Lower Back Pain Relief

[GimpALimp]

My father was an OB/GYN. One of the things he focused on was lower back pain in his patients. What he found was that 95% of them got great relief simply by taking hot sitz baths 3-4 times a day (10-20 minutes) - has hot as you can stand it - and more often if you have the time to do it. Some got relief from just one or two days! His finding was that they had urinary tract issues and by soaking the lower region things relaxed. Sadly, I don't recall what the EXACT diagnosis was, but I can't tell you how many people I have suggested this to who found they got long-term relief and simply repeated the sitz cycle if the pain returned. I hope this helps someone.

[Poppy_Ann]

How on earth do people have time to take 3 to 4 bath's of 10 to 20 minutes a day? I am classed as disabled and one of the things i suffer from is lower back pain how much relief does someone get from trying this? I have tried most things that people suggest but nothing seems to help I would have tried this but my home does not have a bath in it if anyone does give this a try please leave your results as to how much pain relief you get if it seems that this works for some people then i will try to give it a go.

Regards Poppy Ann.

[GimpALimp in reply to Poppy_Ann]

The number of times is rough - you do as many as you can. If you only have time for one, then one it is. But, if you get any relief at all, I'm guessing you will find a way to increase at least to 2. A basin of hot water; a removable shower head gently spraying the vaginal area; a hot pad on the back - or asking a friend to let you use their tub for a few days to see if you see any relief. If you do, then you can explore other options.

[Defenders in reply to Poppy_Ann]

Hi, have you now had some relief from your pain Poppy Ann? I have severe degeneration of the lumbar spine. I’m prescribed Gabapentin which does help somewhat, but it doesn’t take the pain away completely. I also have peripheral neuropathy in my lower legs and feet.

[deejames]

Not applicable to any back pain other than GYN/OB. I cant see someone who has just given birth being able to take one 20 min bath a day much less 3 or 4.

Dee

[GimpALimp in reply to deejames]

Actually it is - for urinary tract issues. It was my father's speciality (women's pain). And so many women actually had urinary tract issues and the hot baths worked wonders!

[skybluepink in reply to GimpALimp]

My utis are complex & involve pyuria /sepsis pylonephritus which need the cultured antibiotic to the medication so it is effective .I have found that this can give relief to the fibromyalgia areas too & that of nerve compression .Research in the late 60s into why my utis were acute 3 weekly did see a spina bifida of : no consequence" NHS ,yet also abnormal EEG , neurogenic bladder , continence issues & and one ureter too many , now heart failure ignored before & after MI cardiac .Although heat can be a relief like with my dysmmenorea/endemetriosis ie: the good old hot water bottle it is only an aid .Just lately I have been reading about urea plasma which will need very good equipment to identify as micro .This I suspect NHS does not have adressing one matter at a time with no evidence making just blaming , this is so distressing.

[JohnT99 in reply to deejames]

I agree not comparable to us

[eeeee]

I suffer with chronic back pain along with nerve entrapment in the groin. I'm certainly going to give it a go. Hate baths but hey ho it might help. Thanks for this reminder.

[cyberbarn]

It is not a full bath that GimpALimp is talking about but a sitz bath:

healthline.com/health/sitz-...

I have a bidet and I have never understood why more people don't have them in the UK. Not only was I able bath my perineum after my son's birth, clean myself up during my period, but when I was pregnant I used it a lot because it was so soothing. Then when my son was born I used it as a baby bath too. And when my son was a baby it was much easier to use the bidet than to have a bath.

It is nice to hear that Ob/gyn people used to recommend them too.

If you don't have a bidet you can buy a plastic insert for the toilet to use.

[foxglove]

Don't have sitz bath. Would simply sitting in a basin of hot water do the trick?

[GimpALimp in reply to foxglove]

A hot basin of water can do the trick but I have found that getting more of the lower hips and back in the hot water the better. Do you have a friend who would let you utilize their tub? It also might help to use a long shower head to gently spray the areas needed. Or, a basin of hot water for the vaginal area and a hot pad on the lower back.

[foxglove in reply to GimpALimp]

Thanks will try shower head. Got into basin fine but getting out another matter! Also hot pad sounds good.

[JohnT99]

This may be relevant to his group of patients - ie newly delivered mums or heavily pregnant. But how will a bath help someone with a structural problem or with nerve damage ? Yes if you have muscle spasms then that’s a different matter.

[GimpALimp]

Actually, it is NOT for newly delivered mums or pregnant women - this is simply for women who have no idea that their lower back pain is from a urinary tract issue and NOT from spinal or musculature in the back. It is for women, for sure - men don't benefit from the same therapy due to the closed plumbing - but women benefit greatly. I have told so many women about this and most saw almost immediate results. If you don't get results then it is pretty clear that you do not have this particular kind of urinary tract problem.