Back pain

Sounds very familiar to the rest of the group. It is interesting that some of my muscles don't fire automatically and I have to tell them to, such as my glutes.

I know the feeling only too well Jessica, hence why I sit on one of these at my desk: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Everlasting-Comfort-Orthopedic-Sciatica-Tailbone/dp/B01EBDV9BU/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?keywords=ChiroDoc+Memory+Foam+Coccyx+Seat+Cushion&qid=1564569404&s=gateway&sr=8-1-fkmr0

For sleeping I have a memory foam mattress and an adjustable shredded memory foam pillow thanks.

I have joint pain bit back especially. I'm hyper mobile so I think it's that though 

I tend to stoop "Mr Burns style" and I'm sure I've read that autistic people can have this gait. I don't suffer with back pain, but maybe something to consider?

I have coccyx pain in my back and I sit in front of a computer all day long (I'm a software engineer). My lower back and my ass hurt every day, I used to use this pillow on my chair but lately it's just not helping anymore. I have to stand up a lot throughout the day just to relieve the pain. So I bought a new seat cushion called ChiroDoc Memory Foam Coccyx Seat Cushion on Amazon with hopes that it could relieve my lower back pain. 

This is the third and the best seat cushion I have ever bought on Amazon (first and second were too hard). What's so great about it is that while it's super soft there's still this certain firmness about it so it has not yet gone flat. Memory foam maybe. When I first sit on it I feel the quality and the stiffness which I mentioned which to me is great because the material isn't degrading but give it 1-3 mins and the material warms up and forms to you like a glove and you automatically feel the support and comfort. Now I take this lil guy with me literally everywhere I go. 

It's been about 3 weeks since I have used this product and it doesn't feel cheap or will flatten anytime soon. When you sit down on it it compresses but as soon as you get back up it stiffens back up. Let's see how long it will last but so far I love this thing religiously and my colleagues in the office who have used it swear by it as well. 

Amazingly, it's not that expensive. Mine cost about $35. Is it worth it? In my opinion, absolutely: thousands of dollars that would have gone to the chiropractor to straighten and fix my spine and posture was thousands of dollars saved thanks to this bad boy.

It helps a lot (especially in the car or at work and if when we go into a restaurant or somewhere with hard seats (hate those darn wooden chairs lol). 

Verdict: Get your hands on this bad boy, it will save your back and entire body a world of pain and in the long-run, your wallet. I will update you guys within the next month or so but so far I'm loving it every darn second (so is my butt).

I was just trying to contribute possible connection and cause.. and potential solution to those able into the stream of ideas. Plus when painkillers are either ineffective or untolerated have to look for other alternatives. But yes I do know what you mean about pain levels increasing when trying to target muscles. Plus over the years my pain, area of pain etc changes depending on what and where the pressure on the nerve is and this shifts about. If I do too much walking it irritates it I suppose that's why I have started the thread about exercise. Like you I have various pillows to support in bed but move about a lot as the discomfort changes. Also need one for my knee. Also the type of pain changes. Recently it has been the burning kind. Yes I'm glad you posted this topic because I never would have considered a connection with others on the forum in this way! 

What that doesn't unfortunately take into account, that in my case at least, as soon as I start trying to target the muscles in the area where they appear to be weak my pain levels go through the roof. It is like the back has stabilised itself and any sort of forcing it to act "normally" causes a reaction. What I do know is that when I bend to my right my back acts normally, but when I bend to my left, by back seems to shift sideways at L2/3 but that appears to be because the lumbar spine is twisting about the vertical axis. That said, having read your post and looked at a specific poster at my physio's this morning I do wonder if I have damage to me Lumbar multifidus in one particular area, which could go a long way to explaining the abnormal movement and in turn pain. So thanks!

http://www.skillsforaction.com/core-strength-stability-children

I think this offers one explanation of why as adults we have back issues. But I'm just looking into it. Pilates, Alexander Technique and other core muscle toning gives more support to the spine and in turn supports hips, shoulders and neck. All part of the whole picture. 

Hi

I've been looking at the NHS Choices website about EDS and I don't seem to fit any of types. That said I can see that there would be a link and also a link between autism and back issues due to the brain and spinal cord forming very early during pregnancy.

Its also interesting that most report lumbar issues, however, whilst there might be a link the problem is lumbar use es are the most prevalent back issues in the general population. However, the difference is that the painkillers have little or no effect and the pain events are often abnormal and closer to dislocations, which is something that happens with the hyper mobility type of EDS.

interesring, question is how can we use it as a community to help us get better diagnosis of our back issues and better pain relief.

Thanks

Andrew

Enjoy your outside time whilst you can. You can tell me about your back if you want but it's ok. What do you think about it being connected to us or do you think it's just wear and tear due to our age or are we more prone to it. I don't know. We just had an overhead mini flash and bang of thunder and lightning but back to blue sky now. 

Hi missy sorry about the lack of reply,I did intend writing in more depth about my back,but you know me it would have to be a thousand word ramble,for that I need focus and energy.Ok I have chronic back pain,agree with that maybe I meant those that are in so much non stop pain that it never ever stops hurting, I have good days and bad. Yes the symptoms vary enormously,I already had sciatica in the left hip/ leg,and yes I know it is all back connected but the lower spine pain came later.so two issues. 

I will elaborate more soon but the sun is out so going to mess about outside till it's gone,yesterday was wet and miserable.

big hugs super lady ()

I'm not too flexible, but you don't need to be too hypermobile to have EDS. I certainly can't touch my tongue on my nose! there is a link with gastro issues too such as IBS. 

Lonewarrior.. long term back pain = chronic it means it won't go away and isn't short term.. so sounds like you do have chronic back pain just like me! I just found a link which explains it better. Well probably not just like me but we know it's painful and does funny things and changes depending on what it feels like doing! Is it going to be painful back, or pain down the leg and which side, or aching hips or tingling toes , or burning spine and shoulders.. mm it's got such a lot to choose from! And all that digging on one day won't help! Tricky getting the balance right between keeping moving and resting! And the pain management course I went on at the hospital said exactly that.. with pain you end up just upping the dose to keep at the same level of pain management.. so they encourage other ways to try to help, stretches, what they call pacing, meditation, tens machine. It's yet another area I find difficult to manage but if you are able to people find it helpful. Worth looking into. 

https://www.britishpainsociety.org/static/uploads/resources/files/book_pmp2013_participant.pdf 

www.google.co.uk/.../4672

Hi I have long term bad back pain,I won't say chronic as that must be unbearable, I take codiene and naproxen,the codiene seems to work with me,taking minimum amounts,recently been upping the dose as pain increase or medication has less effect.

Yes I had an episode more than a year ago, I think my nerve must have trapped a bit or something.. the pain was excruciating. I ended up at 90 degrees trying to stretch my spine.. so yes trying to relax the muscles was drs answer but then had a terrible time with the meds and still have problems with numbness but not sufficiently to do anything about it just something else to learn to live with. The main thing which relieves the pain is an electric blanket 

I'm very interested that the painkillers have little effect, as that's what I have also found. I also, slightly ironically, didn't realise the shear volume of pain I was in until I went on painkillers and then I found out.

My most recent "pain event" saw me on IV steroids, diclofenac and anaesthetic being used as a muscle relaxant on top of my regular medications and it still didn't fully kill off the pain

Now it's interesting you should mention EDS, as I do know about it having dated someone with it. Interesting enough she had a brother on the spectrum. I do have some characteristics, such as being able to touch the tip of my nose with my tongue, but despite being hypermobile I don't have enough extra mobility to make EDS likely but I have always wondered about it.

Yes me too. When I was diagnosed with dyspraxia I was told it's common with dcd to not have strong muscle control, so my core is weak and therefore not supporting my spine, with the knock on effect of not supporting my upper body, shoulders, neck head etc. So not only do I have the issues to do with spine, stenosis, bulging , numbness etc I also have painful shoulders and get headaches. So I looked up these issues with Aspergers/autism recently and again there does seem to be a correlation. However I am far from dextrous or ambidextrous , more the reverse , inflexible, rigid etc I remember trying to do somersaults as a child.. I just couldn't bend enough. I have had injections which didn't last very long. Various pain medication where the morphene based ones just keep me awake all night or codeine which seriously blocks my guts so pain relief is tricky. I have taken it to be more lack of muscle control but why that should be .. no idea. I find it very interesting that you have asked this but I don't know what the answer is. 

Hi, It could be Earlos Danlos Syndrome, as I have back pain too. It's a over flexible soft tissues muscle condition which effects the whole body. People don't often see what's the problem, link here https://www.ehlers-danlos.org/

Often local physios don't know about this condition, so often the exercises don't help, unless its private physio.

Most Gp's have not even heard of it before.

I know exactly what you mean as I also find that having the right thickness of pillows to keep my neck and back straight makes a lot of difference

Thanks Andrew