What alternatives do you use to help back pain?

[Frances144]

So what tips or things do you use through your daily life that help you?

Me?

Sleep is an issue so I drink a very strong small amount of chamomile tea (t-bag + 5cm of water) before I go to bed.

Anything from The Tiger Balm Co - but Tiger Neck & Shoulder rub is great on my lower back just before bed - Tiger Balm Smells divine too.

I find it very hard to sit in a chair for any length of time so I bought a Butterfly Recliner Chair from The Banana Chair Company. Expensive but worth it and means I can be in the sitting room with everyone rather than upstairs in bed.

Grab rails everywhere, all around the house.

A shower sandal is wonderful especially post-op - Shower Sandal is designed to clean your entire foot including in-between the toes, arch, heel, sides and top of the foot. It is useful for everyone, but particularly beneficial to those who find it difficult to reach their feet or have a condition wh

Anyone else? Anything else?

[ajj1001]

I think the whole house is now geared to helping me, most expensive and useful are an electric bed and electric rise recliner. however simple things like having everything I use in accessible shelves rather than too high or too low.

my bedtime routine is warm bath, tablets, heat pack and hot chocolate. I takes me about an hour to lie flat and I then do a few stretches to stave off muscle spasms.

[Frances144]

This is a useful piece of kit imho.

Disability Aids

[Katie]

A TENS machine helped me a great deal. A PT (physical therapist) first showed me how to use it, and then loaned me one to make sure it was of some benefit. Heat, ice and the TENS got me through a lot.

[Frances144]

I loved my Tens pre-op but now the thought of it touching anything near my back quite frankly makes me feel sick! How odd. I wore mine so much before.

Hot water bottle on your tummy after all the painkillers is good too. Helps with that awful constipated/bloated feeling.

[Gilbert P]

All great suggestions

I use Ice, Heat, rest, Walks ,P.T. Alive. BRANDY

Gil

[Justin]

Great suggestions thus far. I really like my "zero gravity" recliner, heating pad, physical therapy / stretching and a personal massager (machine). I also have a professional massage ~once a month.

[Frances144]

Now that would involve touching and I can't bear to be touched anymore. I feel sick at the thought.

Other stuff - Milk thistle, to try and detox my liver from all the drugs,

Glucosamine and Chondroitin (ok, I admit I am finishing off a bottle before they go out of date thinking they can only do good).

Prune juice is a good vehicle for lactulose and works well