Bad Back aka medical thread

[clvrlad]

hi just wondering what people do for bad backs

ive had a stiff/sore one for a few days then monday morning sneezed and could hardly walk....

was ok ish that afternoon but after paying my bills went back to try and sleep got up went to work and straight to bed this morning but its still sore when i move around

aint pain wonderful

[katsmom]

I have someone rub in Icy Hot (that menthol smelling oily stuff-I don't know what you all call it) or put on a Tiger Balm patch (proably easy to find at your local chemist ) If I have the time and it's really bothering me I nip across the border for a massage! That always does the trick!



Ok, on a serious note-sit on the floor with your feet in front of you and stretch! Slowly-kind of yoga-like. Touch your toes, then slowly go back and start again. My OH does a lot of this Chinese breathing stuff and he says it works great. He's suffered from back problems for years and since he's started this breathing things, no problems.

He said the other one is to sit indian-style on the floor and concentrate on straightening your back while clearing your mind and breathing deeply and slowly. Not sure how that helps if you can't straighten your back to begin with

[Bunnylump]

Clvrlad - beware!! It totally depends what you've done to your back as to which are the appropriate exercises!! Sorry to disagree with you there Katsmom, but I've suffered back problems since the age of 14 and have made them worse by doing the "wrong" kind of exercises.

Sometimes you need to be bending your back into a curl (reaching for toes etc) and sometimes you need to be doing the opposite (lying flat on front and lifting your shoulders off the floor. Check with a doctor first.

I do however think that it is almost always a good idea to take anti inflamatory pills, and Katsmom's suggestion of menthol smelly stuff is probably a good one too. Also either icing it (bag of peas) can help.

[giraffe]

Fernando had some menthol smelling icy stuff called biofreeze, for reducing swelling in an achilles injury. That might be the sort of thing Katsmom suggests.

[MBH]

I'm getting seriously worried about Bunnylump's comparative medical history because....


I've had lower back weakness for years, and have had severe pain at various times for doing simple things like bending over to pick something up off the floor. I did the 'manual handling' course at my previous job, but I'm talking about picking up a sock and doing my back in

My wife has also had severe problems this past year, including the diagnosis of prolapses in two lower disks. Physio needed to find out EXACTLY which ones were effected to give the right exercises - she needed to bend backwards (McKenzie Exercise) to try to push the disks back into place.

I know that I should be doing 'core' exercises to build up the muscle structure of the back (not going to happen), but the 8 weeks of Pilates exercises I did at the start of the year have made me THINK about the way I move, and more aware of tightening my core when lifting / pushing / bending.

Anti-inflamatories if you can (we asthmatics are warned against Ibuprofin), and treat your movement carefully even if painkillers have masked the pain. The pain is there for a reason.

Get It Checked!

[kathlyn]

Sorry to hear you've got a bad back. I've suffered with one since I was about 15, jumped and landed badly doing long jump, it's neer been the same since.

Had lots of physio, acupuncture, massage, specific exercises, chiro and osteo treaments and spent a lot of money.

Now do pilates to strengthen core muscles which I find very helpful.

Would agree with taking anti inflamatories, rubbing on bio freeze, tiger balm, volterol or similar things.

My favorite exercise to try when back hurts is lie flat on the floor (on your back) knees raised feet on floor and gently rock knees from side to side keeping shoulders on floor. You should eventually be able to move further and further as your back frees up. If you can get you knees on to the floor (shoulders will come off the floor at this point) you can do part two and extending your top leg accross your body always coming back to centre before going in the opposite direction. Take care and do exercises gently, if pain persists see a doctor or physio.

[Laura]

When I did my back in, someone suggested that, until I could get it checked and sorted by a professional, I lie on the floor, with my feet up against a wall. That at least keeps pretty much all of your spine straight, rather than when your bum gets in the way and makes some of it curve!

[clvrlad]

well strictly speaking ive had a bad back for years sort of just wondered if anyone had a miracle cure

and laura you dont need a wall im quiet often found on my back with my feet flat on the ground.....
it was how i was taught to do sit ups strangely enough
pilates hmmm havent tried that might have to give that ago
last time it was really bad was years ago i had just started at sainsburys.... been there for about a week and my back went tried to go back in a few days later (not wanting to lose the job) the managers saw me hobbling up the isle towards the back b4 i started and point blank told me to go home and come back when i was better
darren was allways a good boss

[Bunnylump]

I'm getting seriously worried about Bunnylump's comparative medical history

See. I told you we were twins.

[Biscuit]

Hi clvrlad

When I had a bad back - on and off for years - got so bad one time that I couldn't sleep = went to doctors who prescribed anti inflamatories that did nothing but turn me into a zombie. Dad booked me into a chiropractor in Ware and he was brilliant - he actually manipulated the back in place really quickly - and also as a side line he sold own label temper type matresses and we splashed out on that. I wasn't totally sure at first as it is totally different from a normal matress that you sleep on - this matress tends to hug you and I actually feel my backbone relaxing into it as i lay down.

I do occasionally have an achy back but find that a night on the matress seems to put this right.

I hope this helps.

Regards

Biscuit

[LAT]

I had a recurrent bad back and after a particularly long bout I went to the doctor who referred me to a physiotherapist at the hospital. I was asked lots of questions about where, when and how it hurt before I was set some exercises to do. Now I still do them at least twice a day and get hardly any back pain. Also when I do get the pain it gets better much quicker. So I'd definitely recommend seeing your doctor so that you get told the right exercises to do.

Good luck, hope you can get it sorted.

[Scurra]

I have a Tempur mattress and they are brilliant. The only real drawback is that if you spend a night on a "normal" mattress, not only is it weird because it's not your regular one, but it's even worse because of the lack of give...

[Bunnylump]

I must say, my back has been so much better with a really good mattress. They're flipping expensive though.

Funny how so many of us have bad backs. Do you think its exascerbated by sitting for hours on end on puzzle sites and never doing any exercise??

If so, I think I might have to sue.

[Scurra]

Yeah, that sounds plausible to me. I would certainly join your class action.

[brian]

Read somewhere that back problems are the biggest single cause of time off work.
My bank Manager recomended to me to try hanging from the door frame -- unfortunately he is a lot smaller than me and I nearly damaged the structure of the house!
I saw a herbalist guy in Wigan years ago and he put me in to a sort of half nelson and things went back in with a loud click, but he is no longer in business. (Nothing to do with sorting out my back!)
My local chemists tells me that you have to be careful with the proprietary rubs as they can be absorbed and react with any medication you are taking, so check with your GP first.
Never heard of these mattresses before, but I do find that sleeping in the caravan (basically on a board with a mattress on top) I sleep really well.

[MBH]

I have had many occasions where I would have liked to hang my bank manager from a doorframe (or other suitable solid object) - but that is a totally different matter to what we're discussing

[giraffe]

I had a friend years ago who, when I had a stiff neck, got me to clasp my hands behind my neck and then he sort of grabbed me from behind, like a bear hug, sort of pulling my elbows down to my sides. Everything went click and the relief was instantaneous.

[kathlyn]

Giraffe I know that move well

Instant relief

[SparkOut]

But as mentioned before, only if it's the right thing to do for the particular problem you have - and performed by someone who knows what to do when it is the right thing.

[clvrlad]

Read somewhere that back problems are the biggest single cause of time off work.

specially in a warehouse environment mind i have noticed im the only one who worries and takes precautions when we pack papers we have full bales of the different papers behind us ready to be picked up and a table in front to store the open bales and we stand in a gap between
everyone else leaves about a foot between the table papers

me its about 4 a step away so im all ways moving to pick them up
mind the H&S at work is abysmal