LOWER back pain is something I get asked about all the time. It is common, yet naturally many people worry or want a scan to find out the root cause. But often reassuringly, most cases resolve themselves.
You may want to lay in bed to relieve the pain , but this is the worst thing you can do. Instead, finding an exercise or activity you can tolerate is important. Some things you could try include swimming, Pilates, yoga or walking.
READ MORE FROM DR ZOE Of course, there are some causes to see a doctor – if it has been a few weeks and the pain isn’t improving, or if you can’t do normal things. There is the possibility back pain means a slipped disc or sciatica , for example. Always call 999 for back pain with tingling or numbness in the legs, around the genitals or bottom, or loss of bladder or bowel control , or chest pain.
These symptoms can indicate a heart attack or cauda equina syndrome, which need urgent medical treatment. Most read in Health This is what readers have asked me this week . .
. Legs giving up on me Q) I AM a young 81-year-old man/woman? (in the mind, if not body) and have no energy in my legs. I cannot walk 50 yards or climb the stairs without having to stop with a cramp-like feeling in my calf and thigh muscles.
The muscles seize up and I have to wait for quite a few minutes. I am taking medication for cholesterol and blood thinning. Nurses tested the circulation in my feet and took the results to a vascular surgeon, who said they could not do anyth.