Severe back pain

[Cazzie1979]

I developed quite intense lower back pain last Thursday and I don’t know what to do to improve it. It’s also painful down my right leg. I’ve been doing exercises each day to help with lower back pain, taking ibuprofen and yesterday had a deep tissue massage, but it’s not easing off. It’s especially painful after I sit or lie down for a while (e.g watch TV or sleep at night). I’ve asked the GP to refer me to physio which they’ve done and also prescribed stronger pain killers - but I’ve had NHS physio before and they just gave me a list of exercises not actually healed my pain.

History - first experienced back pain 11 years ago, then nothing until about 2 years ago where pain has developed but eased off after 2 or so days so never went further then a one off physio or massage session.

If anyone has been through this, what help did you get and did it resolve the pain? I’m finding it difficult to even get out of my car after a 30 minute journey, so can’t really continue like this. Any advice would be appreciated thanks

Lower back pain is often caused by too much sitting, office jobs etc.

You likely need to strengthen your core. Massage might relieve symptoms for a day or two but it won't help long term because the problem is usually a muscle weakness.

Did you do the exercises recommended by the physio consistently and for a long enough period of time?

I started doing the exercises recommended by a physio on Friday morning after the pain had started. I do about 6 and for the recommended time/repetitions

I second the above poster. It sounds like sciatica if it’s down your leg. I have to do core strength exercises to keep it at bay. This is because I sit on a stool most of the day and my posture is bad.

if I don’t work on my core back and front muscles I struggle to get out of bed!

@Hugosmaid What are the exercises that you mainly do to keep sciatica at bay? Were you suffering from it when you started the exercises - if so how long did it take for the pain to ease?