Lower back chronic pain advice please

[alice]

Ok maybe I shouldn?t have helped my brother pull down a tree but it was the first sighting since lockdown. Now a week later I?ve still got excruciating pains in my back. 10 mins to stand up. Urgh! Any help please

[Nigello]

Is it a trapped nerve/bulging disc or a muscular problem? Put ice on it for ten minutes, then heat. Take ibuprofen and paracetamol. Move as much as you can and seek out a physio. Look online for your specific pain and see whether there are exercises to suit. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmTe0LsfEbpkDpgrxKAWbRA are good, if a little bit corny. Good luck!

[JohnL]

I had both knee pain and sciatica (in separate legs) after doing some work. The sciatica went after about 6 weeks and the knee still hurts a few months later.

I had to keep buying codeine/paracetamol for a week even though you're not supposed to (they say 3 days max). Tried heat and cold sprays too but they didn't do much. Very gentle stretching helped with the sciatica - increasing it as I could.

[Sue]

Daniel at Dulwich Chiropractic is seeing patients for emergencies (and now others also).

I can very highly recommend him.

http://www.dulwichchiropractic.co.uk

Hope you are in less pain soon, Alice.

ETA: An update on their website says they are currently working 11 hour days and weekends.

[alice]

Very helpful ideas. Many many thanks. Paracetamol and heat and stretches. And there?s a glimmer of improvement. Can physical therapists work if you?re shielding?

[Sue]

I guess you need to ask, but I'm sure it will be possible given the right precautions.

I guess you need to weigh up the pros and cons.

Daniel is very helpful.

I'm sure he would give you advice over the phone, if he or you don't feel a physical visit is advisable, but obviously chiropractic itself involves hands on treatment (to the best of my knowledge).

[alice]

Thanks for that.I?ll give it a couple more days andufim not back to my usual bendiness I?ll give him a ring. I did go once to breuggermeyer himself on Denmark hill. he charged ?4 and that was a very long time ago.

[bidvid]

IT is not a long term solution but if you need to ease the pain a little lie on your back, with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Your feet need to be a little wider than your hip width and then let your knees fall together. (I hope I have explained that alright). It releases the lower back a bit and stops those electricity pains you can sometimes get when you lie down initially.

Good luck :)

[ianr]

Nigello wrote:

--------------

> Is it a trapped nerve/bulging disc

> or a muscular problem?

[SpringTime]

I wasn't diagnosed but these worked for me:

https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/exercises-for-sciatica/

[alice]

Ianr and Nigello. I just don?t know which it is. Nothing looks different tho.

[Nigello]

Is there tingling in the foot, calf, thigh? If so, it?s likely to be a pinched nerve caused by a bulging disc or skeletal problem.

[lameduck]

ASK your chemist about a belladonna plaster

make sure you are safe to use [ hence ask chemist ]

cost 5- 6 pounds

your back will be better in a couple of hours

I had problem

couldnt stand sit. get up or down. husband went to Krystals

came back with one of these, pharmacist said will work fast, I will be honest

didnt believe him, put on at 4pm moving about by 6pm brilliant

[intexasatthe moment]

Well ,I've had a quick google and it seems that would cerainly help with the pain .

I love Krystals ,simply the best .

[tomskip]

Perhaps you are just imagining this pain and should keep quiet about it.

[singalto]

I?m shielding but had to go to Daniel, the chiropractor, who wears a mask, shield, apron and gloves. The patient also wear a mask. He sees half his usual number of patients as he does a thorough clean between patients.

[JohnL]

Nigello Wrote:

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> Is there tingling in the foot, calf, thigh? If so,

> it?s likely to be a pinched nerve caused by a

> bulging disc or skeletal problem.

I think that's sciatica except the sciatic nerve goes from lower back to foot and can hurt all along its length - remember laughing when my Mum had it and couldn't move - not laughing when I did.

[alice]

I don?t think it?s sciatica as only the back hurts. Walking, Stretches and Paracetamol are working. Slowly.

[holloway]

alice, try 'voltarol', it worked for me. It's a cream you massage into the affected area, you can buy it over the counter.

[alice]

thanks for all the suggestions. ive tried Voltarol, freeze spray, exercises - all work to some extent. but im not completely flexible. Has anyone got any experience of virtual physiotherapy - can that work?

[monica]

I had excruciating back pain, thought it was sciatica, it was not. I had acupuncture and the back pain has disappeared.

I have acupuncture on a regular basis and I knew it would help.

[intexasatthe moment]

Alice - ibuprofen reduces inflamation as well as pain so might be more effective than paracetamol. Though it's more of an irritant to the gut and not everyone should take it .

Cold compresses better than freeze spray . You could try alternating with hot .I think the science is that heat increases blood supply to affected area and cold reduces inflamation .

Good luck ,back pain is so all pervasive.

[Sue]

alice Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> thanks for all the suggestions. ive tried

> Voltarol, freeze spray, exercises - all work to

> some extent. but im not completely flexible. Has

> anyone got any experience of virtual physiotherapy

> - can that work?

Have you decided against consulting a chiropractor?

You could speak to Daniel on the phone and get a feel for whether he could help, if you don't want to go straight to an appointment?

[Nigello]

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