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QUESTION:
On Friday, I lifted a 50# item and hurt my back badly (lower left side). I
rested and it was MUCH better on Saturday. So, the lawn needed mowing. I had
some problems with the lawn mower and my back went out again, this time the
lower right side.
Ever since then, it hurts like h&ll. I've tried heat but it doesn't help.
Ice helped but only very temporarily. The pain is very low down. If I touch
and the bony structure at that level just to the right it hurts as if it was
a bruise. But I also can't stand for any length of time without a lot of
pain, nor can I sit.
There is no other pain (no leg pain or other pain). Any suggestions?? I
suspect this is some kind of inflammation and muscle injury, but of course I
worry about a disc rupture.
How long should this take to improve? Suggestions?
ANSWER:
the first time that happened to me was 36 years ago. The doctor said to
"rest it, don't bend from the waist - squat instead, don't pick up things too
heavy and do exercises once it's healed. BedRest 2 weeks at least".
Of course I didn't, so it became chronic and would flare into fullblown sciatica
until I learned my lessons.
The last time it flared badly it was 4 months before I had no more pain and that
was with physiotherapy. As it turns out (I've recently found out by means of a
scan), some discs are slight degenerating (now).
So if it flares I use heat every night - some find alternating works betteror
just cold.
Sleep on the side (not the back) with pillow between knees to align the knees to
the hips to the spine. - works for me.
And first of all, get a scan to see what is or isn't happening there.
http://www.spine-health.com/topics/cd/d_sciatica/sc02.html The "next" gives some
tips. I haven't looked through the whole thing. It also says "two weeks to a few
months" for the pain to go away, depending on what the problem is and how you
deal with it.
Are you comfortable in water? If so, try getting into a pool and putting on
short fins and stretching out on your back, clasping your hands stretched
out above your head. Kick slowly and deeply, keeping the rest of your body
basically still and do several laps like this. When my back goes out, this
works miracles for me. Life is quite miserable when back pain like this
hits.
I'm still not clear on the location. Is this between your ribs on your
back? Knife-like pain sounds like nerve involvement. Could be an irritated
thoracic nerve, or some intercostal muscle irritation.
You mention the inability to stand, or sit w/o pain. When you stand where
is the pain? When you sit, where is the pain? Any weakness, tingling,
numbness, loss of function, swelling?
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