Thoracic Back pain

Tirzah

Andy- I have breathing problems with my injuries. I have compression fractures at t5,6 and 11, A burst fracture at t9. Right after the accident I thought for sure that I damaged my lungs but they checked out ok. The only explanation that I got was that the injury from my t spine is putting pressure on nerves that are connected to my lungs. If you were a runner you may have compression fractures that you don't know about. The pounding that your body goes through with running is tremendous and it maybe triggering the nerve irritation.
Tirzah

Tirzah

Bandit- I can't tell you if it is a muscle or a spine issue but I do get the electrical shocks down my legs. The pain management dr told me that it is from nerve irritation. I take lyrica for it and it really helps.
Tirzah

TYPAPPY

Tirzah is there any treatment for this breathing problem

bandit122

Thanks Tirzah, I Went to Dr Today and She Gave Me a Shot or Toradol? And a Shot of Steriods.....Still Hurting and She Only Said That I Was Not Better in a Few Days I Needed a MRI....Anyway I Guess I Will Lay Here And Hope it Gets Better....After Reading Posts If This Is a Perm Injury It Sounds Like I May Be In For a Long Haul.............Thanks Agian

Tirzah

Andy- I wish there was some treatment. Doctors do not like to do surgery in the thoracic spine because it is so risky. My neurosurgeon told me that if I had surgery that there was a good chance that I would be worse. Have you been to a neurosurgeon that specializes in spine disorders?
Sorry I don't have better news for you.
Tirzah

fireguy191

Andy, sorry to hear about all of your problems with your Thoracic issues. I'm sorta curious about your shortness of breath, does the SOB come on with activity when you run or does it happen when you are sitting around. Have the doctors investgated any pathological issues within your lungs? Have you had a 12 lead treadmill test to determine it isn't cardiac related? With the lungs so many things can cause the shortness of breath, execrise induced asthma, COPD, or even lung cancer,(if the mass is to small to be seen with imaging). Anyway, with my herniation I have had a few episodes of SOB, mainly due to the fact I could not fully expand my chest without alot of pain. I hope that you find answers to your problems, I know how frustating it can be with dealing in issues in your Thoracic spine. I work as a firefighter/paramedic and my back is well brutual at times and it discourages me, because like you I"m very active person, I hope things for you can be worked out. Please keeps us informed alot of good, well informed people in here.
Take care
Bill

TYPAPPY

Bill, the sob is always withme. Ever since i started having problems with the mid back. I t seems like something is blocking air from getting in my lungs when i inhale. I had treadmill tests, i had my lungs tested and also had a ectocardiogram. All checked out ok. I also was checked for exercise induced asthma. Don't know were to go next. Exercise makes the breathing problem worse. I guess i'll try another lung doctor. Seen 9 ortho surgeons. They just don't know about the mid back.
Thanks for the reply
Andy

oilfieldpilot

Hey Fireguy!

We may have crossed paths on some wildfires in Az (we fly offshore in gulf and chase the fires in summer)

Your case sounds a lot like what one of my mechanics went thru nearly 2 yrs ago.
He had to take med leave and was hurting so bad he was confined to the floor! anyway, he was facing imminent surgery, but when he learned it would all be done from the front (and he's a BIG guy!) he asked what other options beside death were available.
He manages to stick it out for a very aggressive non-surgical and PT treatments (nearly daily) for eight months! But he committed himself and stayed dedicated to get better. He said just the thought of going thru his chest was enough motivation.
He came back to work and has no problems today. I sought his advice a lot when my lower back finally gave in to 'pilot syndrome' this summer.

Anyway, hang in there! He was a horrible case, but surprised all with his healing. The body wants to heal, and most cases will if we tolerate the pain and give it a chance (sometimes even years to do this) to avoid surgery.

Whatever you do, don't rush into surgery! Exhaust all diagnostics first!

I have herniated discs and a couple nasty looking facets...but they are NOT the source of my pain. My docs are still doing diagnostics to chase the PAIN, Not just the obvious problems, that are not causing the pain...
(this is where soooo many unnecessary surgeries are performed, thus causing more problems than good!)

Best of luck! And be safe out there

ak
lady-ofp

haleysmum

Hi , not sure if any of you guys are still following this post, but would love to hear from you all. I have tried doing research without much luck on the thoracic region. Anyway I recently had a full spine xray done as I had been getting pins and needles ( numbness ) in my hands and feet along with chest pains etc. I have had what I would call a bad back for years, but just always put it down to being pregnant and having 2 babies in the past just over 2 yrs. I am hoping that someone can tell me what the following means ? I have been told arthritis ( sp ) but not totally sure. Anyway this is what the report said as follows -----
FULL SPINE: Lumbar disc height is reasonably maintained. No significant end plate degenerative changes. No spondylolisthesis. There is sclerosis related to the sacroiliac joints consistent with degenerative changes at these articulations.
Minor medial joint space narrowing of the hips.
Thoracic spine demonstrates end plate irregularity and small anteriorly projecting osteophytes in the mid to lower thoracic region. Thoracic vertebral body height is maintained.
Cervical disc height normal. Cervical alignment normal. No significant cervical degenerative change seen.
What my doctor has said to me in a nutshell is that, 2 of my vertabrae in the thoracic region are rubbing which has caused small spurs to grow. These are niggling away at nerves and muscles. All I know is I am sick of being terrified of this numbness etc. I have convinced myself I am about to have a heart attack or stroke Can any of you tell me if you have also had the numbness and pins and needles etc ? This has been in all different areas of my body. Is there anyway I can fine out exactly what parts of the body that the thoracic region control ? I musnt be putting in the right words in a search engine I understand that you cant give me links to other web pages, but even just help with the wording would be great. Hope to hear from others soon. thanks in advance

__________________
DS CHRISTOPHER 27th JANUARY 1986
DD HALEY BORN 27TH SEPT 2003
DS ADAM BORN 1ST NOV 2004

Pebble Beach

Hi. I have spine problems in all areas. I have had cervical spine surgery with instrumentation and lumbar surgery with instrumentation. But, I have thoracic pain as well at 4 levels. It comes and goes. Radiating type of pain sometimes radiating into the abdominal area. As to surgery, I have been told surgeons prefer not to operate in this area. It is complicated since you have to deal with the ribs and lungs in that area. So it is dangerous. I am dealing with the pain when it occurs.

Allan

Tirzah

Haleysmum- I know this sounds weird but if you do a search for an *********** site I have found that they have the best myotomes and dermatomes charts. It will show you what nerves are connected to what vertebrate.
Tirzah

Tirzah

Haleysmum- I'm sorry I must have written that wrong. If you find a site for paraplegics a lot of times they have good charts.
Tirzah

haleysmum

Hi Tirzah, thanks heaps for that, will check it out Still hoping someone can tell me if its normal to get the chest pain etc with my back problem. I have been in an absolute state today convinced I am about to have a heart attack Its not an agonizing pain or crushing pain like with heart attack, its just there and I am aware of it. But its not ultra painfull. It also seems to change positiions from day to day. IE The pain will be in one spot alllllllll day for a whole day and then maybe nothing the next day, and then another spot the day after ? Anyway advice would be great thanks

__________________
DS CHRISTOPHER 27th JANUARY 1986
DD HALEY BORN 27TH SEPT 2003
DS ADAM BORN 1ST NOV 2004

Tirzah

I don't have bone spurs in my t-spine but I do have compression fractures and they do cause me to have chest pain at times. The pain in my chest is usually right in the middle. Sometimes enen though I am not feeling the pain there if I swallow something it hurts like crazy.
You said that you have 2 bone spurs rubbing and I think that could cause chest pain depending on where they are.
Tirzah