Help fix my husband's bad back

skiTTish

If its a muscle spasm it wont release until he totally relaxes ,trouble is you can never totally relax when you have a spasm ,not even in your sleep.
Sometimes a combination of painkillers and muscle relaxants can help otherwise would he be willing to take a couple of sleeping pills ?
Once the body is totally relaxed ,it just kind of 'releases' and the pain is gone when you wake up .
As I cannot take muscle relaxers i was once 3 weeks in pain ,even having to use a walking stick as I could not straighten up ,then finally just woke up one day and it had gone !

greenbee

I've used TENS for years for backpain. It's great! I've always got mine from here (they used to be made in the UK, I haven't checked whether this is still the case.

Their customer service is fantastic (if there is a fault they sent out a loan unit first, then you return yours for checking/repair; new electrodes arrive next day etc), and if you are a chronic pain sufferer a note from your consultant/GP/physio means that they can remove the VAT from the bill.

For anyone thinking of getting one, try a basic one first, and if you decide that its going to be a long-term solution, invest in the best one you can afford. I love my current one - it's the second one I've had, 10 years old, dual channel variable frequency and clips on my belt.

You're not supposed to wear them when driving, and I'd advise against it. If the electrodes are in the wrong place you can pull the wires out while driving and give yourself a nasty shock.

As the others say, keep your OH moving - walk him round the block. Squatting is better than sitting. If you have an exercise ball he can use that to try to get comfortable. Keep him warm and use ice to try to break the spasm. Alternate heat and cold can help. Remember to wrap the icepack/peas in a tea-towel to prevent freezer burn and don't leave them on for too long. You can keep refreezing peas, but remember to mark them so you don't eat them!

ETA - and call NHS direct as they CAN provide medical advice on the dose and combination of over the counter drugs available.

*zippy*

Greenbee your link hasn't worked, could you post it again please as going to look into one for my hubby too...thank you x

charlies-aunt

A trip to the Gp would be my recommendation - or if the pain is so bad it can't wait contact the out of hours doctor - or NHS Direct.

I have Rheumatoid Arthritis and nothing that I can buy over-the-counter is strong enough to give long lasting relief when I get a flare up.

One anti-inflammatory steriod injection from Gp gives me complete relief within 24 hours and lasts for almost 6 months. Repeated Steriod injections aren't good for you but in your husbands case would probably make him comfortable quite quickly and able to tolerate having his spine manipulated spine by an osteopath.

You can't afford to mess with your health - your Gp can prescribe much stronger and effective inflammatories such as Diclofenac - prescriptions are expensive but for strong relief that does the job, it will be more economical in the long run - its easy to spend a small fortune on working your way through a variety of over-the-counter meds

Back pain is horrid - hope he feels better soon :rolleyes:

greenbee

Done

Thanks for letting me know... I probably forgot to add it

angeltreats

An update for anyone interested - hubby is feeling much better, we've been out for a walk (only round Sainsburys!) and he's still taking ibuprofen but says it's starting to feel much looser. If it flares up again I'll take him to the GP but fingers crossed he's on the mend. Hopefully it was just a nasty pulled muscle rather than anything more sinister.

Thanks again to everyone for the advice.

charlies-aunt

Pleased to hear your good news!

Hope that the patient continues to improve :T

zippychick

You should be able to get biofreeze in most chemists.... not necessarily specialist shops.

KittyBoo_2

shiningdove wrote: »

To be completley honest, after spending my whole life with troubles with my back, the car seat is the perfect place - it sculpes round your back perfectly

When I damaged my back belly dancing the only thing taht was comfortable was the car seat.
I used to spend ages trying to get comfy and nearly got my son to take the passenger seat out and take it in the house.
I have spent a fortune on chiropractors, osteopaths and physio and the best thing that helped me was Pilates.
Just some gentle stretching and toning the core muscles made such a difference.
Hope hubby better soon.

Penelope_Penguin

I asked the team to take a look at this thread yesterday, and decide whether it broke this rule:

Hi, Martin’s asked me to post this: Sorry, giving or asking for medical advice is not permitted on this forum as it’s not what this site is about. While discussing medical insurance policies, cheaper ways to see consultants, cashback for alternative health treatments and how to get specific medication cheaper (legally) are all perfectly acceptable we ask you specifically not to discuss what to do in the event of certain medical problems (please see this rule on the Health Board). If you have any questions about this policy please email [EMAIL="abuse@moneysavingexpert.com"]abuse@moneysavingexpert.com[/EMAIL].

As I've heard nothing, and the thread is still here, I'll assume it's OK. As it's fallen from the front page of OS, I'll move it to the Health board

Hi, Martin’s asked me to post this in these circumstances: I’ve asked Board Guides to move threads if they’ll receive a better response elsewhere (please see this rule) so this post/thread has been moved to another board, where it should get more replies. If you have any questions about this policy please email [EMAIL="abuse@moneysavingexpert.com"]abuse@moneysavingexpert.com[/EMAIL].