What does the low back do? You quickly find out when it goes on strike aka locks up, tightens on every movement, or contracts back and abdominal muscles suddenly. It’s been a treat of a week. Well, OK, 8 days minus 5 hours but who’s counting?
Sooo… what does the low back do?
- Sits you down
- Stands you up
- Bends you forward
- Straightens your neck
- Stretches you backward
- Lifts things when you don’t use your legs
- Doesn’t do a thing, no pain or contracting, when you squat using your legs
- Stretch
- Walk
- Row
- Put on pants
- Take off socks
- Brush teeth
- Rinse mouth
You get the idea.
Since late last Thursday night, my low back has been triggered by my flanks. Yes, my flanks are to blame for this latest ow ow ow! The problem was trying to figure out what was triggering my flanks to lock up my low back or suddenly tighten my muscles or instantly contract them, almost buckling my knees when I was walking, for the sin of straightening upper back.
Holding my low back stops the tightening, locking up, contracting and lets me bend, move, or stretch a little when required. I don’t know if doubling my magnesium intake is making a difference.
As usual, I went a little overboard in treating my back. I tend to do that and get into trouble. Accelerated accelerated healing is not for the faint of heart. It’s rather stupid, I admit. It extends the pain days. Think of how a wound hurts as it heals. Eventually, the pain dulls to itchy. Then nothing. Same when treating muscles with laser therapy. When I’m being smart, it doesn’t hurt. But when I get frustrated with not knowing just what’s going on and throw the kitchen sink at it, OW OW OW. And I never remember! Until the pain intensifies. That’s what happened when I used my home BioFlex Laser device from shoulders to knees. It triggered too many points too much at once.
I don’t remember this lesson because low back pain is not as frequent as it used to be. This tightening thing, though, is new and weird. It’s like spasms without the spasm effect.
Of course, this latest “WTF back‽” moment began the day after my doctor’s appointment. Isn’t that always the way? I could’ve scheduled an emergency appointment, but I’m supposed to know what to do.
Plus I’m so fed up with medical appointments, have been for years.
It’s what happens when you have a chronic condition. You never want to see a doctor again and have to judge when you really should and when it’s OK to go it alone. It’s a tricky balancing act. If I’ve decided wrongly, I’ll make an appointment for next week.
I kept up my walking and rowing, albeit I slowed my pace right down and consciously monitored my muscles. Stretching regressed years. I’d forgotten how my flanks barely stretched. They’re back to that. Sigh. Luckily, stretching twitches my muscles less after judicious placement of the laser arrays. I think my shoulders, knees, and sacroiliac joints are the main culprits.
The neck is connected to the foot, shoulders to lower back.
My shoulders had been hurting last Thursday, and I’d intended to treat them with laser on Friday. I’d treated my midback and needed a break. A cold snap, sunny high pressure system, sitting improperly from fatigue probably aggravated my muscles, and boom. Twitchy back! I may’ve been OK if I’d used my laser device on my shoulders Thursday afternoon.
I found cranioelectrical stimulation at 100Hz actually works better than on Relief setting. I usually use Relief for neck pain and headaches. But I guess the tightening is nerve-related so a serotonin release is maybe more effective?? Gamma audiovisual entrainment also helps.
Somehow, despite all this home healing work, I’m managing to work on my first novel of my trilogy. That helps a lot in keeping me from falling down into the rabbit hole of despair. That and this beautiful extended Spring of blooms we’re having.
