Mrs. V. is in pain.

[Bertha Venation]

She has something wrong with her lower back; spasms of intense pain, radiating down her right leg. I couldn't get her an appointment until the 13th, dammit.

Will you please keep her in your thoughts? She is in a great deal of pain. Thank you.

[MiddleFingerMom]

1. Strength and coping vibes going out to Mrs V and you.

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[Bertha Venation]

7. Thank you, MFM

[csziggy]

2. I hope she feels better soon

A hot pad or some of those over the counter patches might help.

When my back freaked out, all the doctor did was give me Valium for a week and recommended bed rest. He also recommended a book - "The Back Pain Book" by Mike Hage. Good book with practical ways to deal with a bad back.

[LiberalEsto]

4. From what I've experienced, heat isn't that good for back pain.

I used to use heat and it always made things worse. Then my doctor sent me to "back school" where they taught us a number of gentle exercises to relieve back pain. They told us to use ice, especially the first day. After that, one can alternate ice and heat, with breaks in between.

[csziggy]

6. Thank you! By the time I was able to tolerate anything on my back

It was time for heat, so that is what I remembered. Thank you for correcting my bad advice!

The Back Pain Book has a lot of good exercises and ways to use your back and body to prevent re-stressing the back. It worked great for me until my knees went out, since much of the advice was to treat your pelvis as if its a bucket full of water you don't want to tip out. So squatting with your knees rather than bending over - which was impossible once my knees went bad. Now with my new knees I'm trying to get back into that habit because now that I can be more active and not taking so much pain medication my back problems are showing up again.

[Bertha Venation]

9. Many thanks, for both posts, csziggy

[LiberalEsto]

26. I've got the knee issues too

You might try arnica for that.

Last year my left knee was so bad I could barely walk, even with a brace and crutches. The orthopedist said he was out of options since it wasn't a good case for surgery and I couldn't take the heavy painkillers.

I ended up going for two sessions of acupuncture, which was all I could afford. It helped some, but what fixed it was the Chinese herb formula the acupuncturist suggested I try. It's called Jian Bu Pian, aka strong stride pill. I researched it and all the ingredients before trying it. No side effects. I am somewhat skeptical of these things, but it worked wonders for me.

You might want to consider seeing a Chinese herbalist to see if something could help your knees too.

Acupuncture did miracles for my back about 7 years ago. I used to need cortisone injections every 6 months, but haven't needed any since having the acupuncture.

I will look into the Back Pain Book you recommended.

[Bertha Venation]

8. Thank you, L.E., very much

[LiberalEsto]

3. Sciatica? Ouch! Been there.

Ice the lower back -- bag of frozen peas wrapped in a kitchen towel -- no more than 20 minutes, take a 10 minute break, do 20 more minutes, and so on.

Do this icing while lying flat on the back, knees bent and the lower part of the legs elevated on a couple of pillows.

I know we are not allowed to prescribe - DU rules - but I've had trouble with sciatica and usually take aspirin or ibuprofen - not Tylenol - to reduce inflammation and pain. I've also been using arnica gel, a completely safe herbal preparation. I rub it on the lower back or any other bruised or achy spot, though it should never be applied to cuts or scrapes, or taken internally. Some supermarkets now sell it, near the Ben-Gay, but the Vitamin Shoppe and GNC also stock it.

Hope Mrs. V feels better!

[Bertha Venation]

11. thanks again, L.E.

I'll check out the arnica, in addition to telling her about the ice. She's already taking ibuprofen.

[Mnemosyne]

32. Great advice of the arnica and acupunture. Amazing stuff! nt

[Mnemosyne]

33. Forgot to add, my very best energy to Mrs. V. nt

[Bertha Venation]

53. Thank you, Mnemosyne

I appreciate it.

[Mnemosyne]

56. Hope you found her something to ease the pain.

[rurallib]

5. passing on good vibes. Take care

[Bertha Venation]

14. thank you, rurallib

[elleng]

10. 13th??? DAMMIT!

Treat as sciatica, flat back 'exercises,' muscle relaxers, any pain relief you've got around.

http://www.spine-health.com/wellness/exercise/sciatica-exercises-sciatica-pain-relief

VIBES: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[Bertha Venation]

16. Thanks so much, elleng

[elleng]

21. You're welcome. Have had it for years,

and treated it successfully w exercises and avoiding bad postures.

[AsahinaKimi]

12. Hayaku yokunatte kudasai! Odaijini!!

Speedy recovery to her!

[Bertha Venation]

17. made me smile

I don't know what language -- is it Japanese? -- thanks very much.

[AsahinaKimi]

20. Yes, Japanese

Hai, Nihongo desu.

[bigwillq]

13. Good thoughts headed her way.

[Bertha Venation]

18. ah, bigwill, thank you

Aww . . . Yankees? Seriously?

[bigwillq]

34. Ah, yeah, seriously.

Since I came out of the womb!

[Bertha Venation]

35. Oh, well. I am comforted by the fact

that we kicked your butt in the 2002 playoffs.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

15. You've got a lot of good advice here, my dear Bertha...

I cannot add to all of that, so I'll send my best healing vibes!

Back pain is so pernicious. May she soon feel much better...

[Bertha Venation]

19. thanks, Peggy

I like the day's fifty cent word . . .

[Taverner]

22. Ouch - been there

Just don't do like I did and get an ulcer from downing too many advils

[GoCubsGo]

24. Me, too.

Usually, it only lasts a few days, and I get it when I've been spending too much time on my overweight backside. Just be sure that Mrs. V. keeps her appointment if the pain goes away before then. She needs to make sure there isn't something going on with her lumbar area that might be causing it.

[Bertha Venation]

54. Oh, she will keep the appointment -- no question.

Thanks, Cubs.

[SwissTony]

23. No suggestions

but best wishes to Mrs V. And to you.

And no appointment for a week?????

[Bertha Venation]

25. Yeah, that's the soonest they could take her.

It sucks.

Thanks, SwissTony.

[LeftofObama]

27. Vibes to both you and her!

Just remember if she tends to get cranky that she's in pain. I've thrown my back out a couple of times and when it happens I can be a real b****!

[Bertha Venation]

36. thank you, Lefty

Unfortunately, I needed that reminder.

[lunatica]

28. Sending my best vibes!

[Bertha Venation]

37. many thanks, lunatica

[hedgehog]

29. I'm upset she has to wait so long - here's hoping she gets some relief sooner!

[Bertha Venation]

38. me too, hedgehog

on both counts. Thanks for your good thoughts.

[Lady Freedom Returns]

30. If you have a chair that you can put in your shower...

then have her set in there with Very warm water.

The shower hitting the back can really take some of the pain out. Many say a hot bath, but the shower helps way better!

[Bertha Venation]

31. We have a teak shower chair . . . she did that this morning

and told me that there isn't enough hot water to do her much good. But thank you, L.F. I appreciate it.

[GreenPartyVoter]

39. I am so sorry. :^( Will send her healing vibes!

[Bertha Venation]

40. thank you so very much, GPV

[nolabear]

41. Big anti-sciatica vibes for Mrs. V.

[Bertha Venation]

44. thank you, nolabear

back atcha

[applegrove]

42. Sounds like Sciatica. My grandmother had it. It didn't make her immobile. Just in pain.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sciatica

[Bertha Venation]

45. I'm sorry to hear your grandma suffered like this.

It is miserable.

Thanks.

[hunter]

43. Back pain is horrible.

We know a lot about that in our house.

Nothing wrong with taking pain meds for pain, one gets used to them.

Best wishes to Mrs. V.

[Bertha Venation]

46. hi, hunter

Mrs. V. can't take pain meds because of the side effects. Percocet makes her itch. Oxycodone gives her nightmares. Etc.

I'm sorry you all know about back pain. No one should suffer. Crap.

[libodem]

47. Sending vibes

I have chronic back and sciatic pain and man, do I feel bad for your Mrs. I think the acute phase is awful. Just awful.

[Bertha Venation]

50. I'm sorry to hear it, libodem

Thanks for the vibes.

[libodem]

55. I only mention it because

Of the great empathy inducement it causes. I literally can feel that type of discomfort. (Though she is much worse off right now than I am.) I can say I've been there.

[ballardgirl]

48. Seeing a specialist?

I went through something similar for an entire year (call it sciatica), and saw many folks who should have been able to help me but maybe did more harm. Most docs assume there is a nerve pinched by a slipped disc and prescribe accordingly. In my case, that was the wrong diagnosis. So, I endured two different types of physical therapy, accupuncture, steroid shots in my lumbar spine, traction and a whole lot of pain. I finally saw a neurosurgeon who recognized from xrays that I had a nerve compression from arthritis. Once that was removed, things improved a bunch. Unfortunately for me, we waited so long to fix it that the nerve was damaged so there will always be pain and numbness. Please make sure your wife sees someone who specializes in this type of thing, and fingers crossed for her speedy recovery.

[Bertha Venation]

51. She sees a specialist

I'm not sure what he's called, but he treated her several years ago. She trusts him.

I'm sorry to hear of your experience, ballardgirl.

[whistler162]

62. Been there and done that....

had a flare up of what I thought was sciatica, 3rd time or so, but after a few treatments my Chiropractor new that he wasn't helping and sent me for a x-ray and from there got me a quick appointment for a back surgeon. Arthritis in the back L1-L3 due to diabetes. Not doing badly still problems but much better than the nearly immobile idiot that didn't go to the doctors for 20+ years.

Vibes to the OP's wife. Never fun.

[In_The_Wind]

49. Oh dear. I'm sorry to hear that.

I hope the pain will ease up before the appointment.

[Bertha Venation]

52. Thank you, In The Wind.

So do I . . . so do I.

[Liberal_in_LA]

57. vibes

[Bertha Venation]

58. thanks very much, LA

[blueknight]

59. hi bertha

I hope she starts feeling better!

[RILib]

60. Capsaicin-based cream, soaking in warm bath

That's what helps me. My doc sent me to a physical therapist and exercises really helped.

I hesitate to suggest specific exercises, not knowing what's wrong with her back, though.

Any chance you could get the doc's office to send her for an x-ray sooner? Places do x-rays pretty much instantly where I live. I might be tempted to go to an ER if you have insurance.

[Boudica the Lyoness]

61. This happened to me this year.

I had ruptured a disc...L3 and L4. The nerve pain down the legs was intense. I had an MRI which showed bits of the disc had broken off and had got stuck in some ligaments. I also had pinched nerve roots. Within 2 weeks of the MRI, had discectomy surgery. It helped for 2 months, now it's re-injured. I have other serious medical issues and have strong pain meds at hand, but the problem is that nerve pain is hard to control with pain meds. Try ice and trying to stay in a position that takes pressure off the spine.

Even if the pain in the back goes away, keep the appointment. She might get muscle weakness due to the nerves being pinched.