What's your suggestion for lower back muscle pain?

OK ... I work on the farm a lot ... it involves lots of heavy lifting and I try and do my best, correct form and all ... but I have to lift some pretty heavy stuff some times ... and last week, it was too much and my lower back has been hurting for a week, and it's all I can do on Ibuprofen, Advil, etc., but that's not enough. I have a bottle of hydrocodone (the good stuff) ... pals have been giving me physical therapy ideas, do this or that ... one had me lifting weights (hmmm ... that can't be right ...) ... and lots of stretching ... I've got a magic heat pad, and got my back cracked ...

Surely there is something else I can do ... something that will actually work ...

--Ms. D.

Quote: DorothyGale

OK ... I work on the farm a lot ... it involves lots of heavy lifting and I try and do my best, correct form and all ... but I have to lift some pretty heavy stuff some times ... and last week, it was too much and my lower back has been hurting for a week, and it's all I can do on Ibuprofen, Advil, etc., but that's not enough. I have a bottle of hydrocodone (the good stuff) ... pals have been giving me physical therapy ideas, do this or that ... one had me lifting weights (hmmm ... that can't be right ...) ... and lots of stretching ... I've got a magic heat pad, and got my back cracked ...

Surely there is something else I can do ... something that will actually work ...

--Ms. D.

My mother pretty much suffered from lower back pain all her life, and the two medications that helped her were "Soma" and "Triavil". They might be sold under different names now, of course, but the good news is that they have been around long enough to go generic. They are both muscle relaxants, and from what I understand, the Soma is more powerful.

deleted

Dorothy, I would say get a massage and avoid heavy lifting. However, I assume you would want something more permanent than temporary. I've found Yoga, which involves a ton of stretching, in combination with modest weight lifting to be highly effective in reducing my own personal backpain. I don't like taking medications; so I avoid it where possible.

With respect to weightlifting, you're probably thinking how does that make sense. There are "erector" muscles in the lower back that can be strengthened via back extensions at the gym or through working on various twisting movements with your torso. Back pain generally is a function of weak core muscles and strain. So its just as important to work out your abdominals as well as your back.

I found a good video which you might be interested in. I do all of these in my living room.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Dc4WNcJrss

I have had periodic back "outages" for about the past decade. My first physician prescribed hydrocodone, a muscle relaxer, and an anti-inflammatory. I kept those on hand and only had to use them occasionally. A few years ago, the problems became more severe -- when hydrocodone stopped doing the trick, I was prescribed oxycodone, aka percocet (new residence & new physician), which I now keep on hand at home and which goes in the toiletry kit when I travel. Instead of the other two drugs that had been prescribed before, I now have diazepam (valium) prescribed. I like the way these deal with the pain, but I don't like the way they affect me otherwise, so I take them only when absolutely necessary and always at far less than the prescribed rate.

A little over two years ago, my wife and I started getting massage therapy (60 or 90-minute sessions) once or twice a month. Since then, I have only had one serious spell with my back (bad enough to require taking the percocet & valium), and that was almost two years ago. I still have recurring minor back pains that I treat with ibuprofen.

It won't solve your immediate problem, but based on my personal experience, I highly recommend regular, deep-tissue, massage therapy as a preventive measure.

I'd make sure you didn't do structural damage too -- have a doctor check your spine. If that's injured (bulging or herniated disc, ligament strain, etc), your muscles all up and down your back and even your hamstrings will overwork to compensate. Barring that, as someone else mentioned, if you have weak abdominals then your back is also more prone to overwork and injury. There are lots of exercises for core strength, but see a doctor for specific recommendations.

Wow ... what great responses. Thanks all.

Does anyone have any thoughts on using cannabis for this?

I do yoga and stretching (well, not really yoga ... but you know, stuff like that, minus the spiritual mind quieting and everything I don't get). I also do routine weight lifting (and not just pigs and chickens ... ). The massage idea sounds great. So does a bit more structured weight lifting and more stretching. But, yeow!

I have a history of back pain issues dating back to rupturing a disk in the 1980s (I was unloading a cord of wood from a pick-up truck). When I lost 30 pounds and really did the fitness thing, the pain disappeared -- it's been completely gone for almost 2 years. Now it is back, and I'm pissed off!!!

Today I've had 1 hydrocodone and 2 Ibus ... I've got a big long bit of exercising planned for later today ... I've got to go retrieve my dog from a witch who lives several miles away (I think I'll walk there ...)

Thanks all,

--Ms. D.

Hydrocodone (Vicodin) isn't the good stuff. Oxycodone (Perocet) is. By my seat of the pants judgement, 3 Vikes = 1 Perk.

Edit: I see Doc beat me to that one.

Naproxen is the best over the counter. Get this in Aleve. It is more of a muscle relaxer than Ibu. Also getting laid usually helps me.

Gotta figure out first what kind of pain this is. For muscle pain, vicodin or percoset, combined with valium do wonders. Also, taking hot long baths makes you much better.
If there is an actual nerve contraction/disk displacement, the mild opiods make (almost) no difference, and muscle relaxants are plain useless. The main thing is avoid hot baths, and excessive heat in general, because it agitates the nerve, and will make the pain worse after a brief period of relief. You can ask for a steroid shot into your epidural space - it delivers an immediate relief in majority of cases. Sometimes you may need a second one. For a small percentage of people it does not work, and they need a surgical procedure that removes the bulge from the disk. But that does not happen too often.

Oh, and cannabis is great in either of the cases. If you can get your hands on it, absolutely, give it a try.

Good luck.