My lower back has been killing me all weekend, but now, it's to the point where I can't comfortably sit, stand, or even lay down! I'm sure it's from walking a bit hunched over holding my toddlers hand, and carrying him on my hip. Heating pad and tylenol (or advil) are not helping. Easy hot isn't helping. Ice packs aren't helping. Shower/bath isn't helping. Massage isn't helping. Stretching isn't helping.
What am I forgetting here? What else can I try? When do you finally go to the doctor for something like this? On a pain scale of 1 to 10, we're at a 7 1/2 today. I'm 27 and in pretty good shape.
It's not my kidneys or anything, it feels like the muscles around my spine, below my hips but above my butt. Ouch :(
Could be sciatica nerve. You need to rest it and not aggravate it. Try laying down into a position as comfortably as you can, and reduce inflammation with Advil. I get pain in the sciatica, but then I get pain all over in muscles and joints from fibromyalgia. I have a love affair with my felt-covered hot water bottle.
The sacroiliac joint may be out of place and it hurts like !!**## . It is the joint in our hips that allows a woman's hips to expand during pregnancy. A chiropractor can put it back in place. Once you learn where it is your hubby can put it back in place for you. All you need to do is lay on the floor, on your tummy and have him push on the spot. Mine goes out from time to time.
you may have a disk that is getting pinched in your back. My granddaugher is 17, and may need surgery before her senior year next year for this. I would go to a chiropractor
OOOH R.!! I'm sssssooo sorry!!!!
I would go to the chiropractor and get an adjustment...if the pain is going down the back of your leg to the knee - it could be your cyatic nerve.....
Do you have a tennis ball? If not, get one!
Stand against the wall and put the tennis ball on the sore spot between you and the wall. Push the tennis ball into your back on the sore spot. Hold it there for about 30 seconds, then let up, then repeat. Push harder with each interval. You can also do this in a straight backed chair as long as it doesn't have too much padding. Or lay on your stomach and have your husband roll the tennis ball around. You can also try laying on the floor with the ball between you and the floor. For some reason it seems to work better than hands, unless you see a professional masseuse. It might take a LOT of pressure (to the point where it's extremely uncomfortable) to get the muscles to loosen up.
I have HORRIBLE muscle spasms A LOT and the tennis ball trick really works.
If that doesn't help, you might want to consider seeing a chiropractor.
Is it right in the center of your back? Or does the pain shoot down one leg? You can relax your back by lying on the floor with your knees bent and the small of your back pressed into the floor. You could do some gentle crunches if it doesn't hurt - strengthening the abdominal muscles helps support the back.
You could try chiropractic if the alignment is off. Massage is good but it won't hold if the alignment is off. If you do chiropractic, I suggest applied kinesiology - more gentle manipulation rather than the "cracking" or snapping that I think much research shows to be dangerous. When you have an injury, you want to apply ice first for 24 hours to reduce inflammation, then do heat. Some people do it in reverse - the heat feels good but it increases the inflammation.
I've used nutritional supplementation for sciatic back pain, and both my husband and son are athletes who do a lot with muscle strains and joint issues. They are now pain free, as am I. We use a comprehensive joint formula (patented so it's the only one out there like it) and a muscle repair/recovery product. After years of using health food store products with no results, we've found what works. That's a route you haven't tried and you might want to consider it.
Sounds like it's time for the Chiropractor. They will help you. You might have a pinched nerve which affects everything else in your back. Go in and have them check you out, and you will feel much better.
Here are a few stretches from a fellow back pain sufferer.
Lay on your back on the floor. pull both knees to your chest and hold. If you can rock your hips from side to side slowly, it will stretch a little more. Then legs out straight and one knee to chest, then out straight and then the other knee to chest. When you pull your right knee up, roll your hips to the left keeping your shoulders on the floor. Left knee, roll to the right. Lastly, just lay on the floor, 90 degree angle at hip and knee (so with your rear up against the couch) - laying your feet and lower legs on the sitting part of the couch. Any time you would be sitting to watch TV, do this instead.
It sounds like you have pulled a muscle. You are misaligned now AND your muscles are all spazzed up and cannot relax. This has happened to me about 5x in my life and it sucks. You should go to the Dr. - they give you muscle relaxers and pain killers and this really helps. I also go to a chiropractor and mine massages my muscles to loosen them up and then adjusts me to realign my back. It helps SO much. I heal so much faster if I see a chiropractor too and I highly recommend it. My insurance covers it. You also should see a Physical Therapist (your Dr will probably send you to one) and they show you what back exercises to do so that your back will become strong again. You need to do these exercises ever day. Remember to not bend over to pick things up. My physical therapist has told me to get down on the floor (bending at the knees of course) and then pick things up while down on the floor. The act of bending and picking something up (like toys or your toddler!) over and over and over really messes up people's backs. Try not to pick up your toddler for a while. Try getting on the floor with him/her instead. I also will alternate ice and heat for a while when it first happens. Good luck!
As a massage therapist and former chiropractic assistant, I would strongly add my vote and suggestion for a chiropractor. Stay with the ice, and do not use heat at this time. Sounds like you have some subluxations and in turn nerves are being impinged. That is why you are experiencing pain. Your muscles are in spasm. A good chiropractor will take xrays, do a thorough exam and adjust your spine. I would get suggestions from friends who go to chiropractors in your area. Also ask the office if they have a decompression table. That should also be a part of your treatment.
Chiropractic! It's the only thing that helps me get over the initial sting, and resets it to the proper position, eliminating nerve interference. If left in the improper position, it can damage the sciatic nerve, which cab lead to long term leg weakness and other problems! I also do massage once a month, ice whenever I've been active or if it hurts, and do yoga when it's tight or hurts.
