Having chronic back pain at 27

[Yorkie66]

Why am I having chronic back pain at 27??

I have extreme pain just left of the big bone next to my neck, I’ve had this for years and it’s getting worse. I have noticed it before on particularly stressful days or when I am carrying heavy bags. It is one particular trigger point. Most of the time, It’s burning.

Now i feel it 24/7. And I’ve noticed over the last week, I can’t even stand up and do the washing up, or hang clothes up, without my whole middle back burning also. I literally have to lie down every 10 minutes.

i am considering acupuncture? I have also been seen by physio who gave me some exercises which did not help.

It is ruining my life, what do I do?

Go and see your GP initially and see what they say about it. Continue doing the exercises the physio suggested. Did the physio make any comments about what the actual problem is? Was it a referral from your GP or a private physio?

I don't really know which part of your back you mean, but assuming shoulder area? Could it be a frozen shoulder?

I have had some bad neck pain over the last few years, and whilst physio helped in relieving the symptoms for a day or two, it was therapeutic massage that really shifted it. So definitely worth you exploring some other treatment options.

You know the big bone at the bottom of the neck? It is just below and to the left of that.

they didn’t give a lot of information, just said it was muscle tightness but I think it’s way more than that, it feels like it’s burning 24/7

It sounds like a muscle spasm in the trapezium muscle. It's excruciatingly painful. See a Dr for pain relief and a physio or osteopath for treatment

I had chronic back pain since the age of 12, you can get it at any age. Most chronic pain is neuroplastic, not due to a physical abnormality / structural. That’s why it comes and goes and is linked to stress levels. The pain is very real but the long term solution likely to lie in your mind not in your body. Although physical treatments can act effectively as a placebo. www.painreprocessingtherapy.com/neuroplastic-pain#:~:text=Recent%20studies%20have%20shown%20that,processes%20that%20can%20be%20reversed.&text=This%20is%20known%20as%20neuroplastic%20pain.

Have you ever actually seen a gp and been referred for this?

That sounds like the trapezius muscles which are connected to your cervical spine. Have you seen an osteopath or a chiropractor? I went to the latter at 27 with chronic lower back pain and after an xray it turned out I have a moderate scoliosis. I wouldn’t personally bother with a GP for back pain. Lots of it is mechanical and chiropractic and osteopathic treatment can really help.

In the short term you need effective pain relief and targetted physiotherapy, so see your doctor and ask for referrals to a specialist and a physiotherapist.

Also check out Dr Jo on YouTube. She as lots of videos on all kinds of physical ailments, including neck and shoulder pain. Her suggestions are likely to mirror those recommended by your PT, but you'll be able to watch them repeatedly and keep practising.

Ultimately your best bet to address this is to become fit through regular exercise, especially workouts that strengthen your core. But please make sure you are cleared by your doctor and/or physiotherapist before embarking on a more challenging fitness programme.

Ridiculous to suggest to just bypass the GP as this pain could quite easily be something extremely sinister. I won't name what it could possibly be to save the OP any worry but the GP and a referral is a must.

I second the PPs who say to see your GP. They can refer you for scans or to other professionals such as pain specialists, counselling, physios, neurologists, orthopaedics etc.

In the meantime, pay attention to your posture. Do you hang your head down to stare at your phone a lot? Do you sit at a desk a lot and haven’t paid attention to chair and screen height etc?

There are things you can do to help while you wait for your GP appointment. You could try cold packs/ heat packs, relaxation exercises, take some painkillers, keep a pain diary. What were you doing in the hour or two before noticing the pain?

Good luck at getting to the cause of the problem and finding a solution.