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Coping with acute back pain
mstev2
Member Posts: 13 Listener
I am here under false pretences . I have irregular back pain rather than chronic.
I am going through a flare up right now and am having trouble coping. I can't do anything without pain.
Currently sitting in my lounge because I can't go to bed without pain.
Have taken co-codamol and diazepam to keep things calm but, not working fully.
I have no idea how to deal with this pain.
I don't know what drugs are likely ti be midt effective in bringing this under control. I am forbidden NSAIDS because of a previous bleed in the stomach.
Any advice on control or drugs would be appreciated.
I am going through a flare up right now and am having trouble coping. I can't do anything without pain.
Currently sitting in my lounge because I can't go to bed without pain.
Have taken co-codamol and diazepam to keep things calm but, not working fully.
I have no idea how to deal with this pain.
I don't know what drugs are likely ti be midt effective in bringing this under control. I am forbidden NSAIDS because of a previous bleed in the stomach.
Any advice on control or drugs would be appreciated.
Replies
I am being treated by both a doctor and a chiropractor. The doctor has prescribed me with pain relief medication but that, along with the understanding that it will take between 2 - 6 weeks to improve, is about it. I am unable to take NSAIDS, so the most effective medications are denied me. I don't really want to escalate medication to morphine, and so am taking a fairly low level of medication.
The Chiropractor says that the basic problem is one of two choices and that an MRI scan will allow him to confirm. As I have not reached the point where the NHS would consider an MRI scan appropriate, I am paying for a private one.
I am not really seeking medical advice, I am looking for coping advice from people dealing with pain daily in person.
It seems to me that I may be making my own problem worse because I dread walking as a misstep causes a sudden and very sharp flash of pain. This has lead to me "clenching" my whole body in preparation for the pain.
My daughter says that I walk like Donald Duck with constipation.
I came to this group as I suspect that it has members who have dealt with similar problems on a regular basis and may have developed coping strategies which worked for them.
If anyone has ideas I would be glad to hear about them.
I would be interested in anyone's experience of them because is have seen both "rave" reviews and "waste of money" reviews which leads me to suspect that there is a trick to using them.
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This appears to be a relapse from a problem which first happened in 2016. At that time I was given painkillers for immediate relief and then sent for physio - the standard approach even today. I chose to go to a Chiropractor who had been recommended to me, and the problem was first controlled and then receded into the distance.
I probably let my guard drop, and it has bounced back. I'm very disappointed because I thought it was beaten.
I feel like a fraud on this service.
heat works for me for knee's and most joints, but cold better for my back, no idea why, would be better if the same was true everywhere, but that's life.
Somewhat less pain today, but mainly whilst sitting, because I am trying to move slowly through all the options suggested here.
My exercise has to increase to bring this back under control, but I am holding for newly prescribed painkillers to get to me later to really get this underway. Standing up straight is acutely painful and I want to control that before I become afraid to try.
My Chiropractor has now identified that the most probable problem is in the lowest part of the back, at the L5-S1 junction (I had to look that up). He says that it is caused either by a herniated disk or an SI Joint Dysfunction. He says both of those can be resolved without long term drug use, but he needs an MRI scan. Tried for that yesterday could not lay down to get in the right position without my whole back going into spasm, Trying again next week.
Because of all the kindness shown to me here, I thought I would summarise what I have learned and started trying:
1] Ice - I now have a packet of frozen peas devoted to this purpose in the freezer.
2] Keep calm - worrying about this is not helping me.
3] Exercise - as soon as you can do it without dramatic pain. Discomfort is survivable, screaming agony just prevents you ever taking that up.
4] So I have checked the medications supplied by my doctor, and what they are supposed to do, producing a plan which should allow me to exercise with the screaming agony part removed.
5] I am also trying most of the ideas to distance myself from the pain. I haven't worked which one is best yet, but the early leader is deep breathing. I have found an app for my android phone called "paced breathing" which seems to be a good guide.
6] Stretching also helps but I have to be very careful.
Scope community team
I'm glad to read you're not in as much pain today!
Scope
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My journey of yours have been has only just started, and so many continuing for so long.
I have many things to try, but a plan of action is beginning to emerge and I find that so encouraging.
There is no way that I can pay you back for the comfort received, so I can only say this group and the people and people will be remembered in my prayers.
I will report again tomorrow in case anything I can learn might help someone else.
Now trying to go to sleep with a large pillow between my legs.
I will let you how that goes.
I hope you're not in too much pain today.
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I also found that my mental approach needed a talking to. The pain was causing me to clench the muscles in my back, which was, in turn, causing the pain to get worse. Diazepam helps me with this, but it struck me that there might be other approaches.
I found this NHS web page - https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/stress-anxiety-depression/ - which had relaxation exercises that I never considered might help with pain.
I'm working my way through it. Found breathing exercises good. There is an app for my android phone called "Paced Breathing" which I have found helps me focus. As it's free, I thought I would pass it on.
Thank you very much for your kind words.
The information I learnt there really helped me to try CBD; how to start, & build up gradually, to find the dosage that might help. Many medications (& even over the counter ones you might buy) must be taken into consideration as to the timing of doses. This is because CBD is broken down by a complex of enzymes in the liver where over 90% of medications are also broken down. Therefore time gaps are needed (4 hours is recommended) between taking CBD & most medications, etc. to ensure you get the benefit of prescribed medications (& not an accidental overdose).
It is therefore essential that anyone considering taking CBD should discuss this with their prescribing Dr, or a pharmacist. I discussed this with our GP's surgery pharmacist by telephone. If you feel uncomfortable with asking your GP or pharmacist, just go into your high street chemists & ask to speak to their pharmacist. Ask if your medication, or any over the counter meds, or supplements you take, are adversely affected by the liver's cytochrome P450 complex (the liver enzymes mentioned above).
The green oil I use from Simply CBD: https://www.simply-cbd.co.uk/ seems to be the best one for pain. In all it's a complex subject; there is 'no one size fits all,' & finding what may work is often a case of 'trial & error.' After 2 and a half weeks, I lost my lower back pain....something I hadn't even considered, as my neuropathic & joint pain are worse. But at least that helps a little, for which I'm grateful.
I will take note of the "shoulders rising" part of the breathing exercise, I hadn't considered that at all.
CBD oil was my next stop - not so much for pain control as for relaxation and treatment of inflammation. The Tramadol and Diazepam my doctor has me taking now is doing a good job of pain control. I know, though, that these are really short term solutions only. The chiropractor agrees with me, but he says he can get me mobile again reasonably quickly, although totally pain-free might take longer. So I am looking for medication that I can take medium to long term to keep my back relaxed and spasm free.
Does the CBD Oil you take help with your relaxation and sleeping?
My progress right now is good on the pain front, less good on the mobility front, and outright peculiar in some areas (I can sleep on my side but not on my back; sitting is easier than laying). So this will be short battle to get enough relief to function and a much longer fight to reach the level of fitness I had before.
Interestingly (and perhaps it will be amusing as well someday) the doctor simply identified a problem in the L5-S1 area which she suspected was a herniated disk. Tablets and a referral to physio which will take about 3 months to bear fruit.
The chiropractor examined me carefully and called for a colleague to complete the same examination. They totally agreed with the location of the problem and, given the reported symptoms, said that it could be either a herniated disc OR an SI Joint Dysfunction.
Went to see them yesterday and they confirmed that I was improving. Then they slightly coyly said that they had been comparing notes and examinations (they had just re-examined me) and could not find any reason why I could not have both at the same time. It appears that this is not impossible, but unusual.
Good, I thought. I now serve as a horrible example.
God bless you all
About CBD - It's best to try just one oil at a time, otherwise you don't know which one might be helping. You should start very slowly with a low dose first & the green oil I mention is one of the 'starter oils'. You should do this to wake up your body's endocannaboid system gradually. Optimally you start with 1 drop under your tongue 3 times a day for a week ('tho some can only manage 1 drop twice a day because of when they need to take their meds). The 2nd week you take 2 drops 3 times a day; the third week, 3 drops 3 times a day, & build up adding another drop for following weeks. You need to drink extra water as CBD can dehydrate you initially. As you build your drops up, if you start feeling worse, you drop back to the previous week's dose, & that's probably the correct amount for you.....as everyone's different, some need to take more drops than others. You might also add in different CBD oils after a few months.
The green oil is a good one for pain as it also contains CBDa. It's the one I take; some people find it doesn't help their sleep, but it doesn't bother me. Some start with 'Liquid Gold' which has added turmeric & black pepper, which can be helpful with inflammation too. The 'Light' oil is used by some to aid sleep. There is 'Sunset' brought out specifically for that, but again some people found it had the opposite effect & kept them awake! 'Sunset' is not one of the 'starter oils' so one that would only be added after trying those first, & taken as the last drops of the day about an hour before going to bed.
You might also try products from: https://littlehempshop.co.uk/ who do hempy drinks (no time gap needed), & CBD E-liquids to vape, again no time gaps needed. They also sell Simply CBD oils, which can save on P&P if you want to try a few things.
Thank you for keeping in touch; it's good to hear your updates.
The self-help ideas given here have been wonderful.
As I get more testing done, I'll add some further responses which will describe the benefits.
At the moment - ice packs.
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Improving I think, but looking for ways to put what I have learned into a kind of treatment plan.
At a slight tangent. I have found that frozen peas make really good ice packs. We now have 2 packs of peas in our freezer referred to as "bum peas".
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