Back pain?

[jonah hart]

Hi guys .. My mum,s been laid up in bed since thursday with a really painfull back :( She,s not trapped a nerve cos her legs arnt painfull .. We think it might be cold BUT she,s in alot of pain ..She cant take ibroprofen or nurofen because of her other medication ..Can anyone recommend anything to help ease the pain? AND doe,s anyone no how long it lasts ? Any advice would be gratfull xx

[ladybird49]

1st port of call is the docs ...has she seen a doctor ?

[poodicat]

Until she has seen the doc,some heat on her back will ease it

[LoftyLottie]

We can't really answer because we don't know the cause. She needs to see her doctor. However, I will say the staying in bed with a bad back can make matters a lot worse and is rarely advised these days, unless it's for good reason.

[jonah hart]

Thanks guys .. She as been trying to move about as we no stopping in bed can stiffen it more .. She,s bent down to pick something up then a pain shot up her back that nearly made her faint ..Ive begged her to go to the doc,s but she wont ..Wev,e been putting hot water bottles on her back and she,s been taking paracetomals IT just doesant seem to be getting any better ..Should i be worried? xx

[LoftyLottie]

If it isn't easing off at all then she must see a doctor to find out what is going on. Tell her you are worried and upset that she won't see a doctor. It's not necessarily a serious problem but she does need some advice.

[sara3]

she needs to do some gentle movements to warm up her muscles, otherwise it will take ages to get better. the longer she lies still, the longer this will go on. heat and ibuprofen will help, but she really has to get moving.

if she doesn't know what's caused this she should probably get to the doctors.

[Connemmara]

well I suffer from back and arm pain and go to an Osteopath who is absolutely brilliant. She has told me numerous times never to put anything hot but try and bear as ice cold pack on the affected area. Heat is not good for pain like this. Try and get her to a recommended osteopath.

[LoftyLottie]

Heat will not hurt but it can only ease the pain. Ice packs are better for taking down inflammation. A pack of frozen peas wrapped in a tea towel and placed on the painful area for about 10 minutes can really help. You can then apply heat. Most physios/osteopaths recommend hot and cold treatment.

[LoftyLottie]

Sara is right. It is also a good idea to apply the frozen pea pack before trying to do the gentle movements.

(Make sure the peas are labelled 'not for eating' before returning back to the freezer!!!)

[jonah hart]

Excellent advice thankyou so much ..Just booked a phone appointment with the doctor too so hopefully get her back to normal soon .. THANKYOU xx

[dothawkes31]

If it is in the lower bacl or pelvic area it could be an infection that has been irritated by her bending down, her doctor will be able to judge if there is an underlying problem but he may refer her , especially if she can't take ibuprofen, as this will reduce any swelling around an infection or injury and enable your mum to clearer identify the area and level of pain. Is it possible she could try the ibuleve jel in the painfuil area prior to seeking her doc?

[LoftyLottie]

Hope she soon gets better jonah.

[sara3]

me too and sorry, I missed the "can't take ibuprofen" bit.

[Scarlett]

Lots of things you can try- a bag of frozen pease wrapped in a tea towel- 10 mins on, 10 mins off is good to reduce swelling and inflammation. TRY and keep her moving a bit- it will seize up if she stays in bed. Take paracetamol and if the pain is very bad, get some codeine from the doctor, and try and keep pottering a bit. Then see a chiropractor or osteopath. Doctors don't have time to deal with the many, many back problems they see, so they just prescribe pain killers, which don't deal with the problem. You can also get pads which heat up that you can stick to the area, which make it feel better. A TENS machine also can detract from the pain, but won't actually cure anything.

[Scarlett]

Also do try and avoid simply taking pain killers as a "cure". Seeing an osteopath or chiro will actually help the reason for the pain, not cover it up.

[LoftyLottie]

Scarlett, I have already warned jonah to mark the Frozen Peas as not to be eaten!! I have some that must have been in and out of the freezer for years!!

[naomi24]

Actually, the only thing she should do is see a doctor as soon as possible and perhaps get a scan. Back injuries misdiagnosed or treated wrongly can cause permanent and lifelong problems. Incidentally a trapped nerve doesn't necessarily cause pain in the legs. Don't guess - get her to a doctor.

[LoftyLottie]

Hi Naom, I agree , but in the meantime hot and cold packs can't do any harm and might ease the pain. Very difficult to get referred for a scan though, unless a problem is ongoing or keeps recurring!! Don't I know it!!

[Sqad]

naomi....quite right, absence of pain in the leg does not preclude a PID.

[karenmac60]

It could be a kidney infection too - I was in agony with my back for days with no other symptoms, it wasn't till I started to feel really fluey and shivery I went to dr and found out what the problem was.