Back pain issues

Ok, I'm not sure if this is TMS, ordinary back issues, or something more ominous. I'll try to keep this short. I was doing fine up until 4-5 months ago. While working out I would feel a pain in my lower back on the left side (possibly the quadratus lumborum). Usually I feel it by bending forward, but especially with side planks or back extensions. I assumed I might have hurt myself exercising so I cut back. Fast forward and it's still bothering me so I stop exercising completely, but it hasn't gotten better. If anything, it feels worse. My whole left side bothers me now when I move around. Sometimes I can feel it into my mid back and near the bottom of my front ribs (although the exact source is hard to pinpoint). The only time I don't feel anything is if I'm at rest.

I've considered an enlarged spleen, however I don't have any problems eating large meals and I don't feel anything out of the ordinary when giving myself a self-test. I don't think it's kidney related because I don't have any problems going to the bathroom and there are no other symptoms. It could be anxiety, or at least my anxiety is making it worse. I know before when I was under heavy stress and anxiety everything would start to hurt.

Here's what I do know. I went to the chiropractor and I'm putting 35 lbs more weight on my left side. My left shoulder is also slightly higher than my right. This makes sense consider I would always lean to my left while sitting, so much so that my chair now looks like the leaning Tower of Pisa. This leads me to believe is could be an alignment issue. Still, I'm always worried it could be something more serious.

So what do you think? Any sort of feedback would be appreciated. Thanks!

 

Hi Kev, sounds like you're thinking a lot about your pain problem; and that's a normal response at first, but now it sounds like you might be stretching into the webmd symptom checker zone. I've seen people more crooked and misaligned than you would believe - people who are in their 60's and 70's and yet they ski, run, hike etc with no pain. Personally I would let go of seeing a chiro because that could keep reinforcing your thought pattern that it is structural - which if you're on here it most likely isn't.

I know you've been at this longer than I have but I have heard that it is easy to slip back into the thought train of structure. I'm willing to bet that something emotional in your life may have set something off in your body around the time you started having this problem. Try to forget about all the muscle, tendon and ligament names, just lift if it's what gives you enjoyment. Remember your body is really really hard to injure and something as benign as planks or extensions couldn't have caused you any problems. Just curious, were the planks and extensions that you were doing to give your back or body support? If so, it still sounds like you may be thinking that this is all structural. Your body will be fine whether you sit on your butt most of the day or if you decide to go heli-skiing. Just do what you enjoy and try your best not to have fear. Fear is what is holding you back. Hope you feel better, bud.

Daniel

 

Thank you for your insightful response giantsfan. It could be something emotional, I did had a big decision to make at the time and I have other stresses and anxieties in my life. To answer your question, I wasn't doing side planks or extensions for back support. It was just part of my routine. I could have hurt it lifting, although I don't lift super heavy. Either way I would think it would be healed by now, if that was it. I certainly don't plan on going to the chiro forever, but I was hoping they could help. Thanks again.

 

Hi Kev74 I'm sorry that you're in pain. Did the chiropractor take an X-ray? I don't believe he should be treating you without seeing what's going on inside... My opinion is that you go the medical route to check it out not Dr Google! Once you're medically cleared you no longer are guessing and can feel secure in a TMS diagnosis and then proceed to heal the TMS way.

Structurally were all a bit out of alignment. Our habits have created much of this, but I don't believe it causes pain. I did but I don't any longer. I do work at bringing balance to my body via awareness and Pilates.

As for exercise I teach Pilates and we do not work in pain we work around it. So if side planks bother you don't do them for now as for extension are you engaging your abs and are you just extending your thoracic area of your spine vs going to far and involving your lower back.
Do exercises that don't hurt!! Try to keep moving!

Enjoy your Sunday!
Warmly, Susan

 

Hi, Kev. Your replies indicate to e that your pain is emotional, since you admit you were under a lot of emotional stress a while ago.
I went to a chiro once after I fell on my back, but it looked like it was going to be a lifelong thing. The chiro was very convincing about vertebrae out of alignment causing pain. I stopped going to him and my back pain went away. I decided the chiro was poisoning my mind about the pain being structural. It made sense he would want me to come back for another alignment every week. He got rich on me and others. Maybe chiro helps, but treatments should not go on forever.

 

Thank you for replying Susan and Walt. Susan, I went to the doctor today and had X-rays and urine test and everything came back negative. He suggested anti-inflammatories for the short term, and an orthopedist. I probably do need to stretch and strengthen my core more.

 

I'm very glad you seeked medical attention and that all is normal. That's great news! With that I believe you can feel safe in proceeding with a TMS mind set. First and sometimes the hardest piece is accepting that indeed you do have TMS and it is your mind wreaking havoc with your body.

Have you read any of Dr Sarno's books? It's a great place to start. TMS is a journey and everyone finds their own road to healing. This Forum is loaded with information and two free programs that can assist you in your recovery.
Ask questions the Community is here to help.

Warmly, Susan
.

 

Thank you Susan. I have read parts of Dr. Sarno's book, but it's been awhile. Maybe it's time for a refresher. I do tend to internalize stress and anxiety, and my body ends up paying for it.

 

Your muscle pain sounds similar to mine, except my pain is right side mostly. In Dec, I was suffering sciatic and right low back pain. I did the SEP program and my sciatic is much better. It goes away quickly and no longer lingers. However, the right pain is still there. I keep going back and forth if its really an injury or TMS. I play tennis and stopped all last summer to see if it would heal. It didn't. Six months of PT and rest and it still hurts when I twist.. Now that I am back playing tennis, its gotten worse again. I did the xray, mri, chiro, etc and nothing noted. I can feel the actual musle where it hurts, and the pain just wont go away. It almost feels like a knot, but doesnt dissolve upon massage. Did you do the SEP? I am confused too, and wish I had a solid answer. I wish you luck figuring it out.

 

If you can accept that there is nothing physically wrong as confirmed by your Dr my suggestion would be to consider taking the TMS journey starting with reading Dr Sarno's book.. And going from there.

 

@KatheC when you say twisting are you twisting at your waist or are you rotating starting at your lower rib cage up/ thoracic spine? I teach Pilates and have played tennis so I have an understanding of the mechanics needed. If indeed you're twisting at your waist vs a rotation of your thorasic it may be worth investigating and learning.

As for the knot that is persistent are you using a foam roller or better yet a ball that's made to massage and open up tight muscle/,myofacial areas?
Do you do any other form of exercise other than tennis? Movement heals just don't twist at your waist. It will take time but perhaps worth trying this approach.

Warmly, Susan

 

As far as twisting, I guess I mean rotation of my center body. I'm not exactly sure. When I go to hit the ball and turn and hit, the muscle hurts and gets worse the longer I play. After I am done and rest, it calms down, but still continues to hurt. I feel where the pain is, it's behind my right lowest rib in the muscle tissue. I use a tennis ball, lacrosse ball (harder) foam roller, and massage stick to push on the muscle, as it is painful, but it doesn't go away. It does get less, but doesn't go away, and makes itself know if I bend down to turn sideways to reach for something. I watched youtube videos showing to let it sit in the painful spot to let it dissolve, unfortunately, mine doesn't dissolve. The only other exercise I do is walk a couple miles on the track a couple times a week. I did oodles of exercises before I read about TMS and then I stopped thinking its TMS and wasn't helping. When I did the PT the pain didn't subside either, so didn't seem to make a difference either way.

 

Rotation at the center of your body as in right under your rib cage is exactly what I'm referring to... the you tube video is accurate as to melting into the muscle no longer than 5 minutes ( I would assume PT had you do that).

For what it's worth I have a client that had a knot in her right gluteus medius muscle and whenever she tried to align her body into a more corrective neutral position it hurt...we started avoiding anything that aggravated it, she used a ball to melt into it...a year later it no longer bothers her. she started to ignore it more and more and one day it vanished...I don't know that this was TMS although she also suffers from it... With this story I personally would continue to melt into a ball, avoid what aggregates it and go back to any exercises you were doing that doesn't aggravate that muscle.

 

Thanks for the advice. I hope mine vanishes too. Take care!