Lower Back Pain

[Mummygems]

I've always suffered with lower back pain on and off since my early 20's. But being a medical phobic which now manifests itself as Health Anxiety (since my father passed away suddenly from lung cancer 8 years ago), I've never been to get it looked at.

Now I'm 41, the past 18 months it has gotten more constant. And have convinced myself it is some sort of cancer and am too scared to get it looked at.

A bit of history, I'm 5ft 11" and have suffered on a couple of occasions with major lower back muscle spasms. I've had 2 fairly large babies (8lb 15 ozs and 10lb 4ozs), and also own and the main walker and carer of our 6 stone Boxer Dog. So I've always done a lot of lifting and had a lot of pulling on my left side.

I get the most pain when bending over or sat hunched or crouched over i.e doing dishwasher, bathing the kids, bathing the dog (middle and left hand side of back). On standing it takes a few seconds to straighten up and get moving again. Sometimes when walking I get a pinch underneath my left bum cheek. I wake up early morning uncomfortable too, once I get moving it's not too bad.

I try and keep fit at the gym, walking the dog and I've tried to do some yoga poses at home to stretch the lower back but just aches more afterwards.

Part of me really wants to go and get it sorted at a physio but I'm too scared that they will tell me it's something sinister.

Anyone else experienced something similar.

[Laurenita]

I literally have constant lower back pain, sometimes creeping up to my shoulders sometimes and I've been the doctors and there is nothing wrong :) I was the same as you, but the ease I got from the doctors helped a lot! I was referred for physio, I'm far too busy to go but I've heard it works wonders!

[Leslie735]

Have you ever looked into TMS?

http://www.unlearnyourpain.com/index.php?Introduction%20Page

[Serenity1990]

Go to the physio, or arguably better still a good osteopath. It's really unlikely to be anything sinister, but even if it was it makes little sense to avoid being treated.

[Fishmanpa]

Ahhhh.... the joys of back pain ;)

I believe the vast majority of people have some kind of back pain, chronically or not.

I have a disc bulge from an injury at the L4/L5 area. I've had general chronic back pain for 20+ years. Sometimes it's fine and other times something as simple as turning the wrong way will throw it out and cause excruciating pain for weeks.

It is what it is. Exercise and strengthening the muscles around the area is truly the most effective way of alleviating the pain. Yes, the exercises cause more immediate pain but in the long run, that is the solution. The best my back felt was when I was hitting the gym on a regular basis.

Certainly physical therapy can help. It's not sinister, it's back pain ;) Might be worth checking it out.

Positive thoughts

[ray52]

I know a bit about back pain I have two operations on my back for disc bulge that pressed on my sciatic nerves, one in my late twenties and one in my early fifties' the last one I developed bloody clots in my ankles that went to my lungs

Luckily I had given up smoking five years before so my lungs were in better shape but received 20% damage to them which is 80% good

As Fishmanpa said most of us get some back ache now and again, mine is good most of the time apart from niggles and I avoid any thing that puts strain on it where possible.
Physical therapy and excise is great to get you moving again and I also bought my self an inversion table for home.

[sheepsy]

I also have the same lower back pain as you, and it also gets worse when I do activities with my back hunched over or sitting with my shoulders hunched.

This is all due to poor posture, I know mine is. I go to a chiropractor weekly for it and he helps tremendously.

I also do various stretches and yoga to help fix my posture and I will tell you it has helped tremendously. But my stress the past few weeks hasn't helped my posture at all and my lower back has been at its worst.

Like Fishmanpa says, positive thoughts.

[Mummygems]

Thanks everyone, some great info.

When I'm in a more positive frame of mind I will contact a physio.

On a good note, since worrying about my back, the feeling of a lump or food stuck in my throat has subsided!!!