Long Term Back Problem

[AYBABTU]

Perhaps you need to strengthen your back muscles?

 

I have been bouldering at the climbing works for a few months now - very hard at the start but stick with it and it soon makes you pretty strong and you will be able to progress beyond the basic routes.

 

You have to do an introduction course but then you can go and climb when you like.

 

They run an adult improver course on Weds and Fri nights which is free (other than the entry cost) and is well worth doing as you can learn the basics and meet other people just staring out.

 

I too for many years suffered from lower back pain (I blame lifting small children in and out of car seats) but the climbing has definitely alleviated it...

[DerbyTup]

Perhaps you need to strengthen your back muscles?

 

I have been bouldering at the climbing works for a few months now - very hard at the start but stick with it and it soon makes you pretty strong and you will be able to progress beyond the basic routes.

 

You have to do an introduction course but then you can go and climb when you like.

 

They run an adult improver course on Weds and Fri nights which is free (other than the entry cost) and is well worth doing as you can learn the basics and meet other people just staring out.

 

I too for many years suffered from lower back pain (I blame lifting small children in and out of car seats) but the climbing has definitely alleviated it...

 

and then you got married and had kids?

[smithy266]

What a superb reply Derby Tup, post 11. Really impressed.

[Pinnacle PAT]

It sounds to me like the OP is describing muscular pain, but we'd really need a bit more detail to be sure of that. Like, what type of pain? Acute, sharp, pain? A burning sensation? A dull ache? and where does it eminate from and spread to?

 

If this was pain relating to bone or cartilage, like a slipped or protruding disc, the pain would be acute and may also radiate down one leg (sciatica). That's not to say that the original cause wasn't a back strain affecting the spine or discs. Back muscles will go into spasm to protect any damage to the discs - but if this is long term then it's unlikely the muscles have remained in spasm all this time.

 

We'd need to know when the pain occurs? Is it at certain times of day or night, or whilst doing certain activities? Or is it there all the time? But if so, is it worse at some times than others? Is there anything that the OP is doing that seems to ease or worsen it? How about the OP's occupation - is that in some way contributing to the problem?

 

Can the pain be traced back to a single incident maybe? Whilst lifting? Following exercise? On waking?

 

The first thing really is to play detective and try and understand the circumstances which may have led to the development of the pain. Because this can help with treatment.

 

It could be related to the development of osteo-arthritis. If that's the case then the OP should seek proper medical advice and drug treatment may be necessary.

 

The jury is pretty much out in terms of glucosamine btw. It has been the subject of much debate because there are so many different variants of it and the studies used to evaluate it have been poorly conducted in the main. In other words, few of the studies that evaluate it have been worthy of producing meaningful statistics. What we do know is that it is not as effective, in a proper clinically evaluable situation, as other prescription medicines that are available for this condition. However, you cannot dismiss that it may bring benefit for some individuals - so, it may be worth a shot?

 

From what is described here I think that physiotherapy may well be worth another go. Pilates is not a bad shout either. If it's about a lack of suppleness in the muscles then exercises that involving stretching and massaging the area should help. Some physio's also offer ultrasound and acupuncture which may be of benefit. It sounds like the OP has tried some of this already without much effect - which is why I think it may be related to the development of osteo-arthritis - but I could be totally wrong.

 

Two other things...both questions for the OP...

 

Have you changed the mattress on your bed in recent years? (Do you turn it regularly?) Did you invest in a reasonable quality mattress, preferably with pocket-springing? We spend most of our time in bed and if your mattress is poor quality or simply worn out that won't be helping matters much at all. Some folks are happy to spend thousands on a flat-screen telly, but only want to spend a fraction of that on a mattress. I know which I think is more important.

 

How about when you are sitting at work? Be it in a car seat or a chair at a desk. Have you ever had your posture checked to make sure that you are 'ergonomically' correct? Sitting with poor posture in a chair all day, if indeed that's what you do, won't help either.

 

One further suggestion...

 

Yoga?

 

Nice reply, thank you.

 

No one incident has happened. It only really really hurts at night. I've spent a fortune on mattresses both pocket sprung and the ones that supposedly mould to your body, no difference, its still there. I believe it doesn't hurt in the day because my body's learnt to hold itself in a certain way. I've always been teased going right back to school about the way I walk and that I hold my back straight. In actual fact it feels like its always arched back. My physio stopped treating me in the end as he said he couldn't do anything more for me.

 

I must admit it does appear to be worse if I'm under stress but my job doesn't involve lifting anything.

 

With regard to sitting in a chair I can't actually sit up straight, my back just doesn't allow me to sit with it straight, it's permanently arched.

 

The only drugs the doctors gave me were Diazepan (sp)

[shadders]

george caruthers at broomhill

[medusa]

Nice reply, thank you.

 

No one incident has happened. It only really really hurts at night. I've spent a fortune on mattresses both pocket sprung and the ones that supposedly mould to your body, no difference, its still there. I believe it doesn't hurt in the day because my body's learnt to hold itself in a certain way. I've always been teased going right back to school about the way I walk and that I hold my back straight. In actual fact it feels like its always arched back. My physio stopped treating me in the end as he said he couldn't do anything more for me.

 

I must admit it does appear to be worse if I'm under stress but my job doesn't involve lifting anything.

 

With regard to sitting in a chair I can't actually sit up straight, my back just doesn't allow me to sit with it straight, it's permanently arched.

 

The only drugs the doctors gave me were Diazepan (sp)

 

If your doctors have run all the proper checks that there's nothing seriously wrong with the structure of your back then I'd say you need to be thinking of a whole selection of things that can improve your back over time.

 

Firstly- posture. Something like the Alexander technique, coupled with regular attention from a decent osteopath (I see Lisa Halse at the Lodge House in Walkley, but she also does a clinic at the Stillpoint Practice) should start working out what is out of line and what needs to be stretched or strengthened in order to start realigning your body.

 

Second- muscle tone and posture combined. Lots of your muscles work in conjunction with each other to support your lower back and if they're weakened then you'll be putting stress on your back which will get worse through each day you're upright. Swimming, Pilates and yoga are all really good ways of promoting the muscle toning that you're looking for, and all of them should improve the muscles without damaging anything, even if they are hard work to get started with. Lots of evidence shows that keeping moving is one of the most important things that you can do to prevent muscle weakness and future damage.

 

Third- pain control. Alternating hot and cold packs on your back (always well wrapped so there's no shock, but starting and finishing on cold and spending 5 minutes with cold, then hot, then back again for half an hour) can be really good for pain relief. TENS machines can be great for pain control too, as can ibuprofen or diclofenac gel, and you can use them at the site of the injury and absorb a whole lot less than if you were to take them orally, so you'll damage your gut a lot less too.

 

Fourth- adaptations. There are lots of ways of doing things which are 'back friendly' and little bits of kit which help out, from learning how to bend forwards without stressing your back to carrying things in a way that doesn't load your body unevenly. You could also do with looking at your desk chair, your sofa, your car chair and your shoes to see if there's anything obvious which you can change to improve your back function.

 

All of these things need to be looked at holistically. Our backs are connected to every bit of us and so can be affected by and can affect every bit of us.

 

From one chronic pain sufferer to another- I hope you see some effects soon

[DerbyTup]

Nice reply, thank you.

 

No one incident has happened. It only really really hurts at night. I've spent a fortune on mattresses both pocket sprung and the ones that supposedly mould to your body, no difference, its still there. I believe it doesn't hurt in the day because my body's learnt to hold itself in a certain way. I've always been teased going right back to school about the way I walk and that I hold my back straight. In actual fact it feels like its always arched back. My physio stopped treating me in the end as he said he couldn't do anything more for me.

 

I must admit it does appear to be worse if I'm under stress but my job doesn't involve lifting anything.

 

With regard to sitting in a chair I can't actually sit up straight, my back just doesn't allow me to sit with it straight, it's permanently arched.

 

The only drugs the doctors gave me were Diazepan (sp)

 

Diazepam is a muscle relaxant (well, strictly speaking it's a benzodiazepine anti-anxiolytic - which means, it's for anxiety, but it has the effect of relaxing muscles). So, there's the first clue - your medical practioner has indicated that the problem is muscular rather than structural and gone down that route with you.

 

You've said something else though which makes me think your problem is more related to posture - the comment about being teased at school about the way you walked.

 

It's possible this problem is arising from your hips - that would affect your gait, i.e. the way you walk and your back muscles would seek to correct that by over-compensating whilst you are active and then you would most likely feel the pain from that once you relax - which kind of fits with the night-time pain you describe.

 

Has your medical practioner actually remarked on your posture? Do you have any 'scoliosis' (this is a medical term for curvature of the spine)? Have you ever been referred to an orthopaedic surgeon for observation? If not, then if you feel the situation is worsening you could try that approach.

 

If you do have this curvature of the spine there are things that can be done, other than surgery, although in severe cases that remains an option. I still think though that this could be more related to your hips from what you have said.

 

The other interesting comment you made was about how the pain seems worse when you are "under stress". This suggests to me that you maybe do suffer from some level of anxiety and it's natural for all of us to hold ourselves tense when we are anxious. Think of riding a roller-coaster for example or driving a car when you sense you are about to crash into something - we tense up. The diazepam should benefit you both in terms of relaxing the skeletal muscle and calming you down a bit. But ultimately what you want to do is to be able to exert that calmness over yourself without the need for medication.

 

That was why I was thinking Yoga might actually help. BTW - I don't do Yoga myself so I'm not pushing that - it's just something that I think is interesting because it teaches relaxation and posture and can be good in that respect.

 

Good luck anyhow - I hope the range of comments you've got from all the responders on here might point you in the right direction.

[Burnsie]

Hi

 

I’ve not had time to read the whole of this thread so I do apologise if my reply has been covered.

 

1. Taking pain killers is not a bad thing or a defeat. Yes, if you had no pain then that would be great, but if the pain is stopping you doing things then get drugged up!!

2. Unfortunately you might be genetically predisposed to have back pain!

3. Keep active

4. The back/spine has a limited number of movements in it. Spending time at the gym etc flexing the spine when there is no need (i.e. crunches) then you are increasing the chances of pain/injury (also, how often do you perform an action in the everyday life that you do when you do a crunch).

5. Back pain is also psychological. Have you tried CBT etc?

6. Approximately 30% of back pain can be diagnosed. The other 70% can’t. That leaves the NHS and especially doctors with a problem. How to treat what they can’t prove?

7. Other “health professionals” can only accept their point of view. I.e. A chiropractor (don’t get me started) will say the pain is due to one thing (i.e. back), a chiropodist will say its due to how your feet work thus how you walk, yadda yadda yadda.

 

Essentially, all your body is connected. If you don’t have any structural dysfunctions (i.e. MRI etc are negative) then there is no another reason. However, who to say what the reason/where the pain is and what is really causing it? Think of the nervous system. Essentially it’s all connected. A problem in one part and you might feel it in another area of your body. Tight muscles in your pelvis might mean your pelvis does not articulate properly, resulting in a abnormally rotated side your pelvis (left side, for example), causing one hip to be evaluated, causing scoliosis of the lumbar spine, causing shoulder pain (in this example)...connected.

 

You have tried stretching, but sometimes muscles don’t want to stretch as they are protecting things (such as nerves). Have you tried muscle resale techniques?

 

See this YouTube vid, this will help “relax” your piriformis muscle in the gluts area.

 

 

Quick question re Pilates. If you have an abnormally rotated pelvis and then do strengthening work for your core (like you do on a stability ball at the gym, or in the Pilates) what are you going to do to your pre-excising dysfunction. Make it better, or strengthen it!

[alex3659]

A few years ago I suffered severe back pain for over 9 months, I couldn't walk more than a few steps and was practically bedridden the whole time.

I was living on massive amounts of pain killers well over the recomended guidelines and had every test possible.

One day I got out of bed to go to the toilet and the pain had gone, no one to this day knows what the cause of this was.

[Ian Dome]

i suffer a recurring issue, and its normally after lifting or doing something daft like spinning my two kids around like an idiot. best treatment is heat, i find an electric blanket really takes the pain away in my case - alongside a couple of paras and a volterol (diclofenic). seems to go after a couple of days.