I have issues with my back too. In the thoracic area, when my back muscles are weak, it feels like the wind is knocked out of me, especially when I pick anything up. My lower back is in pain when I bend repetitively. I try to use my legs to bend, but my legs are usually weak. I find that if I sit down and fold my body forward that it helps with the lower back pain. I haven't had an MRI on my spine, except for my neck, so I don't know what's going on. In my neck I have at C4-C5 a mild left foraminal narrowing produced by very significant hypertrophic facet arthrosis. At C5 -C6 I have a very promient broad based ventral disc osteophyte complex and a superimposed broad based disc extrusion that contacts the ventral surface of the cord and mildly flattens it. The complex is also contiguous with bilateral uncovertebral arthrosis and produces foraminal narrowing on the left side. At C7 - T1 A very mild foraminal narrowing bilaterally secondary to uncovertebral arthrosis. I don't understand most of this but I was told is that I have a bulging disc and had arthritis. I'm pretty sure the rest of my spine looks the same.

I was told by a Chiropractor several years ago, that I have an S shaped spine, and that my lower two vertebrae are fused. He thought that I may of had Spina Bifida in the womb, and it healed before birth.

I wonder if the weak muscles caused by MG can put pressure on the spine to cause arthritis. My RA factor is negative, but I've read that there are some who have rheumatoid arthritis and are negative. I know I have some kind of arthritis because I'm dealing with trigger thumb right now on my left hand. My right thumb is tender right now too.

I don't have any sleeping issues right now, but have in the past when a million thoughts flood my mind and when I am in pain from my Trigeminal Neuralgia. I've learned to deal with the pain by rubbing capsaicin cream on my jaw. It works wonders for my pain, but I have no idea if this works on the back. I've never tried it there. At night I'll get the back pain sometimes and I'll lay on my side and with my knees bent I'll move my upper knee past my lower one and the pain is relieved.

I hope you were able to get some sleep.