Bad back - please advise!
Discussion
Has anyone here successfully conquered a bad back?
I started with a bad back last October time. I'd be very inflexible when getting out of bed in the morning. Within a few weeks I was in considerable pain with my lower back. It was as if my spine was rigid at the base. Walking became quite painful and I was hobbling about at a snails pace in quite a bit of pain.
I kept on thinking it would improve but no progress was made. After a few weeks I saw the Dr. I was told to take 400mg Ibuprofen three times a day. These did nothing whatsoever! Few weeks later I went back and after a little arm twisting, the Dr agreed to send me for X-Rays. These came back as fine. No tumours and no spinal issues. More Ibuprofen prescribed and told to take Paracetamol products too if needed. No improvement still.
I'm now getting pains/aches down the back of my legs when sitting down and no improvement at all in my back.
Has anyone suffered like this before and what did you do to relieve the pain or cure yourself? I'm thinking I'll have to pay to see a Chiropractor as a next step?
My one comfort is going to bed at night - I am instantly cured as soon as I lie down! It's really getting me down now - every day I'm in pain
I started with a bad back last October time. I'd be very inflexible when getting out of bed in the morning. Within a few weeks I was in considerable pain with my lower back. It was as if my spine was rigid at the base. Walking became quite painful and I was hobbling about at a snails pace in quite a bit of pain.
I kept on thinking it would improve but no progress was made. After a few weeks I saw the Dr. I was told to take 400mg Ibuprofen three times a day. These did nothing whatsoever! Few weeks later I went back and after a little arm twisting, the Dr agreed to send me for X-Rays. These came back as fine. No tumours and no spinal issues. More Ibuprofen prescribed and told to take Paracetamol products too if needed. No improvement still.
I'm now getting pains/aches down the back of my legs when sitting down and no improvement at all in my back.
Has anyone suffered like this before and what did you do to relieve the pain or cure yourself? I'm thinking I'll have to pay to see a Chiropractor as a next step?
My one comfort is going to bed at night - I am instantly cured as soon as I lie down! It's really getting me down now - every day I'm in pain
I saw doctors and chiropractors for ages with no real improvement when I hurt my back a few years ago.
Real improvement came when I started swimming regularly - might be worth a try?
I should add that mine was muscle related rather than an actual spinal injury. Suggest that whatever you do you get the OK from your doctor first...
Real improvement came when I started swimming regularly - might be worth a try?
I should add that mine was muscle related rather than an actual spinal injury. Suggest that whatever you do you get the OK from your doctor first...
Mrs P is going through the same problem atm, you need to get your GP to refer you for an MRI. That will show up anything that is out of the ordinary.
She had her MRI 2 weeks ago (waited 3months for the appt). The person doing the scan told her they could see something on the scan but wouldnt tell her what it was. Shes now waiting for the follow up appt with her consultant who will tell her.
They have already mentioned that it might be bulging discs - injections to the area around the affected part of her spine are a likely route of treatment.
Hers has been bad since last summer and displayed all of the symptoms you described above. Shes been on co-codamol for ages and had a months course of diazapam over christmas.
Get back to your GP and get referred.
She had her MRI 2 weeks ago (waited 3months for the appt). The person doing the scan told her they could see something on the scan but wouldnt tell her what it was. Shes now waiting for the follow up appt with her consultant who will tell her.
They have already mentioned that it might be bulging discs - injections to the area around the affected part of her spine are a likely route of treatment.
Hers has been bad since last summer and displayed all of the symptoms you described above. Shes been on co-codamol for ages and had a months course of diazapam over christmas.
Get back to your GP and get referred.
I've had lower back problems for years. It turns out my posture was bad, your muscles then compensate and everything goes slowly out of shape resulting in reocurrung pain. I cured it about 3 years ago by visiting a Physio and still see them monthly for preventative work. I also exercise regularly. Ask your doctor to recommend you to a Physio and follow their advice for a while.
MJK 24 said:
No, just three X-Rays. Nothing else.
When I get up in the morning, I feel quite good. The first time I sit down, the pain instantly returns. If I'm sat down for a little while, my legs start to go slightly numb.
Go back to your GP and ask to be sent for an MRI scan. When I get up in the morning, I feel quite good. The first time I sit down, the pain instantly returns. If I'm sat down for a little while, my legs start to go slightly numb.
The waiting time for this can be anything up to 18 weeks though.
Edited by Victor McDade on Monday 18th March 17:33
MJK 24,
let me guess, you have a desk job and have had one for ages, you do loads of driving often without much in the way of lumbar support, you also suffer from occasional numbness or tingling sensations in any/all legs, feet, toes, bum, suffer from headaches maybe once a month, maybe occasional sore neck sometimes after a long day at work, sometimes when you wake up in the morning...
let me guess, you have a desk job and have had one for ages, you do loads of driving often without much in the way of lumbar support, you also suffer from occasional numbness or tingling sensations in any/all legs, feet, toes, bum, suffer from headaches maybe once a month, maybe occasional sore neck sometimes after a long day at work, sometimes when you wake up in the morning...
I've suffered on and off for nearly half my life having damaged discs weight training at 24 and then not resting it enough/re-injuring it (twice, badly). I have prolapsed and crumbling disks (lower two) and issues with discs mid-spine, including spurs/rubbing. On top of which I also damaged discs at the top of the neck (weights again, then compounded by whiplash after being a passenger in a rear end shunt) and so have many of your symptoms, and more.
I've had X Rays, scans, specialist investigations, chiropractic treatment (on neck - partial success) and two physios. The first, private, made things worse and nearly ruined me - I knew what he was doing was iffy to be honest so stopped after a few weeks - the second (NHS) was brilliant and couldn't believe what the first had done. He made a big difference through some very hard core and painful stretching etc.
I also have Sodium Diclofenac - but it can be harsh on the stomach - and have even had it injected directly in the spine in the worst flare up. Nurofen, aspirin etc. are a total waste of time for me. It can be dispiriting as it's hard to know how long it will last etc. - ironically I've just started training again after a 3 week 'episode' possibly triggered by sandbag training then bending too long scrubbing a carpet one of the kids had peed on! - BUT there are some things that definitely work.
One is stretching, especially hyperextensions. Laying flat on floor on stomach and raising the trunk up. Take advice first, obviously, but if you do them build up the range of motion etc. gently. My doctor told me to try 20 a time two or three times a day and now I could do them for England. They have been a godsend and specialists have told me they even use these in emergency situations before getting people in an ambulance! They seem to work esp. well for the very symptoms you describe. I've neglected these lately and think that contributed to my last issue which tend now to be few and far between. When I do them consistently the issues are gone/minimised. When I neglect them esp. in cold weather I get warnings. People I've recommended these too have also seen big benefits.
Another was walking. My last really bad episode was in 2001 - stupidly done; bent over slightly, head down at the end of a set of shrugs and did 'cheat' reps, dumb as dumb ever was - couldn't sit for more than 5 mins, couldn't drive etc. I walked once or twice a day for 3 months, a struggle to start with with stiffness/leg pains etc. but worked up to 6 or 7 mile v. hilly circuits and it made a massive difference. Well worth it. Cycling, even an exercise bike, did NOT help btw.
Boxing training also helps me massively as I think it helps mobilise my lower back etc. and keeps things more flexible + maybe strengthens muscles around the spine to help provide a layer of protection.
Prevention is another 'obvious'. Mine can go from side ways twisting at the same time as being bent - even slightly - or bending/lifting incorrectly, either head down/back rounded or legs stiff so I try hard to concentrate and avoid that - I wince when I see some people bend/pick things up and can almost feel the back going! Crossing legs/feet over when sitting is also a bad idea...
I've had X Rays, scans, specialist investigations, chiropractic treatment (on neck - partial success) and two physios. The first, private, made things worse and nearly ruined me - I knew what he was doing was iffy to be honest so stopped after a few weeks - the second (NHS) was brilliant and couldn't believe what the first had done. He made a big difference through some very hard core and painful stretching etc.
I also have Sodium Diclofenac - but it can be harsh on the stomach - and have even had it injected directly in the spine in the worst flare up. Nurofen, aspirin etc. are a total waste of time for me. It can be dispiriting as it's hard to know how long it will last etc. - ironically I've just started training again after a 3 week 'episode' possibly triggered by sandbag training then bending too long scrubbing a carpet one of the kids had peed on! - BUT there are some things that definitely work.
One is stretching, especially hyperextensions. Laying flat on floor on stomach and raising the trunk up. Take advice first, obviously, but if you do them build up the range of motion etc. gently. My doctor told me to try 20 a time two or three times a day and now I could do them for England. They have been a godsend and specialists have told me they even use these in emergency situations before getting people in an ambulance! They seem to work esp. well for the very symptoms you describe. I've neglected these lately and think that contributed to my last issue which tend now to be few and far between. When I do them consistently the issues are gone/minimised. When I neglect them esp. in cold weather I get warnings. People I've recommended these too have also seen big benefits.
Another was walking. My last really bad episode was in 2001 - stupidly done; bent over slightly, head down at the end of a set of shrugs and did 'cheat' reps, dumb as dumb ever was - couldn't sit for more than 5 mins, couldn't drive etc. I walked once or twice a day for 3 months, a struggle to start with with stiffness/leg pains etc. but worked up to 6 or 7 mile v. hilly circuits and it made a massive difference. Well worth it. Cycling, even an exercise bike, did NOT help btw.
Boxing training also helps me massively as I think it helps mobilise my lower back etc. and keeps things more flexible + maybe strengthens muscles around the spine to help provide a layer of protection.
Prevention is another 'obvious'. Mine can go from side ways twisting at the same time as being bent - even slightly - or bending/lifting incorrectly, either head down/back rounded or legs stiff so I try hard to concentrate and avoid that - I wince when I see some people bend/pick things up and can almost feel the back going! Crossing legs/feet over when sitting is also a bad idea...
mattikake said:
MJK 24,
let me guess, you have a desk job and have had one for ages, you do loads of driving often without much in the way of lumbar support, you also suffer from occasional numbness or tingling sensations in any/all legs, feet, toes, bum, suffer from headaches maybe once a month, maybe occasional sore neck sometimes after a long day at work, sometimes when you wake up in the morning...
I used to have a desk job. 10 hours a day in front of a computer. Then I started my own business so now it's 10 hours a day driving a truck. Mild numbness in legs after an hour or two. No headaches or neck pain. Was diagnosed with arthritis in my knees a few years ago (I'm 32). Used to do lots of weight training. Not so much the last couple of years but I'm (was) trying to get back into it. Can do very little at the moment or I'm literally unable to walk the next day which is quite inconvenient.let me guess, you have a desk job and have had one for ages, you do loads of driving often without much in the way of lumbar support, you also suffer from occasional numbness or tingling sensations in any/all legs, feet, toes, bum, suffer from headaches maybe once a month, maybe occasional sore neck sometimes after a long day at work, sometimes when you wake up in the morning...
Thank you everyone for taking the time to reply. I also have an email from someone. Can't reply on my phone for some reason but I will when I get near a PC. Thanks again
MJK 24 said:
mattikake said:
MJK 24,
let me guess, you have a desk job and have had one for ages, you do loads of driving often without much in the way of lumbar support, you also suffer from occasional numbness or tingling sensations in any/all legs, feet, toes, bum, suffer from headaches maybe once a month, maybe occasional sore neck sometimes after a long day at work, sometimes when you wake up in the morning...
I used to have a desk job. 10 hours a day in front of a computer. Then I started my own business so now it's 10 hours a day driving a truck. Mild numbness in legs after an hour or two. No headaches or neck pain. Was diagnosed with arthritis in my knees a few years ago (I'm 32). Used to do lots of weight training. Not so much the last couple of years but I'm (was) trying to get back into it. Can do very little at the moment or I'm literally unable to walk the next day which is quite inconvenient.let me guess, you have a desk job and have had one for ages, you do loads of driving often without much in the way of lumbar support, you also suffer from occasional numbness or tingling sensations in any/all legs, feet, toes, bum, suffer from headaches maybe once a month, maybe occasional sore neck sometimes after a long day at work, sometimes when you wake up in the morning...
The reason not all of it was right, that it depends on how far gone you are in the seriousness of muscular imbalances. Generally, but not always, problems start in your upper legs and spread out across your body - legs to lower legs and lower back to middle back and feet to upper back and toes to neck and headaches. So if sounds like you're in the early stages and have acquired an early injury.
Numbness is often down to your sciatic nerve being irritated/compressed. It may also be down to weak Gluteals that are not able to help blood flow, also affecting your feeling.
You may have acquired Piriformis Syndrome as well, which may even be a result of weight training with less-than-perfect form, or a poor postural response to a lack of training. Simple test: stand upright, legs shoulder width apart. Kick one leg out to the side. Does your foot turn outwards as you do so? If so, your Piriformis may be erroneously dominating that movement.
You need to rule out various things like degenerative joint disease, SIJ dysfunction, spondylosis or something more serious like a prolapsing disc. Your GP can do this with MRI referrals. Once proven there are no additional underlying problems, get to a gym 3 times a week and mostly hammer the crap out of your entire posterior with weights and stretches, and stretch your entire anterior region. (not quite as straight-forward as that, but it's a start.) Exercising will hurt like hell, will be hard and will make you want to stop, but keep going and do a full intense routine. You should see improvements within a couple of weeks. I've had some people see improvements even after their first session.
First you need at least a week of laid-out bed-ridden rest - that's "bed" not "sofa"! But don't make the mistake of thinking it's over after the pain goes. Get to the gym. Don't put it off or these problems will only get worse and you may end up with a proper injury... which will proper hurt. (if you're still partially mobile, then no, you haven't seen anything yet)
btw, yes I have conquered a bad back for myself (bad back, neck and shoulder 3 times separately) and cured about 25 other people of various back issues.
At risk of having the piss taken, can I suggest the OP thinks outside the box. I was suffering from a recurring bad back a couple of years ago. I'd had a bad back for 6 months, then a one off complete spasm, then another 6 months of it where it again seemed to be getting worse and worse. I was getting to the point where I was hobbling across the car park to get into work.
I mentioned it to one of the guys at work and he suggested something a bit 'alternative' as he'd been struck down with RSI a few years earlier and had been so bad with it he'd considered employing someone just to do his typing! Someone had then recommended a book by the bloke linked to below.
He forwarded some info on to me and after just 10 mins of reading a summary I was starting to feel less pain, within a couple of weeks I'd gone from constantly thinking about my back to only thinking about it maybe once a day. Now I've not even thought about it for months until I saw your thread.
In a nutshell, the advice is that much back pain nowadays is actually an external manifestation of stress, a bit like stomach ulcers used to be back in the 70s. Who has stomach ulcers anymore? No-one, does this mean there's less stress around or that we just show it differently? The Dr/author says it's not even necessary to resolve the stress, but just to recognise it as the source of the back pain!
SO, if like me, you have no originating injury, and the doctors can't find anything physically wrong (as it seems from your note) then take a few minutes out of your day to read some of the stuff on the link below which I think is all about a DVD, but I bought the book and it's worked fantastically, for me.
And believe me, I am the most cynical, anti-alternative/new age/holistic bulls
t person you're likely to meet!
http://www.healingbackpain.com/
I mentioned it to one of the guys at work and he suggested something a bit 'alternative' as he'd been struck down with RSI a few years earlier and had been so bad with it he'd considered employing someone just to do his typing! Someone had then recommended a book by the bloke linked to below.
He forwarded some info on to me and after just 10 mins of reading a summary I was starting to feel less pain, within a couple of weeks I'd gone from constantly thinking about my back to only thinking about it maybe once a day. Now I've not even thought about it for months until I saw your thread.
In a nutshell, the advice is that much back pain nowadays is actually an external manifestation of stress, a bit like stomach ulcers used to be back in the 70s. Who has stomach ulcers anymore? No-one, does this mean there's less stress around or that we just show it differently? The Dr/author says it's not even necessary to resolve the stress, but just to recognise it as the source of the back pain!
SO, if like me, you have no originating injury, and the doctors can't find anything physically wrong (as it seems from your note) then take a few minutes out of your day to read some of the stuff on the link below which I think is all about a DVD, but I bought the book and it's worked fantastically, for me.
And believe me, I am the most cynical, anti-alternative/new age/holistic bulls
t person you're likely to meet! http://www.healingbackpain.com/
Get an MRI which will look at the structure of your discs. One of them may be prone to prolapse which will be the pain down your legs.
In the meantime google INVERSION TABLES. Judging by your comments about going to bed being the most comfortable , it could be the pressure release when gravity is taken away which allows your spine to relax. An inversion table may help as the pressure is reduced when inverted.
In the meantime google INVERSION TABLES. Judging by your comments about going to bed being the most comfortable , it could be the pressure release when gravity is taken away which allows your spine to relax. An inversion table may help as the pressure is reduced when inverted.
Gassing Station | Health Matters | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff