Seem to have buggered my back - any advice please?

[Ray Luxury-Yacht]

Yesterday I attempted to lift one of those 20 litre bottles of mineral water off the floor to put in the water cooler.

Yep I know, I didn't squat at the knees, I bent over and tried to lift it as I have a million times before

Anyway I didn't even get it off the ground when an immediate, severe shooting pain appeared in my lower back. It really did hurt a lot and I couldn't really stand or walk.

It's a bit better today after rest and ibuprofen, but i'm still in pain and can't move around much. Luckily when I lie flat on my bed it doesn't really hurt too much.

So i've obviously pulled something, was wondering if anyone knew what i've done, and most of all the best way to treat it. Should I go to the doctors or hospital or is there no point? I've a feeling i'll be told to just rest it and take ibuprofen!

I'm 36 by the way if that makes any difference.

Cheers all

[Sciroccology]

Just rest it and take Ibuprofen.

[Swilly]

Ray Luxury-Yacht said:

Yesterday I attempted to lift one of those 20 litre bottles of mineral water off the floor to put in the water cooler.

Yep I know, I didn't squat at the knees, I bent over and tried to lift it as I have a million times before

Anyway I didn't even get it off the ground when an immediate, severe shooting pain appeared in my lower back. It really did hurt a lot and I couldn't really stand or walk.

It's a bit better today after rest and ibuprofen, but i'm still in pain and can't move around much. Luckily when I lie flat on my bed it doesn't really hurt too much.

So i've obviously pulled something, was wondering if anyone knew what i've done, and most of all the best way to treat it. Should I go to the doctors or hospital or is there no point? I've a feeling i'll be told to just rest it and take ibuprofen!

I'm 36 by the way if that makes any difference.

Cheers all

Yes, you have been a tt.
Best way to treat it is via the Doctor... if only to be made to feel even more of a tt.

36 !! Yes it makes all the difference. It means you should know better.

Did you do this at work ?

[The_Doc]

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

is the answer isn't in here, then it ain't on PH.

Will

[EK993]

Ibuprofen is definitely going to be a big help.

If its still bad tomorrow get yourself down to an osteopath. Forget going to the GP, it will be a complete waste of your time.

[N1CK]

I've always had a dodgey back, the best they will do is give you ibruprofen and paracetamol.

If its a muscle injury get some deep heat and wash your hands after

[off_again]

Do you get shooting pains down the back of your legs?

Are you getting anything else?

Back pain is massively common and I have just got over an episode of Sciatica which as a nightmare (this is the shooting pain down the legs one). The reason why I mention it was I was virtually invalided over this, and kept resting. Unfortunately this is the WRONG thing to do. Basically, its not nice, but keep moving and getting some simple exercise like walking. It eases the problem massively and rest only temporarily relieves the pain, it comes back again.

Oh and Ibuprofen - its a pain killer but also anti-inflamitory too.

Of course, DONT take the recommendations of some random bloke off the internet. If its bad, get to a doctors. If you can't be arsed then call NHS direct. At least that way you can talk to someone who can recommend some real things to do. But if it is Sciatica then dont rest....

[Shar2]

Well you seem to have answered your own question really, twit . Although I'd go to the doctors and get it checked out, oh and get some co-didromol and some tamazapan, they'll relax the muscles properly.

[JakeR]

chiropracter. In my humble opinion, better than an osteopath.

going to docs for pain killers may not actually solve the problem, but mask the symptoms...

hope you feel better soon!

[mechsympathy]

JakeR said:

going to docs for pain killers may not actually solve the problem, but mask the symptoms...

Or they'll reduce the pain, allowing you to get moving and preventing the problem getting any worse. It's just a bit of back pain*, and the longer you stay still the stiffer you'll get.



*I appreciate it feels like more than that at the moment, but that's really all it is

[Ray Luxury-Yacht]

I did do this at work yes, so I think i'm gonna sue the owner. Oh hang on, that's me...doh!

There's no pain, shooting or otherwise down my legs, plus a friend has sciatica so i'm pretty sure it's not that.

I know I was a div for not lifting correctly, but there you are, it's happened now.

It's looking like rest and drugs then and i'll see what i'm like tomorrow. If it doesn't get better then doctors I guess.

[Sciroccology]

Sleep on the floor tonight.

[mechsympathy]

Ray Luxury-Yacht said:

It's looking like rest

Keep active.

[Ray Luxury-Yacht]

mechsympathy said:

Ray Luxury-Yacht said:

It's looking like rest

Keep active.

You think? Worth trying a walk now?

[mechsympathy]

Ray Luxury-Yacht said:

You think? Worth trying a walk now?

Yep, don't go mad but take a turn or two of the block (and some painkillers) and see how you go

[big_treacle]

I did almost exactly the same thing lifting a large bucket of beer ( BEEEEER ) about 2 months ago.
I was crippled for an evening. Quite painful for a day or 2. I had to take a couple of days off as driving would've been painful. Probably a week before I could walk without a limp. And gradually improved til it was back to normal after about a month. My cure:
- ibuprofen
- diclophenac (that I had prescribed after an accident a while back) for a couple of days
- can of deep heat
- application of heat via a wheaty bag (like a hot water bottle but without the water)
- not staying still too long - i.e if you sit down, only for 1/2 hour at the most.
- try and move around as much as possible

Now I'm very careful about all lifting!!!

[JakeR]

Ray, if you've put something out of alignment, I would suggest you get a pro to shove it back into place.

as it were.

[Ray Luxury-Yacht]

mechsympathy said:

Ray Luxury-Yacht said:

You think? Worth trying a walk now?

Yep, don't go mad but take a turn or two of the block (and some painkillers) and see how you go

Thanks bud. Just got off the phone to NHS direct and they reckon ibuprofen, paracetamol and rest interspersed with movement. So I think i'm off round the block then and i'll do that every so often.

[mechsympathy]

Ray Luxury-Yacht said:

Thanks bud. Just got off the phone to NHS direct and they reckon ibuprofen, paracetamol and rest interspersed with movement. So I think i'm off round the block then and i'll do that every so often.

And use heat (but don't burn yourself) regularly too and hopefully you won't need me or my ilk to lay a hand on you

[Mattygooner]

Swilly said:

Ray Luxury-Yacht said:

Yesterday I attempted to lift one of those 20 litre bottles of mineral water off the floor to put in the water cooler.

Yep I know, I didn't squat at the knees, I bent over and tried to lift it as I have a million times before

Anyway I didn't even get it off the ground when an immediate, severe shooting pain appeared in my lower back. It really did hurt a lot and I couldn't really stand or walk.

It's a bit better today after rest and ibuprofen, but i'm still in pain and can't move around much. Luckily when I lie flat on my bed it doesn't really hurt too much.

So i've obviously pulled something, was wondering if anyone knew what i've done, and most of all the best way to treat it. Should I go to the doctors or hospital or is there no point? I've a feeling i'll be told to just rest it and take ibuprofen!

I'm 36 by the way if that makes any difference.

Cheers all

Yes, you have been a tt.
Best way to treat it is via the Doctor... if only to be made to feel even more of a tt.

36 !! Yes it makes all the difference. It means you should know better.

Did you do this at work ?

Sympathetic old soul aren't you!
But yes he is right, you silly sod.