A word of warning - do not try this at home.

[JDog]

This is a heads up to the PW massive. Do not go to bed ever again if you value your health and well being.

 

Almost two weeks ago I attempted the potentially dangerous pursuit of getting into bed when my back cricked and a muscle went into spasm. The spasm refuses to let go and I have to walk bent over double when attempting to take the dogs out and have been in some pain ever since. As there is no blood nor anything obviously broken my other half has no sympathy. The dogs have also joined in the refrain of....'what a wimp'. Jasper the new Sprocker puppy thinks that my lounging around either in bed or on the sofa all day is perfectly normal.

 

The only consolation I can think of is that there are very few pigeons locally so I am not even tempted.

[The Mighty Prawn]

Feel for you JDog, I put my shoulder out a few years ago and couldn't even open door handles with my right hand - unless something's hanging off you get no sympathy from people and lots of useless suggestions like have you tried sleeping on the floor...

 

So have you tried sleeping on the floor?

[Nikk]

You have my sympathy. I pull the same muscle in my neck at least once a year and it can be incredibly painful. The worst is I get a half pulled muscle and I have to suffer the inevitable wait for when it properly goes which can take up to a day.

[welsh1]

Jdog,some advice from someone who has had a few major back spasms over the years,the first one was when I was in the army and I thought I had a heart attack,it knocked me to my knees in front of my mates in a workshop,all I had done was reach out with my rifle and attempted to place it on a bench.

I was rushed to the doctor who was going to give me muscle relaxants,but on hearing it was the cpls mess Christmas do offered an alternative cure.

 

This cure is not to be entered into lightly as it is not pleasant.

 

Alcohol,that's right alcohol and lots of it,as the doc explained a lot of alcohol will act as a muscle relaxant and your back will come out of spasm.

I did as the doc told me,12 Guinness and half a bottle of brandy,the next morning I woke with the mother of all hangovers,but my back was good to go.

 

I have had the spasms a few other times,one doctor prescribed diazepam all that did was make me sleepy and it took a couple of days to work,the rest I used my friend alcohol,works every time.

 

So in the interests of your health and well being go out and get totally wrecked,it will work,but have aspirin on standby for the next morning.

[Elby]

Tramadol is your friend

[Thunderbird]

You haven't slipped a disc have you? I did in the summer of 2012 and was literally immobile for a week or so.

 

I discovered two things that week. One, that morphine makes you constipated.

 

Two, that as I couldn't move, I was very grateful for that fact.

[activeviii]

Tramadol is not your friend, trust me on that. 13 years suffering tells me that.

 

osteopath and alcohol. one helps to realign, the other helps relax. just dont long term as they are both rather expensive.

[fenboy]

Jdog,some advice from someone who has had a few major back spasms over the years,the first one was when I was in the army and I thought I had a heart attack,it knocked me to my knees in front of my mates in a workshop,all I had done was reach out with my rifle and attempted to place it on a bench.

I was rushed to the doctor who was going to give me muscle relaxants,but on hearing it was the cpls mess Christmas do offered an alternative cure.

 

This cure is not to be entered into lightly as it is not pleasant.

 

Alcohol,that's right alcohol and lots of it,as the doc explained a lot of alcohol will act as a muscle relaxant and your back will come out of spasm.

I did as the doc told me,12 Guinness and half a bottle of brandy,the next morning I woke with the mother of all hangovers,but my back was good to go.

 

I have had the spasms a few other times,one doctor prescribed diazepam all that did was make me sleepy and it took a couple of days to work,the rest I used my friend alcohol,works every time.

 

So in the interests of your health and well being go out and get totally wrecked,it will work,but have aspirin on standby for the next morning.

Now this is a cure that must be worth a try

[Kes]

There may be a cure but you should do this slowly and stop immediately you feel it may be making it worse.

Lie on a Hard surface and reach with your Left arm over your Right shoulder whilst reaching with you right leg over your left leg - just like trying to move in opposite directions. Repeat but with right arm over left shoulder and left leg etc. Do it with the intention of reaching to touch an invisible object a foot from your hand and to kick an invisible object with your opposite foot at the same time. Strech first, do it slowly then if it feels ok a bit more strongly and so on. A physio who was also a doctor taught me this and it has saved my bacon half a dozen times - do be slow and do be careful initially.

 

Cheers

[TIGHTCHOKE]

Stretching is GOOD!

[Googleplex]

^{Here's another one I have suffered from spinal problems for around 10 years and I now have to use a wheelchair for most of my mobility.}

^{So try this to alleviate pain it works for me when the morphine isn't enough. Lay on your back doesn't matter where bed, floor whatever.}

^{and put the soles of your feet together and let your knees fall apart from each other this is painful at firs but it will help you to relax and stretch your lower back muscles.}

^{Believe me this does work but it can take time so don't give up. and try not to reach for too many painkillers if you can help it. Painkillers hep relieve pain but can cause severe constipation which can}

^{seem to be back pain and so it goes on. If you can borrow a Tens machine or even buy one these can be great in relaxation and relief from pain and not just in the back.}

^{Anyway good luck with whatever you do.}

^ATB