Low Back Pain - Anything worked for you?

noonesperfect

~daisy~ wrote: »

often lower back pain is symptomatic of a tight piriformis which is a muscle deep in the buttocks and the sciatic nerves runs through or very close to this

if this muscle therefore becomes tight and contractedthen you will experience lower back pain and any decent massage therapist could release this for you quite quickly

as a remedial massage therapist i would advise a stretching and strengthening rehab programme but to take some decent anti inflammatory initially also

I would second this, or possibly shortened hamstrings (too much sitting/driving causes this).
I tried painkillers + doctor + chiropracter + pilates classes. Eventually had 2 sessions with an osteopath and bingo! that worked.
A combination of a simple stretching exercise and special insoles keeps me mobile.

Errata

Lord_Lardington wrote: »

Errata - I was surprised to receive physio and not chiro or osteo but my doc said that after the physio (if not successful) the next move would be something else, like a back specialist. He, like you suggested, never mentioned Chiro.

I guess your point is that I possibly shouldn't try Chiro now that I'm on the treatment trail? Well, I think you're right. It's too easy think, "Wow, this hurts, lets try everything at once."

My line of thought is that I always try the NHS first for any health problem, rather than self diagnose and try something that costs ££££ because 'it worked for my mum/mate/him off the telly'.

Backs are particularly important to us, they stop us from falling over! It makes sense to treat them with the respect they deserve and tap into the largest collective amount of knowledge/skills/experience/treatment/research - which is the NHS.
Hope all is going well with you.

debbiedeejay

A combination of a simple stretching exercise and special insoles keeps me mobile.

Glad to hear you've gone to your GP about your back, you have certainly done the right thing and there are some brilliant suggestions already posted to help you on the way to recovery.

With reference to the above quote from nonesperfect,have you thought about asking to be also ref. to your local NHS Podiatry department and asking for a Biomechanics/gait assessment? There could be a underlying problem with your feet that in turn is causing problems in your back,hence the simple exercises and special insoles(orthotics),could help in pain levels.Also daft as it sounds but make sure your footwear is supportive and in good nick!

Hope the info is of some help and good luck- back pain is horrible!

Take care.

Lord_Lardington

Ahoy hoy.

Checking in. Hada couple of physio sessions (plus the exercises he’s told me to do at home) and I think I’m seeing some results. I took a what seemed like a backwards step in that my left leg went a little weak/numb I was worried but both my physio and doc assured me that this wasn’t uncommon. The numbness is wearing off now and my mobility is definitely increased.

After my first bout of physio I had a horrendous night of pain (the Naproxen my doc had given me was not even taking he edge off) but I’ve got some short term Tramadol now which I take if I feel the need rather than religiously.

All in all, I think I might be on the up although there’s a way to go.

keelykat

Hello, I saw a chiropractor about my back-after my doctor just gave me pain killers which didn't even touch the pain. Although i had shooting pains,which went down my left leg and was causing me so much pain it was unbelievable! A lady at work recommended someone who had seen her daughter, so off i went and wasn't disapointed!

He examined me, and found out what the problem was...and then i was put into wierd positions and certain bones cracked etc as things were re-aligned...sounded very scary but didn't hurt at all. When lying down my one leg looked longer then the other, my OH was there and couldn't believe it...very odd for him to see that. Once he had finished, i was told to lie down again, and my legs then were same length..... my back was all twisted to start with which is why i looked lopsided etc.

I'm not very good at explaining, but basically if there is a serious problem with the back-it must be seen by someone who specialises in these kind of things. General gp's aren't any good.

After having my back re-aligned i was shown some exercises to do to strengthen up my back muscles etc, which i had to do several times daily.

I'm lucky in the sense that i went early on, and so i didn't have to go back again-i just kept doing the exercises and i didnt have any recurring problems after that (fingers crossed). I didn't take the painkillers for long!

It was like being a new person when i came out-i felt less tense...and i felt taller too. Another thing was-i'd been having migraines since the time i hurt my back, which i found out were related and stoped after seeing the chiropractor! I was amazed!

keely.

cjS_3

I too suffered awful back pain first thing in the morning, had allsorts of advice from doctors and other 'experts'. I changed mattresses 4 times, never did a thing! Then 2 months ago we moved house, we treated ourselves to a new bed FRAME! Nothing flash! I have not had a pain in 2 months. It was not the mattress at all, it was the wooden slats that supported the frame where just not up to the job, this new bed (frame) supports the mattress so much better , giving the feeling of a much firmer mattress. It's worked for me and I AM NOW FREE FROM THAT PAIN THAT USED TO WAKE ME EVERY MORNING!!

Katykat

As a long term sufferer and facing another epidural inj next week, I have taken some steps that has eased my pain considerably. I bought a TENS machine, a memory foam/ pocket sprung mattress and started Pilates. All of these things have helped. In fact i am seriously considering cancelling the procedure next week, although my OH says I should use it as an addition and he thinks I might regret cancelling it. Will talk to my Specialist, but I would say probably thi best long term help would be Pilates. It really does feeel good when I've been.

Carlakoala

I am a body worker. I treat people using Shiatsu and Bowen Technique. Yes Chiro and Oestos can work - go on personal recommendation. DO NOT BELIEVE them if they tell you it will take a treaments plan of say, 10 treatments at (a very nice) £30?40 a time. I expect to get someone sorted in 2-3 treatments if the problem is purely muscular. If it keeps coming back then yes, external factors: bed. Car. working position should all be looked at. I can recommend a book called The Back Book by Barrie Savory - a UK oesteo - for exercises and an explaination of what is happening. If you are finding one side worse than other it sounds like a disc on that side has become compressed - so like a car with a flat tyre, you list to one side, creating pressure all over the structure. Lower backs also tend to go when we are stressed - especially over money or housing - studies have shown this to be true.
hope this helps you and others.
Carla

dazb2004

Hi all,

I've been suffering from arthritis in my lower back for years now. I've tried various pain relivers, exercises and even acupuncture and nothing has worked at all.

After numerous trips to the doctor, he finally suggested I try a Baxolve. I didnt know what it was, so after a bit of research I discovered it was a tens machine that uses electical pulses to numb pain. I was sceptial at first but after trying it the first time, i couldnt believe how good it was.

I would recommend it to anyone who suffers back pain.

Darren

audioblackout

hi,

i have had alot of trouble with my lower back over the years but 'touch wood' i've been ok for a while now (although the sciatica isn't completely gone, but it's much better than it was)

after my last episode, i did alot of reading around and one thing someone mentioned was the chair you use for everyday work. i've tried alot of different chairs over the years, all supposedly great with superb lower back support. but at the end of the day, if you think about it, support is not what you need - cause the part that is the problem is not getting the movement you need to keep it working right and healthy. someone mentioned a gym ball, so i gave it a go.

a year later and i can honestly say it's' the best thing i've ever done. it took a good few weeks to get used to but now all day, i sit bouncing up and down on that thing, it gives your lower back a constant work out, and it's fun too. i get much more work done cause i'm constantly moving, thinking, working out.

and all that for only £6.99 from argos.

oh and another thing i did recently is spend a bit of money on a good pocket sprung memory foam mattress. it just arrived today. let's see if that helps too