Help...back went out...what do you use?

Heating pads, ice packs, Tylonel and if it still hurts you need to see a doctor and maybe get some muscle relaxers.

First ice, 20 minutes on, 20 off.

Heating pad later if you prefer but ice initially is the best.

Ibuprophen for pain.

I have found an excellent topical cream, called Topricin. You purchase it at health food stores, it's an analgesic, white cream, non greasy, no odor. It doesn't quite numb the area but boy oh boy does it help my touchy back (from lifting things incorrectly, I know better now). This cream comes in 2 oz tubes (around $16 but worth it, IMHO), 4 oz jars and 8 oz pump bottles. I would recommend the smallest size to see if you like it. I have recommended this cream so many times by now, and have only had one person tell me it didn't help them. I first read about the cream in an article, a mom in her 30s was facing major back surgery. She had tried everything, had young children, couldn't play with them, was unable to do anything other than rest her back. Then she tried Topricin. She claimed it gave her a normal life again and she didn't need surgery. I think it works very well (similar to how Ben Gay would work, but w/o the heat).

I hope you feel better. I know how this feels when your back goes out. Even the simplest thing such as fluffing your pillow is extremely painful!

Well I am not a UC'er, so sorry, you probably shouldn't then. As someone else pointed out, stick with Tylenol.

Visit the Topricin website (.com), click on ingredients, to be certain you can use it. I hope you can. It works.

I pulled my back out once too and it is a miserable experience. I went to the ER for mine because I couldn't straighten up and I was in tears from the pain. They told me to alternate with ice and heat, lie down straight and take muscle relaxers to help them release. They did not give me anything for the pain because the muscle relaxers (yes valium can help ease muscle strain/spasms) will help alleviate the pain. I took Tylonel though to take off the edge. Within a week I was up and moving around again. Hang in there, trust me......I know how you feel! lol

One more comment, be wary of Chiropractors. A friend I knew worked for one so I went to him. Had a handful of visits. He did take an x-ray to make sure I didn't have a slipped disc, etc. I didn't, thankfully. He also would only accept my insurance plan's co-pay ($30), he billed my insurance but surprise to no one, they refused to cover the billed amount, after I paid the co-pay. Long story short, he never really helped me. Each time I'd come to him, he say I distorted my back or it was out of allignment, just by looking at the way I was walking or sitting. He would ask - what are you doing? I thought - nothing! Besides doing laundry, light household chores, driving a car. Looking back I think he was trying to get me to commit to regular weekly "adjustment" appts. Of which I never really noticed the instant change he was referring to.

Later I googled Chiropractors and read so many complaints, about adjustments gone wrong. I never went back.

Of course this is just my experience, I do hear people swear by Chiropractors. I'm just not one of them.

In the end I was very skeptical of the treatments he was giving me. I'm glad I quit going and now just lift everything carefully and hold my back a completely different way than I used to. Like my wacky colon, I've adjusted to nagging back pain in my own way.

Marsky said...
One more comment, be wary of Chiropractors. A friend I knew worked for one so I went to him. Had a handful of visits. He did take an x-ray to make sure I didn't have a slipped disc, etc. I didn't, thankfully. He also would only accept my insurance plan's co-pay ($30), he billed my insurance but surprise to no one, they refused to cover the billed amount, after I paid the co-pay. Long story short, he never really helped me. Each time I'd come to him, he say I distorted my back or it was out of allignment, just by looking at the way I was walking or sitting. He would ask - what are you doing? I thought - nothing! Besides doing laundry, light household chores, driving a car. Looking back I think he was trying to get me to commit to regular weekly "adjustment" appts. Of which I never really noticed the instant change he was referring to.

Later I googled Chiropractors and read so many complaints, about adjustments gone wrong. I never went back.

Of course this is just my experience, I do hear people swear by Chiropractors. I'm just not one of them.

In the end I was very skeptical of the treatments he was giving me. I'm glad I quit going and now just lift everything carefully and hold my back a completely different way than I used to. Like my wacky colon, I've adjusted to nagging back pain in my own way.

You don't determine a slipped disc by x-ray, so I would have found another doc right there. Everything I have ever billed has been payed. As far as adjustments gone wrong, you may be shocked to know what our malpractice insurance is compared to others. I am wary of just about every profession and some businesses though, so it's understandable. I just go elsewhere till I find people I trust.

Icy hot is lovely for muscle aches. Also lush makes a massage oil bar called wiccy magic...I used it for pred cramps and it was freakin awesome.