3 years of back pain. Unable to work out

Options
I need some advice on what to do here.

Background: Zero issues, ever before 3 years ago. Issue started from my job having to stand stationary all day. Used to come home with a cold sweat from the tightness.

It is isolated to the lower back. It spans from the inside and outside of the muscle that wraps around the spine above my pelvis to the bottom of my lats.
I have no flexibility issues. It just tightens up so much that it hurts.

I have been to a chiropractor for months -- not much change.
I have done foam rolling -- not much change
I have done tennis ball myfascial release -- not much change
I have done a regular doctor -- waste of time just prescribed muscle relaxers instead of wanting to FIX the underlying issue
I do regular running of 1-2miles 3-4x per week along with yoga. This keeps the pain at bay, but never actually makes it any better.

I am just completely lost and feel hopeless. Can anybody here help me on what to do? Its been 3 years and I just want it gone so I can be able to function like I used to and be able to lift weights.
«1

Replies

  • Spotthemonkey
    Options
    I feel for you. I have multiple injuries from my military service. My docs say that the damage is just there. They give me muscle relaxers, but say that losing weight and exercising is the best thing I can do to reduce the stress on my joints. They say reducing the stress and building the muscle will reduce my pain, but probably never cure it completely.

    What has helped me is to find exercises that do not directly cause pain, but still work the muscles. So, for example, I have a knee injury from a long time ago and running makes it worse because of the jarring motion. I use the elliptical machine because it will build the muscle, but not jar my knee. So, I suggest trying different exercises to help build the muscles without causing direct pain.

    Another suggestion would be to wear a brace at work and see if that reduces the over all stress on your back.
  • 365andstillalive
    365andstillalive Posts: 663 Member
    Options
    The two professionals I'd recommend are actually the two I don't see on your list: massage therapy and physio therapy.

    Muscle relaxants, as much as they don't treat the underlying problem, can help bring relief, and are something that you should consider while trying to figure out the larger problem.

    Also, if you're regularly running and doing yoga, you are working out... what is the work out goal you'd like to achieve?
  • AquaticQuests
    AquaticQuests Posts: 945 Member
    Options
    Try swimming in place of the running! You'll notice a big difference straightaway!
  • sadiecara
    sadiecara Posts: 59 Member
    Options
    I broke my spine almost 2 years ago, and am (luckily) almost fixed. I am lucky that I am able to walk, as it was a possibility that I never could again, BUT I was told very firmly that I should NEVER run again. I don't know if that applies to you, But I used to run, before I broke, and have tried a few times since, but my back HATES it. I was advised that weight lifting is the best thing I could do to strengthen muscles. That and swimming. Good luck
  • fwhittaker
    fwhittaker Posts: 104 Member
    Options
    I really feel for you and had a very very similar experience. My main advice is TAKE IT REALLY SERIOUSLY and DON'T QUIT until you get the right hep.

    It turned out Ihave a ruptured disc which was the cause of all the pain and 'tightness' I was experiencing. I was going round and round in a vicious circle, trying to help myself with yoga (I was told to stretch a lot) and pilates (I was told to strengthen my inner abdominals). These, however, made it much worse.

    It wasn't until one day I couldn't stand it and I rocked up to the ER at my local hospital that I found out what was going on. Although I'd been examined by doctors and physiotherapists, they didn't pick up the rupture until I had an MRI.

    I then had regular physiotherapy, and now attend regular 'rehab' type class (physical therapy), where I am guided through very specific exercises. I had to sort of start from scratch in terms of building up some very specific muscles and stretching others that were related to my specific problem. I also had to learn that I simply couldn't carry things over a certain weight or sit for too long or I would go backwards. Oh, I also use of heat packs every morning and evening even if I'm feeling totally fine. I realised I had to really think of this as a top priority and make sure I did everything I could to help myself or I would always stay in that pain cycle.

    It sounds like a lot of work, but actually it doesn't feel like it because it helps so much. I started feeling relief quite quickly and I am able to do a lot of those things that I wasn't able to previously. I am MUCH MUCH MUCH better. Not much pain at all anymore.

    Like the person above, I think you should seek the help of a physiotherapist - there's a reason they treat pretty much every professional sporting team you can think of. They are also the ones that rehabilitate accident victims.

    I know I'm sounding like a know-it-all, but I really wish I had the right advice years ago, and don't want others to make the same mistakes I did!

    Hope you're able to find the right help soon and get out of that horrible pain!

    Oh, and I was able to find all of this help in the public system, which meant no $$. Good luck!
  • FindingAmy77
    FindingAmy77 Posts: 1,266 Member
    Options
    swimming does wonders for sore backs
  • lewispwest
    lewispwest Posts: 498 Member
    Options
    I hurt my back weight lifting last year and it took me a lot of doctor and physio appointments to finally get that it was a prolapsed disc sitting on a nerve. I'm undergoing targeted physiotherapy now (though not a great deal of change at the moment) but I feel your pain about not being able to exercise to your full potential. I would love to do weights properly and bulk up but unfortunately that won't happen :/
  • jackielou867
    jackielou867 Posts: 422 Member
    Options
    Bulging discs, pain for 20 years, diagnosed last year. Better bed, changed my sleep position, better sofa, core strengthening at the gym. I can't run outside but Hiit for half an hour on the treadmill seems ok. No medication. Pain gone, almost entirely.
    Hope you find something that works for you :-)
  • SlimMe37
    SlimMe37 Posts: 133 Member
    Options
    Try Pilates. I do this for my back pains due to a chronic illness and it helps a lot. I found I had no core strength which was part of the problem.
  • huggymama
    huggymama Posts: 12 Member
    Options
    Have you tried a different yoga instructor? I had one that made my back worse....switched and after a few sessions I noticed a change for the better.

    I also second the poster that said physio. Also, have you had scans to see what is going on?

    Also check out Esther Gokhale (I think that's how her name is spelt!). She has an excellent book on dealing with back pain. she has some YouTube videos to watch before forking out for the book!
  • THRIVEALLIN
    Options
    I had the same problem....I was going to chiropractor every other month. I found Thrive in July and my aches and pains are gone. Im not selling on here just sharing www.cobywhite.Le-Vel.com
  • icrushit
    icrushit Posts: 773 Member
    Options
    I've had a torrid time with my back for the last number of years, but thankfully its a lot better now, especially from a pain point of view. If you have persistent pain, I would advise getting a referral to a good orthopaedic consultant who specialises in the back, just to ensure there is nothing lurking there. It'll be an appointment or two, and an MRI, but at least you will know whether or not there is anything there that would be better attended to now. Even if it shows nothing, at least you can proceed with other things that may help manage if not eliminate the pain, although your list seems to be quite exhaustive of the things you have tried so far.

    Personally I found pilates very helpful, as well as a series of physiotherapy exercises prior to that, as my personal suspicion is anything out of whack between your neck and your toes tends to come out somewhere along the line in the form of pain/ discomfort, so its important to figure out the underlying problem and address it, be it something out of alignment, or weaknesses in one or more parts of your body putting pressure on other parts, thus the pain. I found pilates a good way of eliminating the weak points in that respect, although I would have thought yoga focussing on the back would have done the same. Re: yoga, I found this book (Yoga Heals Your Back; 10 min routines that end neck and back pain. (Rita Trieger) ) quite helpful, especially the first chapter, where it provides a nice 5- 10 minute routine for back flexibility that can be done in bed in the morning/ at night, if not during the day if you prefer that way.

    Good luck with everything, and hope you get to the end of it all soon :)
  • joanna_82
    joanna_82 Posts: 151 Member
    Options
    A few things that helped me:

    - sleeping on my side with a pillow between my knees. Amazing difference.
    - a good physiotherapist who took time to work out where the tightness was coming from, and then devised a plan to strengthen those muscles so they don't flare up so often
    - limiting the running until you don't have pain- I know myself that running does not help when my muscles are sore.

    Acupuncture was another really good thing for me that dealt with the pain so I could do the physio excersises.

    All of the above in combination got me off painkillers after 18 months. And mine was all down to weak glutes and tight hip flexors, although an MRI scan did say I had a bulging disc but the doctors told me that wouldn't cause my symptoms.....!
  • handyandy9x
    handyandy9x Posts: 93 Member
    Options
    +1 for the Physio, try to find a muscula-skeletal specialist. My wife had a long term back injury and always been told to isolate her back and tighten her core.
    Went to our new physio and he totally changed her way of thinking on her back, got her to relax, and a new course of exercise and it has given her a new lease of life. Not pain free, but able to do a whole lot more.
  • andyminiman
    Options
    Might I suggest you get your GP to refer you to a spinal unit at a hospital near you or as close as possible, go see a proper specialist, they will most probably get you to have an MRI scan and then you should be able to find out what is causing the pain. Not knocking them but maybe rather than a physiotherapist go see a Chiropractor as this type of issue (neuromusculoskeletal system) is more their specialist area.
    Keep up exercising the back as much as you can bear as once those muscles go weak even more problems start...

    FYI at 18yr's old I had a skim boarding accident and prolapsed the bottom two discs, 22 years and 2 Discectamy operations later I find myself needing to do core exercise regularly (3 times per week min.) to keep the pain at bay.
  • mave34
    mave34 Posts: 109 Member
    Options
    Everyone is different and everyone has a back story for you it seems. I am no different, slipped disc and damaged ligaments in lower back due to work injury.

    Listen to your body, stop when you hurt and push forward when you can tolerate. Find a way to strengthen your core as best as you can because your back will rely on it for support now that it's weakened. I have done physio, chiro, and a gazillion doctors appointments with medications thrown at me and I found the only thing that worked for me is really paying attention to my body. I started gaining weight because I was inactive and turned to food for comfort through the pain. Now 30 days into using MFP I cancelled chiro, and doc appointments and doing it on my own (keeping in mind I had two good xrays so I felt the doctors could do no more for me). You should definitely push to have proper tests done if you haven't already (xray, MRI etc)

    Things that I have found worked for me......wearing comfortable sneakers more often than I would normally(especially at work) a new bed, a new sofa, a pillow between my knees every single night, heating pad at night, a stability ball, just sitting on it and lifting a leg at a time, using it for work if you sit a lot, squats against a wall with the ball between you and the wall and go slow as not to irritate your back. planks just be careful to make sure your back is straight and don't do it if it's hurting, you could send your back into spasms (been there done that...ouch) Patience is huge because there are times you want to get up and go go go and you just can't. There are many very low impact exercises that can be very effective and your doctor or physiotherapist can provide you with booklets full of great stuff.

    Good luck I hope you can find relief and eventually live a life with minimal pain, it can be done so take it day at a time :)
  • fwhittaker
    fwhittaker Posts: 104 Member
    Options
    I've had a torrid time with my back for the last number of years, but thankfully its a lot better now, especially from a pain point of view. If you have persistent pain, I would advise getting a referral to a good orthopaedic consultant who specialises in the back, just to ensure there is nothing lurking there. It'll be an appointment or two, and an MRI, but at least you will know whether or not there is anything there that would be better attended to now. Even if it shows nothing, at least you can proceed with other things that may help manage if not eliminate the pain, although your list seems to be quite exhaustive of the things you have tried so far.

    Personally I found pilates very helpful, as well as a series of physiotherapy exercises prior to that, as my personal suspicion is anything out of whack between your neck and your toes tends to come out somewhere along the line in the form of pain/ discomfort, so its important to figure out the underlying problem and address it, be it something out of alignment, or weaknesses in one or more parts of your body putting pressure on other parts, thus the pain. I found pilates a good way of eliminating the weak points in that respect, although I would have thought yoga focussing on the back would have done the same. Re: yoga, I found this book (Yoga Heals Your Back; 10 min routines that end neck and back pain. (Rita Trieger) ) quite helpful, especially the first chapter, where it provides a nice 5- 10 minute routine for back flexibility that can be done in bed in the morning/ at night, if not during the day if you prefer that way.

    Good luck with everything, and hope you get to the end of it all soon :)
    Great book :-)
  • ps2cho
    Options
    I will go get an MRI and make sure its nothing skeletal I guess and ensure it is muscular. I've had plenty of time listening to my body over the past few years and get the feeling that it is strictly muscular. I have no flexibility issues and the "pain" is from it being so tight. If I do nothing to stretch it out, or I am having a stressful day, I can feel it begin to "warm" up (quite literally and that is why I used to have cold sweats from it in the beginning) and spread further across my back. As this happens the pain increases. I counter this by finding any hard object at work and pushing on the area. This tends to stop it getting worse and keep it at bay until I can get home and stretch further.

    I will report back once I get an MRI.

    I am also not overweight at 150lbs and it started when I was 21 years old and that is why I believe I have been passed off by a lot of doctors because they believe I am just making a big deal out of little aches and pains. I remember the doctor would "prod" around and feel my back and say does this hurt? how about here?. NO it doesn't hurt like that. The entire area is tight -- its not a specific point that if you touch it its magically the area. It was such a waste of time and he just shrugged his shoulders and said take these pain killers and it will relax it. Yeh it relaxed it for a period of time making me unable to drive and stay awake only to have it return immediately once it wore off.
  • bostonwolf
    bostonwolf Posts: 3,038 Member
    Options
    Is finding a new job an option?
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
    Options
    I have been to a chiropractor for months -- not much change.
    No surprise, they're quacks.
    I have done foam rolling -- not much change
    I have done tennis ball myfascial release -- not much change
    Good start.
    I have done a regular doctor -- waste of time just prescribed muscle relaxers instead of wanting to FIX the underlying issue
    Ok, so you aren't effectively communicating with your doctor then. Working with a doctor should involve a lot of communication, not just acceptance. Then again, that may just be what you want. I would suggest though that you learn to communicate with your doctor better.

    Why? You need physical therapy. You've needed it for years apparently. Go see a physical therapist.