How do you heal a hurt back?

Question

So my mom hurt her back really badly. It hurts her lower back and left thigh. She's using a heating pad and taking ibuprofin and aleive but she's still in a lot of pain. Does anyone have any suggestions that might help her heal like mabye certain food or medicine or anything. Please!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Answer 1

Advil!
That always helps.

But she can take like warm baths with a smell good bubble thing, that will sooth her.

or go see a doctor.

Answer 2

Back pain and injury are more common than most people realize. Also, the pain the the thigh is called radiating pain.

She needs to think how she hurt her back. And if the problem has gone beyond a couple of weeks, she needs to go see a good orthopedist who can give her muscle relaxers and better pain management than ibuprofin. BTW she needs to take the Ibuprofin with food or her stomach will soon starting hurting too.

She needs to alternate heat and ice. Ice the back for fifteen and then five of heat, no more than once an hour.

A chiropractor may help if she has put her back "out of alignment." She may want to try going to a physical therapist (insurance usually covers) but will need a family doctor to prescribe the therapy.

There are no foods that will help and at this point I would guess only a medical person will help her. But in the meantime she needs to NOT life things like laundry or groceries (you do it), NOT do one sided activities like sweeping and vacuuming (you do it). Suggest when she is laying in bed she do one of the following: IF she is laying on her side put a pillow between her knees which are slightly bend (sleep that way too) or IF she is laying on her back to elevate the legs but putting two pillows right under the knees. This is an old fashioned back of taking the pressure off the back and helping to separate the discs to alleviate pain.

But it sounds like time for your Mother to seek medical help!

Answer 3

She may have a ruptured disk. When a disk rupture occurs, pressure from the extruded disk can press on nerves, which causes pain. Pain that radiates to the left thigh implies radicular pain.

However, there are about a zillion other causes of back pain. She needs to see a doctor.

The vast majority of back pain cases will get better on their own in several weeks. Conditioning, including strengthening exercises, is a part of preventing episodes of this in the future, as is instruction on proper lifting techniques.

Be extremely cautious if somebody recommends surgery right away. It might not help and might even make things worse. If possible, see a doctor that has no financial incentive to operate on you if this issue comes up.