I’m not looking for medical advice, but more understanding. I have chronic back pain. I can alleviate it completely with only 2 things - alcohol and a heating pad. Ibuprofen lessens it but it’s still present. Muscle relaxers do nothing (which makes sense because it’s not muscle related, it’s spinal disk degeneration).

A tall glass of whiskey makes my back relax and I can move normally. Once it wears off tho, it’s right back to tense and painful.

  • ultranaut@lemmy.world
    7·
    2 months ago

    Maybe it has to do with its effects on GABA receptors? Have you ever tried something like gabapentin or pregabalin?

  • 🇰 🌀 🇱 🇦 🇳 🇦 🇰 🇮 @pawb.socialEnglish
    3·
    2 months ago

    I get it. Alcohol and marijuana actually tends to make my whole body feel numb, whereas medically prescribed painkillers like oxycotin or codeine just give me a head fog and make me sleepy while doing nothing for physical pains. Over the counter shit like ibuprofen and aspirin are utterly useless for me unless taken to reduce a fever. Even the inflammatory properties don’t help alleviate swelling or anything for me.

    • 14th_cylon@lemm.ee
      21·
      2 months ago

      whereas medically prescribed painkillers (…) just give me a head fog and make me sleepy

      which is in start contrast to marijuana 😂

      • 🇰 🌀 🇱 🇦 🇳 🇦 🇰 🇮 @pawb.socialEnglish
        7·
        2 months ago

        Well, I mean at least the head fog and sleepiness from weed also comes with actual pain relief. 🤷🏻‍♂️

        But also, it really depends on the weed. Some strains make it impossible to function from the fog. Others help with sleep. And still others give me crack-like energy.

        • 14th_cylon@lemm.ee
          1·
          2 months ago

          Well, I mean at least the head fog and sleepiness from weed also comes with actual pain relief. 🤷🏻‍♂️

          ok, i am glad it works for you.

          But also, it really depends on the weed.

          well, for me all the “positive effects” disappeared over time and i was just left with those meh ones, which is why i ultimately stopped. but it may not be the experience of every person in the world, so…

          • deranger@sh.itjust.works
            1·
            2 months ago

            all the “positive effects” disappeared over time and i was just left with those meh ones

            This is the case for every single drug I’ve tried over a long period of time, and one of my hobbies is treating Erowid like a Pokédex.

  • givesomefucks@lemmy.worldEnglish
    41·
    2 months ago

    Might be neuropathic.

    If so, they give gabapentin out like candy, it is addictive tho so you may want to consider it “as needed” even tho they’ll want you to take it on a schedule.

    • sunbrrnslapper@lemmy.world
      3·
      2 months ago

      I have neuropathic pain and acupuncture has helped manage it so I can stay away from these kinds of medicine. Might be worth giving a shot (if nothing else you get a nap, which I always welcome).

    • Nurse_Robot@lemmy.world
      1·
      2 months ago

      Gabapentin isn’t addictive as far as I’m aware, but pregabalin aka lyrica is. Both do similar things

  • palordrolap@fedia.io
    2·
    2 months ago

    Alcohol is a known muscle relaxant. That fact is even a plot point early in the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, but I digress.

    It’s also something of a mind relaxant. If your pain is made worse by tensing up worrying about the pain, then alcohol is going to help both ways, because you’ll be less able to worry and you won’t be able to tense quite so much anyway.

    I’d be surprised if neither ibuprofen nor diclofenac have any effect at all - but don’t take those with alcohol in your system. Liver damage is not something you want to add to your list of ailments.

    Consult a physician, etc.