Back Pain?!

Okay, so this is a ditch attempt as I'm losing my sanity slightly now! I've suffered with back pain for almost 2 years now (yes, I'm 20 going on 60...!) and I've tried everything I can think of, about 4 different types of pain killers from shop bought to prescription ones, heat patches, hot and cold sprays, physio, adjusting my posture at my desk in work (which isn't so easy anymore) and I'm still suffering.
Seeing as this and possibly facebook are my only means of asking lots of people at once I thought I'd ask if anyone knows of anything that may work that I have not yet tried?

Lizz

By law you must have a properly adjustble chair at work - part of the Display Screen Equipment Regulations. That means a chair where you can ajust the height, arm rests and back rests etc. It should also be on wheels as well. The chair should be the one that gets adjusted - not you!

You should go and see your GP - especially as you've been hurting for 2 years. He can arrange an x-ray if necessary and then take it from there.

Some tips in general are not to bend off your chair but to get off your chair if you need to move luggage , put tags on etc

Maybe if you tried standing rather than sitting that might help.

Talk to your GP or pharmacists about the right pain killers as they are not all the same and some work better for back pain than for a normal headache etc.

Some gentle flexing exercises might help too - your GP can help with these too as well as a referral for more physio

Thanks for that, I'm going to pester work again when I'm back in, my manager got a risk assesment done because I mentioned the desks weren't set up properly but unless MAN airport rip all the desks out and start again I can't see much getting done!
I never thought of asking which pain killers to use though so may try that, however as my doctor said it is only covering the problem up.

Have you tried pilates?

Lizz

I had the same problem at the GP practice I used to manage. The reception desks were built in a different era for a different working pattern so until they were replaced (which they were as part of a refurbishment) all we could do was get adjustable chairs and advise the staff about doing some tasks standing up and some sitting down.

[Darren Wheeler]

Speak to your Occupational Health Department and see what they can come up with.

Acupuncture has been shown to help.

[HighFlyer]

Definitely see your GP to double check causes for the back pain. Your desk and seat at work nay well be a factor but its worth checking there isnt another cause.

I have back problems and find that massage and occasional acupuncture really help. Pilates and other exercise forms that focus on core like yoga also do really help so maybe think of giving these a try? Also try to sit up straight in your chair when at work (I find I have to force myself to do this as I am a natural sloucher). Whatever you do, do something. You are far too young to have your back as a disabler in your life

The only person who helps me is my Chiropractor. I had surgery, acupuncture, physio, osteopathy, every painkiller and injection you can think of and nothing helped over 10 years. The Chiropractor keeps me mobile - more than anything else I've ever tried.

Katie

Unfortunately it'd be impossible to be at my desk stood up, although I am going to try and see if I can spend as little time on check-in as possible. Of course standing up in one position for too long hurts my lower back as well, so it's a bit of a lose lose situation!
I know it's nothing serious, when I had physio she said it was muscular and after it did get better for abit but it's all been made worse since moving from T2 to T1 at work. I did get offered pilates by my physio as well but said I might prefer doing it myself at home 'cause it'd be full of old people!! Think I may go back though and ask about it.

Lizz

By law you must have a properly adjustble chair at work - part of the Display Screen Equipment Regulations. That means a chair where you can ajust the height, arm rests and back rests etc. It should also be on wheels as well. The chair should be the one that gets adjusted - not you!

You should go and see your GP - especially as you've been hurting for 2 years. He can arrange an x-ray if necessary and then take it from there.

Some tips in general are not to bend off your chair but to get off your chair if you need to move luggage , put tags on etc

Maybe if you tried standing rather than sitting that might help.

Talk to your GP or pharmacists about the right pain killers as they are not all the same and some work better for back pain than for a normal headache etc.

Some gentle flexing exercises might help too - your GP can help with these too as well as a referral for more physio

Some good advice from Tonty here - as is the advice regarding Pilates elsewhere. Yoga and swimming could also build core strength which will be protective.

I am assuming that since you have already seen a physio that you have been properly assessed and there are no worrying features of your back pain.
It is important to assess what makes the pain better or worse. Is it there every day or only during and after work? If it does appear to be work related then your desk setup may be wrong and changing chair height, position of VDU etc could be life changing. Occupational health may be helpful but you don't want to be missing work in this day and age.

I do agree that you should see your GP who may be a whizz at pain relief - all analgesia is not the same. I don't agree with you having an xray though, -- it won't change your treatment or outcome and comes with a reasonably high radiation dose - an MRI is also unlikely to be of help but at least doesn't use harmful radiation.

I did get offered pilates by my physio as well but said I might prefer doing it myself at home 'cause it'd be full of old people!! Think I may go back though and ask about it.

Just to put your mind at rest, I go to a Pilates once a week and there is a wide mix in the class, including a number who are your age. I find meeting as a group is great fun and motivates me to attend regularly with improved results.
Some pilates classes are mat based, other use reformers or a combination of the two so if you choose to explore this again check out all the available classes in your area to see which suits you best.

I hope you find an answer to your back pain soon it's a miserable thing to experience.

I had a double discus hernia 2 years ago, worst pain in my life and even had to get flown back to the UK for treatment. You have to do the excercises religously that your physio teaches you and go swimming every week. It will not go away and only you can make it easier. It is a real PITA but the more you work at it the better it becomes.

[Scrooge]

Just to offer something a little off the wall.

Take a look here

http://www.tm.org/

I have heard from a number of people that it really helps with back pain.

Also, though your chiropractor may of checked this already, ask him if your hips are aligned, I used to suffer from very bad back pain, tried everything you have tried, then I found a chiropractor that took one look at the way I was standing, did a quick adjustment and 24 hours later no pain.

I never really had to do the exercises because it was just a case of correcting my posture, my back has quite a large curve in it apparently so got told how to bring my hips forward which has helped but I think now it's become aggravated at work again sitting up straight isn't helping much anymore! Of course typically I've lost all the exercises I got given! My physio did some manipulations on me though which really helped but she didn't know that many, would a chiropractor know more of them?

I never really had to do the exercises because it was just a case of correcting my posture, my back has quite a large curve in it apparently so got told how to bring my hips forward which has helped but I think now it's become aggravated at work again sitting up straight isn't helping much anymore! Of course typically I've lost all the exercises I got given! My physio did some manipulations on me though which really helped but she didn't know that many, would a chiropractor know more of them?

Liz - a Chiropractor is a Doctor of Chiropractic and as such undergoes extensive training for four years. Their approach is much more gentle than say an osteopath but they do get quick results. Try and get a recommendation if you can - from someone who is happy with their treatment outcome. If no-one you know has had chiropractic treatment, look on the internet for someone in your area. You may find that some of them come from Canada, Australia and NZ as Chiropractic was initially much more widely used in those countries than in the UK.

Katie

I'd definitely support the suggestion of seeing a chiropractic. I've had back problems for years, and they're the only solution that works for me - got a very good one here locally.

Remember there are a couple of steps here;
1) Solve the cause of the problem - Occupational stuff like desks/chairs/furniture/working practices etc.
2) Fix the symptoms - posture, mis-alignment, pain relief, inflammation of soft tissues.

For me, I've fixed 1. more than once, then fixed 2. at a chiropractic.

Good luck - ask more questions as they occur.

[HighFlyer]

If your back problems are from a curved spine (as mine are) as opposed to a curved back or bad posture then realistically there is only so much you can do. Good posture and building up strength in the right muscles in your back are all good.

Whatever you do, do something. Go and see your GP and get a recommendation. They'll either recommend a chiropractor, physio or both. Dont just leave it though - do something while you are still young!