Can anyone please diagnose my lower back pain?

[Tight End]

Please can anybody help me diagnose my back pain!

I have visited my doctor on many occasions, and he doesn't seem to be able to diagnose my back pain.

The pain is like a dull stiffness in the lower back, just above the buttocks, in the middle.
Sometimes I wake up and it's fine, other mornings it feels stiff and painful when I walk.
If I lie down on my backand lift my legs together, there is a sharp pain in the center of my back, this only happens if I keep my legs straight. Again, sometimes the pain isn't there.

I first felt the pain during a football match, there was no severe injury, the pain just got worse as I carried on playing, the next day it was terrible and I could barely walk.

I have had the pain now for 6 months.

If you have a suggestion, or require further information to help the diagnosis, please ask as I am not able to get myself fit because of the pain.

Thankyou very much for your time reading this and any suggestions, i really appreciate them.

Thanks Again.

Michael

 

[Tunner Babs]

Hi there

just to point out that no-one here can diagnose anything as that is against forum rules

Someone may make a suggestion /give an opinion but ultimately you will need to see qualified professionals, in person..perhaps a bowen specialist or an osteopath etc

tigress

 

[Soprano Girl]

Thanks tigress, and apologies, I guess I am really just asking for suggestions.

Thanks again.

 

[bsrdhuti]

It might be a prolapsed disk but it would be best to get a second opinion off of anther doctor if yours can not tell you what it is. They can not just tell you it is a prolapsed disk you would have to have a scan on your back to show what you have got.Have they given you any pain killers for it?

 

[gummyroach]

Kev is right in that you would need an MRI for a definate diagnosis of disc prolpase. Having said that, then a scan cannot actually tell you that, that is the single cause of the symptoms. It would need clinical interpretation of the can in conjunction with good case history, physical examination and the findings from some basic tests.

Usually the latter is all that is needed from an appropriately qualified primary health care practioner i.e. an osteopath. Sorry Tigress & Bowen Technique Therapy supporters, but Bowen Therapists don't, as yet havesufficient qulification/recognitionto diagnose a prolpsed disc. That's not to say it wouldn't help. That's just the medico legal situation in the UK - don't know about elsewhere.

MRI's on the NHS tend to be reserved for cases where the clinical neurological findings suggest the more severe cases of compression of one or more nerve roots as they exit the spine. There's a short summary of typical disc symptoms and what to do when you have them here -
[link=http://fp.osteopath.plus.com/articles/advice_4_back_pain.htm]http://fp.osteopath.plus.com/articles/advice_4_back_pain.htm[/link]& [link=http://fp.osteopath.plus.com/articles/osteo&lobackpain.htm]http://fp.osteopath.plus.com/articles/osteo&lobackpain.htm[/link]

The good news is that your problem doesn't sound like a typical disc injury. With the typical (most common) lumbar disc injury - there is symptoms in the lower limb, which are most often worse than the symptoms in the low back. NB Symptoms can include numbness (& othersensation effects) & weakness in certain muscles (not always noticed, but aught to be tested), as well as pain see above article for more on that.

As the only pain & stiffness you report is local in the low back, then it's much more likely that you have some stiff/ locked facet(also known as zygapophysial)joints of the lower lumbar vertebrae. These are the small joints at the back of the spine that often become restricted in movement. Many have a few of these that are stiff, but it's only when they become irriated/ inflamed that muscle spasm / pain ensues.

It's not impossible that a disc injury could underly the problem, but they are much less common types of disc injury;

[ul][*]Occasionallythe nucleous of a disk can bulge or prolpase into the body of the vertebrae above or below. This is more likely in the thoracic spine and when there is an osteoporotic thinning of the bones, sotends to only occur in the elder.[*]Rarely a lumbar disc can herniate/ prolapseforwards, known as an anterior prolapse. As I say these are rare and actually more common in quadrapeds with a long spine i.e. a sausage dog.[/ul]
There is a very long list of less common possibilities, so best get checked out. Unless your GP has a special interest in low back pain, then you'll most likely get a more appropriate diagnosis & treatment froma chiropractor or osteopath.

In most cases (assuming you're fairly young), then a few treatments and doing some exercises to help things along their way and you'll be sorted!

Andrew.

 

[teqgaaloq]

Thankyou very much for your time kev and anahata.

In regard to the question about painkillers, I was prescribed with voltarol 75mg to take twice a day for 2 weeks. The doctor told me this wouldwork, obviously it didn't.

anahata, the stiff/locked facet sounds like a real possibilty.I have never heard of this, and my doctor did not mention it, butthe symptoms match and it does become stiffer withexercise.
Is there anything else you could suggest about this, such as exercises/stretches or any other short/long term remedies.

Thankyou.

Michael

 

[Ranger]

only a gp is qualified to diagnose medical complaints, sorry if this sounds like i'm being mean its certainly not intended that way, its just that i'm worried you might get a response which causes you worry if you get my driftxxxxxxxxxx

 

[Medic]

It doesn't sound like your being mean, just concerned & rightly so. I think all/most of us agree on HP that it would be ill advised to diagnose without proper consultation & examination, which has been pointed out above. RE: My Posts on this Thread I have done my best to offer advice & suggestions, as to most likely problems, rather than diagnose

Not sure where in the world you are, but in the UK osteopaths (which I am) & chiropractors do have the expertise & authority to diagnose musculoskeletalproblems. Just as a dentist would for dental problems & an opthalmologist would for ocular problems.

Osteopaths & chiro's always did make their own diagnosis, but in '93 & '94 respectively this was made official by act of parliament.

RE: GP diagnosis - It's worth considering that whilst some may have an area of special interest the term means General Practioner. I'm not deriding theterm nor envious of their role as they are literally the front line for every problem under the sun. As such their basic role is to have a very broad understanding of every possible eventuallity, rather thanproblems of a specific nature/system/area. As such, when it comes to low back problems the priority is to screen for problems that can cause severe nerve damage or spinal cord injury.

If none of these are present, then it is usually classified as a 'mechanical lowback pain/problem', 'muscle strain' or 'uncomplicated/simple low back pain', without further diagnosis or treatment other than pain killers, anti-inflammatories, muscle relaxant drugs or physio.

Until quite recently is was assumed by the medical establishment that low back pain was a self limiting condition. This means that it is unlikely toget any worse and will most likely get better on it's own without any intervention. This was probably based on the fact that after a few GP visits people didn't continue to bother their GP.But no one had actually tested this until a research study a few years back, where they actually phoned round people a year on, after they had presented to their GP with low back pain. The conclusions where that the majorityweren't actually getting better on their own. They just didn't return to their GP because they weren't being helped.

To MikeR



This is the most likely possibility IMHO and the quickest solution would be to get the offending joints released by an osteopath or chiropractor, as is your preference. Certain stretches mayhelp calm things down in the meantime, but may not release the joint/s in question. But a bit tricky to describe in a Post. Also, appropriate stretches would help keep these joints mobile once released. I would advise that stretching your lumbar spine backwards with this particular problem may well aggravate/maintain the problem and if you see a manual therapist that advises this sort of stretch, then look elsewhere.

Good Luck - Andrew.

 

[Toni]

Thanks again, your advice is really appreciated.

I have found some stretches on the Internet that apparently help release the stiffness. I have started to do them regularly and there has been a marked improvement already.

I go on holiday next week, so when I get back I will find a chiropractor and give them a call.

Thankyou!

 

[Lenka]

I would advise againststretches that invlove bending your low backbackwards. These are known as lumbar extension exercises. Extending the lumbar spine tends to compress the facet joints at the back of the spine, which are the main source of pain receptor nerves in the area. Basic mechanics really, and if the facet joints get more irritated, then the muscles will likely tighten more.

Andrew.