Back Pain Forum - Chronic Thoracic Back Pain And Spasticity

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What structures make up the spine? We review basic spine anatomy here...before identifying potential causes of back pain....

Q: Chronic Thoracic Back Pain And Spasticity

asked by: tpula on October 25th, 2007

New User

I have been dealing with chronic back pain and spasticity for years. My problems started with extreme tightness in the hips/legs with radiating achiness in the low back. After a change in lifestyle a few years back which involved healthy eating and a lot of working out, I started with pain in the thoracic region. I have large ropy bands of muscle that will not release no matter what I do. Within these muscles, I have tender points which cause pain sensations at skin level. After physical activity like lifting and housework, these tender points cause the muscles to contract further causing burning pain. The muscles in the thoracic region always feel strained and I need to have my back supported when sitting otherwise the pain increases. Sitting and standing for long periods makes it worse. Moving makes me feel better.

It feels like I have seen every Doctor the state of CT has to offer. Everyone that I have seen tells me the same thing...we have no idea what is wrong with you. I have seen Neurologists, Orthos, PTs, Osteopaths, Chiropractors, Rheumatologists, and Endocrinologists. I have had X-rays and MRIs and ridiculous amounts of blood work. I have done extensive massage therapy, Accupuncture, TENs, Ultrasound, and Graston Technique. I have been prescribed a laundry list of pain and anti-spasmatic medications all of which do nothing. I have done Botox and Cortizone. I have not yet found someone who believes in TPI. I have been told that Prolotherapy may or may not help. Heat and cold do not help. Stretching makes my low back feel better but makes my mid back feel worse. Massage causes severe inflammation. I feel better when I am warmed up at the gym but feel horrible when I cool down.

I am 31 years old and my body is stuck in a vicious cycle and I can't find a way to get myself out of it. I am wondering if there is anyone else on here who has had similar experiences.

Replies(23)

RichT

replied on October 25th, 2007

Active User, very eHealthy

Hello Tpula,

It really hurt just to read what you have and are going through. You certainly have tried every avenue one could think of.

May I suggest that you go to the "Laser Spine Surgery" thread and take a look. You may also wish to check out the web sites of Laser Spine Institute and Bonati Institute. Both are located near Tampa, Florida. It may be worth a look.

A fine lady, Fran, lives in the Boston area and has a SUPERB spine doctor. She also posts on the above mentioned thread.

I only wish I could give you more options to look into.

My thoughts and prayers are with you.

RichT

tpula

replied on December 27th, 2007

New User

I have recently relocated to Dallas and have an appointment at the Texas Back Institute in a few weeks. Hopefully someone there can shed some light on my situation.

RichT

replied on December 29th, 2007

Active User, very eHealthy

Hello Tpula,

I hope your appointment at the Tx Back Inst. goes well and that they can help you.

Let us know how things progress for you.

RichT

pledge01

replied on February 5th, 2008

New User

Let me know if you have learned anything new. A lot of what you wrote sounds like me and I am still looking for an answer.

stacy1111

replied on February 11th, 2008

New User

Hello

I am so sorry to hear that you are going through all that. I not sure if you said but has the MRI's and X-Rays revealed anything? Did they give you any possible diagnosis?

I can seriously relate to your pain. I have been dealing with chronic upper back pain going on 9 years (I posted in the forum under chronic back pain for 8 years). I have tried the TPI which helped for about two weeks but then had to stop them. The docs say I have too many "knots" so the injections won't work.

I hope your appointment goes well. Please keep us posted.

~ Stacy

sleepyhead303

replied on February 12th, 2008

New User

i have very bad middle to upper back pain too. i've been going to a chiropractor but i'm afraid after 3 visits it doesn't help a whole lot. i can't seem to find exercises to do at home, from a chair (no room to lay out) which i wish i could do along with the chiro. i've lived with back pain for years and have told myself that i had to put up with it. alot of trouble going to the doctor everyday for little lasting help.

very sorry you are suffering so. dont have any answers for you can just say you are not alone.

tpula

replied on March 8th, 2008

New User

8 weeks of PT at TBI and zero progress to report. I am really devastated at this point. Daily stretching, ball routines, and Medex twice a week have made my symptoms worse. I have a follow up appointment with my PCP this week and am trying to get into a highly recommended pain mgt Doc in North Dallas. I am in complete disbelief that none of the doctors I have seen have been able to correlate the signs and symptoms and at the very least give me a best guess as to what might be wrong. After 4 years of searching, I am no closer than when I started.

RichT

replied on March 9th, 2008

Active User, very eHealthy

Hello Tpula,

Sorry to read that all your PT has not helped you.

Okay, see your PCP and see what he/she has to say. I hope the recommendation is for you to see a spinal surgeon. If so, look for the best one that you can find.

Tpula, you have done your research well in seeking out "a highly recommended pain mgt Doc in North Dallas" DO make an appointment with the PM doc. Call and make an appointment tomorrow.

For my ole body, be it a torn rotator cuff, or back pain, PT by itself was never the answer. What has helped a great deal is a combination of having an injection of a corticosteroid (Kenalog) and some PT. In my experience/opinion a very critical "ingredient" as to whether the injection works is the skill and expertise of the doctor giving the injection at exactly the right precise location. No assistant, but the doctor himself/herself. AND the doctor must review the MRIs very well, and use a fluoroscope to help him/her guide the needle to the exact location it needs to be for the corticosteroid to be able to reduce the inflammation. Such at least has been my experience.

I wish you well. Do keep in touch and let us know how things go for you.

My thoughts and prayers are and will be with you.

RichT

tpula

replied on March 10th, 2008

New User

I have an appt with the pain management doc next week. I will keep you posted. Thank you for the response.

RichT

replied on March 11th, 2008

Active User, very eHealthy

GREAT!!!!

Hello Tpula,

EXCELLENT!!! I'm glad that you have made an appointmnet with a PM doc for next week. I'll look forward to your update.

I hope and pray he/she can help you.

RichT

Citadel72

replied on March 17th, 2008

New User

Chronic Thoracic Back Pain And Spasticity

Tpula,

I called Dr. Michael Perry of the Laser Spine Institute where I had my surgery done in July 2006. My results were incredible Ã¢ï¿½Â¦ simply amazing! I wonÃ¢ï¿½ï¿½t go into all of the misery and restrictions I went through, but I am now pain-free and symptom-free after suffering unspeakable pain for 27 years. I have been a BIG advocate of LSI ever since that wonderful, momentous day in July 2006. Dr. Perry said if you will mail or fax your MRI report to him at LSI, he would be happy to diagnose your problem for free ... no obligations whatsoever. Tell him you chatted online with Citadel72. Remind him that I spoke with him at 10:32 AM on 03/13/08 about you. I sent him via email your symptoms as you described them, cut and pasted from your first post of 10-25-07 at 11:56 AM. Email him at edited to remove link attaching your MRI report, if possible. Or the best, least intrusive way is to fax it to him at edited to remove information with a short note on the cover sheet mentioning the above so heÃ¢ï¿½ï¿½ll have a point of reference. He will follow up with you as soon as he gets it. And again there is ABSOLUTELY NO CHARGE OR OBLIGATION for this service.

-- Citadel72

RichT

replied on March 22nd, 2008

Active User, very eHealthy

Hello Citadel,

Thanks for sharing your successful surgery and receovery. Wonderful to know that the doctors at LSI were able to eliminate the terrible pain you were having.

I invite you to "stop over" at the Laser Spine Surgery thread and say Hello.

I hope Tpula will look into LSI and have Dr. Perry give his opinion after review of her MRIs. He also reviewed my MRIs and sent me a report of his thoughts. At this time I'm staying away from the knife as my PM doc has helped a lot. I have an appointment with him this coming Wednesday.

Take care.

RichT

tpula

replied on March 23rd, 2008

New User

Pain mgt doc wants me to go see Neurologist #2 to discuss a possible nerve conduction study. I didn't get much of anything out of this initial visit. He wants to do yet another round of blood tests and feels that my problem may be endocrine related. My new PCP in Plano is taking an interest in getting me better. She had me do a series of chest and back x-rays this past week and also wants to do additional blood work. I am pushing for a sit down MRI as my last MRI is now a few years old. The large areas of congealed muscle tissue in my mid and lower back continue to flare. And so the saga continues...

Citadel72

replied on April 2nd, 2008

New User

Chronic Thoracic Back Pain And Spasticity

Thanks, RichT. I appreciate the invite. Which url here at eHealthForum were referring to? I see several that might fit that description. And I would love to join in those discussions. Thank you.

Have we heard from tpula? How's she doing? Any word? I sure can relate to her predicament. I sure hope she finds a solution or, at least, finds some relief, whether it's at the Laser Spine Institute or elsewhere. My heart goes out to her.

I see where the moderator or someone edited out the phone numbers I included in my last post. It must be against the rules to provide info like that. I didn't realize that. My bad, as the kids say.

I'll have to go back and re-read their policy on content, paying closer attention to the rules, because my last post sounded a little stilted edited like that. I do wish they had placed brackets around the portion removed from the post though -- something like [edited to remove link] or {edited to remove information}. Along with the hieroglyphics that appeared in my post, I thought something strange had happened when I entered the text, causing portions to be omitted, others to be garbled and to look and read somewhat non-sensical.

Anywho, I love this website! What a great FREE service to people around the world looking for help from their maladies and miseries! I wonder how they do it though and make money. There seems to be only a minimum (non-intrusive) amount of advertising per page. Not like other websites where you have to navigate around a slew of ads that comprise half the page content.

Oops, sorry, I got off topic here.

Tpula, keep us informed. You have friends here in this community. God bless!

-- Citadel72

srfnson

replied on April 10th, 2008

New User

Wow tpula...you story reads like mine amost exactly! Only difference is my ropiness is in lower back area not the mid area.

I've got the ropy bands on my left side around my transverse process...hard tight mass and bands of gritty ropy muscles in that area. Originally I injured my back deadlifting 7yrs ago...recovered then 4yrs ago another injury pushing a vehicle. About 5 months after that developed tender point and grittiness in lower back muscles. Feels like I've got a chunk of scare tissue in my lower back!

Seen 3 docs, had 3 mri's, ultrasounds, cat scans, bone scan etc. with no diagnosis or relief. Tried everything you've done...tons of stretching, core workouts massage, accupuncture...currently doing prolo but that hasn't helped. Just had special blood test to determine "inflamation index" which may explain why I'm not responding to prolo. Like you, I want to get a sitting MRI so will be interested in hearing your results.....

Totally relate to your vicious cycle feeling...I'm only 43 and feel like I'm falling apart! There has to be an answer out there and that's what keeps me going...

Best of luck and don't stop searching!

gwiloa

replied on July 18th, 2008

New User

you situation sounds similar to mine

I had similar simptoms and found out that I had a hip misalignment. Having this problem causes relocating pain all up and down your spine because your body keeps constantly trying to compensate for the misalligned hips with other mustles on your spinal column. And this wears out your muscles up your back.

The radiating of the pain up and down your back is a symptom of hip misalignment.

Anyway hip reallignment is a routing chiropractor procedure. I don't know why doctors don't ever refer patents to chiropractors. They really ought to interact better.

jada3

replied on July 18th, 2008

New User

tpula

hey!!! i am new to the world of forum chatting and all the support and great advice that can be found here.... i have just posted my first message "bulging disc, why wont any of my doctors acknowledge it"
just reading about your obstacle of doctors, specialists and tests makes my stomach turn and knot... i have a work related injury, thoracic spine, i first noticed pain around august/september of 07. i began telling or safety coordinator ( nurse had quit & she wasnt replaced) that i was having back pain...(he said it was just a muscle strain) time and time again i told him on numerous visits it was to severe and persistent to be muscle...i have 1 spot in my spine when it is touched my shoulder "jumps" and just the touch brings on so much pain i think i am going to vomit.. the right lumbar muscle burnes so badly, when i extend my arms, and work is when the pain gets the worst, by the time i am finished brushing my teeth, the burn and spasm is so terrible..finally in march of this year i was sent to the occupational doc. he has provided NO answers, even though the mri i had stated that i have a bulge at the T2, every doc. i have seen says that they cannot find any reason for pain.....please let me know if your doctor has yet diagnosed you, and what tests or procedures you had that may have helped with diagnosis, I am 27 yrs old and dear god i dont want to feel like this for the rest of my life.......is there hope?

johans

replied on July 26th, 2008

New User

chronic diseases treatment

It's not easy to cure any chronic disease. modern classic medicine can not help you, all prescribed remedies simply mask symptoms or even make your situation worse...

you actually have two options, each of them takes time and patience

1 - find good oriental practicioner who uses alternative medicine

2 - try to use Zalmanov emulsions, they have good statistics

Best regards

jmt

replied on September 19th, 2008

New User

Chronic back pain

I am sorry that you are going through the pain that you described. I have been suffering the same symptoms as you. You described my problem exactly. I have had XRay, CT and MRI scans but, the most of any diagnosis that I have had is arthritis in my facet joints all along my spine. I really question this as I am only 32 years and am in so much pain. It must be something else. I have another appoint with my Spine doc and going to ask for another opinion. I go through physio about twice a week,,, I have good days and bad days. Today was a bad so , and it really getting me down. It has been 1.5 years of this pain and emotional turmoil.

I will keep in touch
Thanks for your post
Jenna

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