just to let you all know, i make most of my posts in the digestive disorders and the asthma forums, but i thought this forum would help with another problem of mine...

in july 2002 i was in a minor car accident that left me with about 5 really tight knots the entire length of my spine...my doc gave me some muscle relaxers, and i used heating pads often, and that helped me enough to tolerate the stiffness without having to seek too much medical attention...

i'm a dancer, and the other week i was doing some acrobat, and my back got really sore...i thought i'd pulled a muscle...

however, now the pain goes underneath my right shoulder blade (ouch!), and my lower back has lost ALOT of its mobility, i can hardly bend it at all, and from my neck to my tailbone, i just have all kinds of lumps and knotts...very painful ones, at that...

i'm still in high school, so when i'm not there i try to keep a warm compress on there, which helps minimally...takes away some of the stiffness..i also get back spasms in the middle of the night...

i asked my younger sister to feel my spine yesterday, i told her i have "this many" sore spots, see if you can find them...and she found all of them!! no mistakes!! in some of the spots i can actually feel my vertabrae protruding from the spinal column, and sometimes in addition to that i can feel the knots...

what could this be?? i know about herniated disks, worn cartalidge, and knots, cramps and spasms...but i can't actually figure out what this might be...and ideas?? i got to the doc on thurs so i'm gonna mention it to him there...

thanks!
rach

Hi Rach,

My suggestion to you is to see your sports doctor. You said you are in high school and are athletic. I am sure the sure may (or may not) have a sports therapist available to you. Ask around.

Also...you should discuss all these things with your parents. They most likely have you on their insurance, and ballet and be EXTREMELY hard on your feet. This will cause imbalances along your spine... or boney spurs. I suggest you talk to your parents about all of this and that you would like to see the general doctor first (that is almost always the case) to recommend you to (1) get an MRI done of your spine, from your symptoms...the thoracic region first. And (2) to recommend a sports physical therapist for you to go to.

You need to do this right away Rach....it is important you nip this right now. You do NOT want to go through what us "ole timers" have suffered through. Take care of yourself now. Insist on being treated until you are satisfied....which means all well and good (am I right?). Good luck to you and blessings along your way.



------------------
successtory
Oct 2000: Repetitive Stress Injury-Inverted Hernia
Feb 2001: MRI. Shows only slight bulge at L4-L5
Dec 2001: Discogram/CT scan shows Inverted Hernia at L5-S1. L4-L5 & L5-S1 ruptured in all 4 quadrants. Unable to walk.
Feb 2002: IDET, Nucleoplasty, Intra-Discal Injections
Sept 2002: Rated in the top 10% for successful patients. Retraining for new career.

thanks for your reply!! right now he gave me a muscle relaer...ick, more meds...i'm gonna try to work with the heat first though...see if that helps

i'll keep you posted!

rach

my old family doc recently set up an oesteopathic manipulation office, so i'm going there on monday to see her, and we'll see if she can do anything or if she finds anything else wrong, or suspects anything...

does anyone know what might cause protruding vertabrae??? what about a spongy, squishy, grinding inbetween the bones...i mean, i know there's cartilage, but this is nasty...could it be falling out or degenerating or something??? let me know!!! thanks!

rach

Hello rach923,
I hurt my back and the muscles along my spine were extremely tight, swollen, and many spots had very large knots. I went to see a physical therapist and he worked with massage, ultrasound, and electrical stimulation. He informed me that the muscle will react like that to try to protect the spine if it is damaged. PT really helped with the muscle tightness and knots. I would suggest you try this, I have heard many people get complete relief from PT.

Good luck and let us know how you make out!

Mary

well, i went to an oestopath today (she used to be my family doctor) for a back manipulation...when she examined me, she found that my pelvis was "torqued" and that my spine was kinda squeezing together, which was causing the pain and lack of mobility...she said that the spine problem, in addition to torquing my pelvis, also cause my one leg to be shorter, made my left shoulder tense up, my cranium bones were slightly out of whack, and my vertebrae were protruded...afterwards i felt alot more relaxed, but some of the pain i had before my body started compensating for my injury is back, which i guess is a good thing, b/c that means we're working in a backwards direction...got to get to the pain before the pleasure, i supposed...lemme know if you have more suggestions!!!

rach

just an update, and to move my post up a little... http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/smile.gif

since i went to the osteopath, my back pain is definatly worse, but i think its because my body doesn't like being messed with, not because she made it worse, but i guess i'll find out on the 16th, my next appt.!

i've been keeping heat on it ALOT and i bought a lower back brace, which helps ALOT also...when its on i'm fine, when its off, the pain starts, even if i'm not bending my back...but i guess thats something to tell my doc then http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/smile.gif

anyone have any suggestions??? my neck is very "crackly" when i move it, but its stiff and achy at the same time...my lower back won't arch hardly at all, without intense pain....any ideas, has anyone had these symptoms, or similar ones?

thanks!
rach

is anyone out there experiencing anything like this??? does this sound like anything anyone has out there??? please reply!

rach

bump...bump...bump.... http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/smile.gif

c'mon guys, 200 people have read this post and i get 8 replies??? to recap:

i went to an oesteopath, going back on monday the 16th, pain in my upper back has not subsided, although i feel alot less tension..i just started taking glucosamine supplements, cause mom thought it might help with the "noisy neck" problem...i can feel my 2nd, 3rd, and 4th vertabrae are protruding much more than any of the others surrounding it, no matter what position i contort myself in (not that i'm doing much contorting, but you know what i mean http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/smile.gif), my lower back pain has a definate centralized spot, it doesn't radiate anymore...but i still get stuck when i arch...as long as i don't bend my back. i'm fine!... http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/frown.gif

any suggestions...anyone been to any doc/osteopath/chiropractor/therapist who diagnosed anything that just SOUNDED like the symptoms i'm having...and suggestions would be GREAT!! please reply!

rach

Hi Rach, http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/wave.gif

I'm sorry http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/frown.gif that you haven't gotten very many replies, that just means that most of us have no idea as to what is going on, we do post when we feel we can be of some assistance.

We have alot of members here with lumbar problems, you may also want to post a thread over on the spinal cord disorders board and see if they may be of more help. They deal alot with cervical and thoracic issues, so maybe they can give you some more ideas.

I hope that you can get some answers soon http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/t_up.gif as we all know how bad living with back pain is.

Be Well,
Baxter http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/love2.gif



------------------
Two level laminectomy fusion L5-S1 & L2-3 done on 12/6/02.
I regret the day that I agreed to have this surgery.
Fifteen inch scar from the very top of butt crack (sorry), to the bra line.
BAK cages, rods & screws.(Titanium)
My pelvic bone was used for grafting.
Praying that the other two discs in between, won't have to be fused later, as I was told it was a possibility, due to the other two discs in between, not being in that great of shape.
Doc didn't want to fuse four levels, unless it is really necessary.
I would hate to repeat the surgery, as the recovery period, is so very painful.
I also have a free fragment in my T11-12 area, that I'm still refusing surgery for, at this point in time.
That surgery is way too dangerous for me to consider, until if affects my being able to walk.

baxter, thanks so much for replying, i never thought about going to spinal cord disorders...they might have more answers there...my probs are about 95% spine, with very few muscular problems, so thats a good point...i'll be over there if you think of anything!

thanks!
rach

Hi Rach, http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/wave.gif

I hope they may have some extra advice over there that may assist you http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/t_up.gif

Please keep checking back here, people are always popping in at one time or another.

I will let you know if I can come up with anything http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/smile.gif

I hope that you can start to feel better soon, this whole life of back pain sure is very frustrating http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/hammer.gif

Have a super day http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/bouncing.gif

Baxter http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/heart.gif

------------------
Two level laminectomy fusion L5-S1 & L2-3 done on 12/6/02.
I regret the day that I agreed to have this surgery.
Fifteen inch scar from the very top of butt crack (sorry), to the bra line.
BAK cages, rods & screws.(Titanium)
My pelvic bone was used for grafting.
Praying that the other two discs in between, won't have to be fused later, as I was told it was a possibility, due to the other two discs in between, not being in that great of shape.
Doc didn't want to fuse four levels, unless it is really necessary.
I would hate to repeat the surgery, as the recovery period, is so very painful.
I also have a free fragment in my T11-12 area, that I'm still refusing surgery for, at this point in time.
That surgery is way too dangerous for me to consider, until if affects my being able to walk.

hi... was just "popping" over like baxter suggested, and i thought i would give an update to see if anybody on the board understands my problem NOW...haha http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/smile.gif anyways, i've been treated twice by my osteopath, and its...interesting...its loosened up my neck, i can now roll it all around without getting "stuck", and i have been able to crack my neck and spine more recently http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/smile.gif i know, you guys all probably think thats bad, but i've been cracking my back ever since i started acrobat...

anyways, now my shoulder clicks and cracks alot, which never happened before (my right one), i still have limited mobility in lower back, and my pelvis is still "torqued"...so, thats the update...oh, and yesterday when i was with the osteopath, she was feeling around my neck, and my calves and the whole outside part of both ares, down to the fingertip, became numb...i don't think its a problem, cause my mom said the same thing happened to her (well, actually she started seeing those "stars", but anyways...just an update...anyone got any ideas??? thanks!

rachael

------------------
Thought This Might Be of Use...Since Alot of Others Have It:

August 1999: diagnosed with GERD and IBS...put on zantac, then aciphex
Spring 2000: diagnosed with TMJ...have lower splint
September 2000: hospitalized for failure to thrive due to malnutrition and dehydration; fed with ng tube for 3 months, put on prilosec
2001-02: developed chronic sinusitis/rhinitis from NG tube, put on nasonex and allegra
January 2002: switched GI's, diagnosed with hiatal hernia, switched to nexium, added peppermint oil, put on bentyl PRN for pain, zoloft for nausa
March 2003: IBS getting worse, switched PRN bentyl to BID levbid ER
May 2003: diagnosed with asthma from GERD, put on advair and singulair, albuterol PRN
May 2003: back pain and limited mobility, caused by 2002 car accident and dance injury, unidentified
April-June 2003: minor ear irritation and hearing problems, and extra sinus swelling, unidentified
May-June 2003: heartburn recurring even with meds!

Hi Rachael, http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/wave.gif

I'm glad that you are finally getting some relief with your neck http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/angel.gif

I still don't have any answers, but it looks like you have stumped us once again http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/smile.gif That doesn't happen all too often here.

I hope that you can continue to see some improvement soon http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/angel.gif

Take Care,
Baxter http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/heart.gif

------------------
Two level laminectomy fusion L5-S1 & L2-3 done on 12/6/02.
I regret the day that I agreed to have this surgery.
Fifteen inch scar from the very top of butt crack (sorry), to the bra line.
BAK cages, rods & screws.(Titanium)
My pelvic bone was used for grafting.
Praying that the other two discs in between, won't have to be fused later, as I was told it was a possibility, due to the other two discs in between, not being in that great of shape.
Doc didn't want to fuse four levels, unless it is really necessary.
I would hate to repeat the surgery, as the recovery period, is so very painful.
I also have a free fragment in my T11-12 area, that I'm still refusing surgery for, at this point in time.
That surgery is way too dangerous for me to consider, until if affects my being able to walk.

hey baxter...yes, i stump alot of people...isn't it odd how some people have problems and boom! they get diagnosed, but others (like me) have symptoms of lotsa things, and EVERYTHING comes up negative...i seem to have this kind of ability to stump doctors and friends with virtually every health problem i have...haha

anyways, i'll be going to europe from july 4-28, so i wont respond, but i promise i'll respond to anyone after i get back!! haha...thanks!\

rach http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/smile.gif

hi rachel, my problem which i've had for 5 years, seem a lot like yours. i'm 22 now. i'll tell you my situation and you can tell me if you've had any similarities. When i was 17, i started to feel achy, not any particular spots. i would ask my family for backrubs, and they were feel (palpate) tight knots. by the way, all my aches are on the right side of my shoulder blade(kind of under it)all the way up the the right side of my neck under my ear. my lower back is generally achy. My back is the epitome of crackly. i crack it often and that is the ONLY Thing that gives me relief- even though chiros say not to and MD's don't acknowledge that as treatment. my vertebrae feel as if they protrude and have to be pushed back into place. i used to go to a chiro who did his job, only minutes after i would leave his office the pain and misalignment would come back, so obviously there is something wrong with the structure of my back. it feels like something is pulling all the time. i have tried yoga, streches, physical therapy, massage (which feels good, but my spine still aches).
i have received botox into the knots which really did work, if the doctor does it in exactly the right spot. my spots are : RHOMBOID, TRAPEZIUS, STERNOCLEIDOMASTOID. I highly recommend botox. it last for 4 months. i feel trapped because i don't know if i have a skeletal or muscular disease or both. by the way i have scoliosis. my pelvis is twisted and my legs are uneven. my right leg has had a lot of problems as it receives much more pressure than the left one. my curvature is about 20 degrees. some doctors say this could be the cause of my pain, some vehemently deny scoliosis causes any pain. i feel as if it definitely has something to do with it. i have been on skelaxin, klonopin (kind of like xanax) it somehow helps, and Oxycontin. i have seen a pain management specialist who did trigger point injections, basically injecting anesthetic into the belly of the knot under anesthesia two weeks ago. i have Lidoderm patches that numb the area, and are somewhat helpful. ask for these things. i wouldn't have mention them if they didn't help. it sucks to be in this much pain so young. i am athletic.
here are my two diagnoses: MYOFASCIAL DISEASE
CERVICAL DYSTONIA
keep in mind i had to figure this all out myself and basically spoonfeed my doctors hints. nobody ever even suggested a pain management doctor even though i've had the same complaint for 5 years.(my friend is a pharmacist and she suggested it, thank god.) This is an everyday thing. i can't sit, stand, or even lay down now with cramping. I'm running out of positions!!!WWhat is wrong with me? MRI's and x-ray show nothing but mild scoliosis. i always slept on one side-right- and feel is if this somehow made me grow deformed because i did this all my life (sort of a obsessive thing) . i can't drop my head to my chest and can't turn my head my side to side unless i am on botox. doctors are hesitant to give narcotics because i am so young and my disease jumps all over the place.

hi rachel, my problem which i've had for 5 years, seem a lot like yours. i'm 22 now. i'll tell you my situation and you can tell me if you've had any similarities. When i was 17, i started to feel achy, not any particular spots. i would ask my family for backrubs, and they were feel (palpate) tight knots. by the way, all my aches are on the right side of my shoulder blade(kind of under it)all the way up the the right side of my neck under my ear. my lower back is generally achy. My back is the epitome of crackly. i crack it often and that is the ONLY Thing that gives me relief- even though chiros say not to and MD's don't acknowledge that as treatment. my vertebrae feel as if they protrude and have to be pushed back into place. i used to go to a chiro who did his job, only minutes after i would leave his office the pain and misalignment would come back, so obviously there is something wrong with the structure of my back. it feels like something is pulling all the time. i have tried yoga, streches, physical therapy, massage (which feels good, but my spine still aches).
i have received botox into the knots which really did work, if the doctor does it in exactly the right spot. my spots are : RHOMBOID, TRAPEZIUS, STERNOCLEIDOMASTOID. I highly recommend botox. it last for 4 months. i feel trapped because i don't know if i have a skeletal or muscular disease or both. by the way i have scoliosis. my pelvis is twisted and my legs are uneven. my right leg has had a lot of problems as it receives much more pressure than the left one. my curvature is about 20 degrees. some doctors say this could be the cause of my pain, some vehemently deny scoliosis causes any pain. i feel as if it definitely has something to do with it. i have been on skelaxin, klonopin (kind of like xanax) it somehow helps, and Oxycontin. i have seen a pain management specialist who did trigger point injections, basically injecting anesthetic into the belly of the knot under anesthesia two weeks ago. i have Lidoderm patches that numb the area, and are somewhat helpful. ask for these things. i wouldn't have mention them if they didn't help. it sucks to be in this much pain so young. i am athletic.
here are my two diagnoses: MYOFASCIAL DISEASE
CERVICAL DYSTONIA
keep in mind i had to figure this all out myself and basically spoonfeed my doctors hints. nobody ever even suggested a pain management doctor even though i've had the same complaint for 5 years.(my friend is a pharmacist and she suggested it, thank god.) This is an everyday thing. i can't sit, stand, or even lay down now with cramping. I'm running out of positions!!!WWhat is wrong with me? MRI's and x-ray show nothing but mild scoliosis. i always slept on one side-right- and feel is if this somehow made me grow deformed because i did this all my life (sort of a obsessive thing) . i can't drop my head to my chest and can't turn my head my side to side unless i am on botox. doctors are hesitant to give narcotics because i am so young and my disease jumps all over the place.

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Shea S.