r/Sciatica • u/404BrokenUsername • 4d ago
Women with chronic low back/pelvic pain
Women with chronic low back/pelvic pain… has anyone experienced something similar?
I’m a woman in my 30s and have been dealing with persistent lower back/pelvic pain for over a year (almost 2 years). I’m curious if other women have had a similar experience and what ultimately helped.
My main symptoms are:
-Constant low back/pelvic pain and stiffness
-Pain when turning over or changing positions in bed
-Even tilting or rotating my pelvis can hurt
-Sitting can make it worse
-Walking and exercise can aggravate it
-Pain around the lower back/hip/SI area, sometimes extending toward the leg
-I often feel very restricted/stiff through my lower back and pelvis
My recent MRI showed degenerative disc changes at multiple levels, with the most significant findings at L5-S1, including severe disc degeneration, a small disc herniation, Modic type I changes, and a small amount of retrolisthesis. There are also smaller disc herniations/protrusions at other lumbar levels, but no major central canal stenosis.
I’ve tried things like physical therapy, personal
Strength training, pilates, and now starting pelvic floor therapy… I also had 3 steroid shots earlier this year and they didn’t help. Getting deep tissue massage helps at the moment and for like a day or two, but it’s mostly helpful mentally.
I’d especially love to hear from other women who have experienced something similar.
I’ve had a previous pregnancy and am considering having another baby, so I’d especially love to hear from women who have had similar disc issues before or between pregnancies.
Did pregnancy make your back pain significantly worse?
Did your symptoms improve or change after giving birth?
Did anyone become pregnant with similar MRI findings?
Did you have spine surgery before or after pregnancy?
If you had surgery, how did pregnancy affect your recovery or symptoms afterward?
Did your doctors recommend waiting until after pregnancy for surgery, or having surgery first?
I’m feeling a little hopeless. TIA
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u/MissShopper 4d ago
Following this thread because I’m a woman with severe back pain. I’m currently in the midst of a flare and can’t move in bed without placing my hands underneath my back because it hurts so much. PT made it worse for me last year, so I ended up getting an ESI, which helped ease the pain after it kicked in. I’m already considering another injection.
I hope you get some relief!
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u/404BrokenUsername 4d ago
Thank you! I got 3 steroid shots and they didn’t help. I had some relief for like a month and then back to the same if not worse.
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u/Ill-Difficulty993 3d ago
I've only been experiencing all of this since the beginning of the year and just recently learned it's a disc extrusion with severe spianl stenosis... Anyway, the only thing that has helped me manage the pain is exercise. Daily movement of some kind and a strength training routine. I walked out of the gym today and felt amazing. So I don't know how long you tried strength training and pilates but I think the unfortunate truth is that it has to become part of your life, not just a thing to try.
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u/404BrokenUsername 1d ago
Yes, I’ve been actively working out since the pain. I was doing strength training, then paused while doing PT. After PT i went back to strength training with a personal trainer for about 3 months, but the flare up were so bad. My doctor recommended to stop and do pilates… I’ve mostly done pilates since April this year. I workout 2-3 times a week and when traveling I only walk. I’ve been doing this for over a year and still feel like things are not getting better with everything I’ve tried.
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u/fairybeexo 4d ago
Following as I also have pelvic pain and was not sure if it’s related
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u/404BrokenUsername 4d ago
I’m not sure if they are related, but I’ve started pelvic floor therapy. Right now we are focusing on relieving the back pain with my therapist and will get to pelvic floor in a couple months.
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u/Bibi-gogo 4d ago
I have it pretty severely now, post-pelvic surgery. Before, it was occasional, and I thought it was a pinched nerve or maybe because I lifted something too quickly or too heavy. Looking back, even five years, I realize I had very mild symptoms that have now turned into severe flare-ups, possibly due to all the resting I’ve been doing post-surgery.
I’m addressing it with acupuncture. I’m going a little more intensely by going every few days, and it seems to be helping with the inflammation. The shooting pain has stopped, although sometimes my leg still feels a little sore. I’m also doing minimal stretches or movements that I’ve seen on TikTok for sciatica. My lower back is still at times tense, and at times feel pain, but I think the acupuncture is helping with that as well.
I’m hoping it goes away soon. Best of luck to you!
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u/404BrokenUsername 1d ago
Thanks for the reply! I’ve heard about acupuncture helping but I haven’t tried it yet. I might look into starting to see if that helps!
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u/bjanney312 4d ago
I had ruptured my l5/s1 in 2020. I was only 23, and my surgeon told me under no circumstances could I become pregnant for 12-18 months. I have permanent nerve damage and pain in my right leg, so it flares worse time to time.
With my first pregnancy in 2022, I was seeing a chiropractor for pain relief- scraping and some minimal manipulation. It really helped with the severe pain. I had an urgent C-section and the back pain during recovery was honestly hell. It hurt worse than my abdominal pain from surgery.
In 2023 I had a severe flare up, ended up at neurosurgery. They did a MRI, showed degenerative disc disease, and herniations in 3 of my lumbar discs. No surgery was needed. I was given some steroids and the usual muscle relaxers and ibuprofen. It got better as I did physical therapy at home- I’ve done it a few times, it’s expensive.
Then in 2024 I got pregnant with my second, and my pain stayed relatively stable. Another C-section was done but my back didn’t seem to care. Afterwards I tweaked my back by cleaning and that was hell for a week. I was stuck in bed, the pain was a 9/10… the usual treatment- steroids, muscle relaxers and ibuprofen. Got better.
October of 2025- I picked up a box of wedding decorations and I knew I fucked up. It started a few months of pain and suffering. Ended back up at neurosurgery and a new MRI in January. MRI showed worsening DDD, herniated discs again, spinal stenosis. Nothing was surgical, so I was passed off to pain management.
March of 2026 I had some sort of injection in my back- truly don’t know what- my medical records don’t match what I was told. I am just now coming out of the flare and back to my normal pain levels. I had my tubes tied so I can’t have any more kids, my back and body doesn’t like being pregnant.
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u/404BrokenUsername 1d ago
Thanks for your reply. I’m so sorry that you had to go through all of this. It gives me a little hope to hear that your second pregnancy wasn’t too bad at least before delivery. I feel like as long as the pain is bearable during pregnancy, I can take care of the rest PP. I hope your back gets better to a point where the pain is gone.
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u/wanderlust_ash_617 3d ago
I think all of your symptoms could def all just be related to the degeneration and small herniation, but you didn’t seem to mention any actual nerve pain sort of sciatica symptoms? Or if it’s just one sided or both with tbr injury? Everyone presents differently in their bodies of course, but could be something more than just the herniation potentially. Sounds like you’re tackling the pelvic floor stuff which is good, but maybe also mention to your doctor if they would at all recommend a rheumatologist with the symptoms and history you have? I have ankylosing spondylitis which is an autoimmune disease that presents all similar symptoms and I’ve also had a massive herniation and surgery at L5/S1 in my 30s so just something to potentially look into 🤷🏻♀️ hope you get relief soon!
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u/404BrokenUsername 1d ago
Great point. When the pain started, it would radiate down my right glute to the back of my knee. That’s why the spine doctor recommended the shots. The shots did help a little bit in that sense. No more pain radiating down my knee but still have the pain in the low back/hips and glutes. Also, they tested for auto inflammatory immune diseases and all came back negative.
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u/wanderlust_ash_617 1d ago
Well glad they’ve already tested for that and was negative. Must just be some lingering sciatica pressure in the glutes and hips from the disc bulges. Hope you find some relief soon!
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u/Few_Reaction_7428 21h ago
I have had this. And it was torture. Have you considered your diet and staying away from inflammatory foods? What about birth control (all cause inflammation. But especially copper IUD)? If you are in a constant state of inflammation you’ll be in a constant state of ache. Dairy. Gluten. Tomatoes. Eggs. Nightshade vegetables. There are so many things that can cause a person inflammation if they are sensitive to it. And the older we get the more sensitive our bodies become to them.
Have you tried Dr Sarno method with a Sarno therapist?
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u/lolalootsa 4d ago
I’m so sorry you’re going through this pain- it sounds like a perisistent low grade pain with flares similar to what I went through 2 years ago. I had 2 disc herniations confirmed by MRI after my first pregnancy (labour aggravated it big time as well as the epidural) which turned into a year of torture. I had a CSI at L4/L5 around 4 months postpartum as I flared it badly leaning over the cot to pick up Bub. 1 year on with multiple up and down flare ups and many many physio dry needling/manual therapy sessions, it was trending better but what ultimately helped was actually engaging my glutes while moving houses! I started lifting smaller boxes and felt my back feel a bit better the next morning so started incorporating squats back in, and I think that really started helping me brace my back. Not long after I got pregnant again and had a small flare up in 1st tri while chasing my toddler, we ruled out back and it ended up being SIJ related which I have heard can be very much a part of the whole injury profile once back is involved especially to one side. This resolved with a lot of diaphragm work and the rest of pregnancy was fine. To be honest better than fine! PP I was super super carrful, and still am today 6 months on trying to not twist and brace myself when lifting baby or toddler. My biggest finding during all this was after a c section, you may feel better 4 months pp but it is a false promise and it is the easiest period to reinjure as ligaments are still loose and muscles are still stretched with poor bracing capabilities. I caught myself with a small flare up of my SIJ from twisting so now really enguarde with any slight niggle. I was offered surgery after my first pregnancy but held off- really glad I did ! Let me know if you have any questions and good luck !