Mid to late night back pain

I have been experience a similar problem for about two weeks, except my pain is in the hip. The best thing I have found so far, as suggested in an earlier post, is sleeping in a reclining chair. This is not great, but it is pain-free, even when the chair is fully reclined.

 I am quite perplexed by what is causing the pain, which disappears as soon as I get out of bed and does not affect my daily activities (except the lack of sleep). It is not nerve pain - I have had a trapped sciatic nerve and know what that feels like. Similatly, it is not muscle cramps - which I  also get. Cramps are a much sharper pain and are quickly releived by stretching.

One major difference to Chris is that I am 62 and have been taking medication for hypertension for may years- without any problesm. However, about three months ago I started taking Crestor for  high cholesterol. Could this have something to do with it?

Doies anyone know what is causing the pain?

 

HI there,

I havee completely diff symptoms and do know some of what the causes of my back pain and nerve pain are. I do sleep very badly too, if I can get 3/4 hours in one stretch it's a near miracle. I stiffen up very quickly, am only 41, but my bak problems started when I was 19 years old at Uni with a bad bout of sciaitia for 6 months, which nack 20 years ago they only X-rayed me, so found nothing wrong. Only years alter did i discover I had 3 prolaped discs, and degeneration of facet joints as well as nerve irritation in hips and dow legs.Muslce spapsm is also a problem I get. I am like a butterfly and find it hard to do anyhting for a set period of time due to chronic pain - now. Sleep deprivation over a period of time will make the pain worse and also poss. lead to depresssion, ( I used to work in that area ), as will the GP not being able to find reason straight away. You know your own body, and if it is bad then I would suggest you go and see another GP in your practice. ( It took 2 physios and my persistance to get my daughter's ankle MRI's and X rayed last year, and they soon realised why 5 month phsio wasn't working, she had an extra bone that needed removing !!, GP's admitted they were clueless so referred to physio, joke, - I never take one GP answer as gospel as I have a degree in Pharmacology and was a Med Rep was 14 years !! and beleive me they are not perfect, no one is....you just may not have a ''strandard reason'' thatm lepas off the page at them. ....I have spent too many years going through the NHS system to know that sometimes you need perisitance. You could try Meditation ( mindfullnss) before going to bed, in the evening, easier to be taught that learn by self but very effecive at relaxing whole body )....something I have done to help myself. Remember all meds have potential side effects, if pain persists I would want to see an orthopaedic surgeon for a consult, or if you have one a Pain Clinic ( usually anaestetic trained drs ).....whether or not you may want to consider more bloos tests, seeeing an osteopath, or simiar is up to you. Also, early changes are not alwasy hugely noticed on scnas, the dr who reported on my daughters a year ago completely missed the Os trigonum bone that has now been removed by open surgery, and it was huge !!).....don't let pain and sleep deprivation grind you down, go and get a 2nd opinion, GPs are so busy these days if you don't go back thet just assume you are okay !!

Just thought I sould add, sometimes some drs/ radiographers will not report ''mild degenerative changes'' whether it's in your discs ( I have lumbar / sacral spine problems) facet joints, etc  as they deem wear and tear somthing that occurs in everyone. and I was being told this from being 33 !! ( Yes i had a stressful job, drove 30000 miles a year and two babies near to 12 Ib !, but I was only 33 !! My um also slipped a disc in her 30's but as she's now 68, they didn't really test much beyond a rough diagnosis back then and said bed rest, not what they say now !!) ...another thing, when I wake in mid night in pain, it's not only tiring but usetting long term when eveyone else is asleep, so I have  back lit Kindle and have the light on v low, and often use this to distract my mind from the pain.....often fall asleep semi-reclined still with it in my hands. 

I asked my dr once if hip pain meant my hips were on their way out too, and was told no, hip pain ( usually nerves ) usually originates from the spine, whereas people needing hip replacement get groin pain !! So remember often pain can be ''referred pain'' and not actually be coming from the site you are feeling the pain in !)

I would def request an appt to see someone is scondary care, whether that be pain clinic of an orthopaedic surgeon, there are so many diff, things it could be, always think of GP as a gatekeeper to other services, it's imposs. for them to kow things in depth unless a specialist interest of theirs.....