Constant Back Pain: Feeling Guilty for Complaining

I am so sorry to hear about your back pain I go through this everyday.

I used to feel guilty too, but you have nothing to be guilty for. Chronic back pain or any pain is so misunderstood by many people and especially the medical community. I’ve seen so many specialists and it took me awhile to finally find doctors that didn’t gaslight me on my first visit, tell me to be more physically active (I used to be b4), or tell me I was flat out making the pain up. I highly recommend seeing a new doctor and getting a referral to a rheumatologist. I’m finally seeing one in August, and she’s the best in my area. Many of my friends have had there lives completely changed by her. I finally found a good pain management doctor who is helping me find treatments that work instead of just pain meds. Even though I have to have the pain meds right now, I’m hopeful that over the next year I’ll need them less. I definitely recommend getting an MRI, and finding another doctor that listens to you. You are the customer and you deserve to be heard and treated like a human. Pain is real and had I found doctors who actually believed me earlier, my back issues which are severe wouldn’t have gotten this bad. But now I have hope and we are developing a plan to prevent any more damage to my spine!! Gaslighting in the medical community is real, and you don’t deserve to experience it. I’m only 36 and my issues are extremely rare for my age, but there real. My last MRI showed a severe increase of permanent damage to my spine and the MRI doesn’t lie. So they can’t tell you it’s not real when you have the proof!! Praying you find a good doctor and a treatment plan that helps you get relief. You aren’t alone!!!

I’m really sorry to hear about your back! I completely know where you’re coming from, I went to physical therapy last year for chronic lower back pain. I did 10 sessions and it worked wonders. But then I slacked on doing the exercises at home after my sessions ran out and my pain is back. I’m actually having muscle spasms on the left side of my back today, all day long and it’s driving me crazy! I’ve said how much it hurts each dang time it goes off so don’t feel bad! Haha. I would suggest you maybe find another doctor if you can, it shouldn’t be so much effort to get a referral. I’d press the front office until you get the referral, or try to find another doctor who will get you a referral fast so you can get in to PT. It will help so much, I think.