this post was submitted on 08 Jun 2025
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I know it's a joke " oh haha you're 30, everything hurts now cuz you're so old!" But really, is something wrong with me or are backs just this stupid? Not overweight. Decently active although I don't exersize every single day. No genetic issues, doctor always says im in perfect health. But my lower back will randomly act up, sometimes it gets so bad that I about black out from the pain. Thats pretty rare though, usually it's just an ache all day when I move or try to put my socks on. Its not sciatica, as I never feel numbness or pain in my legs. Mild weakness maybe if it hurts really bad.

I feel like any doctor is just going to say welp, you're old it happens, or tell me I need 3.5 million dollar spinal surgery.

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[–] LavaPlanet@lemm.ee 9 points 5 hours ago (1 children)

Sounds like your sacroiliac joint is gone. I did mine in by moving house and having bad posture, specifically the deep curve in my lower spine. I went to a physio they taught me some exercises that strengthen specific muscles that support the joint, to take the weight of the joint, off the joint. Sacroiliac is the joint of the spine and hip bones. Does it kinda shoot through the centre of one butt cheek, and lower back and seems to hurt no matter what position you lay or sit or stand?

[–] VirtigoMommy@sh.itjust.works 3 points 4 hours ago

I have exactly what you described, went to a doctor, they suggested physical therapy which I couldn’t afford.

Do you mind sharing some of the stretches that helped you? I’ve found a few online but they don’t ever seem to actually help it much.

[–] KeenFlame@feddit.nu 2 points 4 hours ago
[–] roofuskit@lemmy.world 10 points 6 hours ago (2 children)

I'm going to wager you don't work out your core. Strengthen your core and you will likely experience a lot less back pain.

[–] Lederrucksack@feddit.org 4 points 5 hours ago

I can confirm. I am not even 30 yet and suffer from severe lower back pain. After being told to strengthen my core by for example doing push ups the pain decreased to a level that's bearable.

[–] Horsey@lemmy.world 2 points 4 hours ago

Call your insurance company and ask for a list of physical therapist providers in your area. Make an appointment at the same time you’re asking your general practitioner for a referral to speed up the process if they’ll let you book the appointment without the referral. Follow all the instructions of the physical therapist to a T no matter how stupid it may seem.

[–] abbadon420@lemm.ee 4 points 7 hours ago

Such pain is not normal. I used to get backpack every month or so. To a level that I could not move anymore. Posture is very important. I now walk like some bodybuilder who is compensating for his small penis and it has done wonders for my back. Also it has lowered expectations about my penis, so women are always pleasantly surprised now.

[–] the_riviera_kid@lemmy.world 1 points 5 hours ago* (last edited 5 hours ago)

Welcome to being old, it fucking sucks.

/S

[–] Dagwood222@lemm.ee 1 points 5 hours ago (1 children)

I talked to a trainer at my YMCA about my pains. she suggested a specific machine and it's been working wonders.

[–] BarbecueCowboy@lemmy.dbzer0.com 6 points 5 hours ago (1 children)

Like, cmon bro, which one? Share.

[–] Dagwood222@lemm.ee 5 points 5 hours ago (1 children)

Absolutely not. What works for one person can injure another. You can't live online, eventually you have to go out and interact with real people.

[–] WhiteRice@lemmy.ml 12 points 5 hours ago (1 children)
[–] BarbecueCowboy@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 3 hours ago

I know right, are we really at the point where we're gatekeeping personal trainer advice? Being a personal trainer isn't a job you can always just walk into, a certification or two is sometimes required, but it's not like we're talking about a job that requires a licensed medical practitioner here.

[–] Matriks404@lemmy.world 1 points 7 hours ago* (last edited 7 hours ago)

I am 29, and I only once (and many years ago) had severe back pain for like half day.

[–] steeznson@lemmy.world 2 points 9 hours ago

I've had slight scoliosis all my life due to being very tall and having multiple growth spurts in my teens. That has bothered me in the mornings pretty much since I was 16. Last year, I started getting increased pain around my pelvis which eventually got diagnosed as rheumatoid arthritis, associated with another diagnosis of Ankylosing Spondylitis. I'm 32 now and doing physiotherapy in order to keep flexible, the exercises seem to be a subset of pilates, also been prescribed dicofenac which is like a stronger version of ibuprofen which works well.

Blacking out from pain doesn't sound normal. I've got a degenerative disease diagnosis and have never blacked out - although I have had days where I've struggled to move.

[–] RBWells@lemmy.world 12 points 15 hours ago

No. Chronic back pain is not normal. Acute back pain so bad you pass out also not normal.

Occasional back pain, I think is normal - over my more than half a century I've thrown my back out about 4 times and it hurt for a few days each time. Then went away. That seems more normal.

[–] arararagi@ani.social 5 points 12 hours ago

Blacking out from back pain is not normal, though a little back pain is, since most jobs of the century are done on a computer, you should be worried.

[–] CompactFlax@discuss.tchncs.de 32 points 20 hours ago (2 children)

Once doctor rules out kidney, cancer, and spinal issues, see a physiotherapist. Before anyone says chiropractic, it’s a scam.

[–] SupraMario@lemmy.world 14 points 18 hours ago (1 children)

So many people think chiros are legit.... it's fucking infuriating that shit is still around.

They have chiropractors for horses....yes a massive animal that's stupid muscular and stands 95% of its life. People are duped into thinking a 200lb or less human can "adjust" it's body...

[–] thisisdee@lemmy.world 7 points 17 hours ago (1 children)

It also annoys me that my insurance groups chiro together with physio so people might think that they’re alternatives to each other. I had a colleague who said “physio just gives you exercises/homework while chiro fixes you on the spot”

I also have issues with the fact that major pharmacy brands like Walgreens and CVS put homeopathic remedies right alongside real meds. Make sure to actually read the labels on medicines, because lots of them are pure placebo. Zicam is an extremely popular cold medicine that claims to shorten the duration of a cold or the flu by like 50%, and it is completely homeopathic. There are lots of homeopathic labels scattered throughout the pharmacy, so checking the labels is extremely important.

If you ever see something on the ingredients label like “{ingredient} X6” then that means that ingredient has been diluted 6 times. Homeopaths claim that more dilution makes the med stronger, like how fresh water is better able to dilute salt water. But many are so diluted that there likely isn’t any of the medication remaining.

[–] Zenith@lemm.ee 7 points 16 hours ago

Chiropractors and acupuncturists are grifters

[–] Phen@lemmy.eco.br 78 points 1 day ago (1 children)

You're confusing "normal" with "common". Pain is never normal.

[–] CanadaPlus@lemmy.sdf.org 2 points 13 hours ago

What definition of normal are you using, then? I mean, OP's thing definitely is neither, but lots of things can trigger pain, even chronically.

[–] Zonetrooper@lemmy.world 51 points 1 day ago

Well, I mean I guess after a long day or working really hard it can get a little achey and-

But my lower back will randomly act up, sometimes it gets so bad that I about black out from the pain.

No. Holy shit, no. Not normal at all. Go see a doctor ASAP. If you're ever in debilitating pain for no obvious reason, that is a colossal flashing "go see a doctor now" sign.

[–] ColeSloth@discuss.tchncs.de 6 points 17 hours ago

Sounds like you have abnormal issues. Guessing you have some issues with your discs.

[–] antlion@lemmy.dbzer0.com 5 points 18 hours ago

This video helped me a lot.

https://youtu.be/mzIgrFwhjPc

Basically your lower back near the spine doesn’t get a ton of blood to heal itself. I’ve been doing back bends once or twice a week and my low back pain went away after about 6 months.

[–] Natanael@infosec.pub 3 points 16 hours ago

After checking for physical health issues, ergonomics, stress, posture, etc, take a look at better shoes. If you ever feel like your heels often hit the ground hard when you walk, and especially if you more often feel pain after having carried something heavy, the impact on your spine might be bigger than you think even if you don't feel it at that moment. Better shoes (and posture, etc) reduces the impact significantly.

[–] agent_nycto@lemmy.world 11 points 21 hours ago

That ain't normal nor common, if you can go see a doctor. Passing out from pain is definitely not a regular situation.

[–] spankinspinach@sh.itjust.works 14 points 22 hours ago

Tall desk jockey, heavy walker. Not trying to diagnose, but I learned from experience that weak abdominal activation caused over compensation in the lower back to an extreme degree. Went from zero back pain, to plenty during covid, back to relatively little. Yoga, walking and lifting to improve core strength helped. Could it be something like that?

[–] Libra@lemmy.ml 21 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Let me just say right up front that any pain you have that's anywhere near the black-out level is extremely not normal. And I say that as someone who has lived with chronic lower back pain for 20 years (of varying severity, from 'Huh that's kinda uncomfortable' to 'holy shit it's time to take all of the meds and lay down.' I've never been anywhere near black-out levels of pain, the most I've gotten is back pain so bad it makes me sick to my stomach. Go see an orthopedist, they will find the source of the problem, and then probably refer you to a physical therapist and/or pain management specialist.

[–] weariedfae@sh.itjust.works 5 points 22 hours ago (2 children)

Sorry. I laughed from your comment. Doctors tell women blacking out from menstrual pain is perfectly normal.

Didn't mean to distract from your message, you're absolutely right.

[–] Libra@lemmy.ml 4 points 15 hours ago

That's crazy. Though I mean as a guy I have a lot more experience with lower back pain than menstrual pain so I couldn't speak to what's normal for the latter. But near-blacking-out from any kind of pain seems extremely no bueno.

[–] abbadon420@lemm.ee 4 points 20 hours ago

I'm not a doctor nor a woman, but I think it's unacceptable to get blackouts from menstrual pains. To think that a doctor would just dismiss you like that, is even more unacceptable. It's 2025, not 1925.

[–] some_guy@lemmy.sdf.org 6 points 19 hours ago

I had chronic, persistent back pain in my twenties. Less severe back pain in my thirties. The first, I linked to job stress. I took a three week vacation and came back and noticed my back tensing up from stress in the first fifteen minutes that I was at work. The second, I link to ergonomics. Once I got an adjustable desk (for occasional standing) and combined that with my wonderful Aeron chair, my back pain ended. The adjustable desk that I loved at my old job wasn't as useful as I'd suspected: I just had a shitty chair at work.

I don't think persistent pain is normal (I’m in my forties with no pain). You should try seeing a doctor for a pass over to physical therapy. Caution: I thought working through pain in a workout was a positive and fucked myself up worse in PT. Tell your trainer if you're hurting when working with them. Also, they may not be able to help you identify environmental factors that they can't observe. No one knew that my job was causing tension but me. No one knew that my chair was hurting me but me (and only after the fact!). It might take a lot of introspection to locate external factors causing your pain.

Stretching can help a good amount. I can touch my toes because I used to stretch so much to lessen back pain. Do research to make sure you aren't using improper technique that will cause problems (like asking a PT person). I hope you have good insurance and can go that route. Good luck!

[–] FeelzGoodMan420@eviltoast.org 6 points 20 hours ago* (last edited 19 hours ago) (1 children)

You may have herniated discs. It's not super common at 30 but it's definitely not uncommon. It's more common the older you get but many young people get these. Depends on genetics and activity. You should go to a neurologist or orthopedist and tell them what's happening.

[–] Salamand@lemmy.today 2 points 16 hours ago (1 children)

OP, it sounds like a herniated disc to me. Especially when you said "put on socks" (it's worse in the morning, and forward bends are bad?)

When things get bad (or anytime), go lie on your stomach, and if you can, push yourself up into "cobra" pose. If that helps, you almost certainly have a herniated disc. And that pose kind of un-herniates it.

You need an mri to officially diagnose it. Might find one for under $300.

Learn Stuart McGill's big three, the McKenzie press up (mentioned above), take more walks, and maybe get an inversion machine.

[–] FeelzGoodMan420@eviltoast.org 1 points 6 hours ago

Did you mean to reply to OP? You replied to my comment as if I'm OP. Just checking!

[–] cyngi@lemm.ee 9 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

Probably need to go to the doctor anyway bruv. I'm 30 and I am not hit with severe back pain. I am hit with mild to moderate pain that eases off throughout the day in response to overexerting myself or sleeping wrong.

[–] Boddhisatva@lemmy.world 8 points 1 day ago

Not normal at all. See a doctor. You could have pulled muscles or something like that or you may be like me and have degenerative disc disease.

[–] SaneMartigan@aussie.zone 3 points 20 hours ago* (last edited 20 hours ago)

A doctor will order scans of the area to see if there's anything obvious requiring surgery, otherwise a physio or similar should be able to provide you some exercises to strengthen the body. You could probably just take yoga, pilates or calisthenics classes as long as you don't exacerbate things.

You don't mention doing any exercise.

[–] DirigibleProtein@aussie.zone 6 points 1 day ago

See a doctor, it could be any number of conditions.

I’ll mention multiple myeloma only because I have myeloma, and although I had long-bone pain and lytic lesions, I was lucky that I didn’t have back pain.

[–] Zarxrax@lemmy.world 5 points 1 day ago

Could be posture, especially if you work an office job or something. I used to have pretty bad back and neck pain, then when they sent us home during the pandemic, all my pain just went away.

[–] Brkdncr@lemmy.world 5 points 1 day ago

30 isn’t old, but I had pretty bad back pain in my 30’s that mostly went away as I got older.

If it’s acting up I’ll take ibuprofen right away. 400mg for a few days before I call a dr.

I keep prescribed muscle relaxers to take if it’s bad but those really knock me out so only as a last resort.

Usually after a week it’s all cleared up. It happens maybe 1-2x per year.

It’s never been “I might pass out from the pain” bad though.

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