Carisoprodol and treating lower back pain

It’s a sad fact of life that complaints about back pain are the most common reason given for making an appointment with doctors. Most people find it impossible to go through life without damaging their back at some time or another. Fortunately, the spine is a fairly tough set of bones and, unless you manage to do something drastic, the injuries tend to be relatively superficial. Why is this? Well, the spine is made up a a set of interlocking bones. They are a bit like one of these children’s building-block games. They lock together with discs between each pair of bones to act as a shock-absorber. Without the discs there would be friction between the bones and what we think of as normal movement would be impossible. When we are young, each disc has a soft center and a harder outer shell. It’s a little like a tire on your vehicle with just enough give and take to soak up all the punishment we dole out when we walk, twist and turn around. But, as time passes, the soft center slowly dries out. If this center pushes out through the outer covering, this is called a herniated or ruptured disc. If the disc loses its shape and it presses on the column of nerves passing up the center of the spine, this causes pain and numbness. In the wrong position in the spine, it can cause sciatica where the pain spreads down the buttock and into the leg.

Strains usually heal within a few weeks if you rest and then slowly restore mobility with physical exercises. In appropriate cases, the use of a muscle relaxant may be useful to relax the muscles and prevent spasms. But disc problems may require more positive action. It always starts with rest and painkillers, usually combined with an anti-inflammatory. Using a cold compress helps reduce swelling. But taking to your bed for any length of time is definitely not recommended. No matter how painful it may be, you have to start moving around at the earliest possible time. Start with gentle stretching exercises and then move on to exercises designed to recover muscle tone and improve posture. If this continues to prove a challenge, you may have to consider using Carisoprodol together with painkillers designed to deal with neuropathic pain. Some doctors prefer to prescribe an antidepressant.

A CT or MRI scan may show real damage justifying a steroid injection or, in the worst cases, surgery to cut away the part of the inner centre of the disc now exposed. Following surgery, you will usually be given Carisoprodol and, within a few days, encouraged to begin stretching and an exercise program. Once your back has healed or is repaired, keep it healthy with plenty of exercise. If you resume a couch potato lifestyle, the back will stiffen and you will find pain returns. This risk is great if you are overweight. The heavier you are, the more the load on your spine and the more likely future injury.