Absolutely and utterly fed up with this back pain - please help!

[Qwenzo]

About 2 years ago I developed a pain in my lower right back, about hip level maybe very slightly lower, 1 inch away from the spine.

If I tip sideways it hurts, if I rotate my pelvis it hurts, if I arch my spine it hurts. It hurts when I’ve been standing for too long, sitting for too long but most of all when I get up in the morning. I swapped my bed for some all singing all dancing bed which didn’t improve it a jot.

I’ve had 2x private physio, 1 x nhs physio. X Ray after x Ray which shows mild arthritis consistent with wear and tear. I’m 47 so ok, I expect a few creaks and groans but nothing on this level. I’m not in constant pain, only when I move but it can be very painful.

The physio says there’s nothing else they can do. I can’t take much in the way of pain relief as I’m allergic to opiates and anti inflammatory meds really irritate my stomach. I don’t even know what it is - disc pain? Sometimes I get a nipping pain in my right buttock - sciatica?

I know I can’t take much more of this. I’m fit, a healthy weight (bmi 21) and active. I can barely walk in the morning until I get rid of the stiffness and acute pain.

I know no one can diagnose over the internet but please give me some tips to deal with the pain. Or give me some idea what it might be. Thanks!

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Might be worth seeing an osteopath, physio did nothing for me but the osteopath is amazing. It's a more holistic treatment than the physio which in my experience just treats the one area that's giving grief. I over compensate for the problems with my legs which leads to back problems but the osteopath brings it all back into alignment.

I would marry my TENS machine if it were legal. Really helps me, especially first thing in the morning until I've warmed up. Not an overly expensive one - £30 but it does the job.

Tens makes no difference. This is a really deep pain which I can’t reach to rub better or manipulate or massage myself.

Isn’t osteopathy just like physio? If not I will give it a go. I’ve also had ultrasound and acupuncture as well as the multiple sessions with other professionals.

No, osteopathy is about the spine/bones and connective tissues with manipulation.

This website explains it quite well.

complete-physio.co.uk/difference-between-physiotherapy-osteopathy/

https://complete-physio.co.uk/difference-between-physiotherapy-osteopathy/

complete-physio.co.uk/difference-between-physiotherapy-osteopathy/

Maybe I need to give osteopo a go. Thanks for the link 👍

It could be an issue elsewhere causing it. An osteopath will treat/review your whole skeletal structure.

Have you seen a rheumatologist? Pain and stiffness in the morning can be a sign of inflammatory arthritic conditions - could be worth asking your GP for a referral.

Have you looked up psoas syndrome?

I’ve seen an osteopath recently after a major sciatic flare up. So much better than the chiropractor I saw last time. Really recommend it. For me it’s turned out to be an issue with my hip, I am not cured but I am genuinely pain free. Still stiff in the morning, but that is probably age!

I have persistent, life-derailing low back pain as part of a wider health condition and acupuncture made a huge amount of difference to my pain. TCM, not dry needling. Whether or not you believe in the woo behind it, it is proven to be effective in some cases.

If physio hasn't worked for you, it may also be worth talking to a yoga teacher. I'm not saying leap right into it - it won't help everyone and you want to be VERY careful you don't aggravate it - but I have found, anecdotally, that this can help people who haven't had much luck with physiotherapy.

Be wary of chiropractors. Mine made it worse.

Sorry, forgot you'd already tried acupuncture. If what you tried was dry needling (i.e. if a physiotherapist did it), try TCM.

I'm the same kind of age as you OP and also have back issues.

I was told to do yoga/Pilates to build my core to protect my back, which helps, but not at the point where small movements hurt.

The thing that has helped me with early morning aches is HRT. I had a number of perimenopause symptoms including aches and pains (despite my hormones being normal) & it's been so much easier since I started HRT.

You mentioned an x-ray, but have you had an MRI? Sciatica's often caused by inner material of disc bulging out and irritating the nerve. Drugs-wise, gabapentin and pregabalin are excellent for nerve pain if your GP will prescribe?

As per pp @DrGachet get an mri and ct rule everything out first. I have a lower back issue which was dismissed for months due to my age I was 33 at the time. Turned out to be a long term issue which required surgery- I still have pain now (42) but now I know what it is I can treat it correctly. One big change I have made to help with pain is early morning physio stretches it's genuinely been life changing. Good luck

Hearing “arthritis” can be very frightening. Knowledge is power though, the more you learn about arthritis, the more you can understand and not fear it. I was diagnosed with end stage arthritis in my cervical and lumber spine at age 32 due to a spinal injury as a child, so I know how hard it is.

You will find because you have some wear and tear at the joint, your muscles will spasm. They do this automatically to protect the joint from further damage. Try some of the YouTube videos for stretches and exercises for your back and hip to strengthen. I say back because you will find your centre of gravity is out of whack because you will be moving differently trying to avoid the pain in your hip. You can do this safely now to take action right away and get some relief. Yoga with Adriene is what I do, the back problems video.

I would take other PPs advice re seeing an osteopath to have them look at your hip and back for you as you are in the very early stages of arthritis and you need to learn how to use your body again in a way that is safe for you but still keeping you motivated and healthy. I know it feels like you want to rest and exercise will fatigue you more, but really keeping going is the best advice I can give you. It will help in the later stages.

Do go back to your Dr if you are struggling and feel you need some medication. Drs can be very wary nowadays of prescribing pain medication as they don’t want patients addicted, it seems to be getting harder every day for people to get pain relief from their drs. However you have to explain to your Dr how your life has been affected by the pain, how it is preventing you from doing certain things or perhaps keeping you from sleeping. Chronic pain and the effects that have on your mental health can far outweigh the small chance of becoming addicted to painkillers so please see them if you need to and good luck!

I have had a huge amount of help from a chap who is a massage therapist specialising in dealing with arthritis suffers and people who have had hip and knee surgery. ( He is linked with the local GP/Gym referral Scheme)
Like you I can't tolerate opiods or Non Steroidals, so am trying to avoid any hip or knee issues deteriorating. I have got very tight gluts and ITB which can affect my hip and knee. I had about 4 sessions initally , do the excercises and then if I get a hip twinge I see him again.
I didn't find physio, osteo or chiro very helpful.

Definitely push to see a rheumatologist. There are conditions like lupus etc which can cause this sort of pain and even if it’s not that there are meds used for inflammatory arthritis that can help - hydroxy, methotrexate etc which aren’t specifically pain killers but can help to halt the progression of the problem and reduce inflammation without being opiates etc.

My back is fucked. Your description of where you have the pain is similar to mine. I've got an L3/4 squeezed disc with radiating pain in the area you describe. Osteopathy helped a lot. A lot! I also have found yoga to be very helpful and though it fucking kills hurts a bit the next day, the longer term benefits are great. I found acupuncture very painful, but I gather I'm in a minority of people who have bad results.

Swimming for an hour once a week is the only thing which helps and control my back pain

I suffer from back pain and yoga really helps me. Try some gentle exercises for bad backs; you can find them on utube. I do them in bed before I get up in the morning to get me going. You have my utmost sympathy.

You sound like me. Mine’s a tight Psoas muscle.

Ive tried everything listed above but nothing helps. Came on very suddenly at 50 when previously Id been fit and healthy.

Last resort is an MRI scan I think.

Sometimes, my leg gives way and the hip pain is like period pain - deep and throbbing.

You have my sympathies.

My back can be stiff and achy overnight/first thing in the morning. One thing that helps a lot is taking turmeric capsules. I get them from Holland & Barret and if ever I forget to take them for a few days, my back pain wakes me up. The recommended dose is two capsules/day, but one is enough for me.

Apparently just adding turmeric to your food is even more effective, but I don't eat the sort of food that is enhanced by turmeric every day, so the capsules suit me better.

I get a very very similar sounding thing on the opposite side, however not as frequently as you. Watching with interest