Posted 1/17/2014 5:25 PM (GMT 0)
I have a bad back now, not IBS related but from lifting heavy items unwisely years ago. Meaning, I locked my knees and bent forward, and picked up a heavy item (ie, cases of water on my former food service job). Now I bend my knees and go down to pick up items, all the time, even if I've dropped a piece of paper? Yes, I bend my knees and keep my back straight as I go down. I have use an excellent topical cream you find at health food stores - Topricin - pricey but it's a great analgesic, unscented too. I highly recommend it. I also recommend ice not heat for the first 48 hours you pull a muscle. Ice will reduce internal swelling and irritation to ligaments, you can use heat later but ice really does work, trust me on this. I read a tip somewhere that you can take a round plastic drinking cup and fill it an inch or two on the sides, freeze it, pop out the round disc of ice, wrap it in a thin dish towel, slightly wet the dish towel over the ice and then sit on a hard chair. Put this dish towel/ice disc where the pain is, and massage the area in circles with the ice disc. Caution, the ice will begin to melt, so I take a bath towel and put it near my waist to catch the drips. But this works too. We have a gel filled freezer/ice bag and it works, somewhat but I like the round disc of ice. A bag of frozen peas or corn works well too.
One more tip, this is an excellent exercise that helps my back immensely, even if I tweak it and it's painful for a day or two - lie flat on the floor, bring both knees up with your foot flat on the floor. Take one leg with both hands over the knee and lift this leg all the way up to your chest if you can, imagine hugging your chest, hold for 5 seconds and release. Do the other leg. Try to do 10 per leg. This exercise that I'm told is a yoga position/exercise seems to relieve immediate discomfort.
I hope you feel better. I know how this feels - it's awful!