Irritating

[shermarama]

There's something up with my back, and I don't know what, but it's very irritating.

It's not that it's painful as such. When I'm in a comfortable position, like I am in this chair right now, it doesn't hurt at all. The problem tends to be when I'm trying to move from one position to another - moving around while lying down, or going from lying down to any other position is particularly bad - and even then it's not so much pain as the feeling that the bungee's shot in some of my muscles and they can't support me. Like they're locked in the wrong place, which leads to pain from trying to move something using the muscles that aren't meant to do that bit, and then trying to grab something quickly so I won't fall over but then that doesn't help because that's grabbing something with the other end of these levers and the core muscles that I need to work the levers are the ones that aren't working.

It's my lower back, in a sort of triangle on the back of my pelvis really, so when I'm sat down it's okay but when I stand up it takes ages to be able to set the curve the other way and stand up straight. I can walk but it's a bit of a hobble, it's not free, although that improves when I've been doing it a while and have got more set into the position for it. I can crouch straight down from standing no problem, that's just using my legs, but bending over from the lower back, including leaning over sideways, is totally not happening. I was doing a lot of wallpaper-scraping at funny angles this weekend, which may have been the cause, but I do that a lot (obviously, not yesterday or today) and it's not like there was some blinding moment of 'I've done my back in' - this just sort of crept up on me over the course of Monday.

I think it's a pretty natural reaction to want to go to a doctor about this but I know already that all they'll say is 'we can't give you any drugs' (I don't want drugs) and 'go home and rest' (but the transition to and from lying down is currently the most awkward thing I can do). I don't want to hear that, I don't need a sick note, I just want to know what's wrong. Which bits aren't working right, why not, what movements can I avoid making to give whatever's broken more of a chance to heal? I'm trying to work it out using the web but everything I can find is too general, or tells me about what it isn't. It's not lower back pain, it's lower back not working right. How do I make it work again, please?

Comments

[ultraruby.livejournal.com]

When I had a similar thing with a different bit of my back the doctor did indeed go 'woudl you like some extra strong painkillers? Would you like a sick note?' and that was that. I went to an osteopath instead though, one in a natural health centre place that cost about £40 I think, and not only did she explain what was up and how the muscles and such all fit togther, she also did loads of adjusting work on me and gave me great advice that meant the pain's never come back again. It was the first time I'd ever gone to someone like that but I'm SO glad I did. Seriously - osteopath. I recommend.

[shermarama]

That sounds like just the sort of thing I'm looking for, it must be said. I'll have to look into that.

(Wouldn't it be nice if we had a free-at-the-point-of-use arrangement that provided something like that, though, some sort of nationalised system, we could call it something like the national health service. Oh, wait...)

[steer.livejournal.com]

I think most doctors recommend exercise not rest for back pain -- but as you say this isn't back pain. Hope it's better soon,

[shermarama]

I'm waiting for a callback from NHS Direct just to see what the standard advice might be, in case it's something other than just 'go to the doctor'.

[openidwouldwork.livejournal.com]

Ostheopath.

Or normal doctor, but insist on having an MRT done... but it does not sound like a intervertebral prolapse or somthing like that. (If you can't stand on tiptoes or there is a line of pain down the back of either thigh or you have lost sensitivity on parts of your legs/feet you should definitely get an MRT done)

[shermarama]

Yup, I don't think it's anything that serious, the rest of me's still working as normal. I've just been taken through the 'if any of these things are wrong with you then get to a doctor *now*' list and been spat out at the endpoint of 'rest and take ibuprofen' which is at least some sort of reassuring.

[openidwouldwork.livejournal.com]

A very non-medical recommendation would be to upgrade the ibu with a nice soak in a hot tub, and a relaxing sauna and massage session...

[shermarama]

Yeah, I tried the hot tub soak last night and the awkwardness of getting out of the bath rather undid any good it might have done...

[openidwouldwork.livejournal.com]

;) no, a proper hot tub with hot saline water, like this:
(http://s249.photobucket.com/albums/gg236/fishelfe/?action=view&current=Solegrotte_320x150.jpg)

[feanelwa.livejournal.com]

Have a long hot bath if possible, and before it look at yourself sideways in the mirror to see if it's curving too much backwards or what. Also heat packs. Movements that may be useful to loosen it up a bit: turning sideways, i.e. lying on your back with your legs out to one side and twisting the top of you gently the other way. Painkillers might also give actual help as well as kill pain; if your back is sore the muscles tend to tense up thinking they are protecting it but then they stop it moving and make it more sore, so making it not so sore might encourage them to relax a bit. Doctor is also worthwhile in case something has gone wrong other than "it's just sore".

[shermarama]

I've subsequently spoken to NHS Direct and they took me through the 'is there anything serious wrong with you' checklist and there doesn't seem to be, which is some sort of reassurance. Twisting my top half around while lying down is exactly what I can't do at the minute; it feels like the muscles that ought to work that sort of thing have lost their feedback control or something. Trying to move around while lying down, turn onto my side or back, feels like it's going to snap my spine because things aren't pulling together effectively, just spasming randomly.

I'm now taking ibuprofen since, as they pointed out, no doctor is going to try any further treatment until I've ticked ibuprofen off their tickylist. It only hurts when trying to go from one position to another, though, when it's a sharp pain, not an inflammation or tension sort of ache, and so far ibuprofen doesn't seem to be making any difference to that. As for heat, I had a bath last night and any good it may have done was quickly disguised in the hoopla currently involved in getting up from lying down... I've got a hot water bottle down my back at the minute, though, by way of experiment.

[tonithegreat.livejournal.com]

Have you got the option of seeing a physical therapist? I've got to have a referral from my normal doctor to get it paid for by my insurance, but when I had some back pain that didn't resolve on it's own, I saw a therapist who gave me some stretches to do that really worked wonders.

I think when you're tall, you've got to pay attention to back issues because they are more likely to get out of control than they might be for our less-lanky brethren.

[shermarama]

*grins* Physiotherapy is the sort of thing that *is* available on the NHS, but will involve extensive harrassing of doctors and a wait that may extend into months, based on the experience of friends. I'm lucky to have never particularly had back problems so far, but yes, I'd like to keep it that way. It's going to be a case of seeing how this goes for now.

[khalinche.livejournal.com]

I am having a similar set of problems with the muscles on the back of my hips and around my tailbone: I'm getting fierce shooting pains and cramps in them when I bend over or move wrong, especially after I've been for a long walk. Ewt just watched this happen and told me the name of the muscle group (somethingosacral) and that there are often problems when people start doing lots of walking or exercise because the muscles in your legs get big and demanding very quickly, and the muscles in your pelvis can't keep up with their growth and go all strained and complainy. She said core strength exercise (Pilates or similar) and hamstring stretches are good for it.

Don't know if that's your problem - the area you describe is the same - but stretches will probably help. Hope it goes away soon.

[shermarama]

It's the right area, and thus I did mention my running training to the osteopath, but he reckons that's not affected it in this case. I've already got the big and demanding muscles, I think, though I'm trying to get more so as to be able to keep up with Chris's mum.

(I quite like the '*grunk* oooh I've been doing something then' effect but then I don't usually get it so strong as to be shooting pains...)