Went To Urgent Care Today

[ProfessorGAC]

I either pulled a muscle or slipped an SI joint. Back is tight & uncomfortable, and certain movements cause pretty bad spasms.

This happened about 15 years ago, and it feels the same, but not as severe this time. Muscle relaxers & antiinflammatories should work.

Anyway, the front door is locked, and a nurse in the vestibule requires use of hand sanitizer upon entering. No mask, they won't open the door.

Takes temperature, BP and reason for coming. PulseOx, too. Plus, there's a few "no, I don't have COVID" questions.
They asked to leave mask on, unless in examining room alone. They ask, if you pull it down, that when they knock to enter, to put the mask back on.

I was in & out in 20 minutes.

I saw 8 bottles of hand sanitizer all around the place.

I felt pretty safe, indeed!

[livetohike]

1. Hope you feel better soon. Good to know they are

taking precautions .

[ProfessorGAC]

3. I Forgot

I also had a scheduled dental checkup today. But, they're closed except for emergencies. It's only a couple blocks from home so no big deal. It can wait.
I suppose it's nearly impossible to greatly mitigate risk for working in someone's mouth.
They had a sign on door saying "The American Dental Association recommends closing offices for now. For emergencies, dial xxx-xxx-xxxx.
As to getting better: those relaxers already have me more comfortable than I've been for 2 plus days!

[Frustratedlady]

2. I just received a call from my doctor's office a few minutes ago.

Last month, they had rescheduled my office visit to June 2nd. Now, they changed that appt. to a tele-appt. She will call me for any health issues and medication concerns.

I almost forget what she looks like. So many changes with appts. over the pandemic period. That's fine. I'd prefer not to go to the office.

[pnwest]

4. What were they able to do for your back?

I have similar issues...

[ProfessorGAC]

7. Pills

The muscle relaxer works to reduce the pressure. When inflammation is down, and muscles are relaxed, the SI should slip back into alignment. Exactly what happened last time.
I'm on Predisone & Cyclobenziprine. A week of the first & 10 days for the latter.

[pnwest]

16. Yup - cyclobenzaprine and Vicodin for me. I

only just learned about the SI joint, have always thought my issues were solely muscular. Been googling physical therapy info about the SI joint, has helped quite a bit to be aware of how I’m walking, sitting and laying down and how it affects the SI joint. Have been able to reduce pain and even straighten out my hips. Just wondered if they actually manipulated it for you. Back pain is no fun.

[ProfessorGAC]

18. No Manipulation Yet

The last time, after a couple days of relaxed muscles & low inflammation I felt it move back into normal position.
Didn't hurt at all.
Just a noticeable pop feeling.
Doc then said that was very common.
I'm not in enough pain to justify a strong pain reliever.
Just reducing inflammation seems to make sense.
I took one of each pill & it's already less annoying.
We'll see in a week, I guess.

[Cha]

5. Good for you being so safe there.. Hope

your spasms get over and done.

[TEB]

6. Hope you feel better soon

[Siwsan]

8. I recently did something to trigger back spasms - hot epsom salt baths made a big difference

I over did some weed clearing and it felt like a mule kicked me in the back. Hot soaks, an occasional ice pack and generous latherings of Tiger Balm made a huge difference.

Side story -I used to take Soma for bad sciatic pain and lower back muscle spasms. One time I wasn't feeling relief fast enough so I took a hot bath. Yikes! Not really sure how I made it out of the tub and back into my bedroom, but I spent about an hour, flat on the floor, before my muscles decided to let me ambulate, again. Never made that mistake, again!

[ProfessorGAC]

10. I Know A Guy That Happened To

Back bugging him. Took a hot shower, stepped out of shower and WHAP!!! back spasms put him on his knees!
Doctor told him the hot shower, before icing expanded the muscles & increased blood flow to the inflamed area.
Took him a day & a half to walk just ok again.

[Siwsan]

12. My problem was the hot water 'interacting' with the muscle relaxer in my system

Honestly, my legs and arms were like spaghetti!

I finally decided the side effects of the muscle relaxers were more than I care to endure. They knocked me out. Soma made me drowsy and sometimes put me into a 'Soma Coma' - just a brief but very hard sleep that left me feeling drained, and Flexeril could cause me to conk out at my work desk and I didn't realize it until I woke up drooling on my paperwork! I decided to stop with the prescriptions and just deal with the epsom salts and Tiger Balm, with an occasional anti inflammatory.

[ProfessorGAC]

13. My Wife Is The Same

She hated the feeling. They don't hit me that harshly.
The inflamed feels better, but I feel no other sensations out of the ordinary.
She didn't finish the week's worth. Felt too spacey & tired.

[greatauntoftriplets]

9. Ouch! I hope that you feel better quickly.

When my nephew-in-law had covid and saw his doctor, the appointment took place in his car parked in the alley behind the medical office -- at the doctor's orders. He and the rest of the family are all recovered, fortunately.

[ProfessorGAC]

11. Drive-by Doctoring!

Makes sense. Reduces liability, I'm sure.

[greatauntoftriplets]

23. I thought it was smart, even if it'd sound shady in normal times.

It also makes a great story that he'll probably tell for a long time.

[smirkymonkey]

14. Hope you feel better soon!

[ProfessorGAC]

15. I'll Be Ok

Thanks.
A couple more light days. With all the rain, the golf course is a swamp, so I'm not missing much fun. Unless this lingers longer than we expect.

[paleotn]

17. People who fully understand the gravity of this situation.

[ProfessorGAC]

20. I Thought So, Too

I really liked the locked door. They can really enforce the mask requirement that way.

[liberalla]

19. I hope you get relief and feel much better soon!

[Lonestarblue]

21. I hope you're feeling better soon. I recommend Hatha yoga.

I started it a couple of years ago, and the difference in my flexibility is amazing. It will never be as good as when I was much younger, but it has helped me with both hip and knee pains. I’ve long had lower back issues (mostly sciatica), and those are much better now also. My instructor tells us what muscles she has us working on and SI is part of our regular stretching. With the sheltering at home, she has been doing Zoom sessions. Hatha yoga is a gentle form about stretching and strengthening, not aerobics.

Your experience at Urgent Care sounds good. If more people follow protocols like this, perhaps we’ll keep the virus under some control. I did my weekly grocery shopping today and was pleased to see everyone—shoppers and staff—wearing masks. Sanitizer cloths were at the front of the store to wipe down cart handles. I also stopped at a local store to finally get my watch battery replaced. The front entrance had a sign that no one without a mask would be admitted. Store personnel were wearing masks. I’m lucky I live in Austin where I think people are taking safety precautions seriously, unlike our idiot governor.

[ProfessorGAC]

22. I Thankfully,...

...don't have flexibility issues. My golf swing still gets the shaft parallel to the ground at the top, and I can still put my fists to the floor without bending my knees.
I either turned awkwardly or I actually pulled one of the small muscles. But, I'm never stiff.
I did the fist to floor thing today for the PA I saw. Now, at 5 this morning when I woke up, not so much.
I do some stretching things I remember from my basketball & track days.