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Lower Back Pain - Spinal Rehab Physiatrist

I injured my back lifting dumbbells about a year and a half ago.   The next day after injury, my pain was so intense I could not straighten my back.  Although this aspect subsided, I have had constant, intense, lower back pain which has since grown(in intensity, severity, and locations).   Sitting or standing for even a couple of minutes is very painful.  I have had standard treatment since then: MRI, CT scan, bone scan, 6-8 various NSAIDs, different pain management injections - nothing specifically appears wrong and nothing helps.    I have had physical therapy 3 times - each time it progressively aggravated my back pain.

My orthopedic surgeon has advised that I do physical therapy again, this time w/ a Spinal Rehab Physiatrist.   Of course I am hesitant since it has aggravated my pain in the past, but I am at my wit's end dealing w/ growing back pain that is affecting my career as a financial analyst.   My questions are 3 fold:
1)  Is a physiatrist realistically like to be more helpful than past physical therapies?
2)   a)  Per orthopedic surgeon I have >VERY< slightly L5/S1 bulging disc.  However, he has said that he believes that my L5/S1 is the cause of my back pain and given me x-rays to provide to physiatrist.   So, would the x-rays show anti-inflammation or soft tissue damage?  
b)  My pain was initially lower back but has spread to different parts of body across sacrum, side pelvis, bone, buttocks, even quads.   It is not shooting pain, but in various spots at different times.   Does this seem feasibly caused by muscular damage.
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Avatar universal
Bulging of the lower back disc can cause all the pain you are having.  Physical therapy with a specialist seems like a good idea.  He/she will show you better ways to maintain your back problems, strengthen your muscles and maintain pain management.  Xrays can sometimes show edema in the tissue, but not inflammation.  Soft tissue xrays can be taken, but are usually done to see if foreign objects are present.  If you sit in a chair alot, a pillow at the arch of the lower back might help. Sometimes something cool on the back (not on the skin) will help.  Take lots of breaks just to stretch and walk around a minute or two.  The worse thing you can do is to stop moving around.  The less you move the worse the condition will be.  You can also get a referral and see a pain specialist to help you find ways to better control the pain.
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Avatar universal
One last comment - I am only 27.
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