Lower Back Pain

Hi everyone - looking for a bit of advice to help me through the next couple of days.

It’s a bank holiday weekend here so I can’t see my GP until Tuesday and I’m in quite a bit of pain in my lower back.

The injury occurred last night while I was deadlifting. I was on my last set of 5 x 5 deads and I suspect my form got sloppy. Towards the top of the lift I felt the left side of my lower back twinge a bit (right down low maybe half an inch above my coxic). Hard to describe really - it felt like the muscle was being warmed from the inside. No real pain as such but I was highly suspicious and stopped further lifting.

The pain started about an hour later to a small degree but I woke up this morning and I’m having a hard time doing anything. Pulling on a pair of socks was agony.

From reading elsewhere on the site I’m suspecting a bulged disc but I’ll leave that for the doc to decide.

I’ve taken 1000mg Naproxyn (NSAID that I’ve been prescribed for an ankle problem) and put some deep heat cream on the affected area. This seems to offer a bit of relief but the pain is still real bad.

So the advice I could do with is simple - anything else I can do to ease this up a bit before I go to see my Doc?

Thanks in advance!

Avoid sitting up or standing if at all possible, and if the pain is too bad you might consider a trip to the ER instead of waiting for the holiday. Good luck with the recovery.

My first response is usually a disc ok, but here i do think its muscular. I do think its the muscles that surround the lower part of your spine.There are several muscle that surround the spine in short to protect it. I suspect that you strained one of these, but the only way to know for sure is for a doctor to diagnose you.

Usually in the first 48 ice is used, but if you say the heat is helping you then continue. You might attempt to bath your back in a tub with warm to hot water.

You do know that your back is only as strong as the weakest link. Down the road learn to develop the muscle of the core, your abs, and lower back the spinal erectors.

But don’t do anything that hurts it now, if you can lay on the floor with knees up that will take pressure off the lower back. While on the floor if you are not in pain gently try to flatten your back into the floor. If you either have pain or have pain doing this stop!!. But by all means lay on the floor with your knees up. Continue with your meds and call your doctor.

Cheers guys - the pain has eased up a bit today but it’s still very sore. Lying flat takes the sting out of it as does some gentle heat.

I’m going to get it checked out tomorrow - it’s eased up enough to avoid a trip to the ER!

Looks like more core work is needed. I was only lifting 308lbs which is a fair way off my 1rm - just goes to show how important good form is. Lesson learned.

Thanks again.

If it’s a disc: pain will be worse in the morning. You will have pain when you have the first pee of the day (compression of the abs increases internal pressure, leading to the disc compressing the nerves.)

Does it hurt when you cough or sneeze? Do you wake up throughout the night, having to change positions? Is it tight upon waking in the morning, but loosens when you stand up and walk a bit?

If so, it’s probably a disc/ligaments. Rest is the best treatment.

If it continues with no progress, other options are available. I actually just got my first prolotherapy treatment last week for a nagging disc injury.

Thanks to all who replied - it is indeed a disc problem. I was given pain killers and told to rest up for a couple of weeks. I’ve done this and it’s eased up a little but it’s still far from great.

My GP said she would refer me on this week if it wasn’t significantly better.

Pain is definately worse in the morning and does ease up as I move about, and after that first pee.

Spot on diagnosis guys. Thx.