Back Spasms

Anyone have a tried and true method of relieving back spasm pain that doesn't include medication. I'm not a homeopathic type, I just like to drink beer and meds and beer don't mix very well. If I'm going to destroy my liver, I'd rather do it with homebrew. The nagging pain is migrating, so heating pads make it awkward because I'm constantly shifting it around.

I'm too young for this crap. I'm only 33 and in pretty good health. I guess all this rough-housing with my 3yr old around isn't doing me any favors.

Been a long time since I've had the problem, but I would lay down with two tennis balls on the sides of my spine, right where the pain was.

Good call. I forgot all about rolling it out. My bro (HUGE Crossfit nut case) always carries around 2 lacrosse balls to roll out tense/sore muscles. I think I have one around somewhere.

It might be a bit controversial but kratom is actually pretty effective, and you can drink with it too. There's no need to destroy your liver from drinking, just take milk thistle. It's been a while since I read about it but the book I was reading pointed out that taking enough milk thistle actually prevented liver damage even in very heavy drinkers. I get it cut&shredded in a bag and just chew some down daily.

porcupine73 said:

It might be a bit controversial but kratom is actually pretty effective, and you can drink with it too. There's no need to destroy your liver from drinking, just take milk thistle. It's been a while since I read about it but the book I was reading pointed out that taking enough milk thistle actually prevented liver damage even in very heavy drinkers. I get it cut&shredded in a bag and just chew some down daily.

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Can't say I've ever heard of either. I'll have to look it up.

Ever tried a foam roller?

jeepinjeepin said:

Ever tried a foam roller?

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Tried it last night. Couldn't get enough pressure on my back with it to make much of a dent in the pain. My son got a kick out of daddy rolling back and forth of a foam noddle though. Had to tell him 3 times that now is not the time to take an airplane ride or play steamroller.

Noodle or foam roller?

porcupine73 said:

It might be a bit controversial but kratom is actually pretty effective, and you can drink with it too. There's no need to destroy your liver from drinking, just take milk thistle. It's been a while since I read about it but the book I was reading pointed out that taking enough milk thistle actually prevented liver damage even in very heavy drinkers. I get it cut&shredded in a bag and just chew some down daily.

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Where do you get it? Is it bitter? I want to make a gruit next spring with it..

I have 3 bad discs.. L4, L5 & S1.. I did the cortisone thing 3 times last year and seen no results.. I found hanging actually helps but I hear the inverted hanging is what really works

jeepinjeepin said:

Noodle or foam roller?

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Just a swim noodle. Thought about sliding a broom handle through the hole to make it stiffer. Might give that a go tonight along with the lacrosse ball.

Inversion or incline table upside down, it let's gravity act as a traction agent and pulls your pine in the other direction relieving alot of the pressure on the discs and nerve bundles. I have been through 5 back and neck surgeries due to a rough but but exciting younger life and this works for me. I also prefer to avoid medications as much as possible.

edmanster said:

I found hanging actually helps but I hear the inverted hanging is what really works

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Yeah. I've found I can bend at the waist and grab something with outstretched arms(the kitchen sink is about right) and lean back. Hanging is ok. It tenses most of my back not letting it relax and stretch much. Inverted hanging sounds good.

Subsailor said:

Inversion or incline table upside down, it let's gravity act as a traction agent and pulls your pine in the other direction relieving alot of the pressure on the discs and nerve bundles. I have been through 5 back and neck surgeries due to a rough but but exciting younger life and this works for me. I also prefer to avoid medications as much as possible.

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Does this work for back spasms too? The pain is migratory, but not around the spine really....thank Cthulhu.

Whattawort said:

Just a swim noodle. Thought about sliding a broom handle through the hole to make it stiffer. Might give that a go tonight along with the lacrosse ball.

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Send SWMBO out to Walmart to get a Foam Roller. I think they sell the "Golds Gym" branded one. They are quite different than a noodle. Larger diameter. I think mine has 2 foam densities, an inner harder core and a slightly less firm outer.

Whattawort said:

Does this work for back spasms too? The pain is migratory, but not around the spine really....thank Cthulhu.

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It seems to reduce how often the spasms occur for me. I know that after 1/2 hour of stretching like this I walk with almost no limp and I feel pretty invigorated for a few days. Again this is how my body responds, a buddy of mine notices much less effect from gravity inversion.

Some may think I'm crazy, but it worked for me after trying just about anything, including cortisone shots: I started doing sit-ups.

At first I could barely do 3x 10's, and I eventually worked my way up to 5x 50's every day. The sit-ups have a double advantage: they build up your stomach muscles, and stretch your back muscles. Make sure to go slow at first, and don't be surprised: your stomach muscles will scream bloody murder after 3 days. Take a break for a day or two if you need, but stick with it.

I haven't had any significant back pains since I started this. FYI, just turned 42 3 weeks ago.

MC

Thanks for the suggestions guys. Hopefully one of these will give me some relief. I don't think I can take one more sleepless night or constantly readjusting my position at my workstation. If I had more equipment, I probably would have done a quick extract batch last night to keep my mind off of my back woes. Alas, all my equipment is rigged for all-grain and my fermenter and storage area are full.

I've tried most of these to varying degrees of success, but TBH, good old ibuprofin is what's always worked best for me. I know you wanted to avoid meds, but not sure if you were including OTC's.

I've had a predeliction towards lower lumbar strains since I was in my early 20's. I'm pushing 40 now. Mine is not a constant problem, but it does come and go, always after doing something I know is probably risky. The key is, when I get that first twinge, to immediately stop whatever it is that brought it on, start taking ibuprofin, and take it easy over then next few days.
There have been times when I pushed it after I knew I shouldn't and it's resulted in a couple pretty severe strains where I was bed-ridden for a week or so.
Carrying around extra weight on my frame tends to increase the frequency of my issues. Sit ups are a no-no for me. Those almost always result in a strain.

Having many personal trainer friends including a gym owner, and being a bit of a fitness freak myself I have a few suggestions.

If it's lower back pain mostly, the number one cause of that is extremely tight hamstrings and hip flexors and weak glutes.

Stretching and foam rolling is key. Also get a hard foam roller some of them are very sissy and wont inflict the pain and torture you need to really break up scar tissue and loosen your tight muscles . Seriously though foam rolling shouldn't feel good. Use lacrosse balls for really hard knots.

You can do glute bridges to help strengthen your backside.

If its your upper back that's a different story but I'm guessing it is more your lower back.

Of course working out and eating clean should be a top priority is everyone's life in my opinion...buuut that's a a topic for another time .

Get those hammies and hip flexors loose and your glutes stronger...plus the ladies love a strong backside on a man.

It's actually around my mid back which tells me (I suspect anyway) that I probably need to strengthen my core. Up until a few months ago I was still doing sub 10 workouts. If you're familiar with crossfit you probably know what I'm talking about. I think core stability has always been an issue for me. I could barely do 5 GTH sit ups even after I had been working out for a few months. Oh well....gonna take these suggestions one at a time and see if they work. I'll probably pass on the milk thistle and such though.

BTW - Anything naproxen-based + alcohol = organ damage. I didn't know this until my buddy who went to pharmacy school basically slapped a beer out of my hand after he saw me take 2 Aleve. Apparently, small doses with a single beer is harmful enough to do damage. The more you know...

Have you tried a tens machine?

Whattawort said:

BTW - Anything naproxen-based + alcohol = organ damage. I didn't know this until my buddy who went to pharmacy school basically slapped a beer out of my hand after he saw me take 2 Aleve.

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That's because all that kind of stuff are liver toxins to begin with, it's just normally we (hopefully) that a less than toxic dose. The mixing in with alcohol just makes it worse. The stats on adverse reactions to NSAID's and other OTC pain relievers is kind of surprising. Advil would have us believe the majority of people take the stuff with each meal. I don't know, maybe they do.

The reverse hyper might be of benefit, it's a little bit unique, easy to build one yourself, definitely works out the back alright. For any sit ups, I have seen that you should do them say on a swiss ball, so that you bend back a bit beyond 90 degrees, so that the abs are not 'stupid' when extended further back than flat.

Believe it or not, there is one super easy and non invasive answer- massage!

I get neck spasms, from an accident in 1994. I do NOT do muscle relaxers (although, years ago I did take Norflex for them). Instead, I get some chiropractic adjustments from time to time (and I now have arthritis in my spine due to the injury), and then go for a massage when I really need one. I don't go often enough, as it's expensive, but oh! what a difference.

The massage therapist can find those spasms easily and work them out. I'm not kidding- it's amazing. I haven't taken so much as a Tylenol, and am relatively pain free 95% of the time!

(And, oh, yeah, once you get pain free do "The Plank" to stenghthen your core! Keeping your core strong will keep your back healthy and safe).

omg I have to look for massage therapy now. Yes for me chiropractic adjustments have made an absolute world of difference. Damn I could hardly move before that. I could say something else but I should post in the drunekn ramlbing forum though for that.

Subsailor said:

Inversion or incline table upside down

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Misplaced_Canuck said:

I started doing sit-ups.

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Inversion table is a great immediate remedy. And, core strengthening is the long-term solution. I have been involved in the back business for years.

There's a few things that really help me with my back issues. I get spasms, but my main issues are a bulging disc in my C3 and my L5 is turned about 30 degrees, injuries from a pretty hellacious motorcycle crash. Number one, my chiropractor. I get a round of acupuncture before having my spine (and other joints) adjusted. It's like a dream, and if you go regularly, it keeps the pain in check. I rarely have episodes of debilitating pain if I'm going regularly. Two, a firm memory foam mattress and some sort of supportive pillow. I have a memory foam contour pillow that's great. Since we got that mattress, I seldom wake with my back locked up like I used to. Three, try to keep it active. Even if you're just stretching, twisting, whatever, keeping the muscles loose is the goal. I find it really helps. Last, and this is quite controversial, especially in the south, (and I wouldn't recommend breaking your local/state laws) but I've found that a few tokes of cannabis that's high in cannabidiol does wonders for muscle spasms. Again, I live in a state where personal use and possession is decriminalized, I'm pretty sure the laws in 'Bama are quite a bit more restrictive, so try this at your own risk.