Ropey, gritty feeling muscle around transverse process

G'day,

Yes I know what you are talking about. I have a similar but not identical problem, and it seemed to be initiated from overdoing lunges in the gym with a barbell.

I don't have a cure, nor do I even know what it is, but I have some theories.

1. Facet joint inflammation, caused by degeneration of the facet cartilage - a facet joint injection is a sure way to diagnose/treat this

2. One of the small muscle insertion points on the tran. process has been torn/severly damaged, and will not heal. If you look at an anatomy diagram, these muscles are extremely slender, and I propose that the slightest stress as they are trying to heal will damage them again, so that a cycle of inflammation, and scarring develops.

I know this isn't much but one thing I have found that relieves the pain somewhat is this.

Get a water running belt [ from an aquarobics store/site] and go to a local heated pool. Put the belt on and get in the deep end of the pool and just walk in the water for about 20 mins. I guess this is decompressing the spine and spinal muscles, and strengthening the supporting muscles without aggravating the damaged muscles.

Another help is to get a light compression back support brace and wear it while sitting. I have found with this I can now ride my motorcycle for 40-60 mins., whereas before I could barely ride 15mins without aggravation.n't.

I have found the following actions agggravate

1. Sitting
2. lunges/deadlift type exercises
3. Hip flexion extension exercises., with the knees straight

All I can do is just try and either stand or lie down most of the time, but if your job involves driving then it's not much help

Good luck

It sounds like what you're describing is chronic soft tissue injuries due to long trem unbalance in lower back, which can become worse over time and lead to painful ropey lumpy mass around your left transverse process ,etc. Given the severity of your pain and the functional limitations it's now placing on you, it probably is time to consult with a reputable doctor for second opinion.It is a common misconception that back pain always stems from the pressure of a slipped disc or a trapped nerve. This is misleading, the main cause of pain is inflammation stimulating nerves, causing the pain signal.

I would agree that intensive acupuncture (Not general acupuncture), mobilization exercises can be helpful

good luck!

Thanks for your reply...

I think you're right about the soft tissue injury as when my pain seems to eminate from this lumpy mass area and I can feel the texture of the area change when I"m in pain.

It's a very frustrating condition as I've seen 4 doctors so far and getting them to acknowledge that this area is the problem vs a disk issue is very difficult. It seems if it is not disk related their response is that there are too many other conditions or causes that an accurate diagnosis is not possible.

Most docs and physio's have commented they've never seen a patient with the lumpy mass structure that I have around my left L5 transverse process. Unfortunately, nothing in that area shows up on an MRI....

alrite mate. I am 23 and have suffered from chronic back pain for 5 years from a squat/deadlift injury. As with you all scans are clear. I have these gritty muscular adhesions on attachments of QL from 12th rib to the illiac crest and also the same gritty feeling in my multifidus muscles at 12th rib area down to SI joint. The problem is that doctors etc dont even take the time to press hard enough to feel whats going on. They rule out the structural stuff but ignore the muscles. The fact that you have been in pain for so long probably means you have developed adhesions in your muscles

You say you tried all treatments. I tried all and the only one that works is very deep sports massage? trust me, its no magic cure but i use to be in agony all the time and in 1 year of intense massage every week and self trigger point therapy i have at least halved my pain. You need to tell them exactly what you want and deep pressure... i find that deep friction massage with deep elbow trigger point therapy gives the most lasting relief.

Also, i reccomend that you try psoas and abdominal massage. If your anything like me it will really help. The psoas works with the QL and is your main core muscle. When this is overworked your QL takes up the slack and when the QL: is overworked your Glutes will work harder.

Combine this with your physio after a few months of massage and you should notice a BIG difference. I reccomend seeing a C.H.E.K practitioner.

As for your glute...it sounds like a trigger point in glute medius or in piriformis. Get a tennis ball (or harder ball if you need) and roll around on it m8 till you find the spot. hold until pain is 7/10 and release, then repeat. This is simple and can be used on most muscles. Try it. Read The trigger point therapy workbook by clair and Amber davies...it is a masterpiece for relieving pain.

Also if you wanted to try a nutritional approach... your body needs more protein and fat when you are under such stress and omit all grains wheat bread except for rice. This will aid in the healing of the scar tissue/adhesions. If you were interested look into Metabolic Typing..im having some good results in relieving general inflamation.


i hope this helps.

tom

Hey Tom,

Thanks for your reply and great suggestions! I believe you are right about the adhesions...from my research and talking to a few doctors I think what has developed in my back is myogelosis which is pretty much irreversable.

I''m doing better these days although still have the pain sitting but it''s much better than it was a few years ago.

About a year ago I saw a specialist who does spinal injections and had 3 different ones to figure out where pain was and which would work best. The first 2 didn''t work at all but the last one kicked in and resulted in dramatic reduction in pain to the point I felt like I got my life back!

I have the injection about every 6 months and it really helps...

The nutrition comment is an important one! I do a cleanse twice a year and generally limit gluten and refined sugars at all times. The cleanse seem to really help reduce pain levels and gave me a lot of energy.

Hope you resolve your pain!

Paul

I�m so sorry to hear about your back pain. I specialize in treating chronic pain and help many people with back pain by correcting the functional roots of their pain. First of all, it�s always a good idea to see a doctor first and rule out serious problems�of which there are many possibilities. Once that is done and no other problems have been found then here�s a little 1-minute test to help you understand, what could be a fundamental cause of your back pain.
Lie down on your back for 30 seconds with legs extended out, resting on the floor. Now bend your knees so the feet are sitting flat on the floor near your behind for 30 seconds. Which one feels better? If your back pain diminishes with knees bent then your spine has excessive extension stress acting on it. There are simple exercises to correct this. If your spine felt better with legs extended then you have excessive flexion stress acting on your spine. Again this is easily correctable.
Without getting into too much detail, chronic pain results from a cycle of issues. Anatomical problems feed biomechanical issues which then affect movement habits that reinforce the original anatomical and biomechanical problems. Fixing back pain requires attention to all three levels. It''s often quite simple to correct though once the root causes are understood. This is outlined in my book. I�ve also posted this 1-minute back pain test on YouTube, if you�re interested.
I wish you the best and please feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

Rick Olderman MSPT

Try acupuncture with electrical stimulation, and tell them to put it on high. That gets rid of ropey muscles. I have 7 and 10 year old muscular injuries from a major car accident (including whiplash). I tried physical therapy, rolfing, deep tissue massage, and all methods worked mildly. I tried acupuncture with electrical stimulation and am completely shocked to be recovering after a decade of sheer misery.

oh yeah and i was diagnosed with myogelosis also. the only thing doctors could do for me was prescribe drugs and physical therapy. Nothing has working as well as acupuncture from very experienced acupuncturists from China.

I have similiar problem with lumpy hardened tissue around each SI joint. I have no SI joint problems in terms leg movement but constant nagging pain from that area, bending forward and sitting is particularly difficult. I also have tried everything with no success. At times I feel life isn't worth living as my quality of life has decreased so much

I relate so much to this I was limping and sitting toward my right side due to left side pain (avoiding) after a few years started having alot of tension in right side lumbar gute med. spoke to physio, doctor no help, went to osteo no help, saw myptherapist for dry needleing which illiminated lingering left side pain and started reducing right side tension, did this for a couple of yrs every 6 months i plateaued, told her she had to go deeper she said there nothing but bone deeper, went to chinese medical practitioner who told me i had transverse proccess syndrome (this apparently means i have conective muscle tissue/ muscle membrane attached to my right side trans pro on L3. he has treated me with electro acupuncture and im heaps better in 4 months more improvement than a year of conventional dry needling. however the ropeyness and tension is still there its just more on and off, still almost always on, but my posture has improved.
(i have also seen a new osteo that helped relase my joins as myo and acu released muscles).

the problem is that the ropeyness remains and causes pain and my acupuncturist seem astounded and amused by the sound it makes but doesn't sound confident that it will discipate or he is but can't give a time line and dismisses the amount of discomfort i am in.

I am reading this relating to the rope tense muscle problem you describe and also the fact that most doctors, and i even find physios don't want to press hard enough to really feel what's happening inside, or they dismiss it as general tension or non specific muscular pain and offer me no help i have had to push people to give me opinions. i think this is because they don't know and don't want to speculate but also don't wanted to admit not knowing.

anyway i am now going to push a new doctor (i'll have to find) and my new physio a found a couple of weeks ago about myogelosis.

I tried a C.H.E.C.k prac its helpful as is any good diet and excercise but i don't think its the cure they belive it is although this was before acu treated me for tr.pro syndrome and i do feel more unstuck know and maybe check excercise woul work better know.

I am also doing rehab pilates to address the muscle inbalance 7-10 years of pain have left me with. i am now on a high protein diet just started taking L-glutamine don't no how this will go but here's hoping.

sorry to go on but i found reading this helped me feel better at least. i refuse to belive there is no cure will get better i have so far, why not a little more more?

what kind of injections do you get are the results temporary?

to the guy spruking his book it is simpleton snake oil sales men like you and other docs and physios/body workers that promoted only general cures that leave people like us overwhelmed, let down and under diagnosed.

i do babble on but i'm home with pain, i also now this is fairly old but i found it helpful and wanted to help whoever comes next. if anyone's still around how are things going on the myogelosis anyone found anything helpful?

anyway that's it thanks for sharing all.