Trapped nerve or sprained muscle?

Bones, joints and muscles
1

Hi, last Thursday I visited my Osteopath for my usual once a month maintenance on my shoulders. Anyway she did a manipulation on my back whereby I layed on my side with my top leg over the other one and she pushed herself down on me to crack my back. I felt fine when I left that night and Friday but on Saturday morning I woke up with severe pain in my lower back on the right hand side. I carried on as normal during the day but the pain got so severe, I was unable to get out of my car and nearly fainted. I have now been off work since Monday as I can't bend, twist or lift my right leg. Walking is painful if done for longer than 5-10 minutes and getting up in the morning is impossible after a nights sleep as my whole side has stiffened up. The pain seems to be inside, it doesn't hurt if I press the area.

My partner is having to help me get dressed (I should let you know i'm only 32) and most of the time i'm on the sofa with a hot water bottle, paracetemol, codeine and diazepam prescribed by my doctor. I sometimes get an ache in my knee and the pain goes into my groin. Some people told me it's a trapped nerve and others have said its a sprain. Can anyone give me any advice as to what they think it is and if they know of anything I should/shouldn't be doing to speed up the recovery?

Thankyou

2

I would visit your GP, sounds like whatever she did to your back has caused the problem, if not at least it will give you an insight into whats going on.

3

It sounds like you might have sprained one of the facet joints in your low back during the manipulation. If you are getting just low back pain it is likely a joint and muscular sprain from the manipulation. However if you are also getting leg pain then the nerve may be getting trapped as well. It is quite common to get adverse effects after physical treatment so I would contact the osteopath first of all to get them to examine you and fix the problem, don't be scared of going back as often it is an easy fix! In the meantime buy one of those microwaveable heat packs from boots or chemist, they are much better than a hot water bottle!

4

Thanks all very much for your swift responses. I will call my osteopath tomorrow and see if i can get an appointment. Its times like this you realise just how much u use and need your back to do the simplest tasks!! Fingers crossed it can be corrected.

5

Hi tinkerbell32 

I was just wondering if you had got sorted.... my husband is having upper back/neck problems for the past 4 months - waiting for MRI to see what damage is altho he has been reassured by chiropracter that it is ligament damage??