It definitely could be a lower back issue. Sounds like you have a bulging or herniated disc that flares up from time to time. You would need to go to a back specialists, either orthopaedic, or neurosurgeon to know for sure. It would take an mri, cat scan or similar to know. Good luck to you. Btw most back injuries do not need surgery, so don't automatically assume if you do have a herniated disc that you need surgery.

Someone else had suggested the herniated disc, but I read that it's not common in young people(i'm 20). What is it exactly? Some things that I was thinking could be causing it are: dvt or deep blood clot(doctors haven't checked for it but say no), or back related from a couple of possible reasons...One is I was doing these workout that involved rotation of the spine and a lot of bending, and another is just getting a computer and being on it a lot hunched over with my legs up on the chair, too. I don't know if either of these could cause it.

You would be amazed at what can cause a disc to herniate. Btw I had my first back surgery at 22, unusual yes but not unheard of. I would suggest you see a back specialist, and for some futher reading you can try Spineuniverse.Com they have a wealth of info over there.

Could be disc or could be nerve/si joint pain. Either way, you need to be seen by a specialist and get an mri done. (contrary to popular belief, magnets do not work for pain relief and so you will not feel better after the mri but at least you will have a diagnosis)

more than likly you will end up with some epidural steroid injection along with muscle relaxers and pain meds.

If the doc that does the epidurals does not sedate patients or if they do not use floroscopy, do not let them touch you! More so floroscopy than sedation but I am a big chicken and I want to be out before they get me.

Hi, sorry to hear you're having problems. I had my first episode of back pain at 22 and I am 28 now. If you don't address the back pain early on there is a risk that over time the muscles in the low back get quite weak and you can end up with chronic pain that doesn't go away.

I am interested to hear that you have shin pain. I also used to have this. I had shin splints like you that resolve after a few days. Take a look at your feet, do you have flat feet when you bear weight? If so, there is a high chance that your shin splint pain is being caused by faulty foot biomechanics.

Faulty foot biomechanics can also cause knee pain, hip pain, back pain and a host of other problems if left uncorrected. I now have custom made foot orthotics which have completely eliminated the shin pains. They helped my back pain enormously too. But I am still doing rehabilitation work with my back muscles which had become completely deconditioned.

When I take the foot orthotics out of my shoes now, I am literally crippled with shin pains that last about three or four days even if I only walk a small distance. My feet are completely flat. Your problems sound very similar.

Another point that you raised - if you spend a lot time at a computer, which I did in my early 20s in my job - you must use correct posture. Over time the wrong posture will lead to many muscle imbalances and you'll end up being very immobile later on. Act now and hopefully you will save yourself a lot of pain later.

I definitely think you still do need to seek an mri as well - a multidisciplinary approach to back pain usually helps to elucidate matters more quickly than trying one thing at a time.

Good luck keep us posted on the foot biomechanics, a good podiatrist will be able to assist you.

Regards
annemarie

Hi

definitely true that one need not have grey hairs to get a disc prolapse. In fact, these days we see a lot of patients specially those working on computers for extended periods of time. Get your back evaluated by a neurosurgeon so that you dont miss anything concerning.

Regards

dr arun naik md
consultant neurosurgeon