What do you do to try and relieve the pain?

My back has never actually gone out, but I have chronic low back pain. It really is awful. Have you seen a doctor? I think that would be the first thing you should do. But Icy Hot won't do anything to heal your back, it just kind of masks the pain for a bit. You're better off to put ice on it and to lie down rather than sit. Sitting puts more strain on your back than standing does actually. My back tends to get sore if I sit down in my computer chair for more than ten minutes even. Ibuprofen and rest are the only other ideas I can give you. If your back has gone out, it isn't going to get better if you keep moving around. I know you need to get things done, but you're going to get less done if you make it worse. Hope you feel better soon!

I checked my guide to "Your Familys Symptoms" from the American Medical Association to see if I could suggest something for the pain, but whatever your doctor found before is probably what's causing your problems now. Depending on the problem, surgery doesn't always mean cutting. My Dad had to have 2 discs in his back surgically dissolved to releave his pain, but it was done by injection, not being cut open. There may have been advancements made since you checked with your doctor last, so it probably wouldn't be a bad idea to check up on your options. If the pain is gone by now, 4 weeks later, you probably won't have to but in case it happens again, my book suggests a hot water bottle or heating pad to help releive the pain. Of course it also recommends resting on your back as long as possible. From personal experience, moist heat can be very soothing. Depending on where my pain is, I use a "Beb Buddy" which is basically a sock with rice in it. You can microwave it for 1 1/2 minutes and you'll have soothing heat for about 20 minutes at a time, reheating as often as needed. I bought mine when I pulled a muscle in my chest. I thought I had broken a rib. It hurt to even breath. A pulled muscle doesn't heal very fast, so I was glad that I started feeling a little better within a few days. The "Bed Buddy" can also serve double duty as a cold pack by putting it in the refrigerator too.

Firstly, find out what's the cause to your backache. Consult your doctor and take a thorough medical check-up, even x-ray, if the doctor say so. You can't treat something if you don't know what causes it. Apart from treatment, you may ask your doctor whether a physiotherapy would help. Perhaps a few sessions of physiotherapy may help to reduce the pain and speed up the healing. It took me about a few months to recover from a back pain, at the area 2-3 inches above my buttock (I fell from the stairs and my back hit against the edge of the steps). I felt it when I sat (especially whenI'm in the office, working in a sitting position most of the time), i felt the pain when I walk...even when I sleep. I felt like it would just snap at anytime. How about doing Pilates? Find a qualified trainer, as Pilates focus on body posture, it may help reduce the pain. Maintaing good posture (e.g. sit with your back straight & bend at your knee, not your waist when you need to pick something from the floor etc.). Try not to lift heavy stuffs. Don't do any high-impact exercise as it will hurt your back even more. Pop in some vitamin supplements, especially calcium (but don't overdo it). It may take longer than you'd expect to heal, but don't rush over it. Get your mind 'off' that pain. If you focus only on your back pain — that's what you're going to get. Even if it's hard to not think about it when the pain strike, but just concentrating on the pain itself wouldn't do you any good either! Get well soon!