thora

For a night such as NYE I prefer to be spontaneousas far as the Year is concerned I'm looking forward to going to Europe; Belgium, France, and Spain in the late Spring/Summer

Good ol' Wellbutrin.

Upper back problems are usually simple and are normally just muscles that will feel better with rest and exercise. I don't know much about the lower back, which can involve more ominous problems like discs and vertebrae and nerves and all that. Have you seen a doctor for it in the past? If it's just a muscle strain, though, spend as much time as possible for a few days in a comfortable resting position, and then do some very gentle stretching. Get warm before you move your body. (Hard to do here in SF!) Once things feel better, do some exercise to avoid reinjuring yourself. A visit to a physical therapist to learn the right kinds of exercises could be a really good idea. Some people like to apply warmth to their back while resting using hot water bottles, heating pads, so on. Use ice while the injury is still acute. Use heat once it is healing (after a few days and any swelling has subsided) otherwise heat will increase the swelling and the stiffness and pain.

Back about 10 years ago when I sprained my ankle (exactly the same as yours - I landed on it sideways jumping off a curb carrying a heavy golf bag - it felt "okay" and then after 3 hr it was excruciating!) I was really surprised how much better the tape made it. I had wondered how athletes could play with soft tissue injuries like that! Despite the foot being blotched with mauve and completely nonfunctional on its own I had no problem playing golf again a couple days later when it was taped and in a shoe.

For more serious chronic injuries and inflammation, steroids (like Medrol) work wonders, but us people with funky brains are more susceptible to the mood side effects. Still, if you're in continual pain (like I was with bursitis) it may be the only workable option.

Anyway take care of the back. I am campaigning for Noir to send Kylepus out here to the Bay once he finishes up on the bottom half of the globe. -j