Muscle spasms in back

[Calypso]

For the past several days I've been having intense muscle spasms/cramping on the right side of my back. Today it got so bad I ended up taking the day off work and going to see my doctor. She gave me a muscle relaxer, but it's really not working. Does anybody have any other ideas? Thanks!

[mollyL]

Heat has always worked for me when I get spasms. Just don't sleep with the heat on, otherwise I use it pretty continually. Did your doc order a urinalysis to rule out a bladder infection? I got muscle spasms in my back once that my doc said was caused by a bladder infection I was unaware of and that it was getting into my kidneys. If the anti-inflammatory doesn't seem to do the trick I'd look into this.

[tater03]

I had no idea that a UTI could cause them. I would agree that heat seems to work for me even if it is a hot bath or shower. I hope you feel better soon.

[Calypso]

Thanks for the ideas. I used heat last night before bed and right when I got up, and I actually was able to haul myself in to work today. Then one of the nurses I work with suggested I try ibuprofen. (I'd been using Tylenol). The ibuprofen worked really well, so now I'm taking that and just trying to take it easy on my back this evening. I had planned to do a big load of laundry and clean up my apartment, but I guess that's not happening now!

[SageMother]

Originally Posted by Calypso

For the past several days I've been having intense muscle spasms/cramping on the right side of my back. Today it got so bad I ended up taking the day off work and going to see my doctor. She gave me a muscle relaxer, but it's really not working. Does anybody have any other ideas? Thanks!

What muscle relaxer did she give you?

It takes time for medications to build up in your system and reach a therapeutic level.

[debrajean]

I get these quite often in my back and the thing that works best for me is a heating pad. I've tried muscle relaxing pills but they tend to make my entire body feel too relaxed.

[riskey58]

I find that I have them I find that heat seems to help me. I don;t have them that often thank goodness.

[tater03]

Glad to hear that you are feeling somewhat better and that the heat helped. I hate back spasms. I am just glad that I don't get them all the time. They are terrible.

[Calypso]

Originally Posted by SageMother

What muscle relaxer did she give you?

It takes time for medications to build up in your system and reach a therapeutic level.

The doctor gave me Flexeril (sp?). She warned me that it might make me drowsy, but that didn't happen, either. I really couldn't feed any effects--positive or negative. Luckily, the ibuprofen got me through, and my back seems to have healed.

[SageMother]

Be sure to have your neck checked. My chronic pain problems are from a neck injury. Also, be sure to take not of how you use the phone. Tucking it under one ear and holding it with the shoulder can eventually create disabling problem in your neck.

[justontime]

I use those adhesive heat pads because I get this sort of back pain quite often. They help but they don't work miracles. Just a word of caution, wash your hands very carefully after touching the heat pad, if you don't and you then touch other sensitive parts or your body it will hurt a lot!

[SageMother]

Some of us are way past the heating pad stage, so if you find heat doesn't work, you may definitely need something more aggressive.

I injured my neck over 20 years ago and now have to take Flexeril, Etodolac, and Vicodin everyday to manage the pain.

If your pain remains, or returns, over the next 12 weeks, get things checked out. Developing chronic pain syndrome is no fun!

[Calypso]

Originally Posted by SageMother

Be sure to have your neck checked. My chronic pain problems are from a neck injury. Also, be sure to take not of how you use the phone. Tucking it under one ear and holding it with the shoulder can eventually create disabling problem in your neck.

Oops, busted! When I'm at work, I talk on the phone like this all the time so I can have my hands free to type, write notes, or whatever else I might be multi-tasking at the moment. I'll have to stop doing that.

[ilias]

anyone here knows anything about how to get hold of privet neurologist becose i have a very strong pain in my uper abdonment and i done evry single test from cat scan to mri and they cant find the reason i do have pain.doctor is telling me that i have muscle spazm but thise pain is to sharp and is been for like year and half now,i am trying to book apointment to a neuroligist but how the health care system is here u have to wait months and months,,,so anyone have any sugestion,,,thanks ilias.

[Serenity]

Originally Posted by Calypso

Oops, busted! When I'm at work, I talk on the phone like this all the time so I can have my hands free to type, write notes, or whatever else I might be multi-tasking at the moment. I'll have to stop doing that.

Calypso, would it be possible to get a headset instead perhaps that will attach to the phone? That's the easiest way to do it and some do have a socket for that already so you don't need to buy a whole new phone. Hands-free will help a lot, I think.

[Blake]

Originally Posted by Calypso

For the past several days I've been having intense muscle spasms/cramping on the right side of my back. Today it got so bad I ended up taking the day off work and going to see my doctor. She gave me a muscle relaxer, but it's really not working. Does anybody have any other ideas? Thanks!

hi guys,,,
Muscle spasms arises because on intense use of muscle.Analgesics is the one technique and heat/ice packs may also help with the pain and spasms. With back pain, it is important to keep stools soft. Low back pain and spasms can result from straining during bowel movement.
www.neverstopfitness.com

[jimcarter]

I think for relief from back pain there one yoga called as ball yoga which helps a lot in overcoming the back pain, really it works very effectively everyone must try who is suffering from back pain.