Back pain

Bones, joints and muscles
1

I had an accident quite a few years ago that required several weeks off work but no broken bones. Since then I have had a lot of back pain, seen various specialists, GP's and physios. I have had x-rays and MRI's to cobble dogs with and just about every blood test going, no skeletal issues have shown up.

Unfortunately, non of this diagnostic has revealed a reason for the pain. I do suffer from OSA and a few other niggles but other than general wear and tear, if it wasn't for my back I'd consider myself not bad for knocking on sixty.

Recently I was told that I have post traumatic fibro myalgia and my back problem was related to that. I'll be honest, I disagree, the reason for that is when I had the accident the worst pain I had was landing on a rock in exactly the same place as the pain still occurs. I do have other niggles that fit the fibro label but my back issue has been there since the day I had the accident.

When I have an episode (99% of the time after some form of exercise) it starts with a dull ache (to left of lumbar region) and develops through the evening into a sharper pain, sometimes I require medication (Tramadol) other times I manage without. Occationally I feel it "go", no pain but a sensation in the lower back. When that happens I get the same problems detailed below.

However when I wake up in the morning I know I will have problems. Getting up is agonising, four points of contact stuff, sweat, panting and a level of pain that stops me standing upright. It might take me 20 minutes to get out of bed and I hate ever second of it. This pattern will then persist for a few days with each day getting easier.  

The pain diminishes during the day, not to the point where you would catch me playing tennis or similar, but to the point I can move around and it starts getting worse again in the evening.

I am waiting to see my GP again but the specialist says he wants me to go onto Fentanyl patches. I have looked these up and they look like terrible things and as stated I already have OSA so I don't need anything else that stops me breathing! Obviously, I will discuss this with my GP but does anyone else around hear have similar back issues as I have never found anything descriptive of my experiences on the web?

 

2

To Spinworm 

Sorry to hear about your back problems. Try looking at the posibility that the problem is an infection rather than a mechanical problem. There are recent studies that spine and trapped nerve problems can be caused by bacterial infections, and, in my experience, by a fungal infection that caused severe spine pain and sciatic pain. My problem started when I had a minor bit of damage to my spine and escalated over six years to be a disabling and paralysing condition. The problem spread from the initially damaged area to adjacent joints and nerve string. My theory is that the joints get damaged or opened up somehow and an infection can gain access to the inside of the joint and remain there. If you've ever had a fungal infection on a toe nail then you'll know how persistent the infection can be, and also the damage that can be caused by the infection. Prior to the incident I was very fit and healthy and hadn't had any serious medical problems, and no indication of infections or anything like that. Only a minor toe nail infection.

Have a look at my post in the backache section. Mycotic Arthiritis. 

I had blood test also, but the NHS (in my experience) doesn't seem to acknowedge that back problems and sciatica can be caused by infection and doesn't test for these things.

Hope this helps.

3

Thank you for this information, infection would never have crossed my mind!

It would be easy to have a go at the NHS but you get 10-15mins with the consultant invariably running late, often without access to scans/notes - not that ever seem to have read the notes when they do have them. I often find myself explaining my condition time and time again, it is frustrating. I understand the Occams Razor approach but when each consultant reaches an end point you get shuffled off to another disipline and the whole process starts all over again.

4

I'd never heard that term before 'occams razor' thanks. It did seem like the system was set up to tick the box and pass the problem/patient on to another appoinment in six months without attempting a diagnosis.