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Online now: 2 members: L.L., TABLE SETTER 11; 56 anonymousDiscussion: Lower Back Pain Home Remedies
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| May 30, 2013 stick8 1991 posts | Lower Back Pain Home Remedies For some unknown reason last weekend in Reno my lower back went out and I could not play. My trip was relegated to watching my team (OKI) play in the 50 major plus. My teammates told me to see a chiropractor (L4-L5 was their diagnosis--whatever that means) and I most certainly plan on it. The pain seems to be concentrated on my lower left side right at the belt line--I think it's a muscle but I could be mistaken. In the morning it feels quite stiff but as the day goes on it loosens up and feels better. I'm getting overly anxious to get back on the field but don't want to do it prematurely--risking serious injury. Before I visit a chiropractor does anyone know of any home remedies or over the counter items that can be used to relieve this? SOS--I'm anxious to get back on the field!! |
| May 30, 2013 taits Men's 65 4548 posts | I can relate. Those are the lower back vertebra disc. before they become fused disc near your rear end. I've got 2,3,4, & 5 messed up. Only 5 disc for this region. The lumbar region has the nerves for your leg muscles. Only 'home' remedy I know of is a hot shower on the area. Maybe the icy hot types would work but haven't tried them. Hard to reach the areas Tqke care. |
| May 30, 2013 BudLeftField 86 posts | I have found that Bio-freeze gel helps ease the pain. I would suggest wearing a back support when taking batting practice. If the pain persists, you might even open your stance a bit to take some strain off the back. Ibuprofin is good. I always carry some in my bag. Good luck. |
| May 30, 2013 warren60 Men's 65 49 posts | Hey Stick, Sorry to hear you are hurting. If it is muscles, I find the best is Wintercrest. We found this at the Huntsmen a few years ago and many of us on Bench Pub use it. You can get it online. |
| May 30, 2013 BruceinGa Men's 70 3233 posts | I've had the same problem for the past 20 years, even had surgery to remove the pieces from the ruptured disc. I've been taking anti-inflammatory Naproxin on a daily basis. In the past 3 or 4 weeks I've had the same pain as you are experiencing. I've taken an additional two Aleve (same as Naproxin but only half strength of the Naproxin). I've also worn a back brace when working outside and the extra heat really helps. I have relied on a Chiropractor for years but haven't gone to one in the past 5 years. Good luck with it! |
| May 30, 2013 4x4 Men's 65 601 posts | http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T5llxCSBVqo This helped me immensely..... |
| May 31, 2013 mad dog Men's 65 4191 posts | anyone try the inversion machine....have a buddy here who uses one and likes the results for his back...... |
| May 31, 2013 taits Men's 65 4548 posts | 4x4, Pete, there are some really good videos in that link. Good post. |
| May 31, 2013 canIjack Men's 60 322 posts | I have purchased an Inversion machine(Stand)about year now,My stand holds 250lb., so it was strong enough to hold me,I did have my thoughts about hanging upside down and hanging by my feet, getting into and out of the hanging position. But it was a pice of cake. Man it the best. I strained my lower back 7 years ago. My back would go out every 3 to 4 months. I would wear a back brace to work and even sleep in one to line me back up. But now anytime that my lower back stars to stiffen up, I get locked in and lay back and invert at about 75 degrees some times 90 degrees for 4-5, 30 sec. intervals or until I hear and feel a few joints pop and loosen up. And in 1 session my lower back is loose and pain free. It is the best piece of equipment IMO to get instant relief from Pressure on your spine and I have not used heat pads or pain pills for my back in over a year. Do get one if you need to releve pressure on Lower, Middle and upper spine. |
| May 31, 2013 HJ Men's 70 481 posts | Whoa. Surf, don't do anything drastic. Check out this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hjTbU9-ogbU It gives a method to determine if it is the piriformis muscle problem. Since you don't describe sciatica pain, it is probably piriformis. If so, the video suggested by 4 x4, is probably all you need. Be sure to have your neck supported as shown in the video. Most back pain goes away on its own if you continue to move. I would be very conservative as shown in the video before trying drastic stuff like inversion and chiropractic adjustment. Piriformis is often misdiagnosed. After you are better, you may want to continue to do these stretches prophylactically. Don't do them before games or practice but do at least 4 hours before vigorous activity. (Static stretching makes you weaker immediately after but is good if done well before activity when the weakening effect has dissipated.) |
| May 31, 2013 tg69 393 posts | Stick, area you describe may be your upper hip instead of spine.Had that problem myself.There are several stretches that I do that relieves mine. |
| May 31, 2013 titanhd Men's 60 638 posts | Stick, Plane ride caused the issue. I had the same issue a few years back.Pulled Muscles not spine. Sitting in one position for a long period of time caused the muscles to stretch. I could hardly get off the plane. Guess what. You did more damage on the return flight. I went to a Doctor not a Chiro. He gave me muscle relaxers and I used the Hot tub and it got better over a few weeks. Now I always wear a back brace for Flights and long car rides. |
| May 31, 2013 Capt Kirk 541 posts | I have tried hot epsom salt baths, help some. I had steriod shcts in Sac Joints and Lower back, help some. I was not a big fan of Chiro's, but now I am a believer, go once or twice a month for treatment of the lower back and pelvic, and do the exercis he recommends and it works for me. Capt Note: Had a MRI, the results you are old and you have degenerative arthritis, but the Chiro treatments and exercises work for me. |
| May 31, 2013 stick8 1991 posts | Thanks for the responses!! I think being relegated to watching my team play hurt a lot more than my back did!! A client of mine is an orthopedic guy and ironically I did some work for him yesterday. Without examining me he feels it could be a muscle that knotted up or stretched--titanhd you might be right that it was the long plane ride--and the stretching can cause it to move, then in that area it might touch a nerve. He said like a pulled muscle, it'll heal itself in time (it's actually feeling much better this week). He did not recommend a chiropractor, he recommended I take it easy for several days and if it still aches to visit a massage therapist. I did take some swings and fielded some grounders today. I'd say I'm at about 75%. Still some stiffness. |
| May 31, 2013 4x4 Men's 65 601 posts | I had sciatica all the way down the left leg and partially down the right (lifting) when I found those exercises. It'd had it going on for about a month and a half then rehurt it again (slipped on a wet field playing ball) & it got worse - hard to walk - couldn't run. Worked these exercises and within 2 weeks was 75% better. Didn't know what piriformis is/was but did it to relieve the sciatica and it worked..... I keep it bookmarked just in case. |
| July 5, 2013 Silk11 Men's 50 58 posts | Dead Sea Salt from Israel. I had pain so bad in my feet, I could barely walk. Diagnosed with Arthritis in my feet. Starting bathing in Dead Sea Salt, what a difference. Dead Sea Salts contain 21 minerals including magnesium, calcium, sulfur, bromide, iodine, sodium, zinc and potassium. These essential minerals naturally occur in our bodies but must be replenished, as they are lost throughout the day. These minerals are known to treat, detoxify, and cleanse our bodies. Natural Dead Sea Salts for the body and feet are 10 times more concentrated than other Sea salts. It is used treatment of numerous diseases (psoriasis, eczema, seborrhea, hypertension, calluses, acne vulgaris in adolescents, arthritis, and others); to soothe, relieve stress; for the rest of the body, to set the mood and improve efficiency; to improve blood circulation, etc. You can find it on Ebay... Let me know if you have any question... Try it! What do ya have to lose? Silk11 |
| July 5, 2013 Silk11 Men's 50 58 posts | Dead Sea Salt from Israel. I had pain so bad in my feet, I could barely walk. Diagnosed with Arthritis in my feet. Starting bathing in Dead Sea Salt, what a difference. Dead Sea Salts contain 21 minerals including magnesium, calcium, sulfur, bromide, iodine, sodium, zinc and potassium. These essential minerals naturally occur in our bodies but must be replenished, as they are lost throughout the day. These minerals are known to treat, detoxify, and cleanse our bodies. Natural Dead Sea Salts for the body and feet are 10 times more concentrated than other Sea salts. It is used treatment of numerous diseases (psoriasis, eczema, seborrhea, hypertension, calluses, acne vulgaris in adolescents, arthritis, and others); to soothe, relieve stress; for the rest of the body, to set the mood and improve efficiency; to improve blood circulation, etc. You can find it on Ebay... Let me know if you have any question... Try it! What do ya have to lose? Silk11 |
| July 5, 2013 coop3636 514 posts | Stick, I have had back problems on and off for 30 years (including an operation,, which I only missed 30 days of ball..lol) ICE,ICE,ICE at home for 20 mins every couple of hours at first and after games.etc. (even between games if you have a long break, then heat right before the next one) Then icy hot (I use the stick) when you play. Chiropractors have kept me going for all these years, I see him when it flares up real bad. (shouldn't take but 3-5 visits unless you are way out of whack) The anti inflammatory works well, but you have to take it for a few weeks before you can tell the difference. It the hotel has a hot tub, use it before games, if not a HOT-HOT shower. But the biggest thing is ICE ICE ICE, It slows down the blood which causes the inflamation which causes the pain in your hip (its the siatic nerve (mispelled I am sure) I play almost every weekend and a couple of times during the week, but if it starts hurting too much, miss the league games so you can play on the weekends. One last thing, good drugs help you get through the weekend even if it just numbs a little of the pain. Good luck in recovery. Bret Cooper Monarchs 50's ps.. I probably am a little more crazy than others, but I love to play the game. |
| July 5, 2013 Ho 301 posts | Stick: Going through the same thing right now. Doc gave me muscle relaxing pills and the "happy" pills for pain. It just made the pain tolerable but didn't take care of the cause. Had x-rays today and scheduled for ultra sound Tuesday. I want to find out what the problem is, then treat it. Do what you want but I would go to a doctor first before screwing around with home remedies...especially since you are not even sure of what the problem is. Ho |
| July 6, 2013 stick8 1991 posts | I feel your pain Ho. The orthopedic guy, who did not examine me, told me based on what I told him, to rest (no working out, no playing, no nothing) and if after a week there was no improvement to see him and he'd x-ray it. He told me DO NOT got to a chiropractor!! Lo and behold after a week it felt remarkably better and I've been playing since then. It still gets stiff at times--especially when I get up in the morning. But simple stretching and normal everyday activity loosen it up. Before playing I really stretch it out, take advil and put heat on it (wintercrest). I also stretch it after the games. Hopefully your back pain will subside. It's unreal--your back is your whole body support. It goes and you go. If it's a muscle it'll heal itself in time. Good luck!! |
| July 7, 2013 E4/E6 Men's 70 873 posts | Stick the bottom line is its your back, see your Dr for the correct or at least the professional advice, some home remedies with your back without being informed are just plain silly not to mention dangerous. |
| July 8, 2013 stick8 1991 posts | Good advice E4/E6. Besides rest I didn't really apply any home remedy per se. At that time perhaps I was thinking selfishly and wanted to get back on the field as quick as possible. But if it flares up real bad again I will definitely see the orthopedic guy. He did tell me it'll likely never disappear totally--we're all getting older. All the years of living just wear out certain parts of your body--much like driving a car for years. Medical science can fix many body parts so we can get by but the sad reality is they'll never be the same again. |
| July 10, 2013 Lecak Men's 60 1026 posts | Hi Stick. Email me if you can I have some ideas that might help your back. If you haven't blew up in weight some of what I'm doing should provide long term relief. Would like to catch up see how your doing. Joe |
| July 10, 2013 stick8 1991 posts | Joe, no weight gain on my end. You have mail!! |
| July 10, 2013 Lecak Men's 60 1026 posts | Dave phone number is my email shoot me a call |
| July 10, 2013 Player 86 posts | HJ is correct about the piriformis problem often being misdiagnosed. It's one of the six lateral rotators that is often forgotten when we stretch. We do our "hammies" and some others, but need to do these also. Some of us have the sciatic nerve grow inside of the piriformis, some have it grow outside of it, and others have it grow through the piriformis. This is one of the reasons it's misdiagnosed. Unfortunately, low back pain is often attributed to a skeletal problem when it is muscular. Hence, the rationale for stretching. Several such stretches for the piriformis can be found on the internet. Pick one and see if it helps, but don't start aggressively with any of them. |
| July 12, 2013 Lecak Men's 60 1026 posts | Dave an easy thing you can do is buy a large stability ball and if you sit a lot say at home on the computer or in an office alternate sitting on the stability ball for say 30-45 minutes and then back to your chair. I replaced my computer chair at home with a stability ball. Because your bouncing around it promotes blood flow. Easy and cheap solution to sitting in a chair constantly. |
| July 12, 2013 RoyHobbs 20 posts | Unfortunately, there are some orthopedists who are extremely negative regarding chiropractic examination and treatment. However, may orthopedists actively consult with and utilize chiropractors in the co-treatment of musculoskeletal related pathologies (i.e., intervertebral disc herniations, sprain/strains, arthritis, etc.). Admittedly, there are indeed "Quack" chiropractors who give the profession a bad name. Nevertheless, there are many exceptional chiropractic physicians who are well trained and extremely educated regarding anatomy, biochemistry, nutrition, musculoskeletal pathologies, etc. Typically, low back pain issues often resolve relatively quickly with treatment combinations that can consist of inactivity, anti-inflammatories, hot and/or cold therapy in addition to gentle stretching during the acute phase of an injury. If an individual's pain worsens and/or changes in character (e.g., low back pain with new complaints of shooting unilateral or bilateral leg pain), then consultation with a health care provider (i.e., an internist, a chiropractor, an orthopedist, etc.)would be recommended. Unfortunately, as individuals become older, a relative more sedentary lifestyle including less exercise and consuming more empty calories become the norm. In those cases, instead of having a "back" problem, the problem is often more accurately caused from a "front" problem, which increases the load on the discs, spinal joints and associated soft tissues. As a matter of fact, instead of having a "washboard stomach," my stomach now looks as if it is actually "doing a few loads." |
