Hey there. Just a quick note to let you know where I’ve been the last several days.
Basically, I was in Lower Back Pain Town. I’ve had problems with lower back pain, off and on, for several years now. Late last Wednesday night it was on in a big way. I strained something or had some sort of muscle spasm that caused such intense pain in my back I had to go to the emergency room. In gym shorts and sandals, because I wasn’t able to put on regular pants or shoes.
Luckily it just seems to be a muscle thing and not a slipped disc, and I’m doing a lot better now, though the muscle relaxant they gave me makes me a little spacey and a lot sleepy. Hence the lack of posts for the last few days. I’m going to try to get back to regular posting today.
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Eep! Get well soon!
I hope you feel better soon, David. Take as much time as you need to recover.
As also a person with occasional lower back pain, I hope you get better soon.
Take your meds as directed, David!
Bugger. Were hoping you were just taking some very well deserved time to yourself.
Get well soon.
Welp, hope you get well soon then. Back pain’s well… a pain to deal with.
(please shoot me)
Welcome to my world! I hope at least you can get a pain-free night’s sleep when unmedicated.
Some things which can help:
A grabber to help you pick things up without bending:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01JZ2WIAI/
A device to help you put on socks:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001AFEPXW/
A long shoe horn:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00H9KIKCO/
A bed wedge, to raise the legs while you’re lying on your back, which many people find helps with back pain:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07PLMGC9C/
(I’m not endorsing Amazon: in the UK, I’ve bought from http://www.nrshealthcare.co.uk)
Also, if you can teach your cats how to tie shoelaces, that’d be great.
David, I’m so sorry to hear this! I hope you get whatever help you need and take whatever time you need, don’t worry about us.
I dislocated a vertebrae in my lower back 10 years ago.
So now and again I throw out my back.
For me standing and lying flat on my back are okay. Getting from one position to the other is hell though.
And sitting makes everything worse.
And due to said dislocation my right leg gets numb when I stand too long. Fun.
Stay away from warming patches containing capsicum. Those are hell on earth.
Microwaveable stuffed animals are the best.
I feel for you. I had minor chronic low issues turn into a full fledged recurring lower back injury this year and it was a pain in the neck (something also am having).
I did find doing regular exercises target to the lower back to make a big difference.
@Moggie
Maybe Velcro or slip-on shoes could help?
@Knitting Cat Lady
Another thing that worked well for me was pouches of rice. My old clarinet teacher, as a gift, made fabric pouches of dry rice and cinnamon and sewed them shut. They worked well both for pain and to warm up after being in the cold. I’d simply put them in the microwave for 20 seconds, make sure they weren’t too warm, and use them.
@Naglfar:
I only wear slip-on shoes now, because I know there will be days when I won’t be able to cope with laces. Which is a shame, because I still have three pairs of lace-ups which I like. But even if I’m able to get them on in the morning, there’s a chance I won’t be able to get them off again later.
Ouch, and here I was hoping you were enjoying Thanksgiving. Please take care, and I hope you feel better soon.
Ugh, back pain 🙁 Glad you were able to get yourself dressed, such as it was. (”Gym shorts and sandals”, even when on America’s #1 killer, opioids, you still manage to bring a chuckle to your writing. That’s a sign of a great writer.)
I’ve only found one problem with living alone: what happens if we become incapacitated, even momentarily? My cats will eat well from my corpse if it ever comes to that. But I always have one or two bad kitties on timeout locked in the spare bedroom who’d miss out on the feast 🙁
LOL, sorry for getting dark there… but get well and all o’ that!
A personal trainer who regularly worked with the elderly (which I am not) completely mitigated my 3 separate chronic low back problems with this method when I was refused physical therapy because it was all in my head from being fat. Even though it’s on Xray and CAT-scan radiologist reports as well. Deffo all in my fat head, that degenerative disk disease and scoliosis and arthritis.
But as a result of this experience I am an exercise advocate, and have managed to help 2 other people with their low back problems! I sing the praises of low back exercise. Starting gently under supervision with a physical therapist or personal trainer experienced with the elderly, if possible.
@Carrie V:
This is actually my mom’s greatest fear for me: that I’ll die abruptly (I live by myself) & become a furrinati feast (not that she knows the term).
She’s especially afraid they’ll eat my face, an oddly specific image, if you ask me.
@DF:
Sorry to hear about your back issues. I can relate–ugh. Glad you’re taking care of them & hope you’ll be back in good form soon.
PS: this getting old is bullshit. Just my 2 centavos
So sorry to hear this! Get well soon.
Thanks, everyone, and my sympathies to all my fellow lower-back-pain comrades! I’m feeling a lot better now, and did enjoy a lovely delayed Friendsgiving.
I’ll definitely look into the lower back exercises, because I’ve had a couple of bouts with this already (this was the worst) and I definitely want to avoid future flareups if at all possible.
That grabber sounds good, and will probably come in handy for playing with the kitties as well.
Have a good recovery, David. If they said that it is not a sciatic, then it is kind of silver lining.
I have the BMA “Bad Back Book”, which is full of exercises and advice:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1409335038
Since it’s from the British Medical Association, it’s unlikely to contain exercises which are actively harmful. So if you can’t get to a qualified trainer, this is an option.
I’m so sorry you’re having back pain! Don’t laugh, but I find that having a big extra pillow in bed helps, because I can more easily get into a position that lets my back relax. Feel better soon!
Stuffed animal works too, or extra-supersized placid cat.
Glad you’re on the mend, David.
Glad you’re feeling better, David!
I’ve had back pain for a fair few years now. I should do some exercises and I think I’ll make that my resolution this year. Otherwise, I use cannabis.
We have MILbeast at home with us now under hospice care and feeding her in the daytime means I twist my back painfully no matter what I do to mitigate it. I’m up at 5am right now because Husbeast is away this week for work and I’m anxious even though I have extra help in the daytime through hospice.
Be well, David! It’s especially treacherous where I am right now. Huge snowfall then big melt. Sidewalks are nasty.
So sorry to hear about your back. I get this occasionally myself (the muscular kind).
[Warning: advice from rando internet guy]
During the absolute worst bout I have had, I did not want to cancel tsking my daughter to the renn fair, so I figured a walking stick wouldn’t look out of place, so I brought one and hobbled around the best I could. The next day, no more pain. Ever since then, I have used long walks with a walking stick to remedy back pain, to great effect. This might only work if one is straining the exact same muscle tend to.