I woke up with low back pain about 2 weeks ago.

[Bored]

I woke up with low back pain about 2 weeks ago. The pain is located right above my butt. One night I went to bed feeling fine, woke up in the morning with this pain. I did not do anything to cause this.

The pain is a tightening pain and a burning pain. It hurts a little when I try to bend over. The pain is only in that spot, nowhere else. The pain also kinda feels like a knot.

Hot baths help relieve the pain, and medicine also makes the pain go away unless I bend over. The pain is worse when I first wake up. Also, sitting on the toilet hurts that area too.

Does anyone know what this might be?

[Corny]

Is it your lower back, or do you think it's something else? When a hot bath helps - did you try infrared light or a hot patch?

[csb999]

well possibly similar . Until recently had a major lower back stiffness not pain only on waking , so extreme as to make getting out of bed and getting dressed difficult . I found the smallest daily dose of aspirin got rid of this and occasional painful cramps . Try this - see if it does anything for you - general health I think small daily dose of aspirin is good for you , recommended . Also aspirin , likely you already have some ( I take it before I go to bed ) .

[medic1]

Best advice go see your Primary Care Giver , you mention low back-pain is this pain more on the left or more on the right ?
As anyone will tell you diagnosing the cause of back-pain is very difficult .

Though as you mention that it seems pretty localised we can probably rule out sciatica , which runs right down your leg and makes mobility very difficult , having said that there can be many causes ranging from a kidney infection to some sort of muscle related injury .
Hope you feel better soon , though if this has been continuous for 2 weeks see your Dr .

[Corny]

yes but aspirin won't fix whatever you have. i used to have quite some problems with my shoulder after working on the computer for longer times. i also tried a hot bath first and if that didn't fix or improve it i tried hot patches for a week. usually this resolved it for some time. when it got worse and the hot patches only made it better but not going away i went to my doctor (who's also a sports doctor). he could quickly diagnose that this is primarly coming from my arm being moved in an odd angle. so i got myself a new and higher desk-chair and i don't have any problems since then

tl;dr try hot patches, go to a doctor

[KaraBulut]

I woke up with low back pain about 2 weeks ago. The pain is located right above my butt. One night I went to bed feeling fine, woke up in the morning with this pain. I did not do anything to cause this.

Does anyone know what this might be?

Well, there's two types of back pain-

1. Pain that is acute that happens from a specific injury and
2. Pain that is the result of repeated small injuries and the structural changes from aging.

You're a young guy, so it's more likely that you did injure your back without realizing it. The fact that you woke up with the pain (after a period of inactivity and lying flat) also points to an injury.

If you were posting two weeks ago when this first started, the recommendation would be to put an ice pack on the area, to take anti-inflammatory meds (ibuprofen, naproxen), use a local anesthetic (a wintergreen based cream or ointment) and rest until the pain lessened. Usually, the process takes about 3 days for the acute pain/spasm to improve and 2-4 weeks for it to get to the point where you can resume normal activity.

But since this has persisted for 2 weeks and you're still having fairly acute pain, it's time to see your doctor. You'll probably need some radiological studies and an anti-inflammatory medication. Dependent upon the findings, physical therapy or chiropractic care can sometimes help. But first, the doctor will want to determine the cause of the pain and ensure that there's not something structural that requires more aggressive intervention.

[Laufey]

Maybe its time for a new mattress or even a new bed?

I had some pain in my lower back and it got better after I switched beds. Also sleeping on the stomach seems to strain it less than sleeping on the back.

Remember pain is the body telling you something is wrong so painkillers just hide the problem they dont fix it.

[Georgiadude]

Maybe its time for a new mattress or even a new bed?

I had some pain in my lower back and it got better after I switched beds. Also sleeping on the stomach seems to strain it less than sleeping on the back.

Remember pain is the body telling you something is wrong so painkillers just hide the problem they dont fix it.

That was the first thing I thought of. Your pain seems to get worse after spending time in bed. Your mattress may not be giving you the support your back needs. Also the position you sleep in may make things worse. Along with heating pads and anti inflammatory medications a good massage can help. You said it feels like a knot is in your back and the pain is just above your butt. There are several muscles in that area that can cause low back pain and also contribute to the burning sensation your having in the area. Try seeing a LICENSED massage therapist. Find one that has been trained in neuro muscular therapy (NMT). They are trained in massage techniques that are designed to work specific muscles, not just a general massage. I also show my clients some stretches that will target the low back muscles and keep them from knotting up on you. Good luck. I hope your feeling better soon. Ive had three low back surgeries and I know how miserable back pain can be.

Steven.

[Bored]

Maybe its time for a new mattress or even a new bed?

I had some pain in my lower back and it got better after I switched beds. Also sleeping on the stomach seems to strain it less than sleeping on the back.

Remember pain is the body telling you something is wrong so painkillers just hide the problem they dont fix it.

My mattress is old and I am getting a new one in the next few months.

I was coughing a lot the week before. Maybe I hurt myself by coughing so much? My lower back would hurt as I coughed.

[cgymike]

I would go with Geiri's suggestion of a new bed/support system. Or you could try simply rotating the mattress as their could be a pressure point on a particular nerve area. Try postur pedic or tempur pedic types. It's helped for me and I have back issues from time to time. As usual, go with the simpler more cost-effective solutions first. If you are not sure this will work find a local hotel that has a tempur pedic and spend a night there. That way you get to test if it really makes any difference before investing in one. Yep, they aint cheap. But sleep quality is one of the most important things to get healthwise if not the most.

Other option would be to find a good chiro. Going to your GP and then on to a specialist osteo/neuro should be a last resort).

[medic1]

My mattress is old and I am getting a new one in the next few months.

I was coughing a lot the week before. Maybe I hurt myself by coughing so much? My lower back would hurt as I coughed.

The fact that you were coughing the week before may have some bearing on your pain ,, there is referred pain which means that you are feeling pain in one part of your body when the problem is actually elsewhere in your body .

How is your breathing ? Because of the length of time and sudden onset (which you would not get from a mattress that you have been using for quite a while) . The best advice comes both from Corny and Karabulut , see your Dr . Though Specialist Massage can and does help as Steven has said .
As before hope all turns out ok .

[Bored]

My breathing is fine. I am going to the doctor on Friday.

[Georgiadude]

The coughing def. could have been a factor. The muscles Iliocostalis dorsi and Iliocostalis lumborum sound suspicious. They are attached to the ribs and coughing can set them off. Add a bad mattress into the mix and it's no wonder your having pain. Ive attached a pic where the muscles are located. They're on the rt. in the red. Follow up with your Dr. and see a massage therapist. We really can help.

Steven.

[medic1]

My breathing is fine. I am going to the doctor on Friday.

Am glad that your breathing is not causing you discomfort , Please let us know how the Dr went ,
Steven`s last post was excellent a properly trained and qualified therapist can and does work wonders .
Good luck on friday .

[Georgiadude]

Am glad that your breathing is not causing you discomfort , Please let us know how the Dr went ,
Steven`s last post was excellent a properly trained and qualified therapist can and does work wonders .
Good luck on friday .

Thank you for the kind words.

Steven.

[Bored]

I have a small bulging disc in my spine. Thing is, I've had this for about 3 years. (couldn't afford physical therapy) The doctor told me there is no reason for it not to heal with therapy. I have to go for like 4-6 weeks of it.