Sharing a discussion on Characteristics of Back Pain due to Slipped Disc posted on our Back pain help group “Back Pain Relief & Spine Health”  on Facebook. Join this group for sharing your back pain problem with a caring community for discussions on relieving your back pain.

Hi, thanks for letting me join. Last Christmas I slipped a disc. L4 L5, couldn’t get off the floor for ages. Doc prescribed Naproxen and Diazepam, along with Physiotherapy. Since it happened, every couple of months I’ve been getting that feeling like my back is going to “go” again. It went again in June this year. Doc said if it happens again they will “investigate deeper”. 

I’ve now gone and done it again, in agony, another course of naproxen and diazepam with a physiotherapy session booked in sometime soon. What’s worse though is I also get pain in my neck going into my left shoulder, the lower back pain is radiating into my right hip/pelvis area. And on occasion I get random bouts of pins and needles in my left arm, the same side as the neck/shoulder pain.

I’m far from an inactive person, I work on my feet all day, lifting, I’m a CNC machinist so fairly mobile during the day, I use an exercise bike at home to help with my back. I’ve asked my GP for a scan, like an MRI or something on my spine but he doesn’t want to know. Just says tablets and physio. Is there anything else I can do do you think? Except for going for a private scan. I feel deep down i have some problem in my spine except for the slipped disc. Or are these symptoms common with a slipped disc?

Arogyada.in : These symptoms you have described are typical of radicular (nerve root) compression symptoms. After we have ruled out any neurological symptoms like weakness or urinary symptoms, we usually prescribe the patient a month of physiotherapy and medicines like Pregabalin and Etoricoxib for a month. If the pain is still severe and persisting then we evaluate further with MRI and prescribe surgical management in case of significant spinal cord and nerve root compression.

Following are the typical characteristics of back pain due to slipped disc

1. Sudden and severe shooting type of pain
2. If it occurs in the neck area, then the pain will radiate to the arms and if it happens in the lower back it will radiate to the buttock, thighs, or legs.
3. There may be numbness which a sign of nerve damage
4. In case of severe compression, there can be a weakness of ankles (foot drop) in lower back slipped disc and weakness of grip and arms in slipped discs of the neck.
5. The function of the bladder or bowel can also get affected for which immediate treatment is needed. That is called “cauda equina syndrome” (CES), and it is a medical emergency

 Sharing a discussion on Diffuse Back Pain Due to suspected Inflammatory Arthritis posted on our Back pain help group “Back Pain Relief & Spine Health”  on Facebook. Join this group for sharing your back pain problem and discussion on relieving your back pain.

“Hi thank you for the add!😊 I’ve experienced back pain since my teens. I vaguely remember at 12 or 14 a dr say i had juvenile arthritis.  I never got treatment for it. I’ve also been in a few accidents so have some buldging and herniations. But i feel the pain from those the last few years has been tolarable. Now, at 29 and after having my daughter 9 months ago I’m in the most pain I’ve been in before. I have a couple xrays my chiropractor took (not the best quality) he didn’t seem too concerned about them, even though I’m having so much pain still? Just seeing what yall might suggest be my next step and if anythings seen on my xrays. “

Arogyada.in: Where exactly do you have pain – in midline or away from the midline ; lower back or upper back?… Does the pain also come to the legs? When does your pain increase- walking, sitting or with prolonged bed rest?

“honestly its almost everywhere. Alot through the neck and shoulders/shoulder blades. I have huge knots at the top of my shoulders along with muscle spasms. And in my lower back. The pain is worse when I try to bend over, feels almost like somethings pinching? And its currently going down both sides of my buttock. Feels kind of like its my muscles in my buttock but its deep. Also have pain in my hips.Standing. Sitting. Or laying in one position for almost any period of time makes it worse.”

Arogyada.in: Do you exercise regularly or most of your days are sedentary?

“mostly sedentary, I’m a stay at home mom with a 9 month old. I’ve tried multiple times to start exercising but am in so much pain the next few days it discourages me from continuing”

Arogyada.in: By the description , your pain seems to be due to inflammatory arthritis. And does not seem to be due to disc prolapse or compression of nerves. Please get these tests done after consulting a Rheumatologist – C-reactive protein (CRP), Antinuclear antibody (ANA), Rheumatoid factor (RF).

Post your queries in the comments if you have similar type of pain and want to know how to relieve your back pain.