Hello. I have had on and off low back pain for the past 25 years. My back will be normal, and sometimes will “hurt” , not debilitating, and I can “stretch it out/walk it out”. Other times it suddenly “lock up”, and when it does I’m out of commission and have to take T3’s.
Over the years ive been to my doctor, physiotherapists, athletic therapists, acupuncturists, and it seems that my diagnosis seems to be whatever the “specialist” specializes in. The pain will be brought on randomly wether I’m sedentary or not. I’ve been told to not have a wallet in my back pocket as it caused the injury, I’ve stretched, used bosu balls, excursise bands, I’ve done excersises to “counterbalance the imbalance caused by doing too many pushing movements and not enough pulling movements”.
My GP will prescribe a relaxant and tell my to stop lifting heavy weights and stick to cardio cause “older guys like me don’t need to lift heavy weights”. Ironically squats and deadlifts actually “loosen” my back up if I’m not in the locked up back stage.
I wont say my lifting form is impeccable, but I work with a SS coach, and besides I’ve never thrown my back out while lifting. It’s usually something stupid like reaching for something in the fridge or rolling over in bed. I can deadlift 345 lbs but reaching for that Apple has put me off work for a few days.
If my back is just achey I take a couple of robaxecets and “walk it off”. Alternatively if I take 800mg of Advil twice a day for a few days I will “knock it down”. I don’t think this is a good thing to do long term, if at all.
I had my pelvis x rayed by a doctor last year and there is no arthritis. My dad has spinal stenosis if that possibly relates.
Obviously im not expecting a diagnosis online or anything like that but what can I do to get to the bottom of this? It’s not normal or,safe to take Advil everyday (or is it…I’m 47 and getting older lol )
im wondering if you can advise me where to start, and what to ask for and insist on when my doctor tells me to do cardio. I always trust doctors, and other specialists but I’ve seem to be going around in circles and no matter what I do or who I see the pain can and will come up from time to time.
Or is this just normal, and I’m a special snowflake? Take my Advil lift that barbell and move on?
Thanks in advance?