I have lived with a bad back for some time, approximately 2 years. I was told that I had degenerate discs and this was where the pain was radiating from, recently I had 2 MRI's, 1 for my neck and 1 for my lower back. My lower back results advised that the discs were continuing to reduce but my neck MRI showed I have a bulging disc. I have undertaken many courses to help with the Chronic Pain ie Back Pain. I took a 12 wk course, in Physiotherapy to no avail. I am now waiting to start hydrotherapy which the physiotherapist advised will not be a long term fix but should allow me to function a little better. Everyone is different, so although I have not had any success from the procedures I have tried they may be beneficial to others. I am attending a Chronic Pain consultant and we are trying everything possible, so hopefully in the near future I may be pain free and start to live life again.
Comment from: 45-54 Female (Patient)Published: January 16
I have found that myofascial release with massage to be the best pain reliever of all for my symptoms, which are severe in my neck at the base of my skull. My Pilates instructor, who also does myofascial release and massage, has been my life-saver.
Comment from: tootspatoots, 45-54 Female (Patient)Published: January 05
I've got some lower lumbar degenerated discs, four to be exact. I just found out that I'm lacking some blood flow to my left leg. I'm constantly in uncomfortable pain, whether it be sitting or standing. My doctor has me on 5 mg of oxycodone, four pills daily. My mother has this thought in her head that this is addicting, but I feel that low a dosage for pain alleviation isn't a problem. I've had acupuncture, massage therapy, physical therapy, and vitamins, and nothing seems to help as well as the oxycodone. I will be moving soon, and the pain management waiting list up here in my state (NY) is eight months.
Comment from: Political prisoner, 55-64 Male (Patient)Published: December 04
I have used about everything for pain, including massage, gadgets and machines pulling me and rolling me, chiropractic adjustments and about all of the narcotics. One thing that I feel would be helpful, if you can find a doctor that isn't so paranoid that he is afraid to give you aspirin, is using narcotics and switching them. Personally, I know that I am going to have days that I just have to live with it and take nothing. I am 60, and I either want to be treated with dignity, or be given the treatment people give their pets when they put them to sleep!
Comment from: Gail, 25-34 Female (Patient)Published: October 23
I have several autoimmune diseases and have suffered chronic pain for the last eight years. Primarily my chronic pain is low back and hip pain - sciatica, fibromyalgia and lumbar and sacral disk pain including the sacroiliac joint. I've tried many pain management options. Facet joint injections gave little or no relief, Versatis (lidocaine patch) also gave little relief. Currently I'm on 20mg Oxycontin BD, 75mg Lyrica TDS and Mobic 7.5mg BD. At the moment this combination is working, but I don't want to stay on this amount of medication for a long time, and am also aware that the longer I remain on these medications, the more tolerant of them I will become and therefore that a higher dose will be required to maintain a pain management level.
Comment from: William , 45-54 Male (Patient)Published: September 25
I have chronic pain, and I've been taking pain medications for three years. I take Morphine and use Fentanyl patches. My pain is in my lower back and is inoperable. It's been getting worse, too.
Comment from: Transcripter, 45-54 Female (Patient)Published: August 08
Topamax and Lunesta at bedtime have helped with my chronic nerve pain from a tarsal tunnel procedure.
Comment from: sue, 35-44 Female (Patient)Published: March 12
I am 44yrs old. I was involved in a motor vehicle accident 2yrs ago. Suffered herniated disc in my neck and back, also TMJ. Have been in pain ever since. Using Lyrica for pain, but it makes me dizzy. My life has been altered dramatically. I am using a cane for support because my back hurts severely when I put too much pressure on the left leg. I have not been able to work since. I experience neck, shoulder, back, hip, groin, leg, and knee pain. Both shoulders burn. I also get tingling in my neck, arm, and leg. All this because I was rear ended.
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There are many causes of back pain. Pain in the low back can relate to the bony lumbar spine, discs between the vertebrae, ligaments around the spine and discs, spinal cord and nerves, muscles of the low back, internal organs of the pelvis and abdomen, and the skin covering the lumbar area.
A pinched nerve can be caused of a variety of conditions, for example, carpal tunnel syndrome, herniated disc, sciatica, arthritis, spinal stenosis, trauma, and more. Common symptoms of a pinched nerve include pain, numbness, tingling, and weakness. Treatment of a pinched nerve depends on the cause of the pinched nerve.
Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease that causes chronic inflammation of the joints, the tissue around the joints, as well as other organs in the body. Because it can affect multiple other organs of the body, rheumatoid arthritis is referred to as a systemic illness and is sometimes called rheumatoid disease.
Gout is a condition that results from crystals of uric acid depositing in tissues of the body. Gout is a condition that can lead to abnormally elevated levels of uric acid in the
blood, recurring attacks of joint inflammation (arthritis), deposits of
hard lumps of uric acid in and around the joints, and decreased kidney
function and kidney stones.
Headaches can be divided into two categories: primary headaches and secondary headaches. Migraine headaches, tension headaches, and cluster headaches are considered primary headaches. Secondary headaches are caused by disease. Headache symptoms vary with the headache type. Over-the-counter pain relievers provide short-term relief for most headaches.
The knee joint is composed of three compartments and ligaments which stabilize the joint. Causes of knee pain may include injury, degeneration, infrequently infection and rarely bone tumors. Although routine x-rays do not revel meniscus tears, they can be used to exclude other problems of the bones and tissues. The knee joint is the most commonly involved joint in rheumatic disease, as well as immune diseases that affect various tissues of the body.
Crohn's disease is a chronic inflammatory disease,
primarily involving the small and large intestine, but which can
affect other parts of the digestive system as well. Abdominal pain, diarrhea, vomiting, fever, and weight loss are
common symptoms.
Menstrual cramps (pain in the belly and pelvic area) are experienced by women as a result of menses. Menstrual cramps are not the same as premenstrual syndrome (PMS). Menstrual cramps are common, and may be accompanied by headache, nausea, vomiting, constipation, or diarrhea. Severity of menstrual cramp pain varies from woman to woman. Treatment includes OTC or prescription pain relief medication.
Bursitis of the hip results when the fluid-filled sac (bursa) near the hip becomes inflamed due to localized soft tissue trauma or strain. Symptoms include stiffness and pain around the hip joint. If the hip bursa is not infected, hip bursitis can be treated with ice compresses, rest, and antiinflammatory and pain medications.
Fibromyalgia, formerly
known as fibrositis, causes chronic pain, stiffness, and
tenderness of muscles, tendons, and joints without detectable inflammation. Fibromyalgia patients have an unusually low pain threshold. Symptoms of fibromyalgia include fatigue, abnormal sleep, mental/emotional disturbances, abdominal pain, migraine and tension headaches, and irritable bladder. Treatment of fibromyalgia involves patient education, medication, exercise, and stress reduction.
Elbow pain is most often the result of tendinitis, which can affect the inner or outer elbow. Treatment includes ice, rest, and medication for inflammation. Inflammation, redness, warmth, swelling, tenderness, and decreased range of motion are other symptoms associated with elbow pain. Treatment for elbow pain depends upon the nature of the patient's underlying disease or condition.
Ankle pain is commonly due to a sprain or tendinitis. The severity of ankle sprains ranges from mild (which can resolve within 24 hours) to severe (which can require surgical repair). Tendinitis of the ankle can be caused by trauma or inflammation.
Neck pain (cervical pain) may be caused by any number of disorders and diseases. Tenderness is another symptom of neck pain. Though treatment for neck pain really depends upon the cause, treatment typically may involve heat/ice application, traction, physical therapy, cortisone injection, topical anesthetic creams, and muscle relaxants.
Osteoarthritis is a type of arthritis caused by inflammation, breakdown, and eventual loss of
cartilage in the joints. Also known as degenerative arthritis. Osteoarthritis
can be caused by aging, heredity, and injury from trauma or disease.
Sacroiliac joint (SI) dysfunction is a general term to reflect pain in the SI joints. Causes of SI joint pain include osteoarthritis, abnormal walking pattern, and disorders that can cause SI joint inflammation including gout, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, and ankylosing spondylitis. Treatment includes oral medications, cortisone injections, and surgery.
Arthritis is inflammation of one or more joints. When joints are inflamed they can develop stiffness, warmth, swelling, redness and pain. There are over 100 types of
arthritis including osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, psoriatic arthritis, lupus, gout,
and pseudogout.
IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) is a common gastrointestinal disorder involving abnormal gut contractions (motility) characterized by abdominal pain,
bloating, mucous in stools, and irregular bowel habits with alternating diarrhea
and constipation, symptoms that tend to be chronic and to wax and wane over the
years. Treatment options include medication and lifestyle changes such as diet, exercise, and stress management to control symptoms. Also called spastic colitis, mucus colitis, nervous colon syndrome.
Psoriatic arthritis is a disease that causes skin and joint inflammation. Symptoms include painful, stiff, and swollen joints, tendinitis, and organ inflammation. Treatment involves antiinflammatory medications and exercise.
Cancer is a disease caused by an abnormal growth of cells, also called malignancy. It is a group of 100 different diseases, and is not contagious. Cancer can be treated through chemotherapy, a treatment of drugs that destroy cancer cells.
Bursitis of the knee results when any of the three fluid-filled sacs (bursae) become inflamed due to injury or strain. Symptoms include pain, swelling, warmth, tenderness, and redness. Treatment of knee bursitis depends on whether infection is involved. If the knee bursa is not infected, knee bursitis may be treated with ice compresses, rest, and antiinflammatory and pain medications.
Lumbar stenosis can be caused by degenerative arthritis (the most common cause), tumor, infection, or metabolic disorders (Paget's disease of the bone). Symptoms include low back pain, weakness, pain, numbness, and loss of sensation in the legs. Other conditions may cause similar symptoms of lumbar stenosis, including diabetic neuropathy, claudication, and peripheral vascular disease. Diagnosis, is a medical history and imaging studies. Lumbar stenosis may be treated with medication or surgery.
The inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) are Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC). The intestinal complications of Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis differ because of the characteristically dissimilar behaviors of the intestinal inflammation in these two diseases.
Chronic fatigue syndrome is a debilitating and complex disorder characterized by profound fatigue that lasts 6 months or longer, is not improved by bed rest, and may be worsened by physical or mental activity.
Drug addiction is a chronic disease that causes drug-seeking behavior and drug use despite negative consequences to the user and those around him. Though the initial decision to use drugs is voluntary, changes in the brain caused by repeated drug abuse can affect a person's self-control and ability to make the right decisions and increase the urge to take drugs. Drug abuse and addiction are preventable.
Degenerative disc disease makes the disc more susceptible to herniation (rupture) which can lead to localized or radiating pain. The pain from degenerative disc or joint disease of the spine is usually treated conservatively with intermittent heat, rest, rehabilitative exercises and medications to relieve pain, muscle spasm and inflammation.
A frozen shoulder (adhesive capsulitis) is when the shoulder joint experiences a significant loss in its range of motion due to inflammation, scarring, or injury. Treatment involves anti-inflammatory medication, cortisone injections, and physical therapy.
Neuropathic pain is chronic pain resulting from injury to the nervous system. The injury can be to the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord) or the peripheral nervous system (nerves outside the brain and spinal cord).
The five types of spondylolisthesis include 1) dysplastic, 2) isthmic, 3) degenerative, 4) traumatic, and 5) pathologic. The most common symptom of spondylolisthesis is lower back pain. Treatment depends on the type and severity of spondylolisthesis. Surgery is required in some cases of spondylolisthesis.
Pain management and treatment can be simple or complex, according to its cause. There are two basic types of pain, nociceptive pain and neuropathic pain. Some causes of neuropathic pain includes: complex regional pain syndrome, interstitial cystitis, and irritable bowel syndrome. There are a variety of methods to treat chronic pain, which are dependant on the type of pain experienced.
If you think you have a medical emergency, call your doctor or 911 immediately.
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I have lived with a bad back for some time, approximately 2 years. I was told that I had degenerate discs and this was where the pain was radiating from, recently I had 2 MRI's, 1 for my neck and 1 for my lower back. My lower back results advised that the discs were continuing to reduce but my neck MRI showed I have a bulging disc. I have undertaken many courses to help with the Chronic Pain ie Back Pain. I took a 12 wk course, in Physiotherapy to no avail. I am now waiting to start hydrotherapy which the physiotherapist advised will not be a long term fix but should allow me to function a little better. Everyone is different, so although I have not had any success from the procedures I have tried they may be beneficial to others. I am attending a Chronic Pain consultant and we are trying everything possible, so hopefully in the near future I may be pain free and start to live life again.
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