Sore lower-back problem (1 Viewer)

Lately, for the last year or so, I get these really nagging back pains at night when I'm sleeping which causes me to toss and turn. We bought a new pillow top mattress and I still have these back pains. Once I'm up and walking around - there is no pain at all. Should I go see a doctor? What could be causing this? I'm not severely over-weight. I'm 5'9" and weigh 195 lbs. Help!

- Colton

Only if you want it to go away!

Depends a lot on how old you are....if you're much over 35....get used to it

Mort (who usta be 35 once upon a time)

I'm 38. :frowning:

- Colton

I get a sore back when I sleep on my stomach. I am 5'11 200lbs and 32yrs old. I am sure it is from being overweight, but find that if I sleep on my back I feel fine. The only problem is that my wife says I snore like a freight train, when I sleep on my back. So I have found that I can sleep on my stomach pain free by stuffing a small flat pillow between my stomach and the bed.

I wonder if it would just be easier to lose 20lbs.

Keith

There are a number of things that can cause lower back pain while sleeping. During the day, you are using the muscles, so they may feel alright, but they tense up at night. This could be because your mattress may not have enough rigidity, a result of stress, over exertion or something else. Trying stretching your back before bed to see if that helps. It can't hurt to see a doctor (or a chiroopractor), who should be able to help track down the cause. Excess weight isn't going to help any.

You probably have a lower disc problem. Either surgery or chriopractic (if you trust that is in your future)

I've had 3 back surgeries already, all started out with pains like you are describing.

BTW I'm 5'8" and weigh 195 and consider myself fat. I'm on my way to losing weight and suggest you do the same.

Yeah. Working on losing weight too. Thing is that my lower back doesn't hurt when I'm standing up, walking, running, etc ... just when I'm sleeping at night.

- Colton

I'm 35, 5'9", 150, and hairy. My back kills most of the time.
I sleep on my stomach on a firm mattress with a pillow top and it seems that if I sleep in the bed longer than 7 hours then my back hurts. I have a desk job and somebody told me that because I sit all day, I have lost my lower back and abdominal muscles and so my thigh muscles "pull" on my smaller back muscles and causes the pain and tightness. I think I might have something else going on though as when I lay in bed on my back and move a leg up and out to the side, I can feel my lower back popping. I stretch daily, but it only seems to be a short term fix. I think I'll be going to see a chiropracter next week as I am very tired of the pain and not being able to walk straight.

Jim, have the back surgeries helped?

Strengthing your abdominal muscles will help lower back problem in a big way- that is if you don't mind a little exercise-crunches, leg raises- roman chair situps.
Tim

^ Exactly! Introducing your body to a regular exercise program, especially if you are a desk jockey (as I am), will help.

It all depnds what kind of pain you are talking about - aching, or very sharp pain. A sharp pain would suggest a disc problem, while the aching is muscular. It doesn't sound like a disc problem to me, my first bet would be that the mattress is too soft, so the muscles are compensating, however it depends on what type of job you have too. Sitting all day is pretty hard on your back, as has been said, it's a problem with weakened stomach muscles at work there. A visit to a chiropractor should let you know what's up.

Chris

The first back injury was caused by me lifting rocks out of the trunk of my car and not turning and bending properly.

The Dr who did that disc surgery did a great job and after months of therapy I was considerably better.

But anytime I did any physical work I would wear a back belt which helps tremedously.

Surgery 2 was caused by an auto accident when some idiot slammed into me.

Surgery 3 was the result of the incompetence of the Dr who did surgery 2, of course the 3rd Dr would not admit to that. You CYA and that of your fellow Drs.

I also found out that I have spinal stenosis which is a narrowing of the spinal canal. This condition is supposed to be hereditary.

In any case take care of your back and see a Dr first.

I have had lover back pain since I was 20. I landed on my neck while on a trampoline and it knocked the wind out of me. Ever since then it has been messed up. I have seen Docs, Chiros, and PTs and no one seems to have a good answer. My problem seems to be the same as you Colton. Mine really only hurts me bad when I am sleeping at night. It will wake me up from a sound sleep with a sharp knife like pain. The only way to make it go away is to jump up out of bed and walk around. Once the pain goes down I can normally go back to sleep sitting up in a chair. I work out and try to stretch every night but when I get out of routine my back lets me know.

What a timely subject for me, as I'm in the middle of tremendous lower back pain right now! Last night was horrible and I've been up since 3 AM. My back pain comes and goes in varying levels of pain; my dr. visit resulted in some physical therapy that helped for a while, but didn't "cure" the condition. My back pain came from a combination of taking full time care of my daughter after she was born (a LOT of carrying and bending over) and getting rear ended in a car accident soon after that. If this particular bout doesn't end today, another trip to the dr. is in store for me, as I can't take another night with barely 2 hours of sleep.

There is something that I do for my wife to "pop" her back. She lays on the floor on her stomach. Arms to her side. I stand over her back and place my hands on the upper-middle section of her back - each hand to the side of the spine. I tell her to take a deep breath and let it out slowly - as she does this I firmly - and gently - press down on her back and it "pops" several times. I repeat this procedure as I work upwards her back. Sometimes seven or eight "pops" can be administered in one session. Unfortunately, she can't do this procedure with me as my back just won't "pop" at all.

- Colton

It's always good practice to check with a doctor, but most people don't realize how important ab muscles are to your back. Frequently the thought is, "My back muscles hurt...I should strengthen my back." but that's rarely the case.

Don't be so concerned about losing weight, per se but strengthening the underlying muscles. I(f you increase your activity and aren't pounding down Mickey D's every other day then the weight will naturally follow.) How many times have you seen someone with a large belly and a swayed back? The problem is more attributed to the abs not having the strength to keep the torso taught. The weight is just another effect of being sedentary. It's already been established that the "safety" belts that you see UPS drivers and such wearing all of the time actually cause more back problems when they are worn constantly, as opposed to only when needed for lifting.

Look for information on "core" training which focuses not on the cliche 6-pack muscles but the underlying musculature that is more responsible for stabilizing your torso. Exercises for these muscles use very simple movements and never include things like situps or crunches. These types of exercises don't require a gym or even any equipment, necessarily, but very strict form is key.