In pain :(

I've managed to wrench my rib muscles (intercostal muscles - aren't I clever? ) when I was doing my sit ups and crunches. I think I twisted by mistake while I was doing them and now I can hardly move/breath without it hurting! I feel like a right pillock now!

I tried Voltarol gel and it seemed to help a little bit, but not completely. Anybody got any ideas?

Poor you! The voltarol gel should have helped a bit more, but I don't have any more sugestions.  

OMG that is so painful - I did a similar thing a couple of years ago when I was making my mum's bed.

I found Voltarol gel the most effective too. But I recommended a very good spray to Caryll yesterday which I use on my knee. It won't cure obviously, only time and rest will do that, but I've found it effective. Just a sec and I'll copy what I posted to her:-

The spray is (reading from the bottle) called Nopanol Forte Spray (medosan Reg. swiss formula). Swiss Beauty AG, CH-Abtwil. Made in Switzerland. Distribution for EU: Medosan Handels GmbH, DE-67059 Ludwigshafen.

If you can’t find it on web let me know and I’ll ask my mum where she got it from (could have been Kleeneze but am not sure).

It’s a natural pump spray so has to be held upright when spraying the knee, which isn’t easy. The fumes are choking so do spray it another room from where you sleep! I only use it when the pain (burning, inflammation pain) is bad and wakes me up, but I have found it soothing. It’s not curative, just palliative.

Caryll wrote:Poor you! The voltarol gel should have helped a bit more, but I don't have any more sugestions.  

It definitely helped a lot, but for some reason certain types of painkillers either disagree with me completely (Ibuprofen) or sort of half work. I might not have used enough or rubbed it in enough though - not sure

LyndaW wrote:OMG that is so painful - I did a similar thing a couple of years ago when I was making my mum's bed.

I found Voltarol gel the most effective too.  But I recommended a very good spray to Caryll yesterday which I use on my knee.  It won't cure obviously, only time and rest will do that, but I've found it effective.  Just a sec and I'll copy what I posted to her:-

Ouch! You don't realise just how easy it can be to pull a muscle!

Thank you!

LyndaW wrote:The spray is (reading from the bottle) called Nopanol Forte Spray (medosan Reg. swiss formula).  Swiss Beauty AG, CH-Abtwil.  Made in Switzerland.  Distribution for EU: Medosan Handels GmbH, DE-67059 Ludwigshafen.

If you can’t find it on web let me know and I’ll ask my mum where she got it from (could have been Kleeneze but am not sure).

It’s a natural pump spray so has to be held upright when spraying the knee, which isn’t easy.  The fumes are choking so do spray it another room from where you sleep!  I only use it when the pain (burning, inflammation pain) is bad and wakes me up, but I have found it soothing.  It’s not curative, just palliative.

Thanks so much! I'll look that up right now

I had a quick look last night & couldn't find it (well, not in the UK anyway) and I've just checked again. It seems there are a couple of sites abroad, but they're not in english.  

Same here! No luck

Bother. sorry.

So I've just phoned my mum - she is one of those people who have masses and masses of mail-order catalogues delivered to her.

Apparently this stuff is listed as Pain Relief Spray and she got it from a company called Elderberry. I asked for the email address and it is www.elderberrydirect.co.uk

Forgot to ask her if there are any capital letters so you may have to juggle a bit.

Thank you! I've just ordered some!  

If it doesn't work I'll totally blame you and your mum!  

Thanks

Gosh that was quick Caryll!

I hope it works for both of you - I shall certainly get some more.

I hope so too! For tonight, I'll probably take Solpadeine Max. I hate it because it makes me feel like my head's been packed with cotton wool, but it kills pain!

I don't like taking oral pain killers either, I much prefer a topical application and even then only when necessary. But needs must where the devil drives. I hope you get a pain-free night's sleep   

Thanks! Tbh, I hate taking all painkillers! The only ones I can really take are Paracetamol and Solpadeine, as I'm allergic to Ibuprofen. The Paracetamol doesn't always work and the Solpadeine pretty much knocks me out, so I'd sooner go without most times.

Without trotting upstairs to check my medicine cupboard, I thought Voltarol contained Ibuprofen? You'll know better than me as luckily I'm not allergic to anything as far as I know, so don't look! I have used Ibuprofen gel topically and found it fairly effective, but Voltarol somewhat more effective.

Paracetamol I would agree is pretty mild and I don't use it. Once, before my mum fortunately found the marvellous spray aforementioned, in desperation I took 2 x 500g Co-Codomal tablets, followed half an hour later by another tablet. Doink! But I did get back to sleep!

I do hope you get a good night's sleep and that the rib sprain improves rapidly   

I have no idea If it does, then apparently I'm not allergic to topical Ibuprofen! All I know is, when I've taken Ibuprofen pills before, I've gotten stomach cramps.

Youch! Co-Codomal is a knock-out pill! I'm surprised you didn't sleep for a week!

Thanks The Solpadeine's helped a lot!

How are you today Eleanor? I hope you got a good night's sleep.

Oh, and btw I was wrong - Voltarol is diclofenac not ibuprofen.

A lot better today, thanks! Still a bit sore, but I've taken a couple of days off from crunches and sit ups.

Ah, that'd explain it! I meant to check, but forgot

Glad you are feeling better. Yes, leave crunches and sit-ups alone!

LyndaW wrote: Once, before my mum fortunately found the marvellous spray aforementioned, in desperation I took 2 x 500g Co-Codomal tablets, followed half an hour later by another tablet.  Doink!  But I did get back to sleep!  

How many?  

I'm amazed that you woke up next morning.   When I had my foot operation a couple of years or so ago I was given Co-codamol & was supposed to take 2 x tablets, three times a day for the first 2 days, then one tablet, three times a day for 12 days. I actually took 2 x tablets, three times a day for the first day (my oh insisted), then I cut it back to one, three times a day for 2 days. Then it was just one if the foot started to get a bit sore! I hate that feeling of having cotton wool in my head instead of brains!  

I'll hopefully start them up again next week Will give myself a chance to rest properly first though!

Naughty mum! Disobeying the doctors!

You know what I'm like with doctors!  

You're worse than me!

 

It was a one-off - I don't normally take pain-killers at all.

It was a bit silly I agree. Don't try this at home, folks