Please help, lower back pain. WTF is that?

[Jen165555]

Three nights ago (just before my overdue period started) I was laid in bed when I developed sharp shooting pains that started just above my left buttock and spread down my left thigh. 4/10 for pain.

When my period started some hours later I figured "meh" it was probably some PMS thing, however the pain has got increasingly worse since then.

It's no longer shooting off down my leg but has morphed into a constant burning pain all across the bottom of my back. Sitting at the dining table is incredibly painful.

I haven't done any vigorous workouts or anything that I can attribute it to. What on earth has happened to it? It can't be period related as I've never had anything like it before.

Help! :-(

It sounds like sciatica, when my ex had it he was prescribed Pilates and physio, which helped. But definitely go to doctor as I have zero medical knowledge - just going on his description of the pain, very similar to yours. Hope you feel better soon.

Aw thank you! My DM suggested it sounded like sciatica too. Can sciatica spread across the entire lower back or is that just the pain that shoots down to the leg?

I had this and surprisingly a hot water bottle on my lower back helped enormously, it also coincided with my period.

I would definitely Google sciatica. It's a horrible pain and sounds very similar. It can be managed. I'd get checked out anyway.

It's blooming painful isn't it?! That's a good idea, I'll dig out my hot water bottle now. How long did it happen to last? Please say days and not weeks 😐

I've just looked it up and you all may be right. I think I was too quick to rule it out when DM suggested it as I was focusing on the fact that it's not shooting down my legs now rather than the fact it had done 3 days ago.

As luck would have it I have a GP appointment tomorrow to review some blood tests I had so I'm going to mention it to him.

There is a nice yoga lady on YouTube called Adrianne or similar. I threw my back out recently and could hardly walk but did her gentle yoga for lower back pain and it helped so much!

Hope you feel better soon OP!

Certainly I've had pain from the sciatic nerve that does travel completely down my leg but it sometimes starts or fades to just being lower back (on one side for me). I have a few exercises that are to strengthen my back around the nerve that I also find can relieve the pain (they are relatively gentle stretches). I'd recommend getting it checked out if it persists or gets a lot worse. But try to find if hip rolls or gently raising a knee or leg behind or to the side from kneeling on your hands and knees relieves the pain at all. Obviously go with caution and do nothing that causes a sharp pain

Yes lasted less than a day thankfully, hope yours goes soon too 🙂

Funnily enough, my sciatica always seemed to be around the time I was due to start my period. I had it for a few years consistently, but it seems to be better now. Hope you get sorted.

That's interesting, the link to periods. I suffer from migraines and they are definitely worse in the lead up / on periods too. I'm sure I read somewhere that periods tend to flare up chronic conditions.

Thinking back, I remember having some lower back pain after having DD 3 years ago. I wonder if it's the same thing.

I have just this week been to an osteopath as have been suffering with similar pains for a while (pain across both hips but more on one side than other and no pain in legs) but am post menopause (medical hysterectomy) so not linked to PMS etc. My osteopath has advised that I have sciatic nerve issues (too tight - possibly brought in by excessive sitting - during pandemic and wfh) and prescribed simple stretches every couple of hours. Seems to be working but still taking paracetamol as sitting/walking/standing remaining an issue for now. Hope GP can help; or at least recommend physio

Certainly sounds like sciatica. See it as a warning if it's mild! Up your stretching / yoga / exercise regime because believe me you do NOT want it to get worse

Excessive sitting could apply to me too, I also WFH and don't get as much exercise as I should although I have made more of an effort to get my steps in these past couple of weeks.

If this is what mild feels like then I certainly don't want severe, it really hurts 😬

I've been doing alot of bending today (2yo DS) and don't think that has helped matters. I'm ok bending down if I bend my knees and go forward but if I lean side to side or twist - OUCH!

I think you're all right, sciatica.

I put some deep heat on the painful area and DH helped me to do some gentle stretching exercises. I got into bed and have a weird numb yet tingling feeling develop going down my left leg (the side that I have the lower back pain)

My buttocks really hurts too 😵‍💫

Look into piriformis too, that can upset the sciatic nerve without it being true sciatica which gives 10/10 pain!

Amitryptilline and anti-inflammatories help.

I'm already on 50mg of Nortryptiline and have been for a while, for my migraines. Also not able to take NSAID's due to long term gastritis 😔

Thanks for the suggestion RE piriformis I'll look it up now.

i use to get shooting pains down my legs with my periods (no endo though) and i gather it's not at all unusual. painful enough to buckle my knees....monthly always the first 2-3 days.

Concur with everyone on this. It's not uncommon in mothers.

For right now - lay on the floor on your stomach, palms on the ground at your shoulders & carefully push your upper body upwards. Slowly! SLOWLY!

Do that a few times

Then get on hands & knees & arch your back before letting it going into a sink position. Repeat that a few times.

Don't lay on your back! Avoid sitting on anything soft (you're just crushing the nerve/sac)

These might help alleviate it a little.

Sleep on your side with a pillow or cushion between your knees or just under whichever knee is on top.

Have a look at Bob and Brad physio on YouTube for sciatica. NHS physio is weeks of waiting, about 12-16 weeks here. Bob and Brad have some really good exercises to try and I always get relief from them for my back woes.

It's sciatica. Comes unannounced so can coincide with anything. I got it from too much sitting and being in mid-30s. It only goes after exercise/ Pilates and during weekends when I don't get a chance to sit down. They do say, sitting is worse than smoking. It's hard to escape it in an office job and all the meetings you need to sit in and endure. A sacrifice we make for a salary. Stretch and exercise, avoid sitting.

Definitely sounds like Sciatica and listen to all the advice about moving and stretching. I didn’t and just had MRI as in so much back pain am thoroughly miserable.
Don’t be me.

Thanks all, I've been doing the stretches and trying to keep as active as I can. I did mention it to the GP but only in passing and as it was already a long-ish appointment I was conscious of the time.

Do any of you have tender areas which hurt when pressed? I probably shouldn't be pressing on the tender areas but wanted to make sure I'm targeting the right bits with the deep heat cream and TENS machine

There are two areas which are very sore upon touch, one is the very bottom of my back in the middle and the other is the top of my bum towards the side.

You need a Physio it's sciatica