Chronic back pain- what now?

[cherrypiepie]

I've had "weak back" all my life but they usually are not persistent pain and comes and goes, manageable with no intervention or medical help.

Four years ago (about three weeks before getting married) it changed overnight and be came severe and debilitating. Low back pain and numbness down front of leg, one side.

I've take 20mg Amitriptyline and top up with co codamol and naproxen when bad.

I've had MRI, pain clinic intervention, steroid and anaesthetic injections and nothing has worked. Also had a medial branch block but negative.

Some days I get. Home and lie down as that is all I can do. With a hot water bottle.

What does this mean? Why does my back hurt. I'm active, full time job and struggle to do certain tasks (I'm a teacher, pretty full on hoiking things and putting up displays and I can't manage it)

I've lost faith in my gps surgery for a totally separate reason but what should I do next?

I've stiffened up a lot as result but I have seen a chiropractor and they have loosened me up and I feel much better but feel the lower back pain isn't fixable.

Any ideas I'd be happy to hear them please.

Why does my back hurt!!!

@cherrypiepie I had similar, L4/L5 stenosis and spondylolisthesis, I eventually had a fusion. It's a big op and not without risk. Rehab is 3 to 6 months but I don't regret it at all.

So, the MRI scan revealed nothing? I have low back pain ( slipped discs and arthritis) and various things help and hurt. But, I have a diagnosis and it seems that is what is missing here.

Have you tried Pilates? Helped me enormously when I was very bad. Do you exercise now? I swim now which I feel helps a lot. When pain erupts I use a TENS machine as I find strong pain relief meds make me sick and doesn't really help the pain. I also try acupuncture which I find helpful.

I prefer physio ( a good one) to any other therapist. They may be able to suggest a way to get a diagnosis.

I have a very similar story to you. I've had tons of medical interventions - nerves burned, injections etc.

They now believe my original "ailment" has healed but my body and brain are trapped in a pain loop.

I've been doing hypnosis for chronic pain, I do a lot of activities focused on relaxing nervous system, I use the curable app. I also still exercise regardless and I'm doing gradiated exercises that historically have been hard for me (forward folds and back extensions)

I've managed to come off the cocktail of meds I was on, 6 coedine a day plus everything else I tried.

My back is still not "right" but I'm headed in the right direction.

It's a slog but I'm much much better than I was 6 months ago. A key turning point for me was understanding what pain is, what my mind and body were trying to tell.me and repositioning it in my mind from "my body is shit and not working." To" my body is over protective, it thinks I'm in danger, I need to reassure and calm it down."

I have terrible debilitating muscle spasms in my back which render me immobile until the muscles loosen . I have to self manage by monthly sports massage and have to be uber careful with movement incase it ' goes ' my back is completely inflexible and I don't have a full range of movement.

My GP says the NHS will offer nothing for backs as I've had this problem 20+ yrs.
the only way I'd get NHS help is if I was in a car accident or fell from a great height so severe trauma .

I said I'd pay privately for scans to get a diagnosis and whilst he was happy to refer me says it's not worth it because 90% of scans won't highlight the problem . I feel totally in limbo tbh

Thank you so much for your replies. It makes me feel much less alone!

@dooadeer Pain clinic suggested that I was over sensitised to pain and the original injury had healed. If this is true What I don't understand is why it gets worse sometimes and why amytriplyline works. And if this is a thing why doesn't it have a diagnosable name (like fibromyalgia)

@Jewel1968 yes I need a diagnosis. I also had an mri in 2009 for a back I just that revealed all sorts of oddities such as a haegiminoma and dehydrated
Discs, excaice wear and tear and slight disc bulge. The most recent MRI IN 2019 was totally clear except mild scoliosis convex to the left (my head can't process that). It puzzles me what happens to the original List of ailments. I did consider going for a second opinion. New MRI maybe pay for it. But I opted for chiro with avaible finds so will keep going with this for the suggested course of treatment.

I can ask for a referral to MSK physio team at hospital but I just depends which physio you get.

Exercise and weight is a huge problem for me as I'm over weight bmi is 30 so not grossly obese but still well over. Swimming is a possibility it's just such a pain with my hair! Husband swims 5 times a week (his a dolphin 🐬 beautiful ex competitive swimmer). I'm on saxenda to shed some weight! I used to spin, do pump and circuits and I know light/ moderate weights using a bar massively helped my back but I'm not in a gym any more and moved always from my old one which I loved.

I'll keep going and thank you it's good to talk about it!

Yes this is what I'm saying has happened to me. The pain relief can work temporarily but it's not a long term solution for this type of pain. I have better days and worse days. They can be linked to my mental state but also just random sometimes. I'm working so hard on trying to get to the root cause of why my body is sending these pain signals.

I really do recommend the curable app

I've had three MRIs and I'm lucky my hypnosis doctor was a leading pain specialist in harley street so she has explained in detail how pain works and why we experience it.

Hope you find some relief

@doadeer thank you I think we are suffering the same thing.

I will try the curable app. Thank you so much

I know mentally the hardest thing to adjust to is "anatomically I'm okay, but I'm still in pain." It's very hard to come to terms with.

I have a blog on this topic actually if you're interested happy to send it, but no worries if not!

Have you tried a TENS machine? Mine is very effective for a similar ailment.

Yes please @doadeer

Thank @doadeer very interesting and glad I'm not alone!

I know it's so difficult when you just want to be told, this is what's wrong, this is how we fix it.

@doadeer I'd also love to have a read of your blog post please.

After decades of back pain it's been discovered on an MRI scan I have scoliosis three pregnancies didn't help. My chiropractor is an angel. Pre covid I joined a hotel gym and swum Three times a week that helps so much

Try the curable app or read John sarnos book. I was sceptical but honestly it worked for me

I found this out be accident but maybe worth a try?

I have had years of horrendous lower back pain. Sometimes even doing the ironing or loading the washing machine would spasm it out. Once I spent 2 months unable to leave the house due to the pain. Nothing worked until i tried something that seemed stupid. I borrowed one of those laptop lumbar support things and it helped so much. Most of the time I am okay now but when I feel it coming back I put an extra cushion in the lumbar area. It seems my back goes in more than the rest of the family and I need that extra support. If I do any gardening I get that cushion out! Turns out our previous sofa also set it spasming.

This iis like the one I borrowed. It actually looks very uncomfortable but omg, the bliss at the support. Its really "curved" in the right area
www.halfords.com/motoring/car-accessories/car-seat-covers-cushions/halfords-mesh-back-support-274289.html

I have this on my sofa now
www.argos.co.uk/product/5744251

Read John Sarno's book "Healing back pain - the mind-body connection". I know a few people who have been "cured" or at least 90% improved just by reading this book. It's suspicious that it started a few weeks before your wedding, which suggests a stress cause.

OP I cannot recommend Pilates highly enough. It has absolutely solved 90% of my back problems

Thanks everyone.

I did a course of Pilates at the hospital but it really hurt.

I will try the book and the app! Great ideas.

I don't think it's stress as I didn't have it a wedding as such (we eloped alone! To America!) but the days stick in my mind.

So frustrating!

@cherrypiepie Did you have a c-section or spinal block before the back ache began?

I just came in to say the curable app, I have chronic pain from endometriosis and it's really changed my life, but the majority of pain stories are back related.

It calms down your brain.

I think losing weight and getting fit will make a massive difference. Speaking as someone who’s doing that.

Sign up with a PT who knows about nutrition as well as good technique for weight training. Game changer

Do you know what pilates positions caused the pain?

I did 1:1s for 2 years with a back specialist, sadly some teachers aren't knowledgeable enough when dealing with injury/pain