Back Problems

[ExplorePS]

Does anyone else suffer from back pains/weak back and have any guidance to share? I'm in my late 30s and have a healthy diet and workout routine. I'm not sure what caused it as there wasn't a triggering event. However, there was a period in time last year where I would have severe pains only at a certain angle (seated position in a chair to standing). Once I was upright though, I was in good shape and anything from weights/running/cycling wasn't a problem.

Fast forward to today, I don't have those pain points getting up from a seated position anymore. However, I can tell that my back still has some sort of issue when I stretch. The only thing I'm consciously doing that makes it worse is if I paint my own nails (sitting on the floor so my back curled). Obviously I try to limit things that hurt my back but the interesting thing is that all other normal activities in life seems to not bother me. As a result, I haven't thought it was severe enough to get an MRI/X-Ray and have been laying on top a foam roller to get my back to "curl/lengthen/stretch" in the other direction, which seems to help. I'm not sure what a DR would do as it isn't bad enough to want to do surgery so I assume the only thing I can do is strength and stretch, which is what I am doing already. Perhaps medical tests could help me better understand whether it's muscular or bone or nerve related but does it not matter if the solution is the same? Appreciate any thoughts and TIA!

 

[pearlsngems]

As a retired physical therapist (a.k.a. physiotherapist in some countries), I recommend you go see a PT to be evaluated.
I would not venture to suggest anything else.

 

[Lisa Loves Shiny]

Most back problems are degenerative. I would recommend you get evaluated by a spinal surgeon. You probably will need a referral from your primary care physician. They will do an exam, most likely order an X-ray and go from there. If they recommend physical therapy you will be taught the best therapeutic exercises to help increase strength and decrease pain.

 

[musicloveranthony]

As a retired physical therapist (a.k.a. physiotherapist in some countries), I recommend you go see a PT to be evaluated.
I would not venture to suggest anything else.

Where I live one needs an order for P.T. but I likewise agree - Physical Therapists are magicians and have changed my life for the better

 

[pearlsngems]

Or go see a physiatrist, who is an M.D. of physical medicine. (Not a psychiatrist! The words look similar but refer to very different specialties!)

 

[canuk-gal]

HI:

Where I live , I know of a few dedicated "Spine Centers". Yes, you need a referral from your GP. But they have a comprehensive team of all heath care specialists.....

Is this an option for you (and @Begonia ) ?

cheers--Sharon

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

stop painting nails on the floor !
my physio could always tell when i had been sitting on the floor doing stuff

 

[Begonia]

HI:

Where I live , I know of a few dedicated "Spine Centers". Yes, you need a referral from your GP. But they have a comprehensive team of all heath care specialists.....

Is this an option for you (and @Begonia ) ?

cheers--Sharon

I'm not sure if we have any of those locally, but I'll inquire. I did visit our local pain clinic for a time and got various injections (nothing addictive - cortisone, dextrose etc) . The sad thing was that I wasn't considered bad enough, and was graduated out of the program. I guess because I wasn't addicted to prescription meds meant my pain was tolerable enough?
Sigh.

 

[Tonks]

As a retired physical therapist (a.k.a. physiotherapist in some countries), I recommend you go see a PT to be evaluated.
I would not venture to suggest anything else.

I was going to say the same thing. PT!

A good PT is a magical thing.

 

[monarch64]

I would never give medical advice online and am not qualified to do so anyway. But years ago there was a very active “health” thread and one member touted the benefits of core strength training for his back pain issues.

I used to sit on an exercise ball while working at my desk. I have fallen away from that habit but should get back to it as I did notice a difference in the severity of my lower back pain when I used it vs when I didn’t.

I stated in another thread on this same topic that I once mentioned to my PCP that I was having back pain/issues and she very quickly replied “take Tylenol and ibuprofen together” and left the room. As though she thought I was going to ask her for more serious rx pain meds. I wasn’t—I was aiming at trying to get to the root of my issue. I have a new doctor now and need to message her about this. I keep forgetting when I see her at regular appointments.

 

[Begonia]

Where I live one needs an order for P.T. but I likewise agree - Physical Therapists are magicians and have changed my life for the better

Interesting.
I've been to many and haven't come away with much that helps.
My chiro has been more helpful, but PT? Not so much.
The osteopath was pretty good tho.

 

[Begonia]

Back problems galore over here. It's a journey.

 

[Dreamer_D]

Something like 70% of people have back pain at some point in their lives. I have had periods where I had back pain for various reasons. It does seem to get worse with age! Physiotherapy was a huge help every time.

One reason I had back pain on and off through my 20s and into my 30s was over exercise. I don’t have back pain at all anymore since I changed my activities to less rigorous things. Just something to consider.

 

[ExplorePS]

Appreciate everyone's responses! Thanks for the support and feedback.

If I were to venture a guess, I might be in @Dreamer_D scenario that some sort of repetitive motion might have thrown my body for a loop. In my 20s I did a lot of triathlons and have been to PTs before to prevent or heal up injuries. With a better understanding of my body (strength prevention... gosh our glute muscles are so important!) or perhaps built up my athletic foundation by my late 30s (I grew up as a swimmer so this was my first exposure to high impact sports), I stopped getting those type of athletic injuries! Hence, my surprise on the back issue that came out of no where... not driven from tons of mileage from training etc...

I do have a routine OBGYN appointment in the summertime and will describe the situation to her. Until then, I feel fortunate that it doesn't hurt daily and only when I purposely stretch or test out my mobility.

Sorry @Begonia of your issues and I had a coworker in the past who would get injections but he was in his 60s and had scoliosis and even for him, it was only done in rare occasions but would provide much relief. Hope it continues to get better for you!

 

[monarch64]

Wish @Rod was still around. He had a book he touted that helped his back issues so much that they basically went away. I hope he’s still doing well, wherever he is.

You might try to search up “Rod back pain” or similar to find his informative posts.

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

I'm not sure if we have any of those locally, but I'll inquire. I did visit our local pain clinic for a time and got various injections (nothing addictive - cortisone, dextrose etc) . The sad thing was that I wasn't considered bad enough, and was graduated out of the program. I guess because I wasn't addicted to prescription meds meant my pain was tolerable enough?
Sigh.

talk about the ambulance at the bottom of the cliff
that doesnt sound very fare at all

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

my workmate Paula is 71 (or 72?) she works part time but i get the pleasure of her company on a Saturday (i cleaned her rings for her this past week)
anyway she really enjoys coming to work and well it helps with the bills and she is great company
she used to work a bit more through the weeks doing opens but her hip has been giving her so much gip
she has also had sciatica so between all this and my knee we hobble about together

but i feel so sorry for her, when she is in pain its so bad she has to go home, and just lie down, IMHO she has not had a lot of real help from her doctor, she is on a waiting list to see the specialist (who comes in every saturday to buy an apple donut) he said the wait time after a refferal here (in the boondocks where the hospital probably has one specialist per dept) is about six months in his dept
Then around xmas poor Paula was home having a day off and slipped and broke her wrist and the hospital doctor she saw looked at her meds and altered them .....
more pain
anyway last time she went to her GP he noticed that a medicine that was surposed to be taken in tandom with something else was missing the something else and since that has been corrected her pain is on a much lower level

as they say doctors practice medicine

 

[AprilBaby]

Saw this the other day and I want to look into it. rush Hospital is only 35 min away from me.