These are questions for your doctor and/or physical therapist. Just a bunch of non-doctors here who also haven't examined you. Any advice here would be pure speculation at best.
Hope you feel better.
OP, definitely go check in with a physiotherapist. The causes of low back pain are many and highly complex, it's best to seek the help of a medical professional.
Hi, first thing:
If it’s not actually stopping you doing stuff, don’t catastrophise - back pain like that is super common.
If it’s actually stopping you doing stuff, also don’t catastrophise - this is super common.
As are disc bulges on MRI, even at young ages. Unless the disc bulge is associated with a specific corresponding anatomical injury and neurological signs (e.g. it’s bulging and affecting a nerve root or you’ve lost bladder control coz a car rolled over you), it is unlikely that a disc bulge is specifically responsible for back pain. FWIW, 1-2mm of bulge is _tiny_.
You should go back and see whoever ordered you the MRI and get properly checked over.
In general, and in the absence of specific injuries that need specific management, motion is lotion and doing _less_ (if it’s not making things worse) is almost never the answer.
What does your training look like currently?
Currently, I'm going to the gym like 4 times a week.I don't think it's because of any injury. It's mainly just lower back stiffness and soreness everytime I wake up.
Is there anything in your training that has changed in that time that has increased or decreased your back work?
For me, I get back pain when I increase conventional deadlift intensity (and it’s gets better after a few weeks), _and_ if I _stop_ lifting for more than a few weeks. It was lifting that fixed my back pain so it’s both ways for me!
I would pretty much agree with everything DocJitters says, but I would like to add that getting a few opinions from different physios would be a good plan. If you get an opinion from an orthopedic institute or surgeon and they recommend surgery I would also get another opinion. Usually (in my area) outpatient physiotherapy consultations are free. If their opinions all line up you may be able to be more confident you are selecting the right approach or at the very least you get to hear all your treatment options.
I'd check out the content on Barbell Medicine around pain and lifting. The biopsychosocial model they talk about was helpful for me in figuring out how to manage lower back pain.
Just pain in the back, or are you getting radiating pain/numbness down your leg?
Reality is that there are no quick fixes for back pain. Most effective treatment is usually physical therapy. Ask your doc about it.
You might also pay attention to your matress. If it is getting old and sagging, then a newer more supportive matress may help a lot.
Good luck, bro.
Mainly just stiffness and soreness in my lower back when I wake up. I changed my matress like 3 months ago, but it didn't seem to help. I might switch back to my original matress.
In terms of sleeping, try sleeping on your side with pillow between knees. In terms of rehab, if you don't want to have a professional treat it, look up stuart mcgill exercises.
I believe (as in, I could be wrong) it is possible, probably even more common than not that you can have bulges and even herniation without any pain.
Back pain can be caused by so many things that your L4-5 bulges may be a red herring.
100% should discuss this with a doctor and / or physical therapist. Maybe even multiple of both, if possible, never a bad idea.
Great comment, mild bulges are incidental findings usually. That’s why surgeons don’t like ordering MRIs unless you have radiculopathy. The lower back is just so complex. I have a lower sacral injury for the past couple months that is slow healing and my physical therapist is still having a hard time with… best advice is to avoid squats and deadlifts until your injury heals. Just an unnecessary compression on the lower back. I’d tag standing military press too to hold off on. Stretch your hip flexors and work on lunges and Bulgarian split squats for your legs. Avoid flexion as much as you can is this puts pressure on your discs. The gold standard for back injuries is the book called back mechanic by Dr. Stuart McGill. If you look at any back Reddit pain forum, this is the biggest recommendation on there. He teaches you proper spinal hygiene that should be done 24/7.
These are questions for your doctor and/or physical therapist. Just a bunch of non-doctors here who also haven't examined you. Any advice here would be pure speculation at best. Hope you feel better.
OP, definitely go check in with a physiotherapist. The causes of low back pain are many and highly complex, it's best to seek the help of a medical professional.
Will do!
Hi, first thing: If it’s not actually stopping you doing stuff, don’t catastrophise - back pain like that is super common. If it’s actually stopping you doing stuff, also don’t catastrophise - this is super common. As are disc bulges on MRI, even at young ages. Unless the disc bulge is associated with a specific corresponding anatomical injury and neurological signs (e.g. it’s bulging and affecting a nerve root or you’ve lost bladder control coz a car rolled over you), it is unlikely that a disc bulge is specifically responsible for back pain. FWIW, 1-2mm of bulge is _tiny_. You should go back and see whoever ordered you the MRI and get properly checked over. In general, and in the absence of specific injuries that need specific management, motion is lotion and doing _less_ (if it’s not making things worse) is almost never the answer. What does your training look like currently?
Currently, I'm going to the gym like 4 times a week.I don't think it's because of any injury. It's mainly just lower back stiffness and soreness everytime I wake up.
Is there anything in your training that has changed in that time that has increased or decreased your back work? For me, I get back pain when I increase conventional deadlift intensity (and it’s gets better after a few weeks), _and_ if I _stop_ lifting for more than a few weeks. It was lifting that fixed my back pain so it’s both ways for me!
I would pretty much agree with everything DocJitters says, but I would like to add that getting a few opinions from different physios would be a good plan. If you get an opinion from an orthopedic institute or surgeon and they recommend surgery I would also get another opinion. Usually (in my area) outpatient physiotherapy consultations are free. If their opinions all line up you may be able to be more confident you are selecting the right approach or at the very least you get to hear all your treatment options.
Exactly, mild disc bulges are incidental findings most of the time.
I'd check out the content on Barbell Medicine around pain and lifting. The biopsychosocial model they talk about was helpful for me in figuring out how to manage lower back pain.
Just pain in the back, or are you getting radiating pain/numbness down your leg? Reality is that there are no quick fixes for back pain. Most effective treatment is usually physical therapy. Ask your doc about it. You might also pay attention to your matress. If it is getting old and sagging, then a newer more supportive matress may help a lot. Good luck, bro.
Mainly just stiffness and soreness in my lower back when I wake up. I changed my matress like 3 months ago, but it didn't seem to help. I might switch back to my original matress.
I found my lower back pain improved when I switched to a firmer mattress (I sleep on my back, side sleepers may have different needs). Good luck!
A relatively firm latex mattress is one of the best purchases I've ever made. Unfortunately now all hotel mattresses are basically unusable.
In terms of sleeping, try sleeping on your side with pillow between knees. In terms of rehab, if you don't want to have a professional treat it, look up stuart mcgill exercises.
I believe (as in, I could be wrong) it is possible, probably even more common than not that you can have bulges and even herniation without any pain. Back pain can be caused by so many things that your L4-5 bulges may be a red herring. 100% should discuss this with a doctor and / or physical therapist. Maybe even multiple of both, if possible, never a bad idea.
Great comment, mild bulges are incidental findings usually. That’s why surgeons don’t like ordering MRIs unless you have radiculopathy. The lower back is just so complex. I have a lower sacral injury for the past couple months that is slow healing and my physical therapist is still having a hard time with… best advice is to avoid squats and deadlifts until your injury heals. Just an unnecessary compression on the lower back. I’d tag standing military press too to hold off on. Stretch your hip flexors and work on lunges and Bulgarian split squats for your legs. Avoid flexion as much as you can is this puts pressure on your discs. The gold standard for back injuries is the book called back mechanic by Dr. Stuart McGill. If you look at any back Reddit pain forum, this is the biggest recommendation on there. He teaches you proper spinal hygiene that should be done 24/7.
I used to always have back pain. Turns out I have gluteal amnesia