Ask Me Help Desk - Back Pain

I had severe lower back pain approximately three weeks ago. On a scale of 1-10 the pain peaked at a 9 in the first week with muscle spasms and my sciatic nerve taking me to the floor... this resulted in me seeking medical advice (No scans taken). I was prescribed stronger pain relief and stronger anti inflamatories.

Three days after taking the new medication my pain subsided to a 2 or 3 and I was able to move again!

I am now finding on my third week that when I lay on my right side for ANY period I find it difficult to stand and walk immediately, however, fine on my left side. I am also finding it difficult to lift my right leg high off the ground. I have recently (last couple of days) started feeling a throbbing/heartbeat/pain(scale 1) in my lower back when flat on my back in bed... is this normal? How long will it take to heal? Is there any exercises I can do to speed up recovery?

I am awaiting physiotherapy...

I'm 24 and have no idea how I managed to cause the pain in my back however feel great sympathy for anyone who has ever experienced it and I hope I do not ever get it again!

Thanks

:-)

It all depends on what's wrong with your back. Since no scan was done or the source of the pain found out, it is neigh on impossible to suggest anything that is guaranteed to work. The best is to work on your core. That is what my chiro and doctor always say. A healthy and strong core will keep everything good.

Your back is a wonder of engineering. You have the actual spine, which is just your bone, that protects and allows the nerves to exit your spinal cord. Between those are the discs which allow the bones to move in a limited fashion. Surrounding all that is a layer of ligaments holding it all together. Then you have the muscle that supports and keeps it all aligned right. When either of those last two get loose, it will put things out of alignment and nerves will be pinched. If one of the discs becomes deformed or herniates than it could put pressure on a nerve. This doesn't include possible bone trauma that could cause intrusions upon the spinal cord or nerves.

Given all that. No one online will be able to tell you with any certainty what to do save to have a strong core.

You need to have a scan to find out what is wrong with your back, only then, can you get treatment, that is suitable.

I've been dealing with pain for over 40 years. MOST of what you must do is on your own. Painkillers just keep you moving and allow you to sleep (and sometimes don't work at all).
First - the spinal nerves are pairs, so your sciatic nerve that is affected is either right or left. Sounds like it's the right one.
Second - Many of the spinal nerves interact and branch out quickly and join with each other an inch or two out. The sciatic nerves are a common exception for often being the only involvement.
Third - Many of the nerves go to organs as well as muscles, so you may feel all sorts of things going on in your bladder, bowel, and pubic area.
Fourth - The 'heartbeat' type of sensation is from branches of affected nerves touching blood vessels. Lots of pain is throbbing in that way. All pain and all sensation of any kind is neural (nerve), so saying it's muscular or spinal or vascular, etc, isn't really all that meaningful. Pain is a symptom, not a cause. Hopefully you will find the cause of yours with something like an MRI, if it isn't healed soon.

You don't know yet whether yours is acute or chronic. Chronic might be from something like a herniated disc or any number of other conditions. You could study this for years (as I have). Google pictures of the nerves and muscles of the lower abdomen and legs, and learn them.

You should be taking long baths or showers, avoiding sitting too long, examining carefully how you sit, and doing all you can to gently move your torso and legs in slow, flowing, Tai Chi sorts of ways. In cold weather, long underwear and a long warm sweater or vest that covers your entire back. I have watched friends who have sciatic pain sit all wrong at their computers! Feet flat in front of you with 2 fingers worth of room under your thighs. For short people, this means lowering the chair. Back straight, not curved forward or back. When sleeping, don't lie in just one position. When on your back, have a heating pad under your lower back and have a pillow or two under your knees. When on your side, put a pillow between your knees.

Prescription painkillers produce tolerance and escalating need. They also are constipating, even with a high fiber diet. Have gentle laxatives on hand, such as Sennecot.

For chronic pain, often a good chiropractor is your best option. One helped me. You need to have results of scans before you go.

One other thing: no nice cars, houses, trips, etc, until you have the best mattress money can buy (such as memory foam), and the best shoes. After studying how you sit, study how you walk and run. Do not ever jog or run except on a special track. Put a mirror against the wall and run in place or jump rope, or set up a camera for a 2 minute movie of your movements. You may find an ankle turns in or out, etc. There are sports med clinics in big cities that can help too.

Quote:

Originally Posted by creativegoth

You need to have a scan to find out what is wrong with your back, only then, can you get treatment, that is suitable.

I have Degenerative Disc Disease, tabets ease the pain, but they are getting less effective now, I was on morphine patches, but they brought me out in a rash, I've had about 6 or 7 lot's of steroid injections in my Facet joints, just got back from a weeks holiday in Spain, the warmth did me good, less pain, prahaps I need to move to a warmer climate, I hope you are not in pain. GOD BLESS...

Quote:

Originally Posted by joypulv

One other thing: no nice cars, houses, trips, etc, until you have the best mattress money can buy (such as memory foam), and the best shoes. After studying how you sit, study how you walk and run. Do not ever jog or run except on a special track. Put a mirror against the wall and run in place or jump rope, or set up a camera for a 2 minute movie of your movements. You may find an ankle turns in or out, etc. There are sports med clinics in big cities that can help too.

Got a memory foam mattress, and pillows also, but it only helps a little.

At this point, a chiropractor may be your best bet. Helped me a lot when I was your age.