Help - Lower back pain

I am currently suffering from lower back pain/ache. It started constantly aching 12 weeks ago but I estimate it was 8 weeks coming gradually before it became constant. I have never suffered with back pain before (40 year old male) and it has really thrown me. The reason I think it may be tms (I have read ‘healing back pain’) is that previous to the back pain/ache I lost my grandfather who was my hero and my wife had a major operation which meant I had to look after her and my young daughter. The operation went well and things seemed to settle down until I had a constant muscle twitch in my left arm which totally threw me and sent me into a spin of thinking of having some nasty neuro disease. This went on for a few months and then settled down and then came the back pain which has totally distracted me from the twitching.

I am a very anxious person and I think I have had tms before in the way of stomach aches, migraines and prostate pains. But nothing that lasted longer than a week.

My gp has said my back pain is muscular and sent me for physio and I also have seen a chiro who took an x-ray and said bulging disc. No MRI as yet.

The pain isn’t awful but I find it difficult to work as I sit at a desk and also driving is uncomfortable. I have stopped all gym work but go for daily walks and this seems to help relax me and forget about the constant ache in my lower back.

Sound like tms to anyone? I shall look to seek a proper diagnosis but just wanted some advice please? I fear this pain and think about it constantly...

 

Sounds about exactly like me. About the same age too! Is your back pain stabbing or more just everpresent and nagging? I have the groin pain as well...tender jewels! I found out about TMS just recently and have been getting back to working out at full steam, worrying be damned. It's all I can do now because I've tried everyone else. I'm also trying to build The System that can set us free so to speak but people frown upon my undertaking in that endeavour. Wish you well man, let me know if you want any advice..I've done pretty much everything to try and correct it.

 

Very much sounds like it! As a general rule, fear and obsession increase pain, since they prime you to look for more pain and doubt what your body is capable of. Doing walks to relax sounds great : )

Just my two cents: think carefully about whether you want a MRI or not. More and more medical professionals are recommending against it (unless as a last resort), since it will likely show abnormalities, and your doctor may have an alarmed reaction, all of which can add to anxiety tremendously. I personally wish I'd been steered away from having one. Obviously it is a very personal choice though!

 

Hi Street,

Welcome to the forums. It sounds like you have some other experience with healing from TMS, which will help you. Of course your symptoms definitely sound like TMS (not a diagnosis of course)...as most of us know in this community, practically all chronic back pain is TMS. You've had an x-ray to rule out anything more serious, and remember that bulging discs are not the cause of chronic low back pain (TMS is). An MRI is highly likely to show bulging or degenerative discs in most people over age 25, so think about whether you want one. I also had chronic low back pain, got an MRI which showed 2 herniated discs (before I knew of TMS), and was able to fully recover.

Hope that helps. Fear of the pain and constant thought of it can be tough to avoid, but will definitely fuel the TMS. Feel free to ask any questions here!

 

Thank you all for your reply, I really don't want a MRI so it was good to hear your views on it also.

I think my problem now is my anxiety due to the pain is actually worse than the pain itself. I am such a worrier and tend to make things much worse than they are. I will keep reading and being kind to myself to get over this.

 

That sounds spot on.

If you haven't checked out the work of Claire Weekes, it could prove helpful, given her focus on anxiety. Many of us have benefited from it greatly. Go to her page and scroll down to the MP3 section: http://www.tmswiki.org/ppd/Overcome_Anxiety_with_Dr._Claire_Weekes (Overcome Anxiety with Dr. Claire Weekes)

Best

 

quick update. The lower back ache is still here but not all the time and has also moved into my right hip and rarely but sometimes in my left. I am doing all i can to convince myself its tms but still not there 100%. I havent got back in gym but have started jogging which i can do pretty much pain free. Also i get small breaks say 10 minutes where i have zero pain.

Anxiety is still sky high at times which im sure is not helping.

 

Wow that's great, running pain free. Sounds like a good back to me

What are you doing about the anxiety?

 

Its very strange how running is pain free but sitting or bending gives me pain.

Plenty of meditation for anxiety and reading claire weeks book.

 

Yep that's really common. Funny our situations sound similar.

Just curious, did you ever get that MRI?

 

Not as yet..

 

quick update..i went ahead with the MRI as the pain wasn't fully going, i haven't got the results yet but was told they would be in contact if anything serious was found this was 3 weeks ago.

The lower back ache is around 60% better but the pain is moving or shall i say spreading. I now also have at times mid back and upper back ache.

Also since yesterday i have a tender/sore spot right at the lower end of my lower spine..if i touch this it is painfull and feels like pain on the bone?

I continue to treat as TMS and feel like i am getting somewhere with my original pain but the spreading pain worries me.

Any ideas?

 

Spreading pain is symptom imperative - the pain goes to another area, as if it were looking for another place to hide.


when I started TMS work, I started having intense pain in my upper back, shoulders, and arms. This went away in a few weeks. It is gone completely.

 

Treat it as TMS, and as proof that you are making progress. Try to not be too impressed by it.

Good job

 

Lower back ache almost gone! But now i have a couple of tender spots on my spine when i press them.. is this tms also? Also since the lower back ache/pain has got better my anxiety of it coming back has increased greatly...

So my symtoms now are a slight lower back ache, tender spots on spine which is around mid back and alot of anxiety. Otherwise im all good lol.

Happy new year to you all.

 

Good progress!

If the pain is gone, then get on with your life and the things you love and that give you meaning. This is medicine, and helps to crowd out the anxiety which otherwise keeps you TMS'ing.

 

Dam, went out with my wife for drinks at a bar. We stood as no seats and because i have had awful pain standing it came in quickly and hasnt really left since.. a bump in the road but my anxiety is up again! Hate this

 

I forget if you listen to Claire Weekes. These are opportunities to face the anxiety and neutralize it through a new response on your part. She says again and again, Recovery happens in setback.

 

Thankyou. I have her book so shall read again, i guess i am getting impatient and disappointed i wasnt 100% at christmas and new year. Dam perfectionist!

 

Check out the audio in my footnote. It's maybe 15 minutes and is relevant to what you described.