What do you do for lower back pain?

By mrs. wagon Dec 11, 2013

I think my lower back is in spasm!! Sitting here at my desk without moving, the pain is manageable, but I just got up to use the restroom and I thought I was going to throw up from the pain.

This isn't the first time this has happened to me, and last time a couple of days using one of those thermacare heat wraps and lots of advil did the trick. But I don't have a thermacare with me... and I don't know if I will even be able to make it to the car! Let alone drive to a drugstore and get one!

What do you do for lower back pain?? (I've already popped 3 advil.)

Man, I'm so old!! I really need to start working out so that my body gets stronger and these kinds of things don't happen as often!!

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12 comments

blackbird
wonderful grape / 20453 posts

Dec 11, 2013

Why is it freaking out on you??? That'd be what I want to know! My lower back was *killing* me a few months ago...turns out that I have a twisted pelvis plus a herniated disc. But it was the disc that was hurting so bad.

You could try ice
mrs. wagon
blogger / watermelon / 14218 posts

Dec 11, 2013

@blackbird: I'm pretty sure it's just the muscles tensing up. I got it checked out last time and started going to a chiropractor, but it didn't seem to help and he gave me a bunch of exercises to do to strengthen my core and my chest muscles. I have really bad posture so all that told me is that I need to get stronger and stand straighter so my lower back doesn't take all the strain!

The episodes are so sporadic that I'm pretty sure it's just the muscles. And it's almost always after some project I did the night before... the last time I was sitting on the floor, tagging items for a consignment sale for more than 2 hours.

But I didn't do anything last night! In fact, I went to bed early :T
septca
GOLD / pomegranate / 3688 posts

Dec 11, 2013

Do you have an office health unit? They usually have hot packs you could use.

The best thing I have done for my back pain (and my core muscles!) is to invest in an exercise ball to use as a desk chair. The first couple of weeks, my lower back and core muscles were so sore from being used so much, but now I am totally used to it. I seriously have had zero back pain since I started sitting on the ball instead of a desk chair. It won't help you today, but you might consider it for a long-term solution. (I bought my ball on Amazon for $20 - you need to get the biggest size they carry, which I think is 70).
Freckles
honeydew / 7444 posts

Dec 11, 2013

Ice is better than heat if there's inflammation going on (assuming it is since you popped advil!).

I would also try and work on your core. Is there any way you can squeeze in a few minutes of planks today? A little bit goes a long way!

Hope you feel better soon.
BeachMama
pear / 1946 posts

Dec 11, 2013

Try some cat/camel stretches, hamstring and piriformis stretches. Getting movement is better than sitting still all day.
blackbird
wonderful grape / 20453 posts

Dec 11, 2013

Ah gotcha. I had to do a ton of stretching and stuff, and you probably don't want to hear this, but doing all those damn stretches and working on my core at the gym has really alleviated a lot of my aches and pains (herniated disc aside). I found that sitting on my couch, hunched over on my laptop was THE WORST.

Any way you can lay down under your desk/in your cube for a bit? pull your knees to your chest and stretch?
mrs. wagon
blogger / watermelon / 14218 posts

Dec 12, 2013

Thanks everyone!! I had to go home early yesterday because it was so painful, but laying flat in bed felt ok so I rested all evening and fell asleep early. Woke at 3am in excruciating pain...!! Couldn't fall back asleep and almost called a friend to come watch the kids so Wagon Sr. could take me to the ER. The pain was constant and moving around in different positions didn't help at all. I took 3 advil and the pain dulled enough for me to fall back asleep. I went to the doctor this morning and turns out I have a sprained back..!! Gahhh!! She explained that after the muscles relax when you've been asleep for a couple of hours, the nerves get pinched again by the swollen tissue and the pain is the worst. Totally explains my 3am wakeup. I felt like I was in labor...!!

Anyway, ice and ibuprofen during the day, vicodin and muscle relaxants at night... lots of stretches and exercises she showed me to stretch the torn tissue now and strengthen it after it's recovered. 3 weeks til I'm back to normal! GAHHH!! Not what the mother of 2 active kiddies needs to hear...

Also, she mentioned that I'm still considered postpartum (LMW is 17 months!) and after a baby, your center of balance has been different for so long, the muscles needed to support your spine in your "normal" center of balance have weakened and so this happens a lot postpartum. dangit. I love my doc because she's a woman and a mom and she can really explain things in a thorough way because she's been through it recently. She had the same exact sprain!

Sigh. So 3 weeks of not lifting my babies... how in the world will I make it??
mrsjyw
GOLD / wonderful apricot / 22646 posts

Dec 12, 2013

@mrs. wagon: !!! feel better soon! I had a random pinched nerve that was much like what you're going through a few years back. had to get some electro therapy at a chiro befoer i felt somewhat normal. hope the pain goes away fast!!
Bao
GOLD / wonderful apricot / 22276 posts

Dec 12, 2013

I always use a heating pad and take Tylenol. I have serious back problems
blackbird
wonderful grape / 20453 posts

Dec 12, 2013

Whoa, 17 months is considered postpartum?! Dayum! I always think, "eh, E's more than 6 months old, i can't believe this is an issue!" when it comes to my body.

Oooo...stim therapy at a chiro felt AMAZING when my back was twitching all psychotically. It forces them to relax.

I hope you feel better soon! And not too goofy on those muscle relaxers
sunny
coconut / 8430 posts

Dec 12, 2013

I usually try to take a hot bath, get a massage, roll on a tennis ball or foam roller.

I hope you feel better soon!
Mrs. Bee
admin / watermelon / 14210 posts

Dec 12, 2013

you know what really works? acupuncture! seriously!

hope you feel better!

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