Hello, I'm new here and so glad to have found this board! I'm 25 and for the past year have been suffering from muscle spasms in my mid/thoracic back. The only problem was I was working part time at the time this whole thing happened and didn't have health insurance. (I know sooo stupid to go without it!)

Anyway, after a few weeks I found this great chiropractor who started treating me, even though I had no insurance. I felt my prayers had been answered and the adjustments were helping me greatly! Fast forward to late April of this year and one day I woke up with Sciatica! It literally came over night and OMG was it a shock (literally!) I have NEVER in my life experienced pain like that. I didn't sleep for 2 days. Finally, it has died down, but is still there. I've been doing stretches and so forth and I can keep it under control unless I have to sit a lot.

I finally now have health insurance, but have to be VERY careful about how I go about going to a dr with this, since I'm sure ins will consider it pre-exsisting. Right now, I'm in the process of waiting 90 days before I tell my dr about it. (I know, I'm being a bit dishonest, but I need to get this taken care of!) I have about another month to go before I can "come out" so to speak.

In the meantime, I have constant (and I mean constant) muscle spasms in my mid back with Sciatica! My chiro tells me this is highly unusual. Has anyone else had this? We're not sure if it's a disc or not, but it does seem to have gotten worse. I literally can't sit down for more than 10-15 mins at a time. My only relief is either my TENS unit or Icy Hot! I've been trying to do my part with exercise and losing some weight, but it is very difficult to exercise with Sciatica and my left leg tends to cramp up a lot.

Anyway, I look forward to hearing about other people's experience, espeically about thoracic problems, as I hear they are some what rare.
Katt

Hi Katt and welcome http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/wave.gif

It sounds as though you have more than just the thoracic as a problem. The sciatic nerve runs from the lumbar region to your feet....and the lumbar is below your thoracic region of the spine. Impingement of the sciatic nerve usually at the L4/L5 or L5/S1 will cause the sciatic pain to run down to your feet. You should prolly check out the lumbar area too.

Yes, thoracic disk impairments are rare...but they happen. Get an MRI done, but I'm not sure how well MRIs work on the thoracic area...on the lumbar region one can get a "quick shot" of what is happening. More invasive tests will give you a clearer image...but aren't usually given to people unless they are planning on surgery (in the near future). Those tests are the discogram and myleogram. They are much more detail oriented, but again...are generally used when surgery is the next step.

Try using ice packs (the gel kind) for 20 min. every hour until you are nice and numb. This may (or may not) relieve your sciatica for about 20 minutes...but it's worth a try! Stabilization exercises are what you need (pelvic tilts, opposite arm and leg raises, etc.). These should all be done with a professional. Talk to your chiro about them....I'll bet your chiro has some sheets of basic physical therapy moves and/or stretches. Water therapy is fabulous for sciatica too.

Bending, sitting and going up stairs are very painful for those with L4/L5 and L5/S1 sciatica. If you experience sciatica more intensly during those actions, then you ARE looking at lumbar issues too. Good luck to you and I hope some of this helps!


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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.

Hi Katt and welcome to the boards http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/wave.gif

I do not have a sciatica problem, but I do have thoracic problems. My problems range from deep muscle spasms across my shoulder blades and dead center upper back, pain/burning/tightness across my breast bone chest area, ribs aching/pain, neck stiffness/crackling. All of which happen in my thoracic and cervical areas. I don't have much lumbar problems except my pelvis aches once in awhile, I have had my pelvis feel as if something went out a few times, really scary stuff, can't move for a minute.

I am in the process of getting an MRI, going to Pain Management, checking for muscle or joint diseases, and also Fibromyalgia. Currently I have been seeing a chiro for over 3 years, been to PT several times, also find that massage works great but is expensive, and of course taking meds (NSAID's, Opiate's, Muscle Relaxer's, Anti-Depressant and Sleep Aids)

My doctor thinks that there could be a list of things that could possibly be wrong. He is putting "I have herniated disks and nerve problems somehwere in my thoracic area and the rest of my pain is referred" on the top of his list (guessing without tests). I will not know for sure until the MRI and further testing.

I have been dealing with this for 6 years on and off, more on than off.. Now it's always "ON" for the last 8 months.

You will find a wide range of people with different types of back problems on this board. I am sure there are others who may be able to shed some light to help further. I wish I could be of more help, but being un-diagnosed sometimes makes it difficult in helping related theories, mostly I am able to just share my history, compare and offer emotional support.

I am sure others will come along soon. If you ever need advice or support you have found the right place. Everyone here is very nice!

Hottrodd

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* 27 years old, male
*Chronic upper back pain for about 6 years, recently getting really bad, really stiff in the morning takes forever to get going, lasts all day everyday.
*Crackling sounds from rib cage area across upper and middle back when stretching.
* Pain, tightness and burning all day long, usually ranges from a 4 through 9 depending on the day and how my body wants to react. Usually it's at least a 6/7 all day recently, used to be an annoying 3/4 all day, which I lived with but hated.
*Problem areas are mainly around breastbone area of chest, across shoulder blades, dead center upper back, upper shoulders and back of neck. Feels as if it's muscles and bones/joints, possibly ribs.
*Muscles spasms, had a couple that were severe enough to go to ER, felt like I was having a heart attack, pain radiated through upper back to chest area.
*Taking Vicodin 5/500 Soma 350 and Celebrex 200, which also helps somewhat but not to where I am not bothered by the pain, burning, tightness ect..
*Chiropractic 3 years, PT on and off again, all of which produces results that do not last for more than the day I have them.
*Can't remember any trauma I had that would have caused all this. Don't understand how it's getting worse.
*Can't really do anything, lifting, heavy physical ect.. Try and walk and stretch when I can.
*Still undiagnosed and waiting

Hi Katt!

Sorry about your back giving you problems....but, you've come to the right place!

You mention the spasms in T area. I have that, too - and it has little to do w/ that area. On MRI - I have 'straightening of normal lumbar lordosis' - straight back. Good - I thought. WRONG. http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/dizzy.gif

Doc said back is in major spasm. He said muscles typically will spasm when they're trying to protect something - discs, spine. I have a tear in L4....and coccyx issues. Apparently, my back is over-compensating for what's going on.

Xray might show a little, but - MRI definitely shows more.

I understand where you're coming from w/ new insurance. Get a copy of the policy. Read it from cover to cover. See what it says about pre-existing conditions. Seems like mine had some 'allowances' - you may be pleasantly surprised.

As long as you're not planning on zapping your workplace for this, I wouldn't feel too bad about waiting on insurance to kick in. http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/love1.gif You'll be no good to anyone if you're destitute...and will actually cost the taxpayers more if you Don't wait for insurance.

Keep in mind that a back 'injury' can happen from the smallest thing....bending over to pick up laundry, reaching high for something, ...

In the meantime, be careful. Until you get your back stabilized (as successtory suggests http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/smile.gif) you Don't want to do more harm! http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/eek.gif

Keep us posted!

Karen

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9/22/00 24 hour labor, baby posterior, left tailbone killing me
12/00 MRI -normal-but pain still-began taking vicodin
2/8/02 - 2nd baby born - Csection-healthy girl
2000-11/02 various PT + pain meds
11/02 Referred to Neuro
3/03 NEW MRI - slight bulge L3-L4, DDD, neural foramen,Superior aspect S1 and L5 Nerve root involvement-Neuro Refers to PM for ESI's
(2 Rt Transforaminal,1 lumbosacral,3rd one numbed tailbone little
5/9 - Discogram - shows Tear L4 w/ significant leak onto nerves, DDD
Performing doc oversedated, False Negative
7/8- Dept Head ClCl consult
7/28 - ClevelClinic for Facet Injection, changed to Caudal Epidural after seeing xray of displaced coccyx;also,coccygeal manipulation
8/12 - sched for 2nd Caudal & manipulation