[Misc] A REAL Pain In The Backside

[Motogull]

A good friend if mine is going through something similar. He hasn't sat down this year, sleeps and lays flat on his back for most if the day. Until recently he could only stay upright for about half an hour.

Something to do with something pushing out of this back discs and pressing against the nerve. Cortisol injections and physio are easing it a little and he is more mobile now, we went out for a standing up coffee on Saturday.

All a bit grim for him.. .spurs fan too the poor bastard.

I'm guessing he has been listed for surgery?

 

[BadFish]

I'm guessing he has been listed for surgery?

Not yet, they are still decided if that is the best option apparently. Seems weird to me, especially as he is saying I'll be a year before he is back to full fitness.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Thank you.
Funny enough I got a new bed last week.

I have scoliosis and arthritis of the spine. The latter was diagnosed a couple of years ago.
It was a blow to find that out.
I have suffered from backache since a teenager.
But 10 years ago I was shown a spine straightening exercise by a physiotherapist, and the old style pain has never bothered me since.
When I went skiing in 2020 I couldn't do afternoons - due to back pain.
Fast forward and I have had terrible low back pain since November. After a suitcase and stairs incident at Harrogate.
Got scans and all that.
Last week the consultant spent an hour on the phone with me.
To cut a long story short there is no anatomical reason for the back pain.
It is almost certainly muscle spasm, due in part to my anxiety over the arthritis.
The arthritis is 'normal' and would affect only 15% or so sufferers.
Apparently that aspect of my back is typical for may age (67 in May).
To add, my gait will cause me to get a tense back. My gait is affected by my shit right knee.
I am getting a knee replacement next month.
I had terrible back pain yesterday but the consultant has convinced me much of t is 'mental'.
I am determined to go skiing again. Maybe not next winter. But at some point.

Oh, and a shit bed gives me backache. Always has.
I like a firm mattress and have been prepared to pay for the best.
I always wake with my back feeling much better than the night before.

Best wishes

 

[Professor Plum]

I had sciatica after I 'slipped' a disc / disk / disque. Plenty of stretching exercises and practicing good back health sorted it. I did have a very painful injection but I don't think it helped really. Good luck.

I also got sciatica after a slipped disc. And I also had a painful injection in my spine to sort of artificially create the vertebrae that had been damaged. In my case, the pain ceased overnight after the injection, after a few cripplingly painful weeks of sciatic pain. Every case is different obviously so I can’t just recommend the same treatment to the OP but that was what worked for me. I’ve never had any similar pain since (that was 12 years ago).

 

[alanfp]

My advice would be to see a physio ASAP , which in reality means going private (funds permitting - £50-ish). Or an osteopath.
They are trained to diagnose, they've seen it before and can give you proper medical advice and probably give you some exercises specifically tailored to YOU.

You have my sympathy.

 

[Eeyore]

So there you go. . . every cloud

(I assume jokes about cricket are okay?)

I keep telling the youngsters at my club (anyone under 40) how I used to be a bowler and that 8 wickets or more have only been taken in a single innings on five occasions in the last 40 years (possibly more)- four of which were by me.

They need to know.

I'm the bloke who sits on his own in the corner of the pub saying 'I used to be a cricketer, yer know'

I also managed to score two fifties in, erm, 44 years. Strangely in the same season.

 

[BadFish]

I keep telling the youngsters at my club (anyone under 40) how I used to be a bowler and that 8 wickets or more have only been taken in a single innings on five occasions in the last 40 years (possibly more)- four of which were by me.

They need to know.

I'm the bloke who sits on his own in the corner of the pub saying 'I used to be a cricketer, yer know'

I also managed to score two fifties in, erm, 44 years. Strangely in the same season.

You are honestly fast becoming my favourite poster on here.

Please never stop.

I have little interest in cricket but would gladly buy you pint after pint to hear you talk about it

 

[Eeyore]

You are honestly fast becoming my favourite poster on here.

Please never stop.

I have little interest in cricket but would gladly buy you pint after pint for you talk about it, in the corner out of earshot of everyone else

Communal correction by anyone who has been captive company for more than five minutes

 

[Zeberdi]

My story is a bit strange. I was diagnosed with Ankylosing Spondylitis at 21. The doctor unhelpfully saying that it would be until 55 till I was in a wheelchair. I'm 56 and it hasn't come to pass. In my early 40s, after falling out the bed literally screaming in pain one night, I saw a specialist who said I had never had the condition. That one was easily resolved by changing the mattress (I highlight that so folk take note, it can be a major factor on conditions). I then saw a physio who said that my spine showed clear signs of Spondylitis. At that point I just thought 'sod it, I just have a dodgy spine' and left it at that. In 2018, At the AMEX, I had an MRI scan that showed degeneration in the spine.

The key, for me, is focusing on what you can do rather than what you can't. I can't play cricket matches any more as standing around in the field and diving around is too difficult for my frame, but I can sit and score and walk round the boundary. I can't walk for long periods, but I can do three or four miles. I can do basic exercises.

I don't know what your diagnosis is, and how old you are. But just make sure you enjoy what you can do as it gives a great sense of well being. It may be that it is a temporary thing that gets better anyway. Good luck.

Good post and my attitude also.

Push through the pain and focus on what you can do in life not sit around moping about what you can not.

That attitude has had me doing things that frankly have shocked my friends, work mates and family who mostly think I should spend my life ‘taking it easy’, ‘resting’ and ‘not over doing it’!

I tell them (and all my clinicians) what’s the point of avoiding doing things that give you so much enjoyment even when it causes your pain (when with me that’s everything’) I might as well give up on life if I give in to it. For me, although I can not work full time, travel abroad, go to every Brighton match or walk miles birdwatching anymore, I can still work several days a week, travel to see 30% of Brighton games, travel to see family and watch birds at work or in the garden.

 

[Justice]

A good friend if mine is going through something similar. He hasn't sat down this year, sleeps and lays flat on his back for most if the day. Until recently he could only stay upright for about half an hour.

Something to do with something pushing out of this back discs and pressing against the nerve. Cortisol injections and physio are easing it a little and he is more mobile now, we went out for a standing up coffee on Saturday.

All a bit grim for him.. .spurs fan too the poor bastard.

He’s fine your mates mimicking the Spurs team

 

[pearl]

Good post and my attitude also.

Push through the pain and focus on what you can do in life not sit around moping about what you can not.

That attitude has had me doing things that frankly have shocked my friends, work mates and family who mostly think I should spend my life ‘taking it easy’, ‘resting’ and ‘not over doing it’!

I tell them (and all my clinicians) what’s the point of avoiding doing things that give you so much enjoyment even when it causes your pain (when with me that’s everything’) I might as well give up on life if I give in to it. For me, although I can not work full time, travel abroad, go to every Brighton match or walk miles birdwatching anymore, I can still work several days a week, travel to see 30% of Brighton games, travel to see family and watch birds at work or in the garden.

I think you are amazing. I don't know how you do it. Very best wishes and thank you for your brilliant posts ... so helpful x

 

[pearl]

I have scoliosis and arthritis of the spine. The latter was diagnosed a couple of years ago.
It was a blow to find that out.
I have suffered from backache since a teenager.
But 10 years ago I was shown a spine straightening exercise by a physiotherapist, and the old style pain has never bothered me since.
When I went skiing in 2020 I couldn't do afternoons - due to back pain.
Fast forward and I have had terrible low back pain since November. After a suitcase and stairs incident at Harrogate.
Got scans and all that.
Last week the consultant spent an hour on the phone with me.
To cut a long story short there is no anatomical reason for the back pain.
It is almost certainly muscle spasm, due in part to my anxiety over the arthritis.
The arthritis is 'normal' and would affect only 15% or so sufferers.
Apparently that aspect of my back is typical for may age (67 in May).
To add, my gait will cause me to get a tense back. My gait is affected by my shit right knee.
I am getting a knee replacement next month.
I had terrible back pain yesterday but the consultant has convinced me much of t is 'mental'.
I am determined to go skiing again. Maybe not next winter. But at some point.

Oh, and a shit bed gives me backache. Always has.
I like a firm mattress and have been prepared to pay for the best.
I always wake with my back feeling much better than the night before.

Best wishes

I think a lot of my back problems are anxiety related too. The muscles tense up and tension sets in. I think I over did the stretching exercises ... sort of threw myself at them. Thank you for your post. Take care x

 

[Blues Guitarist]

Also footwear is crucial. Proper good footwear keeps the spine straight. Trainers etc are considered bad.

Many trainers have much better structured support than other shoes.

 

[Blues Guitarist]

There are several causes of sciatica. First step is to see your doctor and diagnose your cause. Then a physio can do appropriate manipulation and give you the right exercises.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

I think a lot of my back problems are anxiety related too. The muscles tense up and tension sets in. I think I over did the stretching exercises ... sort of threw myself at them. Thank you for your post. Take care x

I don't quite believe the anxiety story from the consultant.... yet.
But it explained 25 years of phantom diverticulosis.,
which magically manifests only on the odd occasion I have to schlep to London to teach.
(When I went up every day, well you can guess the rest).
So I am sticking with it.
The Myoovi seems to help.
The consultant told me it may take months to 'unlearn' whatever I am processing to set the back off.
So if you contemplate attempting anything similar, be patient

 

[Jim in the West]

Came across this article in the New York Times today (hopefully not behind a paywall) - it's not particularly reassuring....

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/18/well/lower-back-pain-treatments-nsaids.html

 

[pearl]

I don't quite believe the anxiety story from the consultant.... yet.
But it explained 25 years of phantom diverticulosis.,
which magically manifests only on the odd occasion I have to schlep to London to teach.
(When I went up every day, well you can guess the rest).
So I am sticking with it.
The Myoovi seems to help.
The consultant told me it may take months to 'unlearn' whatever I am processing to set the back off.
So if you contemplate attempting anything similar, be patient

My friend told me today that a friend of hers got serious back pain everytime his mother was about to visit. He looked into why and discovered it was caused by unresolved anger issues with her.

 

[pearl]

Sorry, TL;DR post but just speaking from personal experience here really not any medical expertise …

First thing I would do is speak to a GP about a possible MRI to rule out a degenerative lumbar disc issue and see about getting a referral to Physio…



After suffering very painful neurological conditions for years, which includes intermittent sciatica in both legs, I can testify that pharmaceutical treatment isn’t always the answer to treating pain which is a symptom not a condition - especially for chronic pain like sciatica. Naproxen does not work for nerve pain and can cause stomach bleeds, Amitriptyline while effective on some mild to moderate types of nerve pain, can cause migraines, depression, dissociative behaviour and dizziness.

Gentle stretching exercises/physio/osteo-manipulation and heat pads can be just as effective. It is really important to remain mobile even though this seems counterintuitive. If you feel up to it, gentle movements in a swimming pool can help.

I get sciatica as part of a general CNS neurological disorder that causes inflammation of my entire nervous system and joints) - it is painful - at times excruciating, as nerve inflammation is throughout my body but to help prevent liver and kidney damage, I take no pain meds at all now (because I’m on numerous other more vital meds), instead rely on stretching, relaxation techniques, hot showers and manipulating exercise to relive pain or I simply push through it.

However, if you do need pain meds, just to keep mobile, then I would try and get something you can take PRN to avoid over-medicating on pain meds.

Deep Heat or topical Ibuprofen gel that you rub into your skin can offer releif in some circumstances - especially if the nerves are being aggravated by muscle or joint inflammation.

Diet choices can help too. Reduce sugar, carbs and processed food intake - which can reduce inflammation.

How are you doing @Zeberdi?

 

[Albion my Albion]

Italian right back

American right back but not until the tariff war is over.

 

[maltaseagull]

Have you thought of trying Accupuncture?

I had lower back pain for a couple of years and tried this 18months ago. Much improved since then.