well a few months back i would just get horrible back spasms that literally would lock up my entire lower back and put me in such agony and the next few days i spent recuperating from the muscle tenderness that followed. well i started exercising and losing weight and they did subside alot however yesterday i got the worst one yet and of couse today im in pain from the muscle reaction to the point that i cant lay on my side and can only sleep on my back! is there any relief or help i can get from this??and when i do get it whats the best way to help so that the next few days after im not in agony?

I hope you're feeling better. I usually get them in the thoracic area and it's hell for a few days. Sometimes I can stop it before it spasms if I stretch out but usually that's not the case. Sometimes I can recruit my DH to give me a massage if he's around. I've heard ice for 20 min. several times/day followed by heat. Ice never worked for me and heat seems to feel good. I still am in pain for a few days. The only thing that worked for me a couple of times is when I took a pain pill (Percocet left over from my csection) immediately when the spasm started. I don't know why but it seemed to lessen the severity. Maybe it was placebo effect or maybe it helped my muscles not tense up so much since I got some pain relief. Also, I tried acupuncture once which helped. I wish I could give you more tips but time is usually the best for me. I recently got a Rx for Skelaxin so we'll see if that helps next time. Good luck!

I get this too - I think it's par for the course with back problems, tight muscles and spasms. Isn't it awful how it won't let up for days? It's so painful! I thought surgery would correct everything, but it doesn't. We have to I guess with exercise.

For me, getting in the pool helps. I do water walking or use a water aerobics belt so I can float body suspended and do jogging and stretching. I also do arm exercises, even a simple swim stroke back and forth while standing chest deep works. It relieves my tight muscles from lower to upper back and especially reduces the butt pain. The mid back gets tight too and it's important to stretch that out and the arm exercises do that.

today I did the lake then the hot tub then repeated and my back feels great. I'm tired from the cold lake water (takes a lot of energy from you), but I can say that the water works wonders. That heat then ice thing really works.

Please try the pool. Are you in physical therapy? They really recommend a water workout.

Really, the water for me (and I have nerve damage from a herniated L4/L5 disk that I had a microdisectomy on one year ago) relieves my pain - get this - better than a percocet. incredible. It's got to be muscle related.

Also, have you tried tiger balm on your muscles? Or Biofreeze before bed especially? they help a lot.

Have similar experinces and find hydrotherapy (exercises in warm water pool) and a spa bath work well. Also use Flexall 454 pain relieving jell

Will have to try the Flexall jell. Never heard of it before. anything that helps!

Congrats on losing the weight. I need to make that a priority. when I lost 40 lbs before, i found it helped my back a lot which each 5 pounds I lost. Been exercising but not watching the food!

I've found a combination of things have worked for me. I have L5-S1 damage but the worst pain was in the thoracic area..between my shoulder blades, maybe a bit lower. It was killer. You can't do anything, get comfortable..nada. I started a regular yoga program..easy, gentle, allowing me to work up to as much as I could. There were plenty of women, large and small, young and old..men also in some of the classes. It was the best thing I did. The other thing..my doc prescribed valium. I was a bit surprised when she did that. Have been on Somas for years..didn't do much at all. She said valium is the best muscle relaxant out there. I can tell you this.. I don't have muscle spasms anymore. Hot tubs are awesome.

Baclofen is another option t assit with muscle spasm

" • Baclofen is a muscle relaxant and an antispastic agent. The exact way that baclofen works is unknown.
• Baclofen is used to relieve the muscle spasms, pain, and muscular rigidity associated with multiple sclerosis.
• Baclofen may also be used for purposes other than those listed in this medication guide". http://www.drugs.com/mtm/baclofen.html

You could also try norgesic "...It contains orphenadrine citrate and paracetamol. Orphenadrine citrate is a skeletal muscle relaxant. It acts in the central nervous system to produce its muscle relaxant effects. Paracetamol is used to treat or prevent pain and reduce fever.

Norgesic is used to treat tension headache and headaches caused by spasm of the muscles in the back of your head and neck.

It is also used to help relax certain muscles in your body and to relieve the pain and discomfort caused by sprains, strains or other injury to your muscles".http://www.appco.com.au/appguide/drug.asp?drug_id=00071468&t=cmi

losy