Back pain in the night

[Bwilson23]

Hello I’m wondering if anyone can help me please. I’m fibromyalgia and hypermobility diagnosed.
I am suffering with horrendous mid back pain in the night. It’s waking me up. When I get up I’m in so much pain. I feel exhausted. I was on duloxotine but came off due to side effects. I’m now on venlafaxine I’m undecided about this. It isn’t helping my pain as such but I’m hoping it will help my chronic anxiety and anxiety induced flushing. I’m unable to take ssri I don’t tolerate them. I did try a pillow between my legs at night but can’t seem to get it right. I feel so worn out and it just puts every day off to a bad start. It’s hard going to work exhausted . Thankyou.

 

[SBee]

Hi, @Bwilson23 , fortunately I don't have to work with hypermobility, so can't offer much insight. But I am wondering if you have physical therapy?
As I wonder if they maybe able to give some help with regard to posture as well as what may benefit you in bed. As anyone with fibromyalgia or other chronic pain conditions know a laconic restorative sleep worsens many symptoms.
I see you are in UK, it you aren't already having physical therapy maybe ask gp to refer you, or in some counties I think you can refer yourself on NHS.

Sorry if this is glaringly obvious as I would hope you have already had this help offered to you.

 

[BlueBells]

@Bwilson23

Hi there. I sleep with a thinner pillow between my legs, basically from knees to feet. I've always had something here, sometimes the blankets pulled in, or, as a child, I'd have my hands between my knees. I seem to mostly sleep on my side with my legs together, but cannot stand the knee bones against each other, nor ankles.

Warmth. If I get cold in bed, I have aches all over the place, and if chilled, hips and lower back quite painful, especially when trying to stand in the mornings.

I get cold when the cat tends to acquire the bed, and I lose the blankets

I don't know if any of that helps at all.

 

[Badger]

I find that lying in the semi supine for a few minutes helps at night. It's helped with back spasms in the past shortening recovery time. It might hurt more at first for a minute or so but soon eases.

 

[Dryice2199]

I weird. I normally sleep on my side (pillow between legs if I need it), but if it gets to bad I have to sleep on my back or put pressure on the back of my neck were the it attaches to the skull. If they don't work, I take .1g of FECO oil.

 

[Ian waxman]

Hello I’m wondering if anyone can help me please. I’m fibromyalgia and hypermobility diagnosed.
I am suffering with horrendous mid back pain in the night. It’s waking me up. When I get up I’m in so much pain. I feel exhausted. I was on duloxotine but came off due to side effects. I’m now on venlafaxine I’m undecided about this. It isn’t helping my pain as such but I’m hoping it will help my chronic anxiety and anxiety induced flushing. I’m unable to take ssri I don’t tolerate them. I did try a pillow between my legs at night but can’t seem to get it right. I feel so worn out and it just puts every day off to a bad start. It’s hard going to work exhausted . Thankyou.

I too suffer with fybromyalgia and back pain.i was prescribed amyltryptaline and it’s helped dramatically.you have to give it time but it as eased my severe back pain.i also have a heat belt that I wear most of the day and use hot water bottle at night.hope this helps.but if it’s keeping u awake at night u need further investigation.go to the doctor and tell them you can’t tolerate the pain.they will help you.try amyltryptaline it does relax the back and mine is chronic

 

[JamieMarc]

@Bwilson23
Like most others have said, I am a side sleeper as well and use a pillow between my legs. In addition, I use a low wedge with a hole in it for my arm to slip through so that I am not placing any body weight on my shoulder, but rather on my torso at night. And I also use a microbead pillow which I find best for my neck.

I only have a couple of suggestions. I think you mentioned that you have been using a pillow between your knees but you cannot get it right. The reason for the pillow between the knees is to lessen twisting and pressure on our back muscles. I have and continue to experiment with different thicknesses of pillows or stacking pillows between my knees in order to get to the neutral back position as much as possible. My other suggestion, and I know it's a very difficult one, is to try switching to sleeping on your back. Even sleeping on one's back can cause back pain. Some people can relieve this by placing a thin pillow beneath the lower back. I tried back sleeping for a while, but I would always wake up with more shoulder pain. So I just couldn't do it.

In addition to the pillow between your knees, whichever thickness works best, I find that raising or lowering my knees can sometimes help. I believe I read that the fetal position with a pillow between the knees is helpful for many, but that is ineffective for me. I think that I typically sleep with my knees at approximately a 40° angle, 45°.

Please let us back sufferers know if you find anything new that helps. I often wake up too early from back pain although I am able to sleep continuously without waking up. My problem is waking up too early from back pain sometimes and not being able to get back to sleep of course because of the pain.

 

[BlueBells]

I weird. I normally sleep on my side (pillow between legs if I need it), but if it gets to bad I have to sleep on my back or put pressure on the back of my neck were the it attaches to the skull. If they don't work, I take .1g of FECO oil.

@Dryice2199 @JamieMarc @Ian waxman @Bwilson23 @SBee and others

As I've said, I am also a side sleeper. Yes, I do get thicker pillow at times when my back is hurting, and it helps. I r I also punch my pillow into a shape that helps my neck.

I'm not much at sleeping on my back, as catarrh makes it near impossible. However, if I rest on my back, I find a pillow of the right thickness under the back of the knees makes my entire body feel much more relaxed.

Feet, if on my side rolled to semi stomach, a pillow to allow the feet to lay in a position more like that of standing rather than pointed, relieves ache, and I cannot handle weight on my feet, so I have the blankets, or pillow, bunched for my feet to basically be in air. I do not have sheets nor blankets tucked in, never have, even as a child.

I have a few pillows of various thicknesses

 

[BlueBells]

@Dryice2199 @JamieMarc @Ian waxman @Bwilson23 @SBee and others

I just thought of something else. For 30 odd years I have had an issue with my arms/hands losing strength. It was diagnosed with some long name, there was tendon and itis in it somewhere, but can't remember the name. Relieving doctor so no follow up. Regular doc showed no interest in it.

One tell-tale sign of impending loss is my arms cross over my chest with my hands on my shoulders. By this time my back is also curved forward and my shoulders hunched.

My daughter will ask "How are you arms?" I'll say 'fine", then I notice my arms are coming up.

I am always trying to straighten my back, I used to have good posture, but this thing with the arms has caused me to not care for my back, in that I do not concentrate on the "shoulders back, chest out" which is actually extremely good advice!! Why? Because in doing so, one also draws in stomach and straightens back, and stand a lot 'taller".

When I do this a lot, even, especially, while working at the desk, my back is less painful (not that it hurts much anyway) and I tend to breathe more deeply.

 

[JamieMarc]

However, if I rest on my back, I find a pillow of the right thickness under the back of the knees makes my entire body feel much more relaxed.

This sounds very similar to something I like to do periodically that gives me great relief.

I like to lie flat on the floor with a chair in front of me, raise my legs and rest my lower legs on the seat of the chair with a 90° bend at the knee and another 90° bend at the hip. Totally relaxes me, especially my back.

 

[Badger]

I'll have to try raising my knees at night, it took a long while getting used to sleeping on my back, but it's necessary with neck pain. Unfortunately my lower back is very stiff and sore. Many years ago in a supermarket, my late mother asked me to pick up some cheese. While leaning over to retrieve a block of red Leicester my back gave out and I was stuck, face to face with the produce. I was totally stuck and she was in tears laughing. Quite embarrassing timing on my part.

 

[Ian waxman]

Hello I’m wondering if anyone can help me please. I’m fibromyalgia and hypermobility diagnosed.
I am suffering with horrendous mid back pain in the night. It’s waking me up. When I get up I’m in so much pain. I feel exhausted. I was on duloxotine but came off due to side effects. I’m now on venlafaxine I’m undecided about this. It isn’t helping my pain as such but I’m hoping it will help my chronic anxiety and anxiety induced flushing. I’m unable to take ssri I don’t tolerate them. I did try a pillow between my legs at night but can’t seem to get it right. I feel so worn out and it just puts every day off to a bad start. It’s hard going to work exhausted . Thankyou.

I have chronic back pain and fybromyalgia.i was prescribed amyltryptaline 20 mg.it as really eased my back and anxiety.its not codeine based.have u tried this?there’s never a magic cure for back pain.Ive had it 20 years odd but the tablets did ease my back.i’ve had the steroid injections and next they are burning my nodules on my lower back.its bloody horrible.hot water bottles help me and heat belt I wear.i hope you find the right path.its a nightmare literally

 

[BlueBells]

Oh @Badger I feel for you. I can see both sides though.

@JamieMarc Another thing I do, as I am slack at exercise, I lay on my back on the bed and do bicycles. I always used to , but stopped, and when I started again a couple of years ago, 50 was my limit and my knees hurt so much. Now I get 200, and the clicky/squeaky sound in my knees seems to have gone. I will often just lay there on my back with my knees near my chest, very relaxing indeed.

Badger, maybe some sort of frame to lift the blankets off your legs and feet might help your back also. I know weight on my feet seems to creep up and my hips hurt.

 

[JamieMarc]

I'll have to try raising my knees at night, it took a long while getting used to sleeping on my back, but it's necessary with neck pain. Unfortunately my lower back is very stiff and sore. Many years ago in a supermarket, my late mother asked me to pick up some cheese. While leaning over to retrieve a block of red Leicester my back gave out and I was stuck, face to face with the produce. I was totally stuck and she was in tears laughing. Quite embarrassing timing on my part.

I hope that helps @Badger
I think that I hope that one of these suggestions offered will help you. I really feel for you. It's bad enough that I wake up with a sore back that lasts for 2 to 3 hours, but to actually not be able to sleep or wake up multiple times and pain. I just cannot fathom how awful that must be for you. So again I really do hope that something here helps you, that someone comes along with an answer.

 

[Harpy]

What a lot of good tips here.
I sleep with a soft collar on ( foam neck brace) no way I can lay down without it . I use a boomerang pillow(u shape) I use one end of it for my head and the rest of it goes behind me and down my back, stops me ending up on my back . That’s a definite no no for me , bad enough laying flat for imaging to get done.
I too roll up the doona and wedge it between my knees, I can’t stand the blankets over my lower legs/feet or over my arms/hands, it makes that night time burning stinging worse.

I have a friend that will notice how I am walking, she will the get behind me and will gently put her hands on my shoulders and says relax, I subconsciously hold my shoulders up towards my ears and elbows tight beside me. Must be my way of holding tight to ease movement.

There’s been times I have had really bad nightmares, where I have been in a bad accident and the paramedics are trying to move me and I scream in pain. Then wake up and I am in agony , I must have moved while asleep and it’s jammed up my spine.
Weird to wake from a dream in the agony I was dreaming about.