My back is giving me fits again. I do have some bulging disks but I think most of my problem is muscles in my lower back. a year ago i fell down some concrete steps. put a permanent dent in my lower leg. had my arms full so as my legs folded, i bent over to let go of all i was carrying and my chest went down on my thighs. bent too much and fractured a vertebrae (the front). tore my lower back muscles.
well i had to pull grass out of my rock garden. did it over a two week period. I thought i did fairly well. Now the left side of my lower back is really bad. I rub Aspercreme on it and that does help a bit.
any other ideas??

I would try an anti-inflammatory like Advil, or Aleve - usually you get some relief from those - if not see your Doctor perhaps you need a prescription for something stronger.

I have a number of falls over the yrs. & have back issues. My lower back seems to benefit from pulling weeds, etc. as the bending over or stooping strenghtens the lower back muscles as well as pulling the vertebre apart. My only problem is that I don't know when to quit & end up doing too much at one time.

Aleve is the only thing that works on my back pain. I think it is because it has an anti-inflammatory in it.

Where I'm headed in a few minutes - the chiropractor. I couldn't function without mine. Look for one who is also a kinesiologist so he/she can balance the muscles. I also have a prescription for physical therapy, but haven't started and I may not. Walking, exercise, an anti inflammatory med(mine is Cataflam), laying frontwards on the exercise ball to stretch out the lower spine, back supports, chair pads that tilt forward, etc. It all helps.

I used to have a muscle relaxer but i'm out and i threw out my pain pills. they constipate too easily. one pill!! so no more. i bend over and if i stay that way more than two or three seconds, i have great trouble straightening up again. sigh. getting old is such fun.
Oh i used to go to a chiropractor for years. loved him. he quit working on my neck and would only do stretching for my back on a table that moved in sections. but i got on Medicare and that was that.
Also don't take too many Aleve. bad for your liver!! make sure your Doctor knows you are taking it. FYI.

I go to Curves 3-4 mornings a week. It helps keep me limber and I usually have a good laugh or two. I also have to remember my weight limit for lifting. My back is always sore after being with the grand kids. My suggestion would be to do some back stretches every day. They do help if you do them on a regular basis.

I really have a bad back, I have had five surgeries. I am in consatance pain if I stand over 10 min. I had a nerve stimulator put in in but it don't help much. I can't find any Dr. to tell me what is causing the pain, they don't know. They tell me they can't find what is causing the pain

3 compressed disc and bulging nerves but thats not stopping me.......

And all of that from falling off of a 6' ladder and landing on my butt. The doctor told me if I had the surgery there was a 60% chance of being paralyzed, and if I didnt then I would be in a wheel chair before I am 50. Needless to say I didnt go the surgery route and even though I can tell arthritis is starting to settle in, I am not slowing down any.

I have a bucket list made and I am in the process of knocking them out right now. In September I am riding the Natchez Trace Parkway from start to finish on my bicycle (444 miles) then next April I am going to ride my bicycle coast to coast. The following year I am going to hike the Appalachian Trail from start to finish.

Billy

I know, Doctors can be most frustrating. they don't answer simple questions. will it heal, how long will it take?, etc. I know nothing.
I fell on my basement stairs and flew up in the air and landed on the edge of a stair on my back above my tailbone. thought i broke my back, it was so loud. seemly I didn't. lucky. i did break my tailbone 30 yrs ago. just had contusion this time. it hurt bad but did get better.
I do feel better as the day goes on. i sleep in between two body pillows and that helps. otherwise i couldn't walk when i get out of bed. This really does put a dent in my quilting. house cleaning too of course!!!

Oh boy...back pain causes more missed work then anything! I have also suffered for years. Mine started in my early twenties after a whip lash. Then over the years things got worse. In my late 30's I was attacked by a patient which resulted in permanent back damage. I have several herniated discs, kyphosis, scoliosis and degerative disc disease to name a few problems. I take muscle relaxers and low dose pain meds. As long as I don't overdo it I can handle it, but I have always been very active. Old habits die hard but I am better about pacing myself now.
I find massage to be invaluable when I over do it and am in pain. Fortunately my DH is always willing to stop whatever he is doing and work on my back muscles.
I hope you find some relief soon. Living in pain is the pits!

:-(