About a month ago while was doing something in a bending forward position i felt a short stabbing pain in my low back - right side, when i came back in the standing position. The next couple of weeks I had that pain (in the low back or hip) on and off anytime i was bending fwd/over or standing up from a sitting position. After couple of chiropractic session the pain went way and was fine for another couple of weeks. Last week we went hiking and biking and the pain came back but it is more of a dull pain in the low back and buttock area (right side) mostly when I sit down or I do sudden movements and also a bit of pain in the knee. I went to the chiro again and was told my pelvis is misaligned and that after couple of more sessions I should be fine again. My sense tell me it is sacroiliac joint pain as I had all the SI dysfunction symptoms when it all started and I work in a daycare where I constantly have to carry kids around (I used to carry them on my right hip), knee down or bend over to help them at lunchtime or in the bathroom.
Did anybody have to deal with this type of pain and what helped the most? Any advice is highly appreciated.
I have been to Urgent Care and an xray revealed Sacroiliac Joint inflammation and was referred for PT. I was also prescribed a muscle relaxer.
Thank you very much all for your answers.
Sounds like sciatica. Live with it everyday. Physical therapy if it is unbearable. I kind of live with it for now.
I agree with seeing a medical doctor to get a diagnosis on what, exactly, this pain is. And then, ask for physical therapy. Worked with young children for about 20 years and know what you mean-- it's a lot of physical wear and tear on one's body. Ask the physical therapists, too, what sort of movements you should learn for your occupation. (When serving the kids at lunch, I sat in a chair to do this. Or, bend with your knees, have kids take a couple steps up to you on a stool before you lift them... in short,minimize the opportunities for your body to be damaged.)
I'll also say, my experience with the chiropractor is that I had to keep going back again and again. They are adjusting the bones only. You need to strengthen the muscles which support those bones so they are less-likely to be repeatedly strained and hurt. That's why PT is so important.
2kidmama has an important message in her response:
"When you are out of alignment you tense up to support that area of instability and other muscles take over. This all helps to lead to problems in your body over time."
Going to a chiro is fine for a START, but if you don't follow it with proper exercises focused on stretching & strengthening key muscle groups, your body's natural responses are going to redirect your body to misalignment again, making you prone to further injury, and need for additional chiro services.
At this point, you should make an appointment with a doctor (orthopedic specialist if possible, with focus on spine) & get a referral for Physical Therapy. The PT can evaluate your posture, walking gait & movement during basic functions to identify incorrect technique, & give you exercises to refocus your body into a correct alignment, as well as strengthen the muscles needed to perform functions so that they naturally engage. Good luck! T. :)
I would get diagnosed by a Dr to find out what the issue is for certain.
A series of tests could let you know exactly what's going on and how to address the issue so you get eliminate your pain.
I would see an orthopedic Dr first and then possibly move on to a reputable Spine Clinic.
Good luck.
I have had just about the same problem off and on for 18 years. The last 2 years have been really bad. It all started from simply too much bending and lifting....basically living life and being a parent! I have done chiropractic for years, physical therapy, massage therapy, TENS therapy, spinal injections, Egoscue therapy (aligning your body correctly) and quite a few other things. With time I would feel better and then x years later it comes back worse. 2 years ago my back problems came back with a vengeance. The MRI showed badly bulging discs, sever degenerative disc disease, and severe to moderate arthritis. I had sciatica down one leg (which the physical therapy got rid of). Plus I have instabilities in my spine. After drugs, physical therapy, spinal injections, more physical therapy, and now I'm doing even MORE physical therapy from a core specialist who works at a micro muscle level. I now wear orthotics all the time in my shoes. I have learned that I have one leg slightly shorter than the other and I stand wrong. I pronate one foot inwards...so that inner arch needs support. The physical therapy to strengthen my core is something I do DAILY. It's like brushing teeth now. I have had to train myself to NEVER bend. I always squat now. And I had to train myself to stand with my pelvis in the correct tilt. I have also had to learn to activate the correct muscles. When you are out of alignment you tense up to support that area of instability and other muscles take over. This all helps to lead to problems in your body over time. It took a year and a half to finally start doing these things without constantly thinking about it. I just do it automatically now. The PT has been the #1 important most important thing and I have to do it the rest of my life. I have found that not all physical therapists are the same...some are not very good. So be careful when finding someone. I am feeling good now but I have to always be super careful. I can't run anymore. I have to not overdo it. I have to bend and lift properly all the time. It's something I have to always stay on top of. Good luck.
sounds like sciatica to me. Since it travels down your right leg to your knee.
Ice. Stretch. Chiropractic care.
Good luck!!
Sounds very similar to what I have dealt with off and on for almost 20 years. When it was at its worst I went to my doctor. It was muscular and he told me that chiropractic probably wouldn't help and would maybe even aggravate it more. He also told me to stop going to the massage place I'd been going to unless they had received training in medical massage. I did physical therapy for just a couple of weeks and that helped a lot! The therapist gave me some exercises to do. Building core muscles was a big part of it. He also did some TENS therapy (electrical stimulation) and some therapeutic massage. That was the best!
When it flairs up now I alternate ice and heat on it. I will sometimes use Icy Hot patches if I'm not going to be home to use ice packs and heating pads. Stretching (correctly!) helps a lot. Having good back support when I sit and sleep is also really important. I often sit with a pillow behind me in the small of my back. Ibuprofen also helps.
I need to be very careful about bending, lifting, distributing the weight of what I'm carrying, how/if I sit on the floor, how I reach for things, etc. I've had to modify how I do things, especially lifting and carrying anything heavy (over 20 pounds).
Back pain sucks! I hope your doctor can help you out.
It sounds to me like you strained something and keep straining it over and over - so maybe it felt ok for a while, but then the hiking and biking set it off again. I know when I've pulled even just a muscle in my back, it will heal then it doesn't take very much to strain it again.
My husband similarly hurt his hip and knee and due to the nature of his job, he kept aggravating it. He ended up having to get orthopedic surgery along with intensive physiotherapy. You should go see your doctor. They'll be able to tell you if it's a strained muscle, an actual injury, nerve damage, etc. And then guide you from there.
I agree that physiotherapy is really important at strengthening the muscles that support the framework of your body. Once your doctor diagnoses the problem, they will likely suggest you set up some sessions.
When I was pregnant and lifting a toddler, I kept straining my hip, and lower back. My doctor ordered no lifting, which was difficult when putting kids in the car and helping onto swings, etc. But I figured out ways to adapt for the most part. So you might have to come up with different ways to do your job until you are better.
Best to you
Maybe you should see an orthopedic specialist to find out what is going on.
http://www.houstonmethodist.org/orthopedics/where-does-it...
It could be any number of things.
I had some horrible joint issues when I was taking a statin for cholesterol.
When I stopped taking it my joint pain went away.
Tara and several others gave really good answers. Back pain can vary - everyone may have a slightly different issue, so the only exact answer you're going to get about your issue is from your doctor. I've also had several of your same-type issues over the years (also while doing child care), but this last year it returned. I tried several different therapies, but ended up having a non-invasive lumbar decompression surgery - basically, the disc was bulging so much it compressed the nerve running down my leg, so they sliced off that part of the bulge. Instant relief! I'm now continuing to do PT exercises for balance, core strength, and flexibility, getting back to walking without pain has been wonderful!
Your pain may be aggravated by your work, the Dr. thought mine was sacroiliitis at first, but it evolved into a bulging disc. (I also had that "punched in the butt" feeling too). If you Google low back pain, you'll probably be able to identify your specific symptoms, and what they might be - but the best thing is to listen to your Dr. Good luck!
See a doctor to find out exactly what it is. Perhaps physical therapy will help.
Yes, i've had low back pain that comes and goes. Chiropractor treatment didn't help me. Doing exercises to strengthen my back muscles helped. Laying flat on the floor with my bent legs and feet on a chair helped. So did heat. I used heating pad every night sometimes. I've taken muscle relaxer meds that helped.
Good you know what is causing the pain. Perhaps some of the suggestions would also help.
yoga for sciatic relief helps me
