Back Pain Seems to Be In the Muscle Only At Night

How much water are you drinking during the day? How much Potassium and magnesium are you getting in your diet? I ask only because an imbalance or absence of these substances can lead to muscle spasms, which I’m guessing based on your description is the primary cause of your symptoms. Quinine (found in tonic water, and capsule form) taken at bedtime can, for some people, eliminate spasms such as the ones that you’re describing. I wouldn’t however advise you to take any herb, supplement or drug without discussing it with a doctor familiar with your history, current health status, your medications (OTC & Prescribed) and the potential risk and benefits of any proposed substances.

Beds… For many people living with back pain, sometime between 2:00-3:00am seems to be the bewitching hour so to speak. Why that is so I don’t honestly know, I just know that it is. Since my first suspicion (despite your input regarding your certainty that it isn’t your bed) is that your bed might be the culprit, I thought that I’d share (copy and paste) some of the input from a couple of other threads on this forum:

Back Pain After Surgery - Started by Bloodthief 11-12-07

“What is the quality of your sleeping surface? How old is your bed and does it have any dips or sags? Does it give away under the weight and pressure of your body? What’s the condition of your box springs, any broken boards or wide spots between the boards?”


Back Pain !! Please Help - Started by Ram2007 on 11-15-07

“We don’t necessarily notice the small subtle changes that take place with our mattresses, nor do we tend to replace them as often as we should. It’s not usually until we’re no longer comfortable or it begins to affect our sleep and/or the quality of our sleep that we actually stop to think about how old our mattresses are. But given your current complaints, I’m guessing that it might be time to go shopping for a new mattress set.”

Because of your certainty regarding the fact, that in your opinion, your bed isn’t the cause of your complaints. I would encourage you to see your doctor and get a full evaluation including an MRI. It’s possible that you have something going on that could respond and resolve with treatment/physical therapy. How much and what kind of exercises, if any, do you do? How would you rate (on a scale of 1-10) your current core strength?

While I would never ever tell anybody to begin an exercise program without first obtaining a full physical evaluation from a doctor, etc… I am a true advocate of the benefits of exercise and am optimistic that the right exercise program could alleviate your symptoms, but not without seeing your doctor first.

Good luck & best wishes,
Tyton

Thanks for your reply. I think I will take your advice and try a new mattress. To answer a few of your questions, My bed does have some dips in it and is quite old. Maybe that is the problem after all. As far as my exercise, I am very active with work (construction) and play softball regularly. I have been a gym goer most of my life being involved with sports, but have not been as often as I used to. Another thing I am ashamed to say is that I have gained 40 lbs in the past 2 years...which corresponds with the start of the pain. I'm sure it will only help to lose weight, which I am currently doing (lost 12 lbs so far). I have no clue how much potassium or magnesium I get in my diet. I will check this out. I have taken medication for muscle spasms..they did not relieve the pain.
Thanks again,
ddn1313

Hello Didn,

Congratulations on losing those 12 lbs. Stay with your diet and you should be able to continue to lose weight. BRAVO!!!!!

Be not concerned about the potassium or magnesium intake. If you are eating a balanced meal, then all will be okay.

Now go look for a new mattress. May I give some thoughts to the mattress issue? Don't buy a pillowtop mattress. They may feel great at the store, but within a few months they will start to sag. Likewise, stay away from the mattresses with a lot of cheap foam.

May I suggest that you consider giving a cheap ($150) Aero air mattress a try. It is the only mattress that enables me to have a good night's rest.

I wish you the best. Stay in touch.

RichT

Hi,my name is Patti.
I was captured by your chat, because, I also have suffered for the past year with back muscle pain. I still at this time don't know what my solution is, but I have been to numerous doctors, physical therapy,medical massage,chiropractic care, spinal inflamation injections, you name it,I've been there. I have lost all my faith in doctors throughout this ordeal, because none of their treatments have helped and I don't feel that they believe me. I am at the point that I feel the only way to get answers is to find someone else who might be experiencing the same or simular problems. If I could only find the culprit to the problem, then I could be closer to a solution and make it work, I could go back to being my happy self again.I am a grandma of 5 wonderful grandchildren and at 53 years old and I want to enjoy my grand kids again.I have narrowed it down to, the triggers of my pain that seems to be a combination of anxity, sitting down core muscles and posture. But it doesn't all figure out. I am not a doctor, so I am just using my gut instinct, but when you sit down, it compresses your spine which makes sence, but I feel that my problem is more muscles than spine, because spine pain wouldn't go away,with me moving around right? So maybe it is a a combination, because, if the pain does lessen goes away when I move around or crack my back,it doesn't seem that it would be just my spine or muscles, because it wouldn't go away by moving, but it might by the cracking. But the combination if the two help the pain. It is just a frusterating thing because when I sit back down it all starts back. I am going to zumba two to three times a week now for my core strength,I also work constantly while sitting to strengthen my lower body muscles and it does help, but it always comes back.I just wantto know if I'm heading in the right direction, or am I missing something? I am an adult with ADHD, that makes it hard for me to relax and not be anxious about everyday things, I am taking a medication for that. I hope that the combination of the exercise, posture, and less anxiety will pay off. Please someone who knows, help me.

Hi,my name is Patti.
I was captured by your chat, because, I also have suffered for the past year with back muscle pain. I still at this time don't know what my solution is, but I have been to numerous doctors, physical therapy,medical massage,chiropractic care, spinal inflamation injections, you name it,I've been there. I have lost all my faith in doctors throughout this ordeal, because none of their treatments have helped and I don't feel that they believe me. I am at the point that I feel the only way to get answers is to find someone else who might be experiencing the same or simular problems. If I could only find the culprit to the problem, then I could be closer to a solution and make it work, I could go back to being my happy self again.I am a grandma of 5 wonderful grandchildren and at 53 years old and I want to enjoy my grand kids again.I have narrowed it down to, the triggers of my pain that seems to be a combination of anxity, sitting down core muscles and posture. But it doesn't all figure out. I am not a doctor, so I am just using my gut instinct, but when you sit down, it compresses your spine which makes sence, but I feel that my problem is more muscles than spine, because spine pain wouldn't go away,with me moving around right? So maybe it is a a combination, because, if the pain does lessen goes away when I move around or crack my back,it doesn't seem that it would be just my spine or muscles, because it wouldn't go away by moving, but it might by the cracking. But the combination if the two help the pain. It is just a frusterating thing because when I sit back down it all starts back. I am going to zumba two to three times a week now for my core strength,I also work constantly while sitting to strengthen my lower body muscles and it does help, but it always comes back.I just wantto know if I'm heading in the right direction, or am I missing something? I am an adult with ADHD, that makes it hard for me to relax and not be anxious about everyday things, I am taking a medication for that. I hope that the combination of the exercise, posture, and less anxiety will pay off. Please someone who knows, help me.

Patalou, you cover a LOT of different topics. It is obvious you have given this s lot of thought.