Poorly back

A lot depends on where the pain is- is it in the lower back or does the pain radiate down one or both legs, indicating sciatic nerve involvement?

If you have tried painkillers could you get in and out of a warm bath? It is difficult because the general advice is to keep moving but I personally think that sometimes a few hours maybe in bed may do wonders.

I have every sympathy with you, being in the same position myself today, as a result of struggling into the drivers seat of my car via the passenger side because some thoughtless idiot parked so close to me I couldn't get the drivers door open! I could barely move this morning. I have a "time bomb" back since slipping a disc in the early nineties - ticking but you never know when it's going to go! I usually find that sitting or lying for too long stiffens it up, so I try and keep moving. I walked a bit today and found it helped but don't push yourself if you don't feel you can do it. Applying heat also helps me. I have a cherry stone cushion that you put in the microwave for a few minutes. Of course everyone's back is different, and I hope you find something that helps you soon ?

Thank you ladies- I am finding it very hard to walk and very painful to sit, so after trying the 'keep moving' advice, I have finally given up and retired for a lie-down with a heat pad - I shall try again tomorrow!

Heat pads are definitely the way to go. And voltarol gel is good too. The keep moving advice is good, but it needs to be gentle movement - crutches help you to keep moving while in the acute phase. Later some physio might help to reduce the chances of recurrence; but if it persists then the doc might need to see it.

I slipped a disc some years ago and boy did it hurt - surgery offered but I refused as the physio was determined to get it better with traction. It did get better but is still a weakness and I have to do lifting as per the physio's instructions.

Hope the pain will ease soon.

Gently gently does it, sluttygran.

I was diagnosed with degenerative changes in my spine and bulging discs after an MRI scan. My back used to go into spasm and I had to crawl around on all fours. The only thing that worked for me was lying flat in bed until the inflammation subsided. This could take a couple of days. Then I would get up and gradually start to move around taking plenty of breaks lying flat again. It used to take around two weeks to be back to normal. However, this hasn't happened to me for around two years due to exercises given to me by a physio. I started doing them every day for around nine months and then I reduced them to around three times a week. They concentrate on strengthening the core muscles and, believe me they work. BUT you have to be disciplined enough to keep it up because it is by no means an overnight cure.
At the moment Sluttygran, listen to your body and rest it for as long as you need to until you feel you can start to move around. Once you are better, get the GP to print out some back exercises for your particular problem
Good luck, hope you feel better soon.

I find that the main back problem for me occurs when lifting DGC onto the toilet!

I spent most of last year under a chiropractor ( not literally ) you understand.
He swore by the packet of frozen peas if I was ever in a situation where I couldn't get to him. The theory being that you have to shrink that nerve. Heat expands it. It worked for me

I too have a back problem, sometimes it gets better and then it gets set off again. Something cold works better than something hot on it, as Petra says.
Luckygirl buy a small plastic step for when the DGC visit, and put it in front of toilet, they can get on it by themselves then.

The worse thing is putting small reluctant child into a car seat!

Hope you are soon feeling better SG. My back has improved quite a lot since I started going to belly dance classes.

sluttygran Moan away. I have had a back problem since August bank holiday 1981 to be precise.

I have one verbrae that has slipped slightly over the one below which at times squashes the nerves if I sit at just the wrong angle. It's not too bad at present but after years of this the facet joints in my back are worn and often painful with too much walking.

I have great trouble finding any seats which don't set my back off aching. I have sorted out my home chairs but it's hard to find seating in hotels restaurants cinemas etc that do not leave me in pain.

The seats in the hospital where I go for treatment of the nerve endings around the facet joints are really bad for me. They are too low and the seat squab angle is just wrong so I often "borrow" an available typing chair.
I have a "backfriend" in my car, This is a seat shaped fiberglass fold up seat support which helps a bit, but how effective that is depends on having a seat that has reasonably decent back support and is not too low.
It does make travelling about quite difficult.

I do like the sound of belly-dancing classes - it might not cure the aches and pains, but it would make me feel a bit more glamorous!
Having read all your messages, I think my problem has been caused by lifting hefty DGD into her high chair - she doesn't like it much, so there is sometimes a bit of a struggle. I might let her sit on 'Big-girl chair' in future.
I hope that all of you with painful backs, and other twingey bits, are feeling much better soon

I had a friend who learned to belly dance when they were stationed at the British Embassy in Jedda. She could make bits move that I didn't even know we had!!