Ouch, my f**king back!

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So I woke up this morning and tried to turn over only to have this INCREDIBLY PAINFUL PAIN shoot down my lower back. I must have a twisted or pinched thing somewhere and I can barely move! CRAP

― European Samuel Glickstein (nordicskilla), Thursday, 21 April 2005 17:18 (twenty years ago)

Wow, were you hit by a car or something?

― Shatterproof Glass (dymaxia), Thursday, 21 April 2005 17:21 (twenty years ago)

While I was sleeping?

― European Samuel Glickstein (nordicskilla), Thursday, 21 April 2005 17:23 (twenty years ago)

It's grim, in Emeryville.

― Leon Future Coffee (Ex Leon), Thursday, 21 April 2005 17:23 (twenty years ago)

That's the fucking worst pain in the worldio. If it's really bad, sometimes only drugs will do. The pain is so intense that every muscle in the area seizes up and you can't relax... 's'at it?

Sympathizin'

― driede mousedropping (Dave225), Thursday, 21 April 2005 17:23 (twenty years ago)

you're like in your late 20s right? get used to this happening more often. mr teeny sprained his knee rolling over in bed.

― teeny (teeny), Thursday, 21 April 2005 17:24 (twenty years ago)

I agree that you should take drugs. Drugs help.

― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Thursday, 21 April 2005 17:25 (twenty years ago)

The pain is so intense that every muscle in the area seizes up and you can't relax... 's'at it?
yeeeeeees!

I'm not in Emeryville!

I'm 26!

― European Samuel Glickstein (nordicskilla), Thursday, 21 April 2005 17:37 (twenty years ago)

And therefore you are about to die.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 21 April 2005 17:40 (twenty years ago)

This always happens to ME!

― European Samuel Glickstein (nordicskilla), Thursday, 21 April 2005 17:42 (twenty years ago)

You should either hold a heating pad to it or an icepack, I can't remember which. Maybe you should just go ahead and do both.

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Thursday, 21 April 2005 17:43 (twenty years ago)

What is a heating pad? Sounds...old person-y.

― European Samuel Glickstein (nordicskilla), Thursday, 21 April 2005 17:44 (twenty years ago)

Yup! Geritol and Metamucil for you next.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 21 April 2005 17:44 (twenty years ago)

alternate them. try ibuprofen - it's an anti-inflammatory. whatever you do, though I do not advocate strenuous anything, try to move around. this happened to me a couple years ago, and I couldn;t get out of bed, but not getting out of bed made it freeze up more. it took me a week to get to the doctor for a shot of something vaguely cortisone like, and that helped, but it was a week of hell.

― luna (luna.c), Thursday, 21 April 2005 17:44 (twenty years ago)

There's a good chance it is muscle spasms.

If so, a doctor can prescribe muscle relaxants and you'll be tiptop again in two shakes of a lamb's tail - provided the lamb is hovering near death - otherwise the lamb could probably fire off a considerable number of tail-shakes in the time required for yourr recovery.

― Aimless (Aimless), Thursday, 21 April 2005 17:46 (twenty years ago)

Aimless's advice is much ado about mutton.

― laurence kansas (lawrence kansas), Thursday, 21 April 2005 17:52 (twenty years ago)

I just had a bout with sever back pain a few weeks ago. 750mg of Ibuprofen helped - although I was dizzy as hell for a full day.

If the pain is due to inflamation (i dunno how ta spell that, is that right?) then apply ice. After the swelling goes down, moist heat helps.

If it's really bad, chances are a trip to the doctor will be worthwhile. That is, if all of your muscles have seized up as you say, home remedies are no relief.

― driede mousedropping (Dave225), Thursday, 21 April 2005 17:56 (twenty years ago)

uh, severe, not sever. I still have my back.

― driede mousedropping (Dave225), Thursday, 21 April 2005 17:57 (twenty years ago)

Have your friends tie your feet to the rope of a tall flagpole and play tetherball with you.

― M. White (Miguelito), Thursday, 21 April 2005 17:59 (twenty years ago)

Is it so much to ask for a fully functioning body?

― European Samuel Glickstein (nordicskilla), Thursday, 21 April 2005 18:03 (twenty years ago)

By the way... WARNING! A warm shower/bath will feel great. So will a massage. But that further inflames the muscles and you'll be hurtin double tomorrow.

― driede mousedropping (Dave225), Thursday, 21 April 2005 18:03 (twenty years ago)

i had the exact same thing happen a couple weeks ago too. the muscles in my back bunch up every once in a while, but never as bad as this. couldnt move, couldnt even sleep ferchrisake, and i can sleep through *anything*.

anyway, a couple days of being hopped up on percocets medications helped immensely. Im sure if you popped a whole bunch of ibuprofen it would do the same thing.

as an excersise I took really hot showers and bent over as far as i could, holding it for as long as i could under the hot water. also, when you sleep, try to sleep on your back, at least for the duration.

― AaronK (AaronK), Thursday, 21 April 2005 18:05 (twenty years ago)

I am actually frightened to try sleeping

but then sitting sort of hurts

and so does walking

I am pretty much in constant pain

how to amuse myself?

I think drugs are probably the answer

― European Samuel Glickstein (nordicskilla), Thursday, 21 April 2005 18:06 (twenty years ago)

Only I think we are out of Ibuprofen and I am all alone!

― European Samuel Glickstein (nordicskilla), Thursday, 21 April 2005 18:07 (twenty years ago)

I could limp over to Walgreen's.

This is why they need rocket packs.

― European Samuel Glickstein (nordicskilla), Thursday, 21 April 2005 18:07 (twenty years ago)

Or drug delivery dogs!

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Thursday, 21 April 2005 18:13 (twenty years ago)

I know someone that advertised on craigslist for someone to bring a six pack of cokes (yes, cokes!) to their apartment in exchange for a few burned CDs...

― European Samuel Glickstein (nordicskilla), Thursday, 21 April 2005 18:14 (twenty years ago)

C'mere boy. Good Dog!! Fuckin' outstanding dog!

― M. White (Miguelito), Thursday, 21 April 2005 18:15 (twenty years ago)

I know someone that advertised on craigslist for someone to bring a six pack of cokes (yes, cokes!) to their apartment in exchange for a few burned CDs
I'm picturing Comic Book Guy meets Jabba the Hut.

― driede mousedropping (Dave225), Thursday, 21 April 2005 18:17 (twenty years ago)

I am actually frightened to try sleeping
but then sitting sort of hurts
and so does walking
I am pretty much in constant pain

how to amuse myself?

I thought you were a guy????

― The Ghost of When In Doubt, Masturbate (Dan Perry), Thursday, 21 April 2005 18:18 (twenty years ago)

Dan, he misspelled 'wanking' there.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 21 April 2005 18:28 (twenty years ago)

Lower back pain = dud. You probably just twisted something and will be OK after a few days, but if it keeps happening, back exercises will help in the long run (see a doctor, who can refer you to a physical therapist, who can show you exercises). Don't forget to stretch before running, working out, etc. Stay away from ch*r*pr*ct*rs.

― Jeff Wright (JeffW1858), Thursday, 21 April 2005 18:29 (twenty years ago)

Dudes, forget masturbation, do you KNOW much Ratchet & Clank I could play if only I could sit up for an extended period of time?

― European Samuel Glickstein (nordicskilla), Thursday, 21 April 2005 18:29 (twenty years ago)

drugs are the only answer. pain is too nagging/piercing for anything else, unless you want to get all zen about it.

i sympathize adam.

― AaronK (AaronK), Thursday, 21 April 2005 18:34 (twenty years ago)

That happened to me two weeks ago, except it was in my shoulder blade where I pinched a nerve. I couldn't raise my arm very high nor could I look too far to my right, which made pedestrianism difficult.

― Ian Riese-Moraine. To Hell with you and your gradual evolution! (Eastern Mantra), Thursday, 21 April 2005 18:41 (twenty years ago)

I've never heard it called "pedestrianism" before.

― The Ghost of Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Thursday, 21 April 2005 18:55 (twenty years ago)

Isn't the defintion of pedestrian someone who neither looks too far left or right?

― driede mousedropping (Dave225), Thursday, 21 April 2005 18:58 (twenty years ago)

pe·des·tri·an
n.
A person traveling on foot; a walker.

adj.
Of, relating to, or made for pedestrians: a pedestrian bridge.
Going or performed on foot: a pedestrian journey.
Undistinguished; ordinary: pedestrian prose. See Synonyms at dull.

― M. White (Miguelito), Thursday, 21 April 2005 19:00 (twenty years ago)

late to the punch: yeah, dull is what I mean.

― dierde moussedousing (Dave225), Friday, 22 April 2005 00:42 (twenty years ago)

I had horrible pain in my shoulders last month, it was worse than kidney stones. My neck and shoulders still ache, usually at the end of the day.

― tokyo nursery school: afternoon session (rosemary), Friday, 22 April 2005 00:45 (twenty years ago)

Cyclobenzeprine. It will knock you out for 15 hours, but if you hurt one of your back muscles, it works pretty well at making you feel better after a few days. If you don't want something prescription strength, advil works pretty well. And those heating padsd that you can get at the drugstore- ThermaCare I think is one of the brands- work very well. Last year when I locked up one of my back muscles, my doctor put me on Cyclobeneprine for a few days, when I wasn't knocked out from it, the pain was a lot less and went away after a week or so. Then I had 6 weeks of no yoga, no running, no high heels, etc, which was annoying & frustrating. (Heh, sounds like I live for high heeled yoga or something there)

Today must not be a good day for muscles- I re-twisted the same ankle that I sprained in January. One should never follow a dog down a REALLY STEEP heel when you're wearing clogs. ouch.

― lyra (lyra), Friday, 22 April 2005 02:33 (twenty years ago)

make that "a REALLY STEEP HILL"

me no type good this evening

― lyra (lyra), Friday, 22 April 2005 02:34 (twenty years ago)

i think i need to see a physical therapist. i need to know how to rehabilitate my shoulders and ankles. maybe yoga would help, too.

― jaymc (jaymc), Friday, 22 April 2005 02:34 (twenty years ago)

I've had some pretty bad lower back pain in the past, and Cyclobenzaprine never seemed to do anything, besides make me groggy. Vicodin or percocet, that's another story, but I've never had a doctor perscribe them to me for back pain. Hell, last time, during probably my worst episode to date he just sent me home and told me to take ibuprofen.

― the krza (krza), Friday, 22 April 2005 02:38 (twenty years ago)

I had what I thought was a muscle spasm in my lower back last spring -- it was a herniated disk, and if I hadn't gone to the doctor as soon as I did (I was going because of something else, and just said "by the way...") I'd have messed myself up good. Go to an orthopedist ASAP if you're insured at all halfway decently. Drugs sadly just mask the pain, and aren't a good idea because you may continue to sit/lift/lie down in a way that will aggravate the problem. I started working out pretty hardcore, weight lifting under medical supervision, and it's worked wonders for me; then again I wasn't in a lot of pain, just extremely limited in my movement. The bottom line, though, is that just treating the symptoms is generally a war of attrition -- it's more important to get you back muscles strong enough to hold you upright and to learn how to sit, stand, lift, etc.

― Colin Meeder (Mert), Friday, 22 April 2005 08:44 (twenty years ago)

Get your stretch on, Adam! You've got to do stuff to stretch and strengthen you back and your abs, which help the back hold you upright. One good stretch is "the swim," where you lie on your belly and first raise up both your right arm and left leg, then switch to your left arm and right leg. Repeat. I think Deborah Caplan's Back Trouble has a lot of good stuff in it.

― Ken L (Ken L), Friday, 22 April 2005 12:41 (twenty years ago)

adam are you alive? I am worried...

― jocelyn (Jocelyn), Wednesday, 27 April 2005 16:01 (twenty years ago)

i think maybe he's taking a little break?

― mark p (Mark P), Wednesday, 27 April 2005 16:02 (twenty years ago)

he just posted on the noize board, i think

― jaymc (jaymc), Wednesday, 27 April 2005 16:05 (twenty years ago)

exactly.

― mark p (Mark P), Wednesday, 27 April 2005 16:31 (twenty years ago)

he just posted on the noize board, i think

So he's alive, but has become a retard?

― Markelby (Mark C), Wednesday, 27 April 2005 16:36 (twenty years ago)

That was uncalled for.

― Leon Jones Reynolds (Ex Leon), Wednesday, 27 April 2005 16:39 (twenty years ago)

I believe there's a thread about moi over there that was also uncalled for. Have you read it?

― Markelby (Mark C), Wednesday, 27 April 2005 16:41 (twenty years ago)

when at computer, put feet flat on floor and pointing straight ahead; it's harder than it sounds but yr back will love u

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Wednesday, 27 April 2005 19:05 (twenty years ago)

three months pass...

ow lower back pain ow

i'm just not meant to lift heavy boxes :-(

― the goulash archipelago (Jody Beth Rosen), Sunday, 7 August 2005 04:26 (twenty years ago)

J, at least for me the solution is to keep my back curled in a "c" formation (three snaps, etc). Lying down in the fetal position will do (on my side with a pillow between my knees for good hip alignment), or lying on my back BUT ONLY with my legs propped up high on pillows, or sitting in an extreme hunch or crouched with my arms around my knees. This would be terrible posture at any other time but keeping the lower back curved and the stomach muscles relaxed (let your stomach hang loose -- forget about sucking in the belly, it just creates more tension) takes the stress off the cramped muscle groups.

I've never taken anything other than over-the-counter painkillers for my back, and I think the common wisdom is that heat is good for muscles in spasm (as happens mysteriously in one's sleep) but bad for muscles that have been pulled or strained by activity (ice these, instead). Good luck -- let us know how you go.

― Laurel, Sunday, 7 August 2005 05:08 (twenty years ago)

― my favorite cover band, crystal shit (Jody Beth Rosen), Sunday, 7 August 2005 14:58 (twenty years ago)

Allow me to brag: I get to have my c5 and c6 vertebrae fused next month. Granted, this is upper back, not lower, but still...

And I am currently enjoying a painkiller/narcotic that I believe is spelled "vicodin." Oddly, it seems to make me hoarse.

― EmVee, Monday, 8 August 2005 13:29 (twenty years ago)

Adam, Make Nick roll over your back with his full weight. It works for me!

― Kittens Licking Cakes (coco), Monday, 8 August 2005 13:42 (twenty years ago)

Did my upper back in this morning while turning round to turn the computer off, I guess it's divine justice of some sort.

OW OW OW OW

Took 2 Neurofen which seems to have stopped the muscle going into spasms (this usually works). My girlfriend put on Journey Greatest Hits to relieve the pain, seems to be working quite well or that could be the medication I suppose.

― Matt #2 (Matt #2), Monday, 8 August 2005 13:45 (twenty years ago)

i finished my vicodin before i moved cuz i didn't want the baggage-rummager people to hassle me about it. grrrrrrr.

― my favorite cover band, crystal shit (Jody Beth Rosen), Monday, 8 August 2005 13:56 (twenty years ago)

i'm still very much in pain here.

― my favorite cover band, crystal shit (Jody Beth Rosen), Monday, 8 August 2005 13:56 (twenty years ago)

Anyone with serious, long-term back pain should read this book ASAP.

― Keith C (kcraw916), Monday, 8 August 2005 14:03 (twenty years ago)

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