HomeAnswersOrthopedician and Traumatologyback painI hurt my back after lifting a heavy object. Please advise.

What is the possible treatment for back pain followed by lifting heavy weight?

Share

The following is an actual conversation between an iCliniq user and a doctor that has been reviewed and published as a Premium Q&A.

Medically reviewed by

iCliniq medical review team

Published At October 29, 2015
Reviewed AtFebruary 11, 2024

Patient's Query

Hi doctor,

I was sitting half-bent while washing the clothes. There were a few buckets full of water one over the other. I got my back hurt when I tried to bring one of the buckets down. My body has tilted a bit towards the left. I am unable to move and walk and was painting a lot. Usually after work I do will have a slight pain in my back. But today it has increased so much that I cannot even move. Please tell me what medicine and what precautions should I take. Today I have taken Flexon-MR but it did not reduce the pain.

Hi, Welcome to icliniq.com.Actually, you are very young to have persistent back pain and this episode appears to be an acute exaggeration of this pain. Cause of back pain can be due to a muscle strain or a small herniation of an intervertebral disc followed by lifting heavy weight. If you have localized back pain with no other symptoms like radiating leg pain, neurological symptoms like numbness, weakness, paresthesias, etc., then you can start with following recommendations initially for a period of two weeks.

  1. Maintain proper posture of your back while working and sleeping. Also, avoid acute forward bending and lifting of any heavyweight till the time your pain subsides.
  2. If pain is more, then you can take a short course of an anti-inflammatory medicine that suits you. Normally I advise my patient to take the tablet Dolonex Rapid (Piroxicam) along with the tablet Ultracet (Tramadol Hydrochloride and Acetaminophen) for pain control.
  3. You also need to take medication for muscle spasms like the tablet Myoril (Thiocolchicoside). You can start with 8 mg twice a day for five days.
  4. Do physical therapy initially under supervision of a trained physiotherapist and then to continue at home. No exercise to be done iniitially, only modalities like SWD (short wave diathermy) and IFT (interferential therapy) will help.
  5. Take adequate calcium and vitamin D if levels are low in your body.
  6. Ice packs can be applied at home three to four times a day, spend 15 minutes for each application.
  7. Analgesic spray for local application can be used after ice packs and is easily available too.
  8. Avoid lifting heavyweight and acute forward bending in the mornings.

We will observe you for the next two to three weeks to see how you respond to this conservative management protocol. Normally, the pain in the back along with the muscle spasm will subside in the next five to seven days if you take your medications and observe precautions as advised. If you are not feeling better, then we might have to get some investigations like a dynamic x-ray of the lower back and a few blood tests for evaluation.

The Probable causes

Injury while attempting to lift a heavy weight.

Investigations to be done

Nothing as of now.

Preventive measures

Avoid acute forward bending, lifting of any heavy weight, etc., till the time your pain subsides.

Same symptoms don't mean you have the same problem. Consult a doctor now!

Dr. Akshay Kumar Saxena
Dr. Akshay Kumar Saxena

Orthopedician and Traumatology

Community Banner Mobile
By subscribing, I agree to iCliniq's Terms & Privacy Policy.

Ask your health query to a doctor online

Orthopedician and Traumatology

*guaranteed answer within 4 hours

Disclaimer: No content published on this website is intended to be a substitute for professional medical diagnosis, advice or treatment by a trained physician. Seek advice from your physician or other qualified healthcare providers with questions you may have regarding your symptoms and medical condition for a complete medical diagnosis. Do not delay or disregard seeking professional medical advice because of something you have read on this website. Read our Editorial Process to know how we create content for health articles and queries.

This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. iCliniq privacy policy