Freakin' &%$#!! back injury

[Habibi]

Okay, who wants to give me advice about this? I was at my volunteer gig at a hospital last week, ended up standing for 3 solid hours, little movement. I developed what feels like a serious muscle spasm in my right lower back, and nothing seems to relieve it: not ice, not heat, not ibuprofen, not Tylenol, not stretching, not prayers to Kali.

Should I see my general practitioner, or just lay on my back for at least 2 days straight? I am really, really uncomfortable. (I'm pretty sure it's not a kidney ailment--no other symptoms apart from the ANNOYING, CONSTANT DISCOMFORT.) If I have to miss my dance practices this week, I will, but I won't be happy.

Adiba

[brainshrub]

1. Put 2 tennins balls in a sock.

Tie shut the sock. Now lie on the sock wherever the spasm is for about 15 minutes.

It works for me every time.

If you need a better description PM me.

[leftyandproud]

2. Get $75.00

$50.00 for a one hour back massage
$25.00 for a full chiropractic adjustment.

Just do it...thank me later.

[Habibi]

3. Unfortunately,

I just had an adjustment the day before this happened. I don't want to get another one until this has passed the acute stage, because adjustments can hurt more than help if you're not careful.

And, I used to be a massage therapist, so I've been trying the tennis-ball solution up til now. (There are no really good therapists where I am, more's the agony.) It's not working, which is what has me concerned. If it's a muscle-spasm, it should be amenable to this type of treatment. On the other hand, I'm not "resting" seriously, and I guess I'm resisting that.

Thanks for responding, though!

[leftyandproud]

4. well

for me, a massage immediately followed by an adjustment always works..

get super relaxed, then have the chiropractor help you stretch everything out, then adjust it

good luck

oh...go to walgreens and buy yourself a decent heating pad too...Put a pillow under your back tonight, and lay the heating pad on top of it...A nice all night (and heated) stretch may do the trick.

[Habibi]

5. Do you have an MT and a chiro

that work in tandem? I can see where that might make a difference.

In any event, I guess I'm going to have to consult the Physician (tm). And probably get a muscle-relaxant. I would much rather have a competent massage and an afternoon in a whirlpool. (Hey, waitaminnit--I still belong to a health club with a whirlpool! Woo-hoo! Thanks lefty, for making me think this through!)

Not that the muscle-relaxant wouldn't be a good thing. . .

[Habibi]

6. Yeah, done the heating pad thing too

but I think tomorrow morning I'm just going to *stay in bed*.


Damn, that's so hard, though!

[dweller]

7. what works (worked) for me

sleep on the floor, flat on your back with pillows to keep you from rolling over
allows your spine to straighten and the disks to fully decompress.

also, you can buy midol extra strength otc, is known to shrink tissue (in case you have a disk enlarged)
read package warning on prostate health in case it applies..

i still do this on occasion, but what really worked was 2 diskectomies, removing herniations...

sleeping on the floor is a bit lonely, ask the dog.

dp