Back pain

[ww-wibblywobbly]

I've been suffering from acute back pain near my coccyx for about 3 years now (partially my fault for not telling the Dr sooner!). It felt just like when a nerve is trapped, quite excruciating, but without the shooting pain down my leg.

So my GP ran some tests and there seems to be nothing mechanically wrong with my lower back. So I am now taking duloxetine, which is an antidepressant, anti anxiety and anti neuropathy medication. The pain in my back and elsewhere has diminished greatly. I also used to stress a lot about really small things. I feel so much better and for now I'm only on the minimum dose 👍. So if anyone else is suffering from pain similar to this, I highly recommend speaking to your GP, as mine was obviously nerve pain.

Keep strong everyone

Love

Alison xx

[wobblybee]

👍🙂 It’s good to know you have relief

[ww-wibblywobbly in reply to wobblybee]

Thank you. It feels so much better x

[Mumj]

So glad you have some relief. I have lower back pain and stiffness during the night (particularly if I sleep on a too soft/too hard surface). I wonder whether mine is caused in part by my ataxic posture of tipping my pelvis to help me balance: I say this as I have found relief from doing balance exercises given to me by the physiotherapist where I practice putting my pelvis in a “neutral” position. When I keep up the exercises (which are quite simple - all done lying down) I notice a real difference to the pain and stiffness.

Liz

[ww-wibblywobbly in reply to Mumj]

Hi, I'm glad you have found a way relieve your pain. I have found over the last few years that if I do my series of stretches and mobilisation of my back in the morning then I can pass the rest of the day not too bad. First thing in the morning is when it was the worst and very difficult to get out of bed. I'm so glad that these meds work. It's such a relief xx

[ww-wibblywobbly in reply to Mumj]

Hi Liz, actually I also tip my pelvis to keep my balance . I tip it backwards in the direction of my bum . I think I have had posture like this since I was a teenager. But now it's much worse! But I don't know if this pain I have is related or not! I was imagining that my lower back was all out of place - but when I had x-rays it was all fine 🤷🏼‍♀️

[penelope2]

Glad to hear the new tabs help.I had a slipped disc many years ago and stupidly fell flat on my back a few weeks ago, the pain was very similar but my balance when I did move was very bad. Guess this was due to the CNS not working properly. Slowly the balance and coordination is returning to how it was. Did you find your balance was compromised, you have been affected for so long. Its bad enough with ataxia but severe pain too!

The online American physios, Brad and Bob.com are great. What they suggested reassured me with their advise. Radiographers were on strike when I went to hospital. 🙃

Take care.

[ww-wibblywobbly in reply to penelope2]

Hi, I don't know if my pain is like a slipped disk or not 🤷🏼‍♀️, having never had one. But yes my balance and movements are much more compromised when my back pain is bad. I was sure that I had a trapped nerve or something. But no, it's definitely neuropathie pain. I haven't seen the physios online that you mentioned. But as I see a physio/osteopath twice a week I think I'm covered there. My physio/osteopath has said since the beginning that my pain is due to my illness - so he was right all along x

[nycgeordie]

Alison,

Back in '85 I had a bicycle accident which after a few days prevented me from walking due to painful muscle spasms. When I eventually saw my GP and had an MRI a herniated disc was the diagnosis.

Rest and exercise resolved the issue though every few months I'd become debilitated due to the pain.

As chance would have it during my third pain episode I read an article about Dr John Sarno and his book Mind Over Back Pain. I bought the book and found it one of the most powerful and simple explanation of the mind/body connection, particularly in regard to back pain.

I can't promise it will help you with your condition but I have highly recommended it to several friends who found it equally helpful.

amazon.com/Mind-Over-Back-P...

All the best, David

[ww-wibblywobbly in reply to nycgeordie]

Thanks for that. I will have a look at the book. My husband has pretty major back problems so if I don't read it maybe he will. I totally agree that pain relief can be controlled by ourselves, which I have been working on for years as I have quite a lot of other pain too. When my back is very bad my balance and all my other movements are much more difficult x