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Getting Pain And Stiffness In Lower Back. Diagnosed With Vitamin D Deficiency. Any Suggestion?

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Posted on Sat, 27 Oct 2012
Question: Hi I am 29 yrs old. I have a sedentary job and i used to take care of exercising regularly. Still i always had low back stiffness. but one day oct 2011 while sneezing in bathroom i suddenly got more pain in back. i could not straighten up my back. i was tilted stiffingly towards my left. I have normal weight 55 kg and lean structure height is 5.3 inches.In a few days, i started finding pain at unexpected places in my body like shoulders breast all seemed ortho pains, pain used to run from here and there and numbness of fingers was very frequent. I could not continue exercising after that. My ortho doc diagnosed, seeing just my symptoms, that its VITAMIN D deficieny and my blood reports supported his diagnosis. Vit d was critically low. I am a vegetarian. I took 3 months course for gemitrol and calciferol XXXXXXX for 3 months. In feb 2012 all other pains in body were gone but there remained a pain running in left leg starting from left hip. Doc suggested an MRI, and found this .....

1)L5 is sacralized
2)Subtle anterior osteophytes noted at few levels with end plates changes at L4 and L5
3)Disc dessication noted at L4 L5 level, Annular bulge with posterior disc protrusion is causing
bilateral foraminal narrowing (left>right) and compression of bilateral traversing L5 nerve root and left
exiting L4 nerve root with impingement of right exiting L4 nerve root

Doctor gave me LYRICA for a few days then nothing. He suggested 3-4 physiotheapy exercses. I have been doing physiotherapist suggested a few exercises but not completely relieved ..Kindly suggest
do i need some other treatment , Traction ? or what should i do ..

I have a history of tendon weakness in knees, Now with back pain that pain is also coming again ..more in left leg where back pain nerve causes pain too ..please help
doctor
Answered by Dr. Dr. Praveen Tayal (52 minutes later)
Hello,
Thanks for posting your query.
You are having a disc prolapse with stenosis of the foramina from which nerves come out causing the nerve compression.
The main treatment of such pain is bed rest along with pain killers and muscle relaxants till the pain subsides completely. Muscle relaxants can help with your symptoms if used in appropriate dosage in combination with a potent analgesic.
You can get the appropriate drugs prescribed from your Orthopedician after examination.
Meanwhile you can follow these measures:
- If the pain is severe, you need bed rest till the pain resolves.
- Get some analgesics prescribed and apply analgesic spray or ointments.
- While resting, keep a pillow under your knees if it doesn't bother you.
- Avoid lifting heavy objects.
- Back strengthening exercises and stretching exercises for your hamstrings daily as advised by a Physiotherapist.
- Avoid exercises in times of pain.
- Improvise your posture while sitting.
- Using an LS contour belt of appropriate size might be helpful in providing support to back muscles.
Also, maintain a proper posture while working, sitting and standing. Keep your back straight. If you work for long hours on the computer, the following link will tell you the posture to maintain while working:
WWW.WWWW.WW Continue doing the back strengthening exercises.

I hope this answers your query.
In case you have additional questions or doubts, you can forward them to me, and I shall be glad to help you out.
Please accept my answer in case you do not have further queries.
Wishing you good health.
Regards.
Dr. Praveen Tayal.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Dr. Praveen Tayal (28 minutes later)
Doctor i might seem talkative but i am helpless to be so ..i am really depressed please help me..

1)What all doctor you are suggesting is to "relieve" pain not to "cure" disease, I can not afford to take complete bed rest due to my job constraint. Do we have some permanent treatment for this with you?

2)Is this prob called sceitica or "slipped disc" or its something else?
How it happened? I dint have any accident or anything ......is it sneezing that caused it ? how can sneeze cause such incurable disease to me?

3)I have started using LUMBER belt to support my back. But if i wear belt more than 8-9 hrs i "feel" like blood flow is stopped and feel stretching pain in knees.
should i still wear belt?

4)What should i do for my knee, it seems the pain in left knee is related to same nerve pain, that's getting pressed due to back problem. is that so?
my knee gets stiff too, it pains in climbing stairs .. more in left knee ..

5) Why i am getting so many ortho problems in this age? is it due to deficiency of VIT D that i had? What else should i take in food that can help me lubricate dessication in discs? i usually drank very less water whole my life, now i have corrected this habbit of mine ....is that the reason for dessication?

6)If i do back exercise it pains in that hip area, if i don't exercise, i am afraid again my back will be weak and again i will get some other disease..my body natuarally so stiff ..why its soo ? whats lacking in me that causes so much stiffness?

7)I feel relaxing to do oil massage is that good to do this?

8)working on computer now a days causing pain in my elbow too , ortho doctor says its due to tension/stiffness in neck..can you help me in that ?

9)do i need traction ? mostly people with slipped sic take traction i have not taken any ..do i need that ?

10) Should i go for homepathy ? They say they have permanent cure for this...
Can you kindly be honest in replying to this ..i am really hopeful ..
doctor
Answered by Dr. Dr. Praveen Tayal (5 hours later)
Hello.
Thanks for writing again.
1. Since these are all degenerative changes, there is no permanent cure. We can only retard the further deterioration with the help of medicines and exercises.
2. It is slipped disc. It is caused by slowly progressive degenerative changes in the spine which are aggravated by a sudden jerk due to sneezing.
3. You should wear the belt as long as you are standing or sitting. You can remove it while resting.
4. The pain in your knee could be related to nerve compression or a decrease in joint lubricants.
5. Multiple factors like wrong body posture and genetic predisposition are responsible for these problems.
6. You need to do a regular exercise to regain the muscle strength and to get rid of the stiffness.
7. Yes, you can massage the area as this will improve the blood circulation.
8. Your doctor is right in pointing it out. Wrong neck position often causes an elbow pain.
9. If you do not respond well to medicines, traction may be needed.
10. You can try the homeopathic treatment but side by side keep on consulting your orthopedician.
Hope my answer is helpful.
Do accept my answer in case there are no further queries.
Regards.
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
doctor
Answered by
Dr.
Dr. Dr. Praveen Tayal

Orthopaedic Surgeon

Practicing since :1994

Answered : 12314 Questions

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Getting Pain And Stiffness In Lower Back. Diagnosed With Vitamin D Deficiency. Any Suggestion?

Hello,
Thanks for posting your query.
You are having a disc prolapse with stenosis of the foramina from which nerves come out causing the nerve compression.
The main treatment of such pain is bed rest along with pain killers and muscle relaxants till the pain subsides completely. Muscle relaxants can help with your symptoms if used in appropriate dosage in combination with a potent analgesic.
You can get the appropriate drugs prescribed from your Orthopedician after examination.
Meanwhile you can follow these measures:
- If the pain is severe, you need bed rest till the pain resolves.
- Get some analgesics prescribed and apply analgesic spray or ointments.
- While resting, keep a pillow under your knees if it doesn't bother you.
- Avoid lifting heavy objects.
- Back strengthening exercises and stretching exercises for your hamstrings daily as advised by a Physiotherapist.
- Avoid exercises in times of pain.
- Improvise your posture while sitting.
- Using an LS contour belt of appropriate size might be helpful in providing support to back muscles.
Also, maintain a proper posture while working, sitting and standing. Keep your back straight. If you work for long hours on the computer, the following link will tell you the posture to maintain while working:
WWW.WWWW.WW Continue doing the back strengthening exercises.

I hope this answers your query.
In case you have additional questions or doubts, you can forward them to me, and I shall be glad to help you out.
Please accept my answer in case you do not have further queries.
Wishing you good health.
Regards.
Dr. Praveen Tayal.