Got Back Pain?

This morning I taught my Cycle Fit class at the Arbutus Club and it went fine.  I chatted with the members a bit, cleaned up and went to grab my bag - that's when it happened.  That familiar radiation of pain spreading throughout my low back (I had a disc bulge years ago and it flairs up now and then) - and once it starts there's nothing I can do except accept the fact that I'm gonna be in A LOT of pain as the day goes by.

I was in a bit of a state of denial as I slowly hobbled out of the Arbutus Club thinking 'maybe the ride home will make it feel better'.  It didn't.  When I got home and tried to get out of my car I knew I was in trouble.  When you feel the need to scream a bit getting out of your car you just know.  I had to do the thing I hate the very most - I had to cancel a class at the very last minute!  I had to let Tash at Cadence know that I couldn't teach the class that I was supposed to teach in about 2 hours.  There are only two things that will cause me to cancel with no notice - sudden stomach flu/food poisoning (puking in a class is just not good for business) or back pain so bad that I can't walk properly (it just doesn't look good when the instructor hobbles, hunched over and cursing up to the bike to teach a spin class, and has to use the bike to hold her up).

So here's what I've been doing today: cancelling on multiple classes for today and tomorrow (just as painful as my back but in a different way), lying on an ice pack with my legs over some cushions, lying on my nice cold, hard tile kitchen floor stretching my glutes and hamstrings, using the same nice floor to roll a tennis ball under my glutes (hurts at the time but really helps) and, of course, cursing.

I'm hoping another day of this will do the trick - I really don't think I can stand not being able to teach my classes for any longer than that.  I should be fine by Saturday for the Ride to Conquer Cancer and will be super angry if I'm not.

If you have any good back pain remedies leave a comment ;)