Trouble sleeping

Sshing

Hi All, I'm new to the forum. I'm 32 and have osteoarthritis in my lower spine. I've had lower back pain for about 8 years now and was diagnosed about 6 months ago. I've had problems with pain first thing in the morning for roughly 6 years but recently have found that I'm waking up in the night in agony, unable to move or stand up without my legs giving way. the pain is in my lower back, hips, legs and lower abdomen. It feels as though something has dislodged in my spine wont go back into place. I move around a lot in my sleep and always wake up on my back, turning over is a massive struggle on the nights that I can move. I'm wondering if anyone else has has any experience of this? If there is anything that can help? So far I have been prescribed co-codamol and physiotherapy but nothing seems to keep this night pain away. It's starting to scare me that I'm unable to move when I wake and how far the pain is travelling. Any advice on how to manage this or how to stop myself turning on my back whilst asleep would be really appreciated!!!! I look forward to hearing from you all

Annj

Hi @Sshing, welcome to the forum, thanks for joining us.

Sorry to hear you are in such a lot of pain at night. Anything that disrupts sleep is really hard to live with.

I've included links to our pages on osteoarthritis of the hip and of the spine, as there is some useful practical info which hopefully may be of some help.

https://www.versusarthritis.org/about-arthritis/conditions/osteoarthritis-oa-of-the-hip/

https://www.versusarthritis.org/about-arthritis/conditions/osteoarthritis-oa-of-the-spine/

I had terrible trouble with my lower spine, sacrum/sacro iliac and hips during pregnancy, which was when my arthritis first flared up. I ended up buying an enormous full body support pillow (you can buy them online). It was a ridiculously large (full body length) v shaped pillow and you basically lay your head on the point of the V and if you sleep on your side with your top leg hooked over one of the "arms" you're pretty much wedged in and won't move anywhere! It worked really well for me - provided lower back and hip support as well as keeping me in one place. The downside is they are enormous and if you share your bed with a partner they won't thank you for it!

best wishes,

Ann

Sshing

Thank you Ann, I'll take a look at the pillows and links.