On our backs

[j4]

Back pain has been coming back with a vengeance.

Was quite uncomfortable by the end of Matrix Reloaded on Tuesday, but attributed that to an unaccustomed combination of cinema seats (I don't often go to the pictures) and high-platformed boots (altering the sitting angle). However I continued to have twinges at work on Wednesday (I'm working at ProQuest again, freelance this time), and yesterday the twinges turned into full-on ouch, until by hometime I was in tears and willing to sell my soul for codeine.

Made it to Sainsburys and managed to get Ibuprofen (next-best thing), and then against my better judgement went to karate class. I'm supposed to be doing gradings on Sunday so I didn't want to miss a lesson; I figured maybe we could at least do some non-back-straining stuff. As it was we were doing judo-style throws... By the end of the hour, though, my back felt fine, and I decided that the pain must be psychosomatic in origin, possibly brought on by being back at ProQuest -- surely if it was an actual problem with the muscles, the throws would have left me collapsed in agony?

Last night, though, I was in such pain with my back (and feeling sick as well) I couldn't sleep properly at all. Tossed and turned for about 3 hours before finally taking more Ibuprofen, getting a hot water bottle, and going to sleep in the spare room so that I wouldn't wake sion_a so much. Still couldn't find any comfortable position but eventually sheer exhaustion made me sleep.

Woke up in agony, finally managed to find codeine+paracetamol tablets left over from last bout of back pain, took these and applied Ibuprofen gel to all the bits of back that felt like they'd been run over by a bus. Have dragged myself into work (and found a sensible chair) but had to beg a lift from sion_a as I didn't feel confident of being able to drive.

So now I have no idea whether the back pain is caused by physical strain or mental stress, or a combination of the two (stress-related tension causing physical strain, etc.), or what. Suspect that if I see the doctor I'll get the same useless result as last time -- doctor prods back, j4 says "OUCH!", doctor says "Yes, back is sore", prescribes Valium, and suggests buying Cocodamol OTC because it's cheaper than paying a second prescription charge. I can do that myself, I know my fscking back is sore, I can buy Cocodamol, and I've still got some Valium left from last time (and it screws up my sleep patterns even more).

Whiney whiney whine, yeah, I know. Will shut up now.

Comments

[juliet]

Varies between 20quid & 40quid (more in London :-( )- it's worth getting quotes (the first appointment may be a little more expensive than any future ones, because they need to take a case history). Some osteopaths have cheaper rates for unemployed folk (Lovely Tom in Oxford did). It might also be worth checking whether there's an osteopath college in Cambridge - I'm currently going to the British School of Osteopathy, where I'm seen by a student but with a tutor to check things, & that's way cheaper. Plus you get to hear them discussing the vagaries of your back which is kind of interesting!