back spasms- advice?

[watatank]

so i'm pretty sure i've got back spasms...never had them before but anyway...it's really painful and can never really get comfortable sitting down. how exactly do i treat it? do i go to the doctor, do i see a physio about it or can i just take a couple of panadols and that will be ok?

thanks in advance!

 

[billy2]

voltaren emugel is an ointment you rub on that contains anti inflamatories.
you don't need a prescription for it.
It is very effective.

 

[billy2]

another method i've used that gives relief is a buckwheat cushion you can buy at a chemist.
A few minutes in a microwave and the cushion gets hot enough to apply heat to your back for 30 minutes and can be shaped to really heat up the spot where you want it.

 

[billy2]

http://www.optomo.com.au/product/heat-wheat-physio-pad-small/

 

[sensesmaybenumbed]

My father has chronic back pain and some spasms, and he swears by something similar to these - ready to go anywhere, microwave nearby or not (don't microwave them!) and reusable as well.

http://www.heatinaclick.com/

 

[Pokemon80]

You need to see a physio for therapy.

 

[Chicken_Hunter]

Hey mate, I see patients with back spasms on an almost weekly basis. It will normally go away by itself. If you want to help it on its way then simple combinations of paracetamol and Ibuprofen will do the trick. 2 tablets of paracetamol every 4-6 hours, 2 tablets of ibuprofen 200mg 3 times daily with food.

Start concervative and work your way up, if those meds don't help then get some analgesic calmative, it has paracetamol 500mg, codeine 8mg and doxylamine succinate around 4mg. The doxylamine is an antihistamine muscle relaxant and will do the trick. This is available over the counter, the more expensive version is mersyndol night.

Voltaren gel may also help if you can get someone to massage it in.

Oh and don't just stay idle all day, get up and move around and stretch it out. This is one injury that is beneficial to keep moving.

Cheers.

 

[innsaneink]

so i'm pretty sure i've got back spasms...never had them before but anyway...it's really painful and can never really get comfortable sitting down. how exactly do i treat it? do i go to the doctor, do i see a physio about it or can i just take a couple of panadols and that will be ok?

thanks in advance!

Do you sit at work all day?
If so....like last post suggested, stretch, move...swimmings good for badbacks

 

[KeepingTheFaith]

Depends what's causing the spasms. I had back spasms a couple of years ago from a pinched nerve.

Doc told me to take panadol four times a day for a week because it didn't interfere with other medication and thinned the blood allowing the nerves to loosen.

Did some therapy and was given some basic stretching to do everyday. Fixed it up pretty quickly.

 

[watatank]

Thanks for the advice. Not sure what caused it, could be inactivity I suppose but it just came outta nowhere. Anyway, it's probably more uncomfortable than it is painful now so that's a good sign, will just have to see it out and help it on its way. Didn't realise moving it around will help, will definitely do that!

 

[SpaceMonkey]

Get yourself a foam roller and roll yourself back and forth on it on your back for a bit, fantastic for working out stiffspots etc.

 

[DC_fan]

I suffer from a few back problems so let me tell you from experience, see a doctor.

 

[The Major]

Why dont you just self diagnose using google like a lot of people do nowadays if you havent already. Coming to an internet forum for answers rather then see a GP or a physio pretty much about sums it up as one of the most brain dead things ive ever heard.

 

[watatank]

meh, in my experience they're usually a waste of time and money (if you go to a physio) if it's nothing serious and it doesn't seem a cause for real concern at this stage.

i was more asking for general advice more than anything and i think i got that

 

[TooheysNew]

Why dont you just self diagnose using google like a lot of people do nowadays if you havent already. Coming to an internet forum for answers rather then see a GP or a physio pretty much about sums it up as one of the most brain dead things ive ever heard.

Haven't read much of the dragons forum after a loss then...

 

[Twizzle]

I suffer from a few back problems so let me tell you from experience, see a doctor.

this

 

[billy2]

Doctors can't do anything for minor back injuries.
If you don't need surgery, all they can do is give you a sick certificate, or maybe some prescription pain relief if it is really uncomfortable.
In the past they used to tell you to rest, but now it accepted that keeping as active as possible helps recovery and too much pain relief is not good either because pain tells you when you should stop doing something.
See a doctor if you want, but he'll only tell you to take over the counter pain relief, keep as active as poissible, and don't do anything that hurts a lot - unless you have a major injury - then it's a different ball game.

 

[Joker's Wild]

Ibuprofen is usually enough to sort out most minor back pain

If its persistant or crippling then you really need to see a doctor

 

[SpaceMonkey]

Didn't realise moving it around will help, will definitely do that!

Sitting in an office chair all day is terrible for your back, when I had a desk job I always had back niggles and also was developing a persistent rotator cuff problem in one shoulder, but when I'm out doing loads of heavy physical work I'm fine.
If you're inactive get someone to show you some good back stretches and do them every morning, plus get up and have a walk around every so often.

 

[melon....]

Thanks for the advice. Not sure what caused it, could be inactivity I suppose but it just came outta nowhere. Anyway, it's probably more uncomfortable than it is painful now so that's a good sign, will just have to see it out and help it on its way. Didn't realise moving it around will help, will definitely do that!

Go to a chiropractor (not a physio) or an osteopath. Theyll get an Xray done and check your spine for:

a. Curve
b. Disk degenration
c. Disk bulge.

For me it was curvature, which threw my pelvis out of whack which pinched my sciatic nerve which sent pains down my left leg. I also used to lock up and strain my back muscles which was really painful.

The cause for me? One leg 5-6 mm shorter than the other. This was bordering on extreme as everyone has varying limb lengths of 1 or 2 mm at most. A small heel lift in my short leg shoe, and everything sprung back to normal in a matter of a couple of weeks. Good stretching exercises are inmportant but none more than crunches and pelvis raises to strenghten the core, abs and lower back muscles. Planking is good too....just not idiotic planking on verandahs and edges of buildings.

Strong core is crucial to support a back especially as you get older.