Dealing with Severe Back Pain When Living Alone

Having back problems can be especially difficult when you're by yourself, and have nobody to help out. Debilitating conditions such as Sciatica or a Herniated Disk can make life very miserable. Pain radiates down the spine and leg of the sufferer, and makes it hard to do just about anything. Simple things like sitting, lying down or standing become uncomfortable. What does a person do when faced with mobilization problems? Here are suggestions that worked for me, when I was recuperating for months with serious lumbar spine problems.

Get to the doctor

As soon as you can possibly go, have a friend or taxi take you to an orthopedic specialist. The sooner you go, the faster you can get medicines to help you cope with the pain and inflammation. The medicines were incredibly necessary, and should not be overlooked. I don't like taking medicines, but in this case, there was no question that they needed to be used. If functionality and mobility are really impaired, the doctor will make sure to give you powerful medicines. If they don't help, the call back and have him adjust your dose or put you on something else. Don't tolerate back pain. Once at the doctor, they take X-rays, do a CT scan and check your reflexes. Have the doctor call the prescriptions over to a pharmacy that will deliver medicines to you.

Put as little strain on your back as possible

Try not to do anything to aggravate the back pains, such as lifting, bending or twisting. Getting out of bed can be incredibly hard to do, due to the stress it can put on your spine. The best way to get out of bed for me, was to roll to one side, then use my arms to bear the stress of hoisting my body up. Have sturdy table or stool nearby to grab onto, when getting out of bed. Ask your doctor the best ways to keep yourself as mobile as possible. He may have you go to a physical therapist for help, and traction. Pick the brains of professionals, and learn from them. It is important to become as knowledgeable as possible on what is good for the spine. It takes getting used to, but the information is valuable.

Buy what you need on the internet

When there is nobody to help you shop, you can buy groceries on the internet. A good site is www.Amazon.com but there are many others such as Peapod.com, or NetGrocer.com, choose whichever is best, register for free, and then order whatever you need. Amazon even has toiletries, and even sells health aids like pillows or heating pads. Pay with a debit or credit card and in a few days, your supplies will be delivered to you. It's that easy.

Banking can also be done online, now that most banks offer online account access. Check your balance, pay bills and do other routine money chores with a few clicks of the mouse. These sites are secure and if you need help, you can talk to customer service. Paypal users can have money from their Paypal account sent to their bank for free, too. It's a very useful tool.

Other items that may help

Put a slab of memory foam on your mattress, to cushion your back and make lying down more bearable. Buy it new from online auctions such as Ebay, or from various stores. Just a two inch thickness is enough to help. Also, use pillows to help take the pressure off of your spine, and make sitting more bearable. A wedge pillow is great for propping up your legs, and a donut shaped pillow is useful for taking pressure of the lumbar section of your spine. Check on Amazon.com for a large variety of them. A TENS unit (a small device that emits low electric pulses, used by physical therapists) can be bought online. The less powerful ones are available usually without a prescription, and they can help with pain relief. Mine made recovery much quicker for me.

Help yourself recuperate from back pain by being patient. It takes time and hard work, but when the problem is healed, you'll appreciate good health more than ever. My back is fully healed now. The knowledge I gained from the experience helps me to treat my spine with more care to keep from re-injuring it. Take it one day at a time, and keep your eye on the goal. You aren't really alone, since medical help is a phone call away. Keep in touch with the doctor and take any advice he gives. Hopefully soon, the problem will subside and life will return to normal.