Nwr: back pain

I am so glad I'm on right now. I have a ton of experience in back spasms. Physical therapy is your long term solution. It sucks, and it requires exercise, which I, for one, detest. When you have back pain, it's a necessary evil. Also. go to a specialist. I went to a pain management specialist. Get an MRI and Xrays so you can tell if it's muscular or skeletal. Short term solution is facet injections, which I receive every 3 months. The PT works much better. I have been nearly spasm free for 3 months. I've been suffering for years. Don't be an idiot like me. Just some friendly advice.

Definitely see a specialist. In the mean time try stretching and maybe some Tiger Balm- it's practically magic.

Shamaybecakes...I love tiger balm for overall muscle aches, but sadly it does nothing for spasms. You have to strengthen your core in order to get rid of the spasms. That and good drugs, sadly are the only ways to combat them. They are evil and excruciating.

I abhor doctors. I have chronic bursitis and major problems with muscle tension. Quite often my shoulders will feel like all the muscle has turned to bone, it's so rock solid. And I regularly experience excruciating headaches when my neck muscle tense to the point of pinching my greater occipital nerve. I have done pt for months on end with no improvement (just lots of extra pain). I know steroid injections would help the bursitis but no one has been able to tell me if the two issues are connected so there's no guarantee the extreme tension would go away and once you start the injections you can never stop. Right now I just deal with the pain but the stress on my body from said pain has caused 4 miscarriages and pseudo-seizures. I don't know what to do about it. I've tried different herbal remedies (and no I don't mean mj) as well as everything doctors have shoved at me because "it couldn't hurt", trust me plenty of it did. Massage therapy helps but only if I can do it 2-3 times a week and good luck convincing an insurance company that is necessary.

My Mom has a myriad of ortho problems: bad sacroiliac joints, hip arthritis, frayed hip cartiledge (left), sciatic nerve (right hip), compressed disc in lumbar region, which pinches a nerve that runs down to her left foot (drop foot). It's been going on for almost 4 years. She's seen 3 orthopaedists, at 2 practices, a pain specialist and a hip surgery specialist, along with one PT and 2 chiropractors (different offices). Drs. have talked about back and hip surgery. She's tried PT and 3 of those spinal pain injections.

Now she survive on 5% lidicaine patches ( a lot cheaper through a Canadian pharmacy), Aleve, and a Rx muscle relaxer (Metaxalone 800 mg - half a pill at a time, up to 6 halfs a day). The first muscle relaxer she tried didn't help as much and made her nauseous, but was cheaper. She uses ice, when she can stand it, and a sometimes a heating pad, too.

She tries to exercise, when she can, and goes to a chiropractor. For the past month, it's been her S/I joints acting up; she has muscle spasms between her mid-thigh and waist, with acompanying nerve pain. Her chiropractor has said massage (not deep tissue) would help, but it wouldn't be covered by insurance.

Good luck!

Have you tried yoga? I have a rotated disk and yoga helps me. The breathing and stretching really relieved my sharp shooting pains.