there is no pain. There is no swelling there or anything visible either. So I am guessing that I haven't slipped a disc and that a pulled muscle might get a lot better in a few days or so ?

any help appreciated ?

R

[thepawbroon]

Hi Mate - sorry to hear about your back - sympathise with you as this happened to me on Monday.

It sounds like your lower back muscles have gone into spasm, they do this to prevent further damage. I would recommend trying to see a physio or chiropractor. My chiro has been doing adjustments and accupunture and gradually the muscles are slackening off. You can help yourself by alternative hot and cold compresses (like 30 mins each, hot water bottle and ice pack) and trying a few stretches - what works for me is lying on my back and pulling my knee towards the opposite shoulder for 10 secs. Then the other one, rep 3 times. In between that I can lie down or stand up. Sitting, especially on a sofa, is too painful.

Hope you get better soon, good luck
Cheers
The Paw

[Lost_BMW]

jackal said:

my lower back 'went' this morning as i lifted something heavy a funny way (heavy disc/upright/hub)

it's always been weak there and I have had little twinges before but this time I am quite incapacitated.

I cant move very much and cant really walk without crouching over. The pain isn't excrucating but its restrictve enough to mean that I won't be going anywhere any time soon or doing very much around the house.

My guess is that I have pulled a muscle or something (whatever that exactly means).

I don't have pains down my legs or arse and if i push my vertebrae in with my fingers there is no pain. There is no swelling there or anything visible either. So I am guessing that I haven't slipped a disc and that a pulled muscle might get a lot better in a few days or so ?

any help appreciated ?

R

Sorry to suggest bad news but I'd be very careful about just assuming it is a muscle as it sounds very like how mine went (first time - of several) and how I felt etc. Mine was a herniated disk and I later did a second (lowest two vertebra).

I didn't look after it or rest properly for long enough and am now into the 25th year of ongoing problems.

So, if I were you don't follow my mistake and get yourself seen by a doctor - if the GP is undecided I'd also suggest you ask for an appointment with a specialist; it wasn't until X Rays and scans were done that the extent of the damage to me was clear and the treatment became more appropriate.

When it's recovered enough or your told you can exercise it I'd strongly recommend regular hyperextensions to help ease the stiffness/reverse the effects of the crouching symptoms. Some of the texts I've read even suggest doctors and paramedics sometimes use these even on the 1st call out but I'd confirm with a doctor first to be safe.

Edited by Lost_BMW on Saturday 9th January 18:36

[jackal]

thanks guys, much appreciated
will see how it goes
and book in for the GP next week

[rocksteadyeddie]

You'll be needing some diclofenac to get the inflammation down. Worked a treat for my missus when she slipped a disc recently. Prescription only though. In the meantime 3 Nurofen every 4 hours should help make it a bit easier.

[Lost_BMW]

rocksteadyeddie said:

You'll be needing some diclofenac to get the inflammation down. Worked a treat for my missus when she slipped a disc recently. Prescription only though. In the meantime 3 Nurofen every 4 hours should help make it a bit easier.

Agreed, diclofenac is the only thing that's ever helped me much - even when also on morphine and codeine (foul stuff) - indomethacin better than nothing but naproxen useless, no beter than nurofen.

Over the years the doctors have been increasingly reluctant to give me diclofenac and moved me through the other two as they are supposed to be less dodgy for the stomach but I've persisted and just had a repeat prescription on the grounds I'll also take a stomach masking/protector too.

If they suggest naproxen instead I'd badger your way to diclofenac if you can - almost a wonder drug!

[Roger645]

rocksteadyeddie said:

You'll be needing some diclofenac to get the inflammation down. Worked a treat for my missus when she slipped a disc recently. Prescription only though. In the meantime 3 Nurofen every 4 hours should help make it a bit easier.

diclofenac is available over the counter, look for Voltarol

[Lost_BMW]

Roger645 said:

rocksteadyeddie said:

You'll be needing some diclofenac to get the inflammation down. Worked a treat for my missus when she slipped a disc recently. Prescription only though. In the meantime 3 Nurofen every 4 hours should help make it a bit easier.

diclofenac is available over the counter, look for Voltarol

I have the Voltarol gel but hadn't expected that the tablets (which I meant - even had it injected directly into my lower back once after 2 days of misery) would be available without a prescription?

[jules_s]

Lost_BMW said:

rocksteadyeddie said:

You'll be needing some diclofenac to get the inflammation down. Worked a treat for my missus when she slipped a disc recently. Prescription only though. In the meantime 3 Nurofen every 4 hours should help make it a bit easier.

Agreed, diclofenac is the only thing that's ever helped me much - even when also on morphine and codeine (foul stuff) - indomethacin better than nothing but naproxen useless, no beter than nurofen.

Over the years the doctors have been increasingly reluctant to give me diclofenac and moved me through the other two as they are supposed to be less dodgy for the stomach but I've persisted and just had a repeat prescription on the grounds I'll also take a stomach masking/protector too.

If they suggest naproxen instead I'd badger your way to diclofenac if you can - almost a wonder drug!

All hope is lost here then, as I've never heard of any of the above.

I just spent 12 months on Nabumatone and currently im swallowing Arcoxia.

Time for some more googling then....

[Roger645]

Lost_BMW said:

Roger645 said:

rocksteadyeddie said:

You'll be needing some diclofenac to get the inflammation down. Worked a treat for my missus when she slipped a disc recently. Prescription only though. In the meantime 3 Nurofen every 4 hours should help make it a bit easier.

diclofenac is available over the counter, look for Voltarol

I have the Voltarol gel but hadn't expected that the tablets (which I meant - even had it injected directly into my lower back once after 2 days of misery) would be available without a prescription?

Yep, they are available over the counter.

[rocksteadyeddie]

Voltarol over the counter contains 12.5mg of diclofenac. The ones my missus had prescribed are 75mg.

[XJSJohn]

I am going through something similar (yet again) .....

For me its the Sciatic nerve that goes into spasm, and it can hurt like a right proper bd.

Find / get referred to a good physio and expect some rather uncomfortable and unrelaxing back "massage" but it will work.

Also, do not think that the physio is trying to scam money out of you when after 3 or 4 visits and youa re "feeling better" that they still want ytou to come back for 2 or 3 more sessions!!!! They are right, it feels better to you but there is still a lot of work to get everything sorted properly (until the next time you decide to move a BBQ when pissed )

[Roger645]

rocksteadyeddie said:

Voltarol over the counter contains 12.5mg of diclofenac. The ones my missus had prescribed are 75mg.

yes, but 75mg tablets are slow release, so she was not getting a 75mg hit all at once.

[jackal]

3rd day now chaps and its no better !

doesn't seem to be improving so I'll have to go to the doctor tomorrow

do GP's know anything ? will they be able to determine much ?

cheers

Rich

[gifdy]

First thing is to check in with your GP to rule out disc problems particularly if you have pains down your legs or problems peeing. If it's general lower back pain then perhaps my experiences can help. I badly damaged my back as a nipper in a fall ( off a cinema roof but that's another story) over 25 years ago and have found the following manages it pretty well :

As soon as you pull it, get ice on it to prevent swelling. While it's inflamed (usually a couple of days for me) take voltarol and rest it as much as possible. As soon as you can, get moving and alternate between ice & heat. Hot baths are good, having a lady at home good at massage is even better. I use Nurofen to numb the dull ache and Voltarol gel while it's recovering.

I avoid chiropractors etc as, for me, the risk of further damage is too high and it only ever seems to be a temporary solution. I'm sure they help some people but not my cup of tea.

To reduce re-occurance the best exercise I have found is from a book called Back Rx. It was written by the physio on the US PGA golf tour and concentrates on getting flexibility in your hips and building core strength. He noticed that the players with the most hip flexibility suffered the least from back pain so figured that increasing flexibility through exercise would reduce back problems. Best thing I have found other than skiing ( which ties in with the flexibility theory). You can feel a bit of a knob doing the exercises but it really works for me. There are sections focussed on recovery and also on building strength when you're fit again.

Anyway - hope it helps. Back pain can be really depressing so you have my sympathies

Cheers

[XJSJohn]

jackal said:

3rd day now chaps and its no better !

doesn't seem to be improving so I'll have to go to the doctor tomorrow

do GP's know anything ? will they be able to determine much ?

cheers

Rich

GP should refer you to a good Chiropracter / Physiotherapist depending on what you have actually buggered up!

Stop being a hero and get yourself to the quacks, its not Man Flu, its your back!!! rather important part of the body!

[gifdy]

First thing is to check in with your GP to rule out disc problems particularly if you have pains down your legs or problems peeing. If it's general lower back pain then perhaps my experiences can help. I badly damaged my back as a nipper in a fall ( off a cinema roof but that's another story) over 25 years ago and have found the following manages it pretty well :

As soon as you pull it, get ice on it to prevent swelling. While it's inflamed (usually a couple of days for me) take voltarol and rest it as much as possible. As soon as you can, get moving and alternate between ice & heat. Hot baths are good, having a lady at home good at massage is even better. I use Nurofen to numb the dull ache and Voltarol gel while it's recovering.

I avoid chiropractors etc as, for me, the risk of further damage is too high and it only ever seems to be a temporary solution. I'm sure they help some people but not my cup of tea.

To reduce re-occurance the best exercise I have found is from a book called Back Rx. It was written by the physio on the US PGA golf tour and concentrates on getting flexibility in your hips and building core strength. He noticed that the players with the most hip flexibility suffered the least from back pain so figured that increasing flexibility through exercise would reduce back problems. Best thing I have found other than skiing ( which ties in with the flexibility theory). You can feel a bit of a knob doing the exercises but it really works for me. There are sections focussed on recovery and also on building strength when you're fit again.

Anyway - hope it helps. Back pain can be really depressing so you have my sympathies

Cheers