What is this unusual back pain

[Dishforth]

I've had lower back problems for a long time - bulging and herniated discs and arthritis. I'm used to it - do exercises, etc. Generally manage.

But recently there's a sort of stinging pain. Hurts to the touch. Hurts after a shower.
I had x-rays recently - GP said nothing much has changed in the past few years.

I had found that 10% Ibuprofen gel was very helpful, and while I was traveling in October I used a LOT of it. Skin became very irritated and painful. I stopped months ago but I still seem to have that pain. Could it be a lingering reaction to the Ibuprofen irritation?

GP said I could go for MRI if I want, but it's such an ordeal and I wouldn't want surgery anyway.

Does anyone have any idea what this could be?

Maybe shingles? When my DH had it, it was a patch on his hip which was very painful to the touch. The rash didn’t come out until about a week after the initial skin pain.

An MRI isn’t an ordeal is it? It could be anything and doesn’t necessarily mean you would require surgery. No one on here can tell you what it is although we can guess but they’re all irrelevant really. You’re obviously concerned enough to post so why not get the scan?

Interesting that you say shingles @OneTitWonder . It does feel more like a skin thing than a typical back thing. But I've had the Shingrix vaccine (over 60) and this has been going on for more than a week.

I had a seborrheic keratosis on my back about a year ago and the dermatologist froze it off because it hurt. She said it could come back - I wonder if that's what this is.

I have an appointment with her for something else at the end of the month. I'll get her to take a look at it.

Thanks.

Vaccination doesn’t prevent shingles, it reduces the chances of infection and diminishes the severity if you do get infected.