Very transitory bad back!

[KatyMac]

About 6 times (now) I have had a horrific bad back over about 10 months

Needing loads of pain relief & causing difficulty standing & walking and also sitting down/standing up but only for 2-3 days

Then it goes, completely

Previous to this when I twuncked my back it would last for weeks and weeks, gradually getting better over a long time

Any ideas how to prevent it or what might be causing it?

[sleepismysuperpower1]

it might be worth seeing an osteopath? They help massively with my mum's lower back pain

[Shirtyllama]

I don't know but my experience of bad backs sounds similar and I have wondered if it's hormonal and linked to cycle...can be really bad and then gone completely 2 days later. I have found Pilates seems to make it happen less often but can't really identify a pattern, it's annoying!

[YoBigMomma]

I went through this, then needed surgeries to fix a problem with my disc. Apparently a lot of the agony is from discs releasing chemicals when irritated, chances are that you have a bulging disc that's causing the aggro.

If at any stage you become numb in your saddle region, lose the function of one of your legs, or have issues with bladder and bowel you need to get yourself to A and E. Its very rare but does happen.

I'd go to your gp and get a referral to spinal/MRI.

Good luck, back pain is the pits.

[KatyMac]

Hmm that's interesting it does coincide with my menopause starting (I think)

Before meno it was the lasting for weeks and weeks now it's short and very extreme

[KatyMac]

That's interesting @YoBigMomma my dad had 5 lots of disc surgery!

[YoBigMomma]

It can definitely be hereditary. I feel for your dad! I developed Cauda Equina, and the bastard disc went 3 times which meant I had to have 3 lots of emergency surgeries in 15 days. They were 5/6 hours each time and not fun!! That was in December last year and I'm still not right, and I've just gone through a prolonged period of pain with my back, very similar to what I had for about a year before my surgeries. Surgeon was the one who told me about chemicals being released.

Additionally, it could be as simple as you have a disc that's bulging and it's coming on and off the nerve pretty quickly. I honestly think an MR scan is the only way you're gonna actually know.

Hopefully it will all settled down for you and bugger off entirely!!

[KatyMac]

Have had several scans over the years but I guess this pattern is new/different

Post shielding I guess I'll have a chat with the GP about it

But maybe an osteopath or a chiropratitioner (sp?) in the mean time...