Where does the back hurt? Is it sciatica? That would be at about L4 one inch from the midline. After an hour or so if there is no change move it an inch more and experiment to find your "hot spot". Change in feeling is pretty quick with these, so nothing is lost except a bit of time.

Tailbone area? Then about one inch from your "butt crack" and about 1 inch right or left depending on the side that bothers you.

These work best for radiating pain... I'd try them on your feet.
One foot at a time. Using the map and 3D link, place one over a major nerve at the ankle, and see what happens. Red side down.
I have used a magnet above the ankle bone and below, just before the arch. If you have pain that goes to the the big toe, the inside medial area is best.

Yes, it is about L4-L5, a little to the right. So, I'll start there, and just experiment. As soon as I get away from this computer for the day, I'll give it a go, and let you know tomorrow how it works.

Thanks so much for your endless patience with those of us (or maybe just me) who challenge it so frequently.

Thanks Kitt. It's OK to laugh. I've been laughing at myself. My favorite line from the Calvin and Hobbs comic strip: "If we couldn't laugh at things that don't make sense [substitute ourselves], we couldn't react to a lot of life"

Once you get the hang of it, you will be magnetizing all your friends! I even do my very old, lame cat at night. She gets about 20 minutes worth of one large magnet. It totally relaxes her and she falls asleep quickly purring!

Only because I'm already in a silly mood, I have to make a very silly comment. So, I'm begging your forgiveness in advance:

Definition of 'magnetic personality'?

LOLOLOL---- not only that, but they will really think you are
eccentric too! Many of my learned colleagues made fun of me.
But I just kept right on working, with no drugs, and making money... the jokes on THEM!

I was totally surprised when my foot doctor said he uses them too --- gave me the tip to put moleskin on one side. Yours are coated, but back when I started, coatings were not available, and magnet burn was a real thing. Yours should not do anything like that to you!

Half my friends already describe me as eccentric. The other half will finally believe what they've been told.

yeah be careful with these magnets. I thought i was being careful but two came together with my finger in the middle. to add insult to injury(literally) a piece of the magnet cracked off.

They are very strong. I glued a little metallic clip to my bedside table, and if I take my magnet off in the night I just reach over and it jumps onto the clip. I keep all of the others in a safe place.
Placed on a table with assorted objects, the magnet will move and attract "things". I have two layers of tape on my uncoated one..it helps with the handling. If it does crack the tape holds any pieces and prevents them from flying thru the air, etc. Once the thin nickel coating is breached, I'd not use that one anymore. They are crumbly inside I've found.

Pieces that crack off can go into your eye... so handle carefully.

I found one large strong magnet enough for me. I have some tiny ones I use on fingers/toes. It was one of those I used on my broken toe. Those are less likely to cause serious accidents, but they can fall off and get lost in the house.

I actually forgot to try the magnet when I left the computer yesterday. My husband came in from the yard to tell me he saw an Indigo Bunting - the first of the year. Since we only have them for about 2-3 weeks each year, I spent the next couple of hours on the porch scanning the trees and yard, but alas I never spotted one. Maybe today.

So, it was near bedtime when I finally remembered. But, I found the right spot on the first try.

When my lower back and the meralgia paresthetica is acting up like this, I can spend a couple of hours trying to find a comfortable position. But last night I was comfortable the minute I laid down - almost.

Probably because the lower back pain has been so overpowering, I never realized that there was also some back pain around T6-7. But with the lower back pain gone, the T6-7 pain was noticable. So, I got up and slapped another magnet on that spot. Again, I found the right spot on the first try. How lucky can one get.

Now comfortably pain-free, I settled in to watch The Good Wife, while my meds lulled me to sleep, but drat that shoulder that always bothers me when I lay on my left side. Never fear - there are 8 more magnets.

I discovered quickly that a magnet on the spine and one on the left shoulder is not a good idea. Because of the autonomic nature of my neuropathy, I have heart rate problems anyway, so I recognized the signs. Within about 5 minutes of adding the shoulder magnet, I noticed my heart rate slowing down. As soon as I realized what was happening, I removed the shoulder magnet. I can live with minor pain in the shoulder, but I can't live without a heart rate.

I woke up only once during the night, but not from pain. For the last several weeks with the lower back and MP acting up, I've been up almost every hour, and finally just get out of bed completely around 4:00-4:30 am. But I slept peacefully last night and didn't wake up until around 6:30 this morning.

I can already see that magnet therapy will improve the quality of my life.

Thank you mrsD.