How to conquer back pain for good!?

[NorthSouth25]

Hi there.
I’ve been living with back pain for years and would love to hear some positive stories. and how you conquered your back pain!

I’m 42 and have had back issues since I was 27. The first time it ‘went’ I was under incredible stress and being bullied in my job, working long hours at a desk. I woke in the morning and my back went into spasm and I could barely move. I was given diazepam plus codeine which eventually solved it.

However in the last 15 years it has come and gone. When it ‘goes’ it’s excruciating pain and my back locks in spasm. I know stress is a big factor. Diazepam is the only thing that can release it.

I’ve seen an osteopath, chiropractor and physio over the years. The best bit of advice was trying to manage my stress but this isn’t realistic with my job and home life as it’s super busy!

I’m persevering with the exercises but I’m not convinced they help.

would love to hear from anyone who is now pain free and how you did it!

Thanks in advance! X

I set a timer to get up from my desk and stretch every hour but the game changer is Nordic walking. If you don't like outdoor exercise using a cross trainer might help too.

After a stressful fortnight of neglecting to do these things my back went into spasm for the first time in years. I was locked up and in agony.

I will be prioritising stretching and exercise.

Daily yoga/stretching really helped me reduce back spasms. Only 10-20 minutes a day but it made a difference I think. Also being really religious about not sitting poorly ie twisted round or hunched up, even briefly.

Yoga

A hot tub in the garden is a game changer for me

Body Control Pilates. Mine is lower back pain caused by degeneration of vertebrae and muscle spasm, coupled with sciatic nerve pinching through the SI which gives me pain into the ankle. Pilates is the only thing which helps. When you start, your instructor should be hands on to correct your moves. It is a very precise form of exercise if done correctly with the right instructor.

Thanks everyone so much! I’m so grateful for your advice. It’s a huge help (and comfort!).

iI’ve tried both NHS and private physio. They are great but I always feel it’s not a long term fix.

I am definitely going to be more strict about moving more. I have an adjustable desk where I can stand or sit. And I love the sound d of Nordic walking!

@CrunchyCarrot sorry you’ve had years of back pain. I totally hear you when you say you used to think about your back 24/7 !!

@Whoareyoumyfriend I would love to message you but can’t work out how to do it! Could you PM me if possible to start the conversation? Thanks so much!

xx

I’m 52 and have had some pretty severe back pain attacks since i was in my mid 20s. For me, I have finally found what’s works, exercise and Pilates. The stronger my core is the less problems I have, when it goes it always goes in the same area, according to my osteopath is the sacroiliac joint and it’s always the same side. For me Pilates has been a god send and I can now never not have it in my life.

I think you are just tinkering round the edges. You need a proper scan from which a diagnosis can be made.

Whatever the diagnosis, stress can exacerbate the problem by adding muscle spasm into the mix.

Get a proper diagnosis!

Watch Lorimer Moseley’s ted talk on pain (and other videos on YouTube). It really helped me understand what my back pain was (and wasn’t, more importantly) about. Might also make you think twice before shelling out on an MRI (been there, paid the bill - twice).

And to echo others - ‘motion is lotion’ as they say. Find movement that works for you and stick with it.

Meds won't fix the problem, they will only help short term. You need to strengthen your back. Pilates is your friend, and be really diligent about doing it daily.

In the interim, meds will help.

I'm not suggesting this as a full cure but I used to wear a crossbody handbag and would get awful back spasms. Since swapping to a backpack I rarely get spasms now. I still have a stiff back and occasional discomfort but swapping to the backpack has certainly helped.

I have a similar problem. Bad back since 2015. I stupidly let the physio talk me out of a MRI. I do exercises and my core strength is pretty good. My back gets incredibly stiff at night when I’m asleep. The pain is horrific some days.

I've recently discovered a very gentle form of movement exercises that have drastically reduced pain in my upper and lower back. I randomly clicked on a Youtube video when scrolling through for Pilates class. It's called Feldenkrais with Taro Iwamoto. Well worth taking a look, there are many informative videos. I now incorporate some of these exercises with Pilates and its made a huge difference.

For about 30 years I have suffered from intermittent debilitating back spasms . When they happen I literally have to remain bed bound until they subside and I can get up and gingerly start walking again . The pain takes my breath away it's like nothing else . I self manage by regular walking , monthly physio , I've changed my mattress and lost weight .
I asked for a GP letter to get an MRI scan privately and he said he was happy to do one but they rarely give the answers because it's just mechanical back pain with no obvious cause . I am getting less attacks now but I am Uber wary of what I do and try not to aggregate it . If anyone has any answers it'd be the holy grail I think .

I had back pain most of my adult life-I worked in care homes when I was younger and before manual handling regulations were enforced, and our family have genetically tricky backs anyway.
The only thing that has worked for it-as in took it away completely-was buying a tempur mattress. Literally after a month or so of having it I had zero back pain for the first time in 20 years.
I am currently apart from my mattress ( we had a house fire and living in rented accommodation-waiting for the insurance to be sorted out and see what was salvageable). 6 weeks of sleeping on an average mattress and I'm full of aches and Pains and my back is rubbish again.
So if you can do it, mattress shopping should be your first port of call I think...

Yeah I'm a regular to the osteopath- then I need to do upkeep.. I swim 3 times a week and I've started Pilates.
I recently found out after a trip to a different osteopath that I have one leg about 2 cm longer than the other - hence the misalignment - and he told me he'd helped a lady by her getting an extra sole and heel on her shoe (of the shorter leg)
My partner drives with a special back cushion.
We have a fabulous mattress
I have basically accepted my back will always be work in progress with my job entailing sitting in front of my computer all day.
Good luck

Pilates and TENS. My disc between L5 and S1 is completely collapsed with associated osteoarthritis of the spine and extensive facet joint degeneration and I am virtually pain free. I have been doing Pilates for about ten years and it keeps my core strong as well as maintaining my flexibility. When I sit in an office chair for a long time and the pain flares up, I find one or two TENS sessions settles it down again. The only caveats would be that I think you need to know what exactly the problem is and see a physiotherapist for treatment. I know what's wrong with my back isn't going to get worse so I'm happy to maintain like this indefinitely. If you need medical treatment then you need to tackle that. I also needed six months of physiotherapy including acupuncture and TENS treatment to reduce the inflammation in my back to the point where I can manage it myself.

It sounds like so far you have been treating the issue, but what you really need to look at is prevention. One theme you will see above is that people have mentioned different exercise styles that work for them, but almost all have mentioned exercise. You need to train your muscles to hold you when your back isn't doing it properly.

I went from years of nsaid's to managing flare ups occasionally and living with low level pain more frequently. I found that climbing helped to begin with, then pilates when I could no longer do that. Saw an interesting program on pain management where martial arts were effective and cold water swimming also has proven benefits for many people. Good luck and make sure you work with someone who understands back pain to not make it worse.

Another advocate for Pilates here. 10 years of sacroiliac pain on and off. Use diazepam for spasms, along with a painkiller like Codeine or Tramadol. My osteopath ran the Pilates classes so can help if we get 'stuck'. IMHO GP's just medicate and dont know all that much about back pain. Osteopaths far more knowledgeable.

For me, keeping up with regular mobilisation exercises (cat/cow type stretches as a minimum) but also general spine mobility and full body flexible strength from yoga really helps.
I also have some hip imbalance which doesn't help, so I also have to work on piriformus and glute strength and mobility to keep things under control.

It's not always the case that the problem is where the pain is and having an MRI won't necessarily show up anything conclusive.

Try this book by John Sarno. I know someone whose back pain was cured within weeks. www.amazon.co.uk/Healing-Back-Pain-Reissue-Connection/dp/153871261X/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?crid=TELUMPU36AOY&keywords=john+sarno+healing+back+pain&qid=1663704857&sprefix=john+sarno%2Caps%2C76&sr=8-1

Thanks so much for your replies. Honestly it’s all so helpful. I’m making a GP appointment and I’m also being really militant about stretches. I’m also going to sign up for a curable trial too. I’ll report back :)

We will be waiting (and praying you find something that works)!

Don't forget to support your lower back when watching TV too.

@Pixiedust1234 you are so kind. Thank you 😊

@NorthSouth25
hello! I realise this thread is quite old now, but was wondering how you are getting along and if you managed to find anything that helped your back pain?