N, I know this pain and I manage it in so many different ways.  I like the tennis balls on the trigger points.  I used to be certified to teach yoga, and one thing that has helped some with the spasms (including me) is to lie on your back on the floor with your hips/knees bent at 90 degrees on the chair or coach (like a lying down sitting in a chair position) with a 5 pound weight of bag of sugar of something draped over your belly.  The weight presses the lower back into the floor and releases the spasms. 

I get depressed, too, when the pain is unrelenting..it takes over.  I do a step one surrender and continue on through the steps the best I can.  I am sorry and here is a hug (((((((((((Neshema))))))))))))).

PP wrote:

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lie on your back on the floor with your hips/knees bent at 90 degrees on the chair or coach (like a lying down sitting in a chair position) with a 5 pound weight of bag of sugar of something draped over your belly.  The weight presses the lower back into the floor and releases the spasms. 

I get depressed, too, when the pain is unrelenting..it takes over.  I do a step one surrender and continue on through the steps the best I can.  I am sorry and here is a hug (((((((((((Neshema))))))))))))).

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 WOW, and I had a 5# bag of sugar, but i tossed it when I decided to only sweeten with fruits, honey,mollasses and maple syrup, but i can find something accumulating to 5# like in a bag and use that........hmmmm next therapy session gonna add that....the tennis balls do enable me to walk and get around some.......and oh yea, what you said about the depression when pain is unrelenting and "taking over"  I feel like my body has turned against me......working out...getting into shape, i wasn't getting any spasms like for a year now,  but this one came at me with a vengeance....i cough and it hurts......gonna try your suggestion  and my tennis balls, again.......so appreciate the other thing i can do

cloudyskies wrote:

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hi neshema, I am so sorry you are having  back pain. I know back pain very well. I have never tried the tennis balls, but I will the next time I have the problem. The lying down on the floor trick with my legs up at a right angle helps me, but I have never thought about the weight on the belly. I'll try that next time too.

I'm sending you the warmest Al-Anon hugs ever, and hoping HP will speed up your recovery.

((neshema))

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 hey cloudy, yea, the tennis balls, you put about 12 in a pillow,.you want them to be flat with each other, not stacked nd you lie on that pillow and move your hips around and you can FEEL the balls getting deep into the tissue, also this increases blood flow and i wold imagine it helps release toxins so i drink a lot of water bc the lactic acid over these spasms has to be plenty and that in itself can cause excruciating pain.......not to mention the inflamation of all this "angry" pain.....i swear...all i did was turn wrong and i can feel this kinda "click" not outloud but internal where the brain sends message to muscle to contract or maybe muscle contracts on its own..........i strongly suspect this is all part of my anxiety/ptsd  somatizing...(if that is a word)  like old "stored pain" rearing its head..... so drink lots of water when you do any of this therapy so as to flush out the toxins and lactic acid.......i kinda roll all over the balls, from buttocks to close to my mid back b/c the trigger points don't necessarily have to be at the pain's ground zero.....

grateful2be wrote:

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(((N))) Also - if you don't know and are interested - there are herbal teas that can help with the back muscle spasms and joint pain, too. I know we both share colitis in common - peppermint teas help with that, too.

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 i have tried every one i got in my canister...relaxants, peppermint, you name it, I am shaped like a tea bag of late...just put a string on top ofmy head......and of course i am interested in what you have to say...........

What about deep tissue message therapy. I did that for my shoulder
Problem it worked great. I had tried ultra sound treatment too intense.

I had a real good chiropractor for twenty years then she died. She did
Alot of message, blocking, very light ultra sound. She was great!

Now i do the deep tissue with someone i trust and she knows what she
Is doing. I can sleep and use my shoulder again. 

Mirandac wrote:

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What about deep tissue message therapy. I did that for my shoulder
Problem it worked great. I had tried ultra sound treatment too intense.
I had a real good chiropractor for twenty years then she died. She did
Alot of message, blocking, very light ultra sound. She was great!
Now i do the deep tissue with someone i trust and she knows what she
Is doing. I can sleep and use my shoulder again.

-- Edited by Mirandac on Saturday 22nd of November 2014 07:56:22 PM

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 thats great...you know about what i am doing and you've had good results w/deep tissue....the ole tennis balls are helping me out....i can move about ok after a good  "roll on the tennis balls"  its possible the stifness, now , is the lactic acid this all produced....i had ultra sound on it once in my life, b/c it would not release, i was in unbearable pain an the US broke it up  like almost immediate...I am gonna have to ask my doc about pain management b/c i no longer have hope that these have gone away...i thought getting into good physical shape w/no fat on me, etc., would help my back but i see now its gonna dog me till i die....so deep tissue massage and see what my doc says when i next visit her....or if i can find a therapist who takes medicare.........i had to do the tennis ball "roll a round" on the floor by myself...dogs kept interrupting, but i got it in anyway.....it does give me relief.....thats great that your shoulder is ok.....thanks for the reply....all tid bits/esh welcomed w/grateful heart......i'm in bed now after my bath..its hard to pick stuff up from the floor or to get out of the tub, but i think i see improvement since thursday night...I was in agony.......

mjferg wrote:

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My therapist suggested relaxing meditation sessions for me, there are some great ones online.I Just typed guided meditation.I carry stress in my shoulders and back and I have found the meditations help with my depression because it helps to release the good chemicals in my brain.I am used to being on alert ,just waiting for something bad to happen,so I have to retrain my brain,I am so used to worry and anxiety,I think I manufacture a great amount of stress hormones and that makes things worse.I hope you feel better soon.

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 hey Mary, I do have a meditation disk that i put to my hardrive, gonna try it......i figured this was stress related as all the previous ones are...whats depressing me si my meds won't even touch it......i mean no relief from this pain except when i do the deep tissue work, lying on a bad of tennis balls...i get loose for a short while then its back awful again........i can't stand this pain....my cousin is getting the name and no. of this doc, she used one time and she says hes good........i ope he takes medicare b/c i cannot afford him if he does not...will just have to google alternate ways to get rid of this.....and i know the pain is tensing me up as well.......i like the meditation thing while i lie on the tennis balls and rub those 2 trigger points (knots) in te lower back........thanks for suggestion       

AND THANKS, LADIES FOR ALL THE HUGS........

I am still sore, recovering...I had to see the doc but ya know?? my little Daughter #1, told me  "mama, why do'nt you try a chiropractor????"  I never thought of it, I always thought Chiropractors were for bones and this is a muscle issue, but i just might call one on my ins. network and see what i can do...

I didn't do much today b/c I am still so sore, but at least i was able to do laundry and clean up the house....had invites to go places but its painful to stay seated...i get stiff....so i am slowly getting better, but not fast enough for my taste....it happend last week and i am still sore......this was the baddest spasm seige i have had in 20 years.....

I hope everyone is having a peaceful,nice holiday.....Daughter #2 is visiting her cousin..I could have gone, but I need not stress this back.....so i am at home doing deep tissue massage with tennis balls...........oh well, it could be worse, I could be homeless and hungry,  i had a rock cornish game hen and it tasted very nice........PEACE to all........

Sure...got some right here (((((((HUGS)))))))  I also know about that kind of pain...not fun at all.