Insane lower back, buttock

[Marot]

Hi. From 3 nights ago, I was perfectly fine, I did some cleaning up about 4 hours before bed and layed on my back watching something on my phone, had to go toilet and realized severe lower pack pain that seems to be affecting both sides but mostly left side. I don't have any other symptoms or problems. I go to the toilet fine and all is good but the pain.. 3 days after. In the mornings I can't move and find myself same the same position I slept and have to ask for sandwich and crushed ibuprofen with straw just so I can get out of bed. The pain goes from lower back and buttocks to my leg and so I find it extremely hard to walk. Once the painkillers work, I can sit or walk around the house very slowly with pain. Some moves that I expect to be painful aren't at all.

I did try to go to ER. Got there, registered and waiting area was full with no distancing. Had to wait outside and 4 hours later in the cold standing with my pain, i couldn't do it any longer and went back home.

What can this be?

[rabbits65]

Oh no poor you , This sounds very much like Sciatica pain . You have originally triggered the nerve . I get a lot of sciatica pain. Once the nerve gets aggravated it can be excruciating. Go see your doctor and get advice . Book up a physio appointment too. It might take 6 weeks to settle down hoping you feel better soon.

[Konagirl60]

Here in Canada we try Robaxecet. Can you get it where you live? It’s very effective. You could also try Epsom salt baths and rubbing Arnica gel on your back and butt. Feel better soon.

[Marot in reply to Konagirl60]

Thanks for the reply. I will ask the pharmacist if they have it. I know nothing more than paracetamol and ibuprofen xd

[Woodlandwalking]

I suffer excruciating nerve pain, this sounds like Sciatica. For temporary relief try an ice pack, it interrupts pain signals and eliminates pain while the nerves slowly recover.

[MSTKing]

I would go to your GP but beforehand write out what happened and how it affects you. go iI would do it in bullet points - with only the most essential details. This means you can give your GP the list when you go in sos he/she can see by quickly reading these key points what they think the best next steps would be.

[Marot in reply to MSTKing]

Yeah I tried to but in the morning I literally can't walk but crush ibuprofen and water so I can get out of bed. Atm of writing this tho , last night I took naproxen and now it's 5pm I feel quite good not much pain . But yeah my goal now is to go GP as soon as I can and if the pain was there, even a tiny bit, I'll tell them to do imaging but right now if it goes the same way as it is, it's getting better

[MSTKing in reply to Marot]

The sooner you get an appointment - the better.

[Charles555nc]

Its not "Sciatica", its not going to be found on a mri, and the Doctor wont tell you what it is, because he/she wont know.

[Scotsman53 in reply to Charles555nc]

Very unhelpful and discouraging if taken seriously, you should keep such opinions to yourself.

[Emma2017 in reply to Charles555nc]

And you know this how? You have not seen her or a possible MRI she may have!

[Darkin in reply to Charles555nc]

You sir, are a Joab's comforter.

[Betsy50]

Hi Margot its definitely sciatica just always be aware of claudia equine syndrome any sign of having to force urine and not being able to pass stools is a red flag get to a&e asap

[Linelover15]

Yes, sounds very like cauda equina, which was discovered via mri scan in my case. You need urgent referral to neurology at your local hospital. Your GP should mark as urgent for you. My scan was done as a result of referral by rheumatologist as I have psoriatic arthritis. When she saw the result she sent me a letter, asking me to get in touch right away if I had any of the symptoms you describe. Sciatica does take a week or two to abate. When I had it, G P prescribed Gabapentin, normally used by epileptics, and it did work, although not instantly. Good luck!

[Emma2017]

Hi it sounds very much like a ruptured disc in your back. Mine started certainly like that. I kept on laying on the floor, then one day I could not get up. Rang the doctor and he arranged an MRI for the day after. Was a massive rupture. The sciatica leg pain and numbness started shortly after. Was slow onset CE. Had an op. Most will heal by themselves with careful physio and lots of walking

[Kittykat55]

Hi there. I have similar pain and I have two herniated discs in my lumbar spine. Yoga And physical therapy have helped me a lot. Also, taking anti inflammatory medication has helped. I would definitely get it looked at and explore it. I hope you feel better soon!

[air4ce]

Sounds like pressure on your spinal chord more than likely at Lumbar 3-5. The pressure on the spinal chord is either a bulging disk or a herniation. There is not a whole lot that can be done to relieve the pain. You will more than likely need a medication that takes out the inflammation along with some sort pain medication. I have experienced the same thing, the only remedy was having surgery, which was done in a manner of removing a herniated disk and decompressing three bulging discs. I know the pain your going through, do not let it go to long without having some type of intervention. There can be serious consequences which I now suffer from.

[Bevvy]

As has been suggested sounds like sciatic pain or pulled muscle. Whatever it IS painful! Try alternating with heat packs and ice packs throughout the day. Also anti inflammatory medications can help such as ibuprofen because as well as pain killer they can calm inflammation. If it doesn’t ease after a week or so speak to your gp. It can be a real bugger to get rid of (I have chronic sciatica) although the vast majority of cases clear up within a couple of weeks or so.

Also be aware that once has happened it leaves a potential weakness so you will need to take care when lifting heavy weights or twisting.

Hope you feel much better soon.

[abellemed]

After many dismissive GP consultations over about 4 yrs (I'm in UK and now 76) I was finally referred to a spine consultant who organised an MRI which diagnosed severe spinal stenosis (caused by some disc bulging and arthritic bony growth narrowing the spinal nerve column). This had caused my slowly deteriorating back pain and, indeed, episodes of severe sciatica, so I commiserate with you on that.I was given injections in my spine which immediately relieved the pain but for only 3 weeks, then I was referred for radiofrequency nerve ablation but due to Covid I haven't had those yet. RFA evidently "kills" the nerves which are being compressed causing pain, so hopefully they last about 12 months till the nerves grow back. Whenever I get to have that procedure, on the poor old NHS (which is now trying to catch up after Covid), I'll post on here.

Try asking your GP for something stronger for your pain - I'm on paracetamol 500mg tds, dihydrocodeine 30mg tds and ibuprofen 400mg tds (tds = three times a day)plus lansoprazole to protect my stomach from the ibuprofen and it does help me move around the house and walk about 100yards to the village shop. Otherwise I "furniture-walk" about the house and struggle to do the housework!

[Marot in reply to abellemed]

Hey. Thank you for the reply. My GP is quite messed up to be honest. It was as if the doctor didn't want believe how much pain I was in and told me if its this bad I should he in hospital. They apparently referred me to physio therapy and I'm expecting a call from them in coming days. I will ask the physiotherapist to see if they can do some imaging. I also take co-codamol from 2 days ago 1 morning and 1 night as the pain has improved quite a bit. I also wish you the best and hopefully get your procedure done as fast as possible to stop the pain. Its literally the worst pain I have experienced up to this age

[abellemed in reply to Marot]

Forget physio - they just tell you to do "core exercises" etc, it is useless when you have pain caused by nothing they know about (they mostly are taught about muscular pain). I know, I've been down that route!You sound to be suffering from actual neurogical pain (ie, nerve compression caused by your spine nerves being trapped due to various causes).

Also, between ourselves, co-codamol caused me significant constipation, which I have never had in my life, so avoid that!

I wish you all the best - and don't put up wirh everything you are told patronisingly, as they think they can just put you off onto someone else. Persevere and you will get the treatment you deserve.

[Marot in reply to abellemed]

Thanks and me too!