Back pain...hmmm

[Rena705]

Hey all...I have a question which I know is more suited to the Back and Neck pain forum but I just wanted to touch base with it to see if there is anyone suffering from the same sort of pain.

When I go to bed at night my back is fine...no pain no nothing.  When I awaken in the morning the pain in my mid back is unbearable.  It is so unbearable that it forces me to get up...not only because it hurts to lie down but because I know that the second I stand up...the pain magically disappears!  This is EVERY morning...EVERY day...once I am awake I have to get up because no matter how much I try to get comfortable I CAN'T.  It makes it difficult to roll over and move around much in bed.  If I get up and let the dogs out and try to go back to bed...I can't go back to sleep because of the horrendous pain so I no longer fight it...I just get up and get on with life.

Does anyone here deal with a pain such as this?  I was concerned that it might have something to do with my lungs but they are clear and I am doing no coughing at any time really.  When I was in the exercise program...nothing changed...it was bad when I started, it was bad when I finished.  I am trying to find an answer for this and so far no luck!  I have tried sleeping in another bed, changing my pillows, I think I have tried it all and still no relief.

ANY HINTS???

Lots of Hugs,
Rena

[wonko]

Excuse an old Lymie for butting in...

Morning stiffness like you describe is a "hallmark of inflammation," according to my rheumie.

I deal with this also, all of my Lyme symptoms worsen upon lying down, notably my back stiffness.  Like you, I often need to get out of bed for awhile to relieve the soreness/stiffness before returning to bed.  I also have trouble at work because sitting for long causes my lower back to seize up and become painfully stiff.

I agree with the above about mattresses.  Once when I was traveling for work the hotel had a marshmallow for a bed, and I had a lot less trouble.  But in general, I don't think a bed that soft is good for my back, so I have a moderate mattress at home.

My rheumie also suggested use of NSAIDs, even to take 4 or 5 motrin at  a time, but they really don't touch it for me.

Gentle stretching and exercise are also supposed to be good for painful inflammation.  It's really tough to get started, but I do usually loosen up as I go along.

[Sarahsmom46]

I was thinking along the same lines as Ess was about the mattress, but when I was on vacation recently sleeping in a nice hotel with a very nice and comfy mattress, the pain didn't remit.  

Where do you have the pain in your back exactly?  Have you ever been in an car accident or a bad fall at any time in your life?  

Mine is across my mid/upper back along the bra line.  When I get up in the morning I tense all my muscles up and get out of the bed before it starts really hurting.  I'm pretty much ok after a shower though.  

Do you think this is MS related or is it our wonderful advancing age?  Can't believe it is age though.

Interesting question.  Hope we can find answers for you.

Julie

[essdipity]

This is just a very low-tech solution, but have you considered that your mattress could be causing the problem or at least contributing to it? Mattresses can cause all kinds of back problems. How new is yours, and how firm is it? Can you try sleeping in another bed or two in your house and see if you feel better?

ess

[Udkas]

Hi Rena,

I have back pain and loads of spasms when I wake up at the moment.  The spasms are usually in my back just below my ribcage and in my calves and feet.  The back pain seems to be like a burning banding sensation in my lower back but lately I have had a burning sensation higher, the ache is just a dull ache, not that painful.  

My MRI showed no compression etc. was normal.  My neurologist told me that the back pain was coming from  higher up and was radiating down, I think he suspects a lesion in my thoracic spine but MRI is yet to confirm anything.

I still wonder if I have hurt my back some how and that is why I have new symptoms. Does anyone know how they diagnose pinched nerves?

I wonder Rena if it is the fact that we are laying still and maybe not moving about enough, I find my problems seem to be worse when I am tired, but have been considering buying a new bed.

I suggest you talk to your neuro about it, it is amazing what is related to MS. I find Gabapentin helps me pain but I actually feel at the moment I could do with an increase in dose...for other pain syndromes I am having.

All the best Rena,
Cheers, Udkas. undx.

[AmishErin]

Awwwwwwww I feel for you!

My husband says I walk around like a little old lady everyday when I wake up.  I thought it was somehow MS related.  My legs twitch at night and I thought maybe if I was having back spasms that would lead to this intense pain.  

I talked to my neuro and he just gave me more nuerontin.  

My pcp tells me that its related to my osteopisis (probably speeled way wrong).

I take actonel and celebrex.  Thats all they can do to help.  
Neurontin doesn't touch it.  Aspirin, ibuprophen, tylenol, excederine, aleve none of em help

I have tried splitting my sleep into 2 shifts.  Kinda helps but it screws up any awake time.  Also sleeping on a heating pad helps a little when it gets worse.

I figured I had arthritis.  Maybe I do.

34 feels too young to feel this old.

It was 14 months of solumederal that gave me the osteopisis so in that way I guess its related to this forum

either way back pain sux big time.  I hope you find something that helps you.

[Fluffysmom]

My back pain worse when I'm lying down, and I'm stiff when I get up, with difficulty walking, but it gets better quickly.

I've decided that sleeping flat on my back as I do, I put some pressure on a nerve root or something, which increases my "normal" pain.

When I get up and relieve the pressure, it is quite a bit better.  Not as dramatic as the pain disappearing like it does for you, but still a lot better.

Do you sleep on your side?  I find that sleeping on my side increases my mid-back pain, and I figure its because of the way my ribs get scrunched together, and I have that old compression fracture at T7.  I tend to roll up on my side, then back onto my back, trading pains.

Shoot, honey, I hope you can figure this out and put a stop to it!  There's nothing like snuggling down for those last couple of hours of sleep.  I have alot of trouble getting back to sleep once I've awoken, and Fluffy really likes me to feed him at 5 am.  I'm so happy when I get back to sleep.

This morning I managed to sleep in until 10:30.  I had to wake up and call the place where I was going to take my car to be repaired, since it snowed enough this morning that I was worrried about getting more damage to my cute little car if I took it out there with all of us that aren't used to driving in snow.  I don't even have all-weather tires, let alone all wheel drive like my roommmate, who happily drove off to work, then called me and told me not to try to drive in today, as there were a lot of idiots on the road.

OK, if you sleep on your side, try using a body pillow between your knees and arms, or you can use two regular pillows.  It takes some getting used to, but I know people that it has helped a lot.

If you sleep on your back, try a pillow under your knees.  I think that's more for lower back pain, but it's all I can think of, and it wouldn't hurt to try!

If you sleep on your stomach, try not to!  :o)  Everything I've read says that it's really bad for you back and neck.

Healing Hugs coming your way,

Kathy