Is moderately severe back pain really normal at 30?
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I know it's a joke " oh haha you're 30, everything hurts now cuz you're so old!" But really, is something wrong with me or are backs just this stupid? Not overweight. Decently active although I don't exersize every single day. No genetic issues, doctor always says im in perfect health. But my lower back will randomly act up, sometimes it gets so bad that I about black out from the pain. Thats pretty rare though, usually it's just an ache all day when I move or try to put my socks on. Its not sciatica, as I never feel numbness or pain in my legs. Mild weakness maybe if it hurts really bad.
I feel like any doctor is just going to say welp, you're old it happens, or tell me I need 3.5 million dollar spinal surgery.
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I know it's a joke " oh haha you're 30, everything hurts now cuz you're so old!" But really, is something wrong with me or are backs just this stupid? Not overweight. Decently active although I don't exersize every single day. No genetic issues, doctor always says im in perfect health. But my lower back will randomly act up, sometimes it gets so bad that I about black out from the pain. Thats pretty rare though, usually it's just an ache all day when I move or try to put my socks on. Its not sciatica, as I never feel numbness or pain in my legs. Mild weakness maybe if it hurts really bad.
I feel like any doctor is just going to say welp, you're old it happens, or tell me I need 3.5 million dollar spinal surgery.
You're confusing "normal" with "common". Pain is never normal.
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I know it's a joke " oh haha you're 30, everything hurts now cuz you're so old!" But really, is something wrong with me or are backs just this stupid? Not overweight. Decently active although I don't exersize every single day. No genetic issues, doctor always says im in perfect health. But my lower back will randomly act up, sometimes it gets so bad that I about black out from the pain. Thats pretty rare though, usually it's just an ache all day when I move or try to put my socks on. Its not sciatica, as I never feel numbness or pain in my legs. Mild weakness maybe if it hurts really bad.
I feel like any doctor is just going to say welp, you're old it happens, or tell me I need 3.5 million dollar spinal surgery.
Let me just say right up front that any pain you have that's anywhere near the black-out level is extremely not normal. And I say that as someone who has lived with chronic lower back pain for 20 years (of varying severity, from 'Huh that's kinda uncomfortable' to 'holy shit it's time to take all of the meds and lay down.' I've never been anywhere near black-out levels of pain, the most I've gotten is back pain so bad it makes me sick to my stomach. Go see an orthopedist, they will find the source of the problem, and then probably refer you to a physical therapist and/or pain management specialist.
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I know it's a joke " oh haha you're 30, everything hurts now cuz you're so old!" But really, is something wrong with me or are backs just this stupid? Not overweight. Decently active although I don't exersize every single day. No genetic issues, doctor always says im in perfect health. But my lower back will randomly act up, sometimes it gets so bad that I about black out from the pain. Thats pretty rare though, usually it's just an ache all day when I move or try to put my socks on. Its not sciatica, as I never feel numbness or pain in my legs. Mild weakness maybe if it hurts really bad.
I feel like any doctor is just going to say welp, you're old it happens, or tell me I need 3.5 million dollar spinal surgery.
I had really bad back pain when I switched to an office job, which kept going for like 4 years. I finally went to the physio and after a few trial and errors she discovered the issue was in my core strength. I was exercising and generally active, but because I wasn't engaging my core properly that was just leading to more back pain.
She taught me how to engage my core properly and a few really simple exercises for strengthening, and my low back pain is almost entirely gone now.
Go to the doctor or a physiotherapist. If it's not a medical condition then it's most likely just related to your lifestyle and can be improved with some changes.
Editing to add I'm also in my 30s.
Separate note: On my 30th birthday actually I did have a separate issue with my side where the pain came on suddenly. I did go to the doctor for that one and was told essentially "you're just old", but he wasn't totally wrong on that one because it was literally that I had gotten drunk and fallen asleep on a very broken uncomfortable couch that had fucked my side right up. What you're describing doesn't sound like one of these dumb 'old people' injuries though.
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Let me just say right up front that any pain you have that's anywhere near the black-out level is extremely not normal. And I say that as someone who has lived with chronic lower back pain for 20 years (of varying severity, from 'Huh that's kinda uncomfortable' to 'holy shit it's time to take all of the meds and lay down.' I've never been anywhere near black-out levels of pain, the most I've gotten is back pain so bad it makes me sick to my stomach. Go see an orthopedist, they will find the source of the problem, and then probably refer you to a physical therapist and/or pain management specialist.
Sorry. I laughed from your comment. Doctors tell women blacking out from menstrual pain is perfectly normal.
Didn't mean to distract from your message, you're absolutely right.
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I know it's a joke " oh haha you're 30, everything hurts now cuz you're so old!" But really, is something wrong with me or are backs just this stupid? Not overweight. Decently active although I don't exersize every single day. No genetic issues, doctor always says im in perfect health. But my lower back will randomly act up, sometimes it gets so bad that I about black out from the pain. Thats pretty rare though, usually it's just an ache all day when I move or try to put my socks on. Its not sciatica, as I never feel numbness or pain in my legs. Mild weakness maybe if it hurts really bad.
I feel like any doctor is just going to say welp, you're old it happens, or tell me I need 3.5 million dollar spinal surgery.
Once doctor rules out kidney, cancer, and spinal issues, see a physiotherapist. Before anyone says chiropractic, it’s a scam.
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I know it's a joke " oh haha you're 30, everything hurts now cuz you're so old!" But really, is something wrong with me or are backs just this stupid? Not overweight. Decently active although I don't exersize every single day. No genetic issues, doctor always says im in perfect health. But my lower back will randomly act up, sometimes it gets so bad that I about black out from the pain. Thats pretty rare though, usually it's just an ache all day when I move or try to put my socks on. Its not sciatica, as I never feel numbness or pain in my legs. Mild weakness maybe if it hurts really bad.
I feel like any doctor is just going to say welp, you're old it happens, or tell me I need 3.5 million dollar spinal surgery.
You may have herniated discs. It's not super common at 30 but it's definitely not uncommon. It's more common the older you get but many young people get these. Depends on genetics and activity. You should go to a neurologist or orthopedist and tell them what's happening.
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Once doctor rules out kidney, cancer, and spinal issues, see a physiotherapist. Before anyone says chiropractic, it’s a scam.
So many people think chiros are legit.... it's fucking infuriating that shit is still around.
They have chiropractors for horses....yes a massive animal that's stupid muscular and stands 95% of its life. People are duped into thinking a 200lb or less human can "adjust" it's body...
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I know it's a joke " oh haha you're 30, everything hurts now cuz you're so old!" But really, is something wrong with me or are backs just this stupid? Not overweight. Decently active although I don't exersize every single day. No genetic issues, doctor always says im in perfect health. But my lower back will randomly act up, sometimes it gets so bad that I about black out from the pain. Thats pretty rare though, usually it's just an ache all day when I move or try to put my socks on. Its not sciatica, as I never feel numbness or pain in my legs. Mild weakness maybe if it hurts really bad.
I feel like any doctor is just going to say welp, you're old it happens, or tell me I need 3.5 million dollar spinal surgery.
Sounds like you have abnormal issues. Guessing you have some issues with your discs.
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So many people think chiros are legit.... it's fucking infuriating that shit is still around.
They have chiropractors for horses....yes a massive animal that's stupid muscular and stands 95% of its life. People are duped into thinking a 200lb or less human can "adjust" it's body...
It also annoys me that my insurance groups chiro together with physio so people might think that they’re alternatives to each other. I had a colleague who said “physio just gives you exercises/homework while chiro fixes you on the spot”
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Once doctor rules out kidney, cancer, and spinal issues, see a physiotherapist. Before anyone says chiropractic, it’s a scam.
Chiropractors and acupuncturists are grifters
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You may have herniated discs. It's not super common at 30 but it's definitely not uncommon. It's more common the older you get but many young people get these. Depends on genetics and activity. You should go to a neurologist or orthopedist and tell them what's happening.
OP, it sounds like a herniated disc to me. Especially when you said "put on socks" (it's worse in the morning, and forward bends are bad?)
When things get bad (or anytime), go lie on your stomach, and if you can, push yourself up into "cobra" pose. If that helps, you almost certainly have a herniated disc. And that pose kind of un-herniates it.
You need an mri to officially diagnose it. Might find one for under $300.
Learn Stuart McGill's big three, the McKenzie press up (mentioned above), take more walks, and maybe get an inversion machine.
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I know it's a joke " oh haha you're 30, everything hurts now cuz you're so old!" But really, is something wrong with me or are backs just this stupid? Not overweight. Decently active although I don't exersize every single day. No genetic issues, doctor always says im in perfect health. But my lower back will randomly act up, sometimes it gets so bad that I about black out from the pain. Thats pretty rare though, usually it's just an ache all day when I move or try to put my socks on. Its not sciatica, as I never feel numbness or pain in my legs. Mild weakness maybe if it hurts really bad.
I feel like any doctor is just going to say welp, you're old it happens, or tell me I need 3.5 million dollar spinal surgery.
After checking for physical health issues, ergonomics, stress, posture, etc, take a look at better shoes. If you ever feel like your heels often hit the ground hard when you walk, and especially if you more often feel pain after having carried something heavy, the impact on your spine might be bigger than you think even if you don't feel it at that moment. Better shoes (and posture, etc) reduces the impact significantly.
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Sorry. I laughed from your comment. Doctors tell women blacking out from menstrual pain is perfectly normal.
Didn't mean to distract from your message, you're absolutely right.
That's crazy. Though I mean as a guy I have a lot more experience with lower back pain than menstrual pain so I couldn't speak to what's normal for the latter. But near-blacking-out from any kind of pain seems extremely no bueno.
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I know it's a joke " oh haha you're 30, everything hurts now cuz you're so old!" But really, is something wrong with me or are backs just this stupid? Not overweight. Decently active although I don't exersize every single day. No genetic issues, doctor always says im in perfect health. But my lower back will randomly act up, sometimes it gets so bad that I about black out from the pain. Thats pretty rare though, usually it's just an ache all day when I move or try to put my socks on. Its not sciatica, as I never feel numbness or pain in my legs. Mild weakness maybe if it hurts really bad.
I feel like any doctor is just going to say welp, you're old it happens, or tell me I need 3.5 million dollar spinal surgery.
No. Chronic back pain is not normal. Acute back pain so bad you pass out also not normal.
Occasional back pain, I think is normal - over my more than half a century I've thrown my back out about 4 times and it hurt for a few days each time. Then went away. That seems more normal.
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It also annoys me that my insurance groups chiro together with physio so people might think that they’re alternatives to each other. I had a colleague who said “physio just gives you exercises/homework while chiro fixes you on the spot”
I also have issues with the fact that major pharmacy brands like Walgreens and CVS put homeopathic remedies right alongside real meds. Make sure to actually read the labels on medicines, because lots of them are pure placebo. Zicam is an extremely popular cold medicine that claims to shorten the duration of a cold or the flu by like 50%, and it is completely homeopathic. There are lots of homeopathic labels scattered throughout the pharmacy, so checking the labels is extremely important.
If you ever see something on the ingredients label like “{ingredient} X6” then that means that ingredient has been diluted 6 times. Homeopaths claim that more dilution makes the med stronger, like how fresh water is better able to dilute salt water. But many are so diluted that there likely isn’t any of the medication remaining.
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You're confusing "normal" with "common". Pain is never normal.
What definition of normal are you using, then? I mean, OP's thing definitely is neither, but lots of things can trigger pain, even chronically.
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I know it's a joke " oh haha you're 30, everything hurts now cuz you're so old!" But really, is something wrong with me or are backs just this stupid? Not overweight. Decently active although I don't exersize every single day. No genetic issues, doctor always says im in perfect health. But my lower back will randomly act up, sometimes it gets so bad that I about black out from the pain. Thats pretty rare though, usually it's just an ache all day when I move or try to put my socks on. Its not sciatica, as I never feel numbness or pain in my legs. Mild weakness maybe if it hurts really bad.
I feel like any doctor is just going to say welp, you're old it happens, or tell me I need 3.5 million dollar spinal surgery.
Blacking out from back pain is not normal, though a little back pain is, since most jobs of the century are done on a computer, you should be worried.
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I know it's a joke " oh haha you're 30, everything hurts now cuz you're so old!" But really, is something wrong with me or are backs just this stupid? Not overweight. Decently active although I don't exersize every single day. No genetic issues, doctor always says im in perfect health. But my lower back will randomly act up, sometimes it gets so bad that I about black out from the pain. Thats pretty rare though, usually it's just an ache all day when I move or try to put my socks on. Its not sciatica, as I never feel numbness or pain in my legs. Mild weakness maybe if it hurts really bad.
I feel like any doctor is just going to say welp, you're old it happens, or tell me I need 3.5 million dollar spinal surgery.
I've had slight scoliosis all my life due to being very tall and having multiple growth spurts in my teens. That has bothered me in the mornings pretty much since I was 16. Last year, I started getting increased pain around my pelvis which eventually got diagnosed as rheumatoid arthritis, associated with another diagnosis of Ankylosing Spondylitis. I'm 32 now and doing physiotherapy in order to keep flexible, the exercises seem to be a subset of pilates, also been prescribed dicofenac which is like a stronger version of ibuprofen which works well.
Blacking out from pain doesn't sound normal. I've got a degenerative disease diagnosis and have never blacked out - although I have had days where I've struggled to move.
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I know it's a joke " oh haha you're 30, everything hurts now cuz you're so old!" But really, is something wrong with me or are backs just this stupid? Not overweight. Decently active although I don't exersize every single day. No genetic issues, doctor always says im in perfect health. But my lower back will randomly act up, sometimes it gets so bad that I about black out from the pain. Thats pretty rare though, usually it's just an ache all day when I move or try to put my socks on. Its not sciatica, as I never feel numbness or pain in my legs. Mild weakness maybe if it hurts really bad.
I feel like any doctor is just going to say welp, you're old it happens, or tell me I need 3.5 million dollar spinal surgery.
Such pain is not normal. I used to get backpack every month or so. To a level that I could not move anymore. Posture is very important. I now walk like some bodybuilder who is compensating for his small penis and it has done wonders for my back. Also it has lowered expectations about my penis, so women are always pleasantly surprised now.
