Back pain relief?

Endomatic

I'm not a terribly active person as my job doesn't really require it, and I don't work out much. That doesn't mean I vege out every free hour I have and eat a bunch of bullshit. I walk almost every day (as in excerise, for a few miles usually) and I think I've hurt my lower back quite badly. I can walk and stand up straight just fine, but when I bend over forward or sideways it's really quite painful. To the point where I have to sit down to put on my socks.

The pain is in my tail bone and the area just above it, so maybe the 4 or 5th vertebra of the lumbar part of the spine.

I know it's temporary, and will likely correct itself, but I'm wondering if anyone knows any good range of movement exercises for the back, or anything else that might help.

I don't have any Ibuprofen and that would be best, but I've been taking tylenol and it doesn't do shit all.

Thanks for any advice.

Thanatos

Tylenol is kind of a shitty drug.

Buy some naproxin (you can get the generic stuff; the brand name is Aleve). That should help it.

Endomatic

Thanks, I'll do that, and I agree, Tylenol is quite shitty isn't it. You pretty much need extra strength to do anything.

EggyToast

Yeah acetaminophen really is more of a cold medicine (really good for flu-like symptoms) and not so great for pains or aches. Plus the LD50 is quite low, meaning it's stupidly easy to OD on the stuff. Not a problem for you, most likely, but compared to aspirin or ibuprofen?

Take ibuprofen and see if it helps the pain, at least. Ibuprofen is great in that it's essentially impossible to OD on the stuff. That means that if you're in a lot of pain, take 4. Just a little pain, take 1. If you have chronic pain, don't just take 4 ibuprofen 3 times a day, though -- see a damn doctor.

I had mid and upper back pain that became chronic yet only occurred when I woke up in the morning. After moving about, it went away. After it happening for a little under a year, I mentioned it to my doc, and she sent me to physical therapy since it appeared to be muscle related, not bone or nervous.

Turned out my upper back and stomach muscles were underdeveloped so I did about a month's worth of vigorous spot training. Greatly diminished my pain when all was said and done, although it's probably going to be a lifelong concern of mine (meaning I will have to make sure I keep my body in shape, rather than just sloth around all the time).

meeker

Ice it, now!

If it is seriously impairing your ability to walk/stand/move, see a doctor. They have some very nice muscle relaxants they can either prescribe or inject in you on the spot.

I have had some great luck with a chiropractor (same problem, lower lumbar L3), but make sure they aren't pushy with their regimen. Ask around to find out if anyone has a decent one.

Al_wat

Ibuprofen is good because it is an anti-inflammatory as well.

STATE OF THE ART ROBOT

I use Excedrin Back and Body pain releiver. They work pretty well. You can get them at any store.

an_alt

I second the ice. 20 min on 20 min off.

I'd actually recommend not putting much effort into stretching while it's still freshly sore. Don't stop moving around, but take it easy, use lots of ice packs, and when it starts to feel better stretch gently.

Endomatic

Yeah, I think I will try ice thanks.

I think the chair I sit in contributes. It's got a cushion in the ass, but the cushion under your thigh is like, thicker than the ass one.

So I put a pillow under my ass and it's much improved.

I know it won't develop into a huge thing because it's very localized and only really bothers me when I bend forward.

Thanks for all the tips everyone.

Thanatos

an_alt wrote: »

I second the ice. 20 min on 20 min off.

I'd actually recommend not putting much effort into stretching while it's still freshly sore. Don't stop moving around, but take it easy, use lots of ice packs, and when it starts to feel better stretch gently.

My doctor told me the opposite of "take it easy." He said that if I didn't normally have back pain, I should be doing as much of what I normally do as possible. He said "taking it easy" just makes it take longer to heal.

themightypuck

Deadlifts. Work the back. The pain is most likely due to a) sitting and b) your back muscles disappearing. Caveat: I am not a doctor. Although I can say that my coworker who's father and brother are doctors and who has serious back problems has had no relief from the injections, drugs, etc. she's been prescribed. Also check out http://www.amazon.com/Back-Disorders-Stuart-Ph-D-McGill/dp/0736042415

Kinda pricey at amazon tho

romanqwerty

Thanatos wrote: »

an_alt wrote: »

I second the ice. 20 min on 20 min off.

I'd actually recommend not putting much effort into stretching while it's still freshly sore. Don't stop moving around, but take it easy, use lots of ice packs, and when it starts to feel better stretch gently.

My doctor told me the opposite of "take it easy." He said that if I didn't normally have back pain, I should be doing as much of what I normally do as possible. He said "taking it easy" just makes it take longer to heal.

This is true and what i got reccomended to me. Regular excercise of the inflamed muscle or joint will make it heal quicker. That said dont go nuts since your likely to cause more damage with too much excercise. Some light stretches several times a day should be enough (in addition to your regular activity).

BobCesca

If it continues to be bad and the docs/medical people aren't helping a huge amount, you could try a TENS machine. While it didn't work for me, my father gets quite bad back pain every now and then and it worked wonders for him and meant he could at least get to work and pretend to be doing the job he's paid for.

an_alt

Thanatos wrote: »

an_alt wrote: »

I second the ice. 20 min on 20 min off.

I'd actually recommend not putting much effort into stretching while it's still freshly sore. Don't stop moving around, but take it easy, use lots of ice packs, and when it starts to feel better stretch gently.

My doctor told me the opposite of "take it easy." He said that if I didn't normally have back pain, I should be doing as much of what I normally do as possible. He said "taking it easy" just makes it take longer to heal.

You're right - I really should have stated that differently than 'feel better'. What I was getting at is that day 0, 1, and perhaps 2 (if it's really bad) of screwing up your back is not the time of deep stretching or jogging it off. That's the time to get the swelling down. Ice and not overworking the area are the order of the day. After that, you're quite right in most cases the best thing to do is keep moving as much as you reasonably can.

It's a bit tough to describe as really taking it easy will slow the healing process as will doing too much. I've been through this a few times and I'm still trying to figure out where the right balance is.

Still haven't found the point of too much ice...

edit: Don't stop moving in those first few days either. Just be reasonable.

Grimm

Al_wat wrote: »

Ibuprofen is good because it is an anti-inflammatory as well.

DVG

The thing about hurt backs is that the amount of pain you feel is not always indicative of how severe the injury is. A slight twinge could mean something really, really bad, while a pain you might consider on par with torture might be a goddamn cramp (This happened to me a few years ago, I had a cramp stuck for a solid week between my spine and shoulder blade and couldn't move without severe pain)

Go see a doctor, take some ibuprofen in the meantime.

Ravenger

Start doing squats, beginning with getting up and down from your chair ,progressing accordingly. It will strengthen up your core very well, and is an incredibly functional lift that, when done correctly, will translate into your activities of daily living become less tiresome, etc.

Here is a decent link

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_i60dzS84n8