Back Pain Support Group
Back pain is one of the most common reasons people seek medical care. In fact, about 3 in 4 adults will experience back pain during their lifetime! The term back pain includes pain affecting the neck, midback and low back. Acute back pain may begin suddenly with intense pain but typically lasts fewer than three months. Usually, chronic back pain is persistent, steady, and...
I am new to this discussion board, but am on the fibromyalgia board and the menopause board on this site. I am thankful to have found you all. I have been bothered by FM for atleast 9-10 years. I had surgery on my neck and had a plate put in along with fusion at C5 and C6, I believe they were. Anyway, have been diagnosed with degenerative disc disease. Have had back problems for many years that the doc has written off for the most part as FM and nerve entrapments from my mucles in my back spasming. Okay, long story short (kinda). A few weeks back, I was doing my chores (we have a few farm animals)and when I went to pick up my water buckets I felt a sharp pain in my lower back and was unable to stand up straight for a few muntes. Hurt like heck. Went to the doctor, since I kept having pain and he gave me a steroid pack to try. It helped...some. Needless to say, the pain has come back and my legs are having shooting pains in them, just sort of sporadically. Then my hands have started having pain and numbness in them. Doc tells me I have carpal tunnel and to wear a brace on them at night. Okay, I do this for a few days and my left hand starts throbbing and shooting pain into my wrist and elbow. Doc says, I have tendonitis. But, now I am still having the weird pains in my legs. I woke up a few mornings ago at 4:30 in the morning with excruciating pain in my legs, not shooting pains, but just severe pain all over them! I rubbed them with my hands, tried walking around, nothing seemed to help. After approximately 30 minutes of this pain, it finally let up. So, back to the doc. He gives me some medicine for nerve damage pain and more percocet and I have to have a MRI on wednesday. He thinks he'll have to have a neurologist check me out. Now, my question is, have any of you had this severe pain and this weakness in your legs? If so, what was done for you and did it help? So sorry this was so long. I really appreciate any input I can get. Thanks!
I too just joined the group. The pain is most likely nerve pain. It sounds as though you slipped a disc out of place. When you bent down for the buckets. it happens with DDD quite often. My question back to you is with FM are you taking or have you considered a long acting pain med such as MS Contin or Methadone. They are both excellent pain meds.
With DDD and FM rest is key to improvement, and less pain. Sounds as though that isn't all that possible for you being on a farm. Do you wear a back brace at all?
Ask the Dr about sending you for water therapy, floating a warm pool and light stretches helps a lot. You need to relax the muscles adjacent to your spine, the glutes (butt) and the back of your legs. Bending puts a lot of strain on them, and lifting compresses the spine.
I am always going to be around to answer questions and offer aid, as we both have DDD, FM.
I truly feel your pain! It's not fun!
Take care,
Stay sane!
Maybe you could try wearing those most of the time! I find that the ones made specifically for carpal tunnel kinda just cut off circulation and make you hurt more!
Take care,
Stay sane!
Let us know about the MRI
It is true that your leg pain sounds like neuropathy which could be caused by a disc compressing the nerve (radiculopathy) HOWEVER when it is in BOTH legs we think about Spinal Stenosis...and the MRI of the Lumbar spine can rule that out
Dr O.