Question about back pain | Arthritis Information

Over the 16 years of having RA, I've never had any pain in my back. Now for the last 5-6 months my back has been killing me. The thing is though, it's only happening when I go to bed. After being in bed for any length of time (even as little as 15-30 mins) and I need to get up, I can hardly stand and walk to the washroom. In fact it's become so bad that I've been using a cane to get to the washroom during the night. Once I'm moving around, my back has no pain. Even just to roll over in bed hurts my back.

At first I thought maybe the mattress pad was just too soft for my back so I took that off to see if there'd be any difference. I've had it off for over a week now and there's no difference. Could this be RA? It just doesn't seem like how my RA usually is...just is weird that the pain is only present while in bed. Possibly OA? I don't know anything about OA...so I'm not sure.

I have no idea. Just wanted to say I am sorry you have back pain while laying down, that sure is the pits.

Hope you get it straightened out soon.

Thanks, Joonie...gonna be seeing my family doctor in April for a physical...so I'll mention it to him then.Kelstev, I've had this very same thing happen to me. It usually lasts a few weeks and passes. It also seems to be more pronounced when I'm sick. It may not be a bad idea to discuss this with your rheumy and get a MRI of your spine done.Yeah, I'll be mentioning to her as well when I see her.Kelly it is my OA mostly, but we do think the OA is caused by the PA. I have to and I mean HAVE to sleep with my feet elevated. I cannot sleep on a regular mattress and have not been able to for almost two years now. I sleep on the couch with my feet elevated as high as I can get them to take the pressure off of my hips and lower spine. It is completely messed up according to xrays, but I have to wait for my hips to be operated on b/c I am too young. How could I be too young I walk like I am 90! Maybe it's not your mattress pad, but the mattress itself? How old is the mattress?kel - sorry to hear this. My back pain turned out to be an infected gall bladder. Good luck at the doctors. Cathy Kel, that sounds awful, especially since it happens when you lie down so you can't get any relief that way.

I have always had back pain with my RA. I am poly so I have pain everywhere. Back and hips have been huge areas that have been problems. I have also experienced it in bed and in my only solution is to lie on my stomach as it seems to take the pressure off my back and hips. It seems to go in phases when it's worse for a few day or weeks and then lessens so I don't notice it, meanwhile some other area triggers off. I have tried lying with my feet elevated but it doesn't really help. Sometimes I curl up on my knees in a fetal kind of position, can't sleep that way but it takes the pressure off and then I can lie on my tummy. Heat pads can help a lot for the back pain.

Hope it improves soon.
Keep us posted. I know my back hurts now more than it ever did. Especially the lower back that I won't sleep on my back if it can be avoided.HEy Kel! YEah I get the back pain too sometimes, it is worse when the pressure changes. Michigan is about the worst state to live in for RA and OA And fibro....so I cannot even imagine what you are going through with all the pressure changes in Canada....course, we do nto egt much Canada weather news here so maybe you do not have pressure changes???Seems we always get that frigid cold damp weather from Canada.

Hope you are feeling better kiddo!

Jode

Shelly...yeah..I'm kind of wondering if this is an OA problem.

Debrakay...I don't think it's the mattress....it's about 5 years old....but maybe a board underneath may help?

JSNM and shykymom...thanks!

Cordy...I'm gonna try elevating my feet...might work..thanks

Jode...to be honest I have no idea about the pressure changing since I've never noticed a connection with my RA and weather...thanks though!

kel, as far as the mattress, have you rotated it or flipped it lately? That might help.

As far as your back goes, I would definitely mention it to the doctor, but here's what my chiropractor would say.... Use a heating pad for 15 minutes at a time for relief. Stretch a little before bed if you can. To sleep in the healthiest position for most people, sleep on your back with something under your knees, or on your side with a pillow between your legs. If you do sleep on your stomach, try putting a pillow under your stomach.

It's terrible to have pain when you're lying down. They used to say if you had a backache to lie down and rest for a few days, but now they're saying it's better to be up and exercising...which of course is not so easy for those of us with RA and other problems. I hope you find some relief soon.

IG...yes my husband has rotated and flip the mattress....thanks for suggesting that though

I'm actually not in any pain while in bed sleeping...the pain only happens when I need to get out of bed after being in bed for a bit..it's like I can't move for a while..I stand at the edge of my bed holding onto the cane...then I make my way to the washroom which is only a few feet away. The only time I actually hurt in bed is when I try to roll over...it kills my back. It doesn't seem like RA pain to me though.

I'll try the pillow between my legs tonight to see if that helps...thanks!

Have you ever had any sort of evaluation done on your back? The majority of folks over a certain age have DDD in one form or another. Often those of us with RA have it worse than others.

I've had back problems for many years. They range from achey when I stand or sit in one position too long....to totally disabling with one wrong move. I have two disk that are what they refer to as "Buldging" and I can twist or move wrong and WHAM! I can't hardly move for days. An episode of that prompted my doctor to do x-rays which prompted him to send me to an orthopedic back specialitst. He did an MRI and he said along with the DDD & Buldging Disk, RA is definately involved in a lot of my pain. A lot of people say that RA can not affect your spine; but this specialist insist that it does and in my case is. RA medications do help dramatically so I'll have to believe that he's right.

We invested in a sleep number bed late this summer. I absolutely love it and it does seem to have made a difference with my back as well. I know if I go to sleep with it too soft (Which I love!) my back always hurts when I wake up. If I keep it adjusted to a firmer setting I do much better.