# Lower back knotted up?



## Neen (Mar 21, 2008)

I have been having trouble with my lower back area..right above my the crack in my behind/tailbone area. and also right in the middle of my shoulder blades....it aches and hurts. I can hardly stand up straight in the morning. It feels like the mucles are all knotted up into a pretzel shape. I have been doing foward bends and some yoga stretches to relieve it, and that has helped a bit. Plus REALLY hot baths and hot compresses. This normally occurs in the morning upon rising, and lasts for 2 hours or so, then gradually goes away, so i can walk without struggle. I feel a 100 years old and i'm only 24! Anyone got idea's on what it is? Suggestions? Thanks!


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## sugar and spice (Mar 21, 2008)

Are You sleeping differently? Sometimes too many pillows can cause a gap between your lower back and the bed, or if you dont have the right support under your neck at night it could cause the shoulder pain like you describe. I know because of my size I don't like to sleep flat so I have several pillows, but I make sure to fill in the gap as best as I can between my lower back and the mattress. Maybe this could be it?


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## Neen (Mar 21, 2008)

I am normally a side sleeper. But i will try to use pillows more like you said. I also have a memory foam topper on my bed.. and that has helped, but..it's starting to break down..ALREADY..(only 3 months old)!...so now i have to sleep on the OTHER side of the bed, where it's a bit cushier.


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## Paul (Mar 21, 2008)

I get a backache much as you are describing once in a while. It is caused by a muscle spasm. I am not claiming your backache is the result of a muscle spasm, but it does sound as if if could be. One way to know if the cause of the backache is a muscle spasm is to try an over the counter muscle relaxant. Robaxisal (with ASA) or Robaxiset (with acetaminophen) work well for a backache caused by muscle spasms. I prefer the Robaxisal since asa always works better for me for pain. Gert a generic equivalent as it will be cheaper. Just make sure the active ingredients are the same as the the Robaxisal. The generic I got at London Drugs is called "Muscle and Back".

I hope this helps. If the cause is not a muscle spasm you may have to break down and visit the doctor. Let me know if the muscle relaxant helps.


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## BubbleButtBabe (Mar 22, 2008)

I use to get the pain between the shoulder blades and I started using a lumbar support pillow when I sat down..My therapist suggested I make sure I put my butt as tight against the chair I am sitting in as I could and to use the pillow..It has helped a lot and my shoulders do not bother me like they did..

For my back I finally broke down and got a hand held massager that could be adjusted.I use it at a 90 degree angle and use the double bump attachment and massage my back on high pushing as deep as I can stand.. I work my deep muscles to get them relax enough where they do not spasm like they did..I have to admit the first few times you do it,it will hurt,but then the deeper muscles will relax and your back will feel better..Hope this helps you with your problem.


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## AnnMarie (Mar 22, 2008)

Neen said:


> I am normally a side sleeper. But i will try to use pillows more like you said. I also have a memory foam topper on my bed.. and that has helped, but..it's starting to break down..ALREADY..(only 3 months old)!...so now i have to sleep on the OTHER side of the bed, where it's a bit cushier.




I hate to say it, but I'm hoping you didn't pay a lot for that topper because I've had mine for probably almost 4 years and it's as good as the day I bought it and I basically sleep on the same side every single night of my life. They should last much longer than that, and if/when you purchase a replacement make sure it's not only thick (I'm a side sleeper as well and mine is a 4inch topper - I got that to accommodate cushioning my hips) but has a high density percentage. High density alone isn't enough, they come in percents like 2/3/6 etc. You want to buy a high density so it has a little less give, more cushion. 

Here's a quote from online, do some research and buy the topper from a place that offers you the ability to pick your inches AND your density. Mine cost 300 but that was when they were hardly anywhere, but you will pay more for this when you buy a really good one. If it's 99 bucks, it's not good. 



> *The Secret of High Density Toppers*
> Some consumers may be curious to know how the density of a mattress is determined. Well, the density is calculated by slicing a 12-inch by 12 inch by 12-inch cube of a matter and measuring its weight. The low-density toppers have less matter and more air; hence, they weigh less but at the same time are soft and appear comfortable. But alas, they have a short life. On the other hand, the high-density memory foam mattress toppers weigh more due to the sufficient amount of matter stuffed inside. Hence, although they may be a bit expensive, they are highly durable.


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## Neen (Mar 22, 2008)

yeah..mine cost $145 and i got it off amazon.com!
Cheapo depo!
I will try the muscle relaxors..thanks everyone!


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## comperic2003 (Mar 22, 2008)

Your lower back pain could be due to an enormously diverse amount of causes. Lower back pain can be contributed to how you sleep, poor posture, a lack of hip mobility, weak butt muscles or lordosis. Hell, it can even be caused by an injury or disease of the kidney, bladder or uterus.

Middle back pain is usually attributed to poor posture and a lack of scapular stability. Or it can be caused by a disease or injury of the intestine or stomach.

More than likely, your lower and middle back pain is due to poor posture and a lack of joint mobility and stability (mobility for the hips, ankles, middle back and scapula to some extent and stability for the knees, lower back, and to some extent, the scapula). While memory foam toppers and extra pillows may alleviate some of the pain, they cannot address the underlying issue.


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## Ernest Nagel (Mar 22, 2008)

See if you can find a chiropractor or physical therapist who uses something called an ATM (Active Therapeutic Movement?) machine. Really remarkable, almost immediate long term cessation of pain in one treatment. See more about it here: www.backproject.com. They're the manufacturer of the device. You can also contact them to see where there's one close to you. Good luck!


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## Neen (Mar 22, 2008)

I really think it's my posture. I have a tendancy to slouch ..almost always when sitting down. I've been doing my yoga stretches/foward bends to target the lower back/butt area and it's helped a tiny bit. Hmm posture?


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## Tad (Mar 24, 2008)

Neen said:


> I really think it's my posture. I have a tendancy to slouch ..almost always when sitting down. I've been doing my yoga stretches/foward bends to target the lower back/butt area and it's helped a tiny bit. Hmm posture?



Related to posture can be how you stand. I've found standing with knees locked is a sure way to get a sore back. It took some time to program myself to keep checking how I'm standing, and to keep my knees slightly flexed, but it seems to help.

Also, has anything else changed around when you started getting the pain? Started wearing a new type of shoe or boot a lot? Gained or lost weight? Changed jobs? Got a different computer desk? If you can think back to when the pain started, and what you were doing the day before it is at its worse, maybe you can figure out some of the possible causes that way?

Best of luck--back pain is no fun!


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