For the last few days now I’ve been having alot of back and leg pain, usually in the lower legs (calves) and middle of my back. Leg pain happens when I walk short distances, and the back pain when i stand AND sit!
Tylenol/ibuprofen etc doesn’t help at all. It’s to the point that walking 1-2 blocks hurts. I try walking slow but that doesn’t help.
I feel sluggish and I hate it. I realize the painful calves are a sign of being grossly out of shape. but it’s only been a few days, I was walking normally before.
I haven’t experienced sudden/rapid weight gain. I will go to the doctor soon but any thing else I can do in the meantime to treat the pain? other than staying in bed all day?
You should definitely go to the doctor, because back AND leg pain can be related to the nerve root in the spinal cord being irritated somehow.
With regards to your back pain, does it hurt when you move your back, cough, or sneeze?
Also, do you feel any pins and needles, numbness or weakness in part of your leg or foot?
For the meantime, take paracetomol (2x500mg tablets) 4 times a day. If this doesn't help, then i would recommend using a Non-Steroidal Anti Inflammaotry like Diclofenac, but in gel form and rub it on directly at the point of pain - it's an analgesic that'll reduce any pain you're feeling.(Be careful of NSAIDs though if you have asthma or high blood pressure).
Also, try to keep up with your normal daily activities as much as you can bear with, pain wise. In the past, bed rest was recommended, but recently it has been proven that this can actually impede your recovery, so try to keep active as much as you can. I'm not suggesting you go running or do something drastic, but try to stay mobile.
Where exactly is the pain on your back? and what does it feel like- stabbing, throbbing, dull?
Do you have any pins and needles, numbness?
When you stop walking does the pain go away?
Are you overweight by any chance?
and maroush has given good advice on what to do!
Hmmmm... no no pins and needles... my leg feels really "thick" though if that makes any sense...
usually the pain is a dull throbbing...not sharp or paiful. And yeah i am overweight, i cant' really work out very much right now and yeah walking is painful so my only resort is watching the diet now...
I dont know what your physical fitness level is (you can be chubby and healthy at the same time, ironic but true)...
Something Ive noticed in myself as I get older is how my diet affects my body in the most dramatic way. Not to say you're eating unhealthy but as I understand it you just went through something health-related...correct?
Go to your doctor to make sure its not something serious but start nourishing your body...calcium for bones is really important. If you're heavy, even more important. As we turn into adults and our parents are less responsible for our daily intake, we become negligent. I am really active and if I dont drink milk or take multivitamins for a few days...my body feels the difference.
Start drinking milk or take multivitamins rich with calcium. It sounds ridiculously simple but it works.
Calcium with magnesium. I had the exact same situation and my doc asked me to get on calcium. Take these before going to bed. That's when calcium is best absorbed in the body. I feel great now. Also drink a lot of water.
visit your doc because it seems like something is becoming deficient in your body like calcium.
as everyone knows i am preg and any day if i don't take my calcium supplement i experience pain in legs.
another thing which again u shd do only upon doc's advise is yoga . an asan called COBRA ASAN cures back pain. my mom had a frozen shoulder and she did yoga for that and now her shoulder is abs fine. similary she was having lower back and her yoga instructor told her to do cobra asan which helped. but again i will say doc's opinions comes first !