A bit of background

My back pain first started in 2002, as I was getting in the car. I'm sure this particular activity didn't actually cause the back pain, probably more likely the straw that broke the camel's back (if you pardon the expression). Anyway, that cleared up after a while, with only a few niggles in the meantime.

This May, I noticed the niggles were getting gradually worse, then one morning, as I was getting ready for work, my back went into spasms and all I could do was collapse into bed in the worst pain I have ever experienced in my life - like I was being stabbed in the back. A prescription for co-proxamol, diclofenac (anti-inflammatory) and diazepam (muscle relaxant) got me hobbling about again. I stopped taking the tablets about 5 days later as one or more of them were making me feel nauseous but I mananged, and was back at work a week after I hurt my back.

Since then, my back pain has been off and on and I'm having trouble remembering how much it hurts, and when. I know I was having pain and sciatica fairly badly 8 weeks ago because that was when I first started talking to the lady at work who does acupuncture about my problem.

I have had 5 sessions of acupuncture so far. It is pretty much as the acupuncturist said it might be - a little worse the day after treatment, a bit better a few days after and pretty much back to the original level of pain after a further few days. The sciatica down the back of my left leg has pretty much cleared up but the sciatica down the front of my right leg has got worse, if anything.

One reason I think my back pain isn't going is my mystery allergy. I haven't worked out what I am allergic to but I sneeze off and on, and often when I sneeze it cause agony in my back. I'm sure this keeps setting my recovery back.

The last week has been worse. I have been trying to avoid painkillers as I don't want the pain to be dulled so much that I end up doing things that are bad for my back but I wouldn't have been able to function this week without painkillers and anti-inflammatories.