Chronic lower back pain from pregnancy

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I've been suffering with my back since I was around 7 months pregnant, and my baby is now 10 months old - it just seems to be getting worse :(

I've seen numerous doctors, been prescribed co-codamol 30/500 as I'm breastfeeding and have been having physiotherapy and acupuncture for the last 10 weeks. I've been told that the pain is caused by two areas of muscle spasm in my lower and mid back to the left of my spine most likely caused by injury. During my 7th month of pregnancy, I slipped on a pool of shower gel at my local pool and fell very hard onto my right hand side, I remember pushing myself backwards during the fall so as not to land on my bump! Anyway, I'm fairly sure that this has been the root cause of it all.

I suffer the most pain at night, and can't manage more than 3 hours of sleep at any time, I have to get up and walk around for up to an hour before the pain subsides enough for me to sleep again - I'm finding it so hard I could just cry - and often do!! :( I can't sleep - at all - on my right hand side. The hardest thing is that my baby has slept through from around 10 weeks, it feels so wrong to be awake when I can hear her snoring through the monitor!

I've decided to start exercising as a way to try and strengthen my back and just wondered if anyone here has suffered with anything similar, or if you have any advice on the types of exercises I should do - was thinking of swimming? I'm seeing my GP and physiotherapist in a week but would really like to make a start now as I'm really truly at the end of my tether and feel like I need to take action for myself - nothing else seems to be working.

Sorry for the rant and thanks in advance :)

have you had an x-ray? excercise is THE best thing you can do, and to keep moving, don't let it stiffen up. Swimming is excellent, you could get into hydrotherapy with a referral from your physio, all these things will help. Also, invest in a hot water bottle / heated blanket to put on your back in the area of pain, this should help. Alternatively, go to Boots and get some BIOFREEZE, which is excellent. Have you tried rubbing on some Voltaren gel, does this do anything at all? How long have you been having this pain for now? I would have a serious chat with your GP. I suffer from chronic pain, it is not fun, so I sympathise with what you are going through. the last resort is to get a referral to Pain Clinic's at local hospital as these might assist, but without a real diagnosis it's a bit difficult to tell.
good luck xxx

kkrpainmum, thanks so much for your reply. Both my GP and physiotherapist tell me the pain is muscular. I've had Voltaren gel recommended to me before, but as far as I know, I can't use it while breastfeeding. Breastfeeding has really limited the types of pain relief available to me unfortunately, DD is 10 months now and I doubt I'll manage BFing beyond a year which is a shame as I probably wouldn't give up yet if it wasn't for the pain :(

I will definitely look into Biofreeze, thanks for that, and I'm starting to realise that exercise is the only way forward. I'm looking into local Pilates and Yoga and have a pool nearby, so am lucky in that respect.

I've been suffering for exactly 12 months now, and am seeing my GP again on friday :)