Suggest Treatment For Pain In Lower Back During Certain Activities

Posted on Mon, 24 Nov 2014

Question: Hi. I am and have been a runner for a long time, and also do strength training a few days per week. I am a healthy 5'11" 165lb male - see a dermatologist every three months after being treated for stage 1b Melanoma on upper back three years ago. (Wide excision, clean margins, clear PET/CT, negative sentinal node biopsy)Recently went through chiro treatment for plantar fasciitis on foot and as foot was getting better, pain was increasing on lower back (mostly right side) just above waist line. Hurts more when I bend over - and sitting in car is the worst (feels stiff and sore). When I bend over, I feel something small move (right side, lower back). Touching it is not painful - but causing a lot of discomfort. No fever, no weight loss, no expansion of pain to leg... just lower back, mostly right side. Prior to seeing my general practicioner - petrified of cancer!

Answered by Dr. Mukesh Chugh (44 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Muscle relaxant drug shall help

Detailed Answer:
Hello
Thanks for posting
I have gone through your query and understand your concern.Your symptoms are suggestive of common low backache with stiffness. As you do not have symptoms like weight loss and others which you have mentioned it does not looks to be serious issue.

Hence,my suggestion would be -
1.Avoid prolong sitting and driving.
2.Hot water fomentation along with local pain killer gel will help.
3.Physiotherapy has a role in low backache.
4.Ibuprofen along with muscle relaxant drugs like thiocolchicoside helps.
You may follow the above suggestion for few days .I am quite hopeful of early recovery.
Take care

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Mukesh Chugh (7 minutes later)

Thank you for the response - definitely took some "weight off my shoulders" per se. Even the small lump/thingy that moves is ok? That is the thing that worried me most - I've been googling things for almost a week and stories ranging from a Lipoma, Liposarcoma, bone cancer, etc are out there. Although I had more of a scare with an irregular mole over 3 years ago and see a derma every 3 months... cancer is just such a scary word. I guess without an ultrasound, MRI, or CT scan - can't say for certain, but that bump would/could just be inflammation or a herniated disk thus causing pressure on nerves and such?

Answered by Dr. Mukesh Chugh (8 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
I am very hopeful of Improvement

Detailed Answer:
Hello
You are welcome.
The small lump could be the non serious (benign) fatty tissue (lipoma).As you do not have radiating pain, numbness and tingling sensation in legs, pinched nerve (prolapsed disc ) is ruled out.
I am quite hopeful of getting results with the treatment as discussed earlier.
You may keep my log in id http://bit.ly/drmchugh for any future reference.
Wishing you good health.
God bless you.

Note: For further queries, consult a joint and bone specialist, an Orthopaedic surgeon. Book a Call now.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar