Question
Hello Dr,

I am male / 41 Yrs / otherwise healthy / bmi 27 / height 6.2

Since the last 9-12 months I seem to get a spasm like pain / cramps after I wake up from bed.

The pain is mainly in the lower back, goes away after I stretch but the first stretch is painful. Also it seems to be more intense after I wake up or get up after lying down straight on my back. If I sleep with my back on top the pain does not seem to be there or is very dull.

Once I stretch it pains and then it's gone. Sprays, rubs etc don't seem to help but if I do light exercises like squats or toe touch it seems to become less intense.

What us this? Muscular or something to do with my back / spine which requires further investigation.

Please advise.

Answer
Hi Mike,

Sounds muscular, but it could be some arthritis. Typically arthritic pain will be worse in the morning and will loosen up during the day. It is also possible the disc is somewhat involved. So, it could be 1 or all 3 in combination.

What you could do is try lying down with a pillow under your knees to take some of the pressure off the back. Also, you could see if it is related to your mattress. You may need a firmer mattress and you could try putting down some blankets and try sleeping on the floor for a night to see if that helps. If it does, you could look into a new, firmer mattress or put a half inch plywood underneath. Likewise, if it makes it worse, it could be that your mattress is too firm.

That said, it can never hurt to have it looked into.

Kind Regards,

Dr. Steve