To go to the doctor for this insane lower back pain?

[Lovingtheisland]

Honestly, I’ve suffered with really bad lower back pain now for the last 4 years. I have seen physics/ chiros etc and nothing seems to work. All have said my pelvis has been out and have ‘put me back into place.’ Except the pain never goes when they do that, perhaps decreases slightly. However, I have to keep going back and it’s so expensive that I just give up.

Today I actually feel sick due to the pain. I feel like I have to constantly click my lower back and just cannot get comfortable.

All of these chiro/ physio sessions have been paid with out of my own money, I’ve never gone to the Drs about it but I’m wondering whether I should be asked to be referred for an x-ray or something? I’m 30 FFS, never have children and have been line this since I was 26!! It can’t be normal, surely?!

Has anyone had this before?

Of course you should see the doctor. I’m amazed you haven’t been before. Don’t worry about what to ask for, go and tell them what’s been going on.

Why haven’t you been to see a doctor?

Of course you should go.

Of course you should go to the doctor, it's astounding that you think you shouldn't!

The don't bother the very important sacred doctors with your little person problems and don't use the NHS unless your head has fallen off stiff upper lip brigade appear to have done a thorough number on you!

In the short term you can get an injection in your lower back which will largely remove the pain, and in the medium term you need to know what's causing it so as to do something about it. It is not normal at all!

See a doctor and get tested as thoroughly as possible. Do not settle for a fibromyalgia diagnosis!

Yes, go to the doctor. I had pelvic malalignment but one visit to a physio fixed it.

You may have pelvic malalignment but it sounds as if there is also something else.

Have you got a coil by any chance?

You should see your GP but be prepared to be fobbed off with pain killers and be told to exercise more and lose weight. Or something along those lines.

Hopefully you will be referred for an x-ray/CT scan/MRI but there will probably be a waiting list of a few months

The only reason I’ve never gone down the Dr route is because none of the physios/ chiros I have seen have ever referred me or even talked about referring me. They’ve just kept banging on about strengthening my core etc.

The thing is I’m a size 6-8, 8 stone very active person, so it’s not like I’m unfit and carting a lot of excess weight etc. I honestly don’t see how I could get that much fitter, I just don’t have the time to be doing constant core strengthening exercises. Also, when I’ve put the time in in the past I haven’t really seen any improvement so have stopped after a month or 2.

I starting to think there could be something else going on.

I always thought If I went to the Dr they’d just try and send me for physio and I don’t want that, I’ve tried it to no avail using my own cash, no point wasting the tax payers money.

Is there really an injection I could get? Where would I get that from? GP? Hospital? Is it like a steroid injection?

Of course you should go to the GP.

I've suffered with lower back pain in the lumbar area for years (20+) and had some x-rays done when I was 17 that showed nothing up.

It slowly got worse over the years, done physio, chiro..etc but nothing helped. It suddenly got worse 3 years ago it actually hurt to touch the bones in my lumbar/sacrum and I was getting serious hip pain and after much to-ing and fro-ing (and more physio to help the core muscles) they referred me for an MRI and found out I have Degenerative Disk Disease and at 37, the spinal bones of a 70yo.. >.<

Don't mess around with back pain, you really need to get it investigated!!

OP if you have seen physios do you have any notes from them?

As you can inform your GP you have seen physios (and chiros) but it doesn't work and give them a copy of the notes, that way you can avoid some of the things they tell people who present with back pain to do first.

I would suggest a biodynamic assessment by a choropodist who is qualified to prescribe orthotics.
My ds had awful back pain. The cause was extremely flat feet and one leg very slightly shorter than the other. I am talking mms. Orthotics sorted the problem.

Your gp can refer you btw.

I had niggling upper back pain and arm issues that wouldn't go away. Eventually I got so fed up I went to the GP. 2 bulging discs, 4 degenerated discs and a congenital malformation diagnosis later...

I also have lower back pain but that is due to weak glutes and gentle squats have made a huge difference.

Go to your GP, it is impossible to judge the seriousness of back pain without a proper investigation

I have had lower back pain on and off for years - I am hypermobile and it’s apparently linked to that. Lots of work on my core strength has helped enormously. This thread has shown how many different causes there can be - go to your gp.

Go to the gp and don't let them fob you off with painkillers.

I've had lower back pain for years and all I got told was to loose weight and it was caused by a weak pelvic floor and low core strength. I do need to loose weight but it's hard with a back that constantly hurts and spasms every other week so I can't move.

No xrays or scans were done and I was just given painkillers and exercises that made it significantly worse. Finally after 3 years I was given an mri scan. It turns out I have 2 slipped discs and several degenerated discs. My pelvic floor and core strength were absolutely fine.

At least you won't be fobbed off with the loose weight excuse but you will have to push for tests to find the problem. For you to have back pain for so long with no injury there must be something causing it that will need scans and/or xrays to find the cause.

If you've got any notes from the physio and chiro I'd take them with you as they will show that you've been seeing them but the treatment isn't working.

Go to the gp and don't let them fob you off with painkillers.

I've had lower back pain for years and all I got told was to loose weight and it was caused by a weak pelvic floor and low core strength. I do need to loose weight but it's hard with a back that constantly hurts and spasms every other week so I can't move.

No xrays or scans were done and I was just given painkillers and exercises that made it significantly worse. Finally after 3 years I was given an mri scan. It turns out I have 2 slipped discs and several degenerated discs. My pelvic floor and core strength were absolutely fine.

At least you won't be fobbed off with the loose weight excuse but you will have to push for tests to find the problem. For you to have back pain for so long with no injury there must be something causing it that will need scans and/or xrays to find the cause.

If you've got any notes from the physio and chiro I'd take them with you as they will show that you've been seeing them but the treatment isn't working.

Definitely go to the doctor. There could be a number of possibilities: you could have osteopenia (thinning bones), or you could have a connective tissue disorder that makes your ligaments much softer than they should be (in which case chiropractic is potentially dangerous), or you could have referred pain from something that is nothing to do with your back at all, like endometriosis. Insist on a referral (or several) and don't let them fob you off with painkillers and a dustbin diagnosis.

Could be a slipped disc, which you can then get an injection for. My dad had that and it was amazing, although the effects can wear off, and did with him.

Perfectly reasonable to see your doctor! X-rays aren’t generally very helpful for non-injury related pain though so don’t be surprised if they don’t send you for one. Physio, better pain management and possibly MRI scan if not improving could all be helpful.

Physios etc are extremely remiss not to advise a GP visit in cases like this. Just had similar with my FIL, in his 80s, fell and hurt his back, went to osteopath who no doubt saw FIL as a walking blank cheque. I think FIL should report him, how irresponsible especially for someone of that age who has had a fall!. We strongly advised him to go to the GP but he wouldn't, as the osteopath said he would be able to help. Now 6 months later after finally seeing the doctor, having scans, x-rays etc he is finally getting proper help. I think that to them you are just a source of income and if they refer you to the doctor then they are losing a client. (sorry to responsible and ethical physios, chiropractors etc, but it's far from the first time I've seen this). OP you should have seen the doctor long ago, so get yourself seen as soon as you can.

Yes you should go to your GP; X-ray and MRI scans are necessary to find out exactly what's going on. I was fobbed off with painkillers by one GP and changed surgeries.

My new GP sent me for a thorough investigation and the diagnosis was severe spinal arthritis and stenosis, along with generalised osteoarthritis, and I also had two episodes of cauda equina syndrome which detroyed some of the nerve pairs that control functions below the waist.

I applied for DLA (before PIP) and received a maximum award of DLA both mobility and care, and Severe Disability Premium. SDP is for someone receiving higher or mid rate DLA care, or upper rate PIP care and doesn't have a carer or someone claiming care allowance for them.

I was shocked at the diagnosis. I really hadn't taken much notice of how restricted my activity had become.

The injection referred to by an earlier poster is probably facet block injections, they are steroids. They're done in hospital under X-ray, and preferably under sedation. They're effective for a period of several months in about 50% of patients, but they do have adverse side effects, injected steroids weaken the bones over time. They didn't work well for me.

Do get a diagnosis, OP, and proper treatment. Take care of yourself.