Uh oh! Ive just been out on the front digging the way out for my car when something went in my back, my legs almost gave way and I could not move. There was an intense pain in my back and I couldnt stand up straight. I managed to make my way back indoors slowly and can lift my legs ok but cannot bend over whatsoever. Its hurts right at the bottom. Has anyone had anything like this before? Ive taken Paracetamol &Ibuprofen but nothings kicked in yet. Am hoping its just muscle spasm but even sat down its really hurting!

I get this regularly. It is really painful. I take Paracetamol daily, and Ibuprofen if it starts hurting more, as it is at the moment with this weather. If it is just a muscle spasm, or minor injury it should heal in a few days. MIne can take me 10 days or more sometimes. :-( Be careful how you move, but do keep moving, it will heal quicker. Slow and steady for the next couple of days.

I get this as well, try to keep it moveing very carefully. Keep your back warm, sitting with a hot water bottle behind you helps.
The doctor told me that this sort of injury happens more often when the muscles are cold.

My backs almost always exposed thanks to the shelf I have aka my butt! Makes sense really!

Thats no good! get a long vest. Showing my age now!
you can get stick heat pads from boots, they are expensive but very good. I sometimes put them on for dog training.

:-D My mum and dad are always telling me off formy back being out!

I'd get a GP or physio to have a look at it, it could be disc related.  You might find it eases if you lay on your front propped up on your elbows, try and go from laying flat to up on your elbows 10 times, every 2 hours or so.  If the pain goes down your legs then stop.  It's important to keep moving but try to avoid bending forwards.  Heat should help any muscle spasm (i.e. wheat bag, hot water bottle, warm shower etc etc).

Thanks. My boyfriend massaged my back which helped a little. The pain does got into my buttocks though which is painful too. And my shoulder has started aching now!

Someone take me to the vet and put me down!

You can get heat pads from semichem, 2 for £1.99. They are just as good as the boots ones.

If you cant find a vet willing to see you I think you should go to the doctor !

i get this too and the cyropractor said it was my left illiac joint in my pelvis but the pain is at the base of my spine in the disc region. i do mine in if i bend forward and im not careful enough. it takes me 6 days to be able to move again and strong pain killers but its still agony

I would suggest cold (frozen peas wrapped in a tea towel!) compress but everyone else is telling you hot! :) 
Inflamation needs to be cooled down.

Im wondering if its related to the cold? Ive got an electric blanket coming from my parents house as we speak. Am on Paracetamol and Ibuprofen washed down with a glass of wine. (ive already had a lecture from my mum about drinking on paracetamol!)

definatley ice compress for inflammation, rest but not in bed and support back with cushion. Ibuprofen and see chiro if no better after four to five days.

For the last 18 mths, every now & again I've had a horrible stabbing/shooting pain in my left leg which runs from hip to knee.. it's like someone jabbing you with a knife in the hip & thigh... lasts for 2-3 weeks then goes. This last time it was worse than ever, waking me up at 5am with the pain, nothing I could do re position would help.... and even with painkillers it took several hours to settle. Doc told me is it Sciatica and just gave me more painkillers. Luckily the last bout has now gone, but it does recur and have been advised I might need some more investigation if it keeps coming back. Apparently that could be to do with my back although I don't have back pain at all.

To those of you that have mentioned ice pack on this type of injury - I can only say I would never do it on my back. On a leg or arm perhaps, but not my back. When you put ice on something you instinctively tense, the last thing this type of pain needs, it just causes more pain. Believe me, the last thing you want to do is tighten your muscles, you need to relax them, which is why my own doctor has told me to use heat. I have naproxen for when it is really bad, but this is a prescription drug and you would need to see a doctor. I also have a tens machine which is great, if used correctly. Again, my doctor was very pleased to hear I had one and was using it. If the pain happens again or goes on for a long time then do seek medical help.

I second the advice about using a tens machine. I had such a violent cough I hurt my back & got a lot of relief from my machine. Feels weird at first but worth it.

Yes yes George pig gives good advice plus people I visit an osteopath regulalrly its an ice pack not a hot pack for a pull it reduces any inflamation.

LindyLou's experierience appears to be different to Osteopaths. ;) :)
Osteopaths can help with trapped sciatic nerves too MsTemeraire :)

My OH gets a nerve trapped Ive got a neck problem propably my age and believe or not where the shower is in the flat, whilst bent over the bath I have to reach up to the right and I keep getting stuck!!! Hence a lot f thinking as to where the shower is in the new house. But I understand that any pull or starin causese the muscle to become inflamed and that needs ice not heat. Heat is ok for rhumatism ect....
Our Dr, fills us with painkillers and lets nature take its course, the osteopth gets us moving a lot quicker.

Got it in one! :) :)

> I've had a horrible stabbing/shooting pain in my left leg which runs from hip to knee.. it's like someone jabbing you with a knife in the hip & thigh... lasts for 2-3 weeks then goes.

Poor you, it hurts doesn't it.  i have this for 9-10 month at a time, with a little repreive at the moment (finally a little sleep and manageable pain).  it is trapped nerve at the bottome of the spine.  i'm sure sneezing has shifted mine at the minute, lol.  If you lean one way when sytting you might get some relief for a little while.  Pain killer hardly touch it but a bath can help whilst you're in it.

> Apparently that could be to do with my back although I don't have back pain at all.

No, pain down the leg doesn't pain in the back.  When i have one, i don't have the other.

A visit to the doc will tell which type of pain it actually is, and the correct treatment. MIne is caused by bodily parts being moved about during pregnancy, so there's a weakness in all my muscles, ligaments, etc. I just have to move wrongly at the wrong time (picking a tissue up off the floor for instance) and my back goes into spams, very painful. I also have the problem of pulling the muscles regularly simply because of the incorrect placement of said muscles. I still wouldn't put an ice pack on it for fear of causing more pain because of the muscles contracting, but as you said, this could very well be a different type of causal effect.

your shoulder is aching because you are not holding yourself properly because of the pain.

My back can go very easily but when it does I can bend over quite easily, in fact that eases it no end. Pity I can't walk round like a chimp. Its when I straighten my spine that I suffer the most pain. I can't lie on my back or on my stomach. I wonder if this is disc trouble?

Just to update - my back is much better today! Yeah!!

I can now put my own shoes and socks on!!

Ive found deep heat gel an absolutely god send and really helpful. Loved the warm feeling it left me with. Gave my OH a clear nose too!

> I can now put my own shoes and socks on!!
>
>

Lol, you forgot putting on your own pants.

Glad its feeling better.  There's nothing worse.  Your stuck doing stuff yet you're not ill.  so frustrating lol.

Lol, you forgot putting on your own pants.
That's exactly why my daughter became an Osteopath!
When she was about 12 years old I hurt my back and spent 3 days in bed, thankfully mostly over the weekend as I was self employed - no work, no money! 
On the 3rd day I managed to get to my GP with great difficulty and she said I could either pay £20 (it WAS 20 years ago!) and the local Osteopath could sort me out straight away, or I could take pain killers and not work for up to a month.  I didn't have £20 spare and so went home with my pain killers.  When daughter came home from school, she said "I've got that in my Building Society Account from my birthday money.  I'll pay."  I reluctantly agreed, thinking that if I could work I could pay.
I crawled in to see the Osteo, bent over like a monkey and came out 30 minutes later looking like a human and pain free!  My daughter dutifully paid from her purse and the receptionist said, "Are you paying for your Mother's treatment?"  the reply "Yes, I'm fed up with pulling her knickers up!"
And that was the day that she decided what she wanted to do when she grew up - Cure The World!  And that's what she's been doing for the past 10 years with miraculous results. :) :)

Brilliant.

What a lovely daughter and a great story good luck to her. I found some great tablets for my hurt ribs from doctors.  Trouble was monday morning I woke up with the room spinning round so hard I had to hold on to th ebed. Yep side effects from the tablets !

I havent told my OH my back's better yet just so he can continue to pull my pants up for me ;-)

I've found that doctors don't have a clue.  Last year when I could hardly walk I saw three different doctors in the surgery they didn't have a clue or seem bothered.  Physio thought it was something neurological but again the GP's didn't seem bothered.  I was in severe pain for 18 months, have put on nearly 2 stone in that time due to lack of movement as my eating habits did not change.

The only thing that helped my lower back pain that I've had for years before that was buying a van where I'm sat higher up, seating is more upright and I don't have half the problems that I used to.  Use my mum's car and the pain comes back straight away.

If you have a back problem that is persistant and it undiagnosed then ask to be refered to Neuro Surgeon and see what they think. To make a proper diagnosis if it is spine related then and MRI scan will normally show up what the problem is.

I have regular MRI scans to monitor my back problem and it is always a comfort to know that the condition is been kept under control by the treatment I have which means I am able function without taking very strong painkillers.

http://www.spinal-care.co.uk/patientinformation/rhizolysis.php

This proceedure is an absolute miracle as without having this done I wouldn't be unable to function or work due to the chronic nature of my back condition.