Severe Lower Back Pain... Input?
 

Hello Friends

Have any of you who suffer lumbar pain been told that you have 'MUSCLE SPASMS' !
I spend most of my time on the SCS/Pain Pump forum because I had a lumbar implant done a year ago. It does a wonderful job of covering over the horrible burning neuropathic bilateral leg pain. BUT, I've been having these very painful flares in my lower back.....so much so, that I've been thinking I may be heading toward disability because I am unable to even sit at my DESK JOB :eek:
I asked for a lumbar Xray and that is when it was determined that one of my lead wires from my SCS had migrated down about 6 inches. I had this lead removed 10 days ago. I was hoping that it was the migrated lead that was the culprit in causing this terrible back pain. But there has been no improvement, despite having that lead removed.

The Xray also DID reveal that I have 'multi-dimensional' degeneration of the spine in the lumbar region. My Dr said most people suffer with this as we age and didn't seem to think much of it.
I also have a mild scoliosis (wasn't measured) and Dr said I've probably had this since I was a teen.

Can anyone share any thoughts pertaining to this 'Muscle Spasm' theory?
Sometimes it's just a constant dull ache and I wear a Lumbar Belt, which helps some....but sometimes I get these 'episodes' where it literally feels like someone is taking a chainsaw to my lower back! Does this sound like muscle spasm issues to you?

I was prescribed Zanaflex muscle relaxer and it seems to help some, but it's very shortlived relief.

Do you think I should request a CAT scan? I can't get an MRI since I have an SCS, but I just really need to know what is going on.

Does 'Spinal Decompression' help with lower back pain?

Any thoughts or suggestions would be SO appreciated!

Rae
:grouphug:

Hi Rrae,

Well, SURE you've got muscle spasms back there considering all that's going on giving you pain. DUH! :eek: (directed at your doctors - not you!)

Most, if not all, chronic pain patients suffer from some kind of muscle spasms, and many take muscle relaxers for them as part of their regular medication regime. You might discuss with your doctor a longer acting relaxer. I've got a spasm in my neck/shoulder that's been there pretty much permanently for the past six months or so from pain caused by stenosis in c5-c7. I don't tolerate muscle relaxers well, so we keep working on it with myofascial trigger point techniques, thera cane, and TENS just to stay on top of it.

I've got lumbar pain too, and though it's also caused by more DDD at l5-s1, it generally manifests as muscle fatigue and eventually spasm (and a dagger in the spine) if I don't get/take the pressure off of it (can't sit/stand for too long without support). Speaking of which.... :eek:

I don't know what a CAT scan might/not reveal that you don't already seem to know(?) I have heard anecdotal evidence that spinal decompression/inversion therapy has helped some people with lumbar pain, but as to whether it would help any particular individual... ???

Wish I had more than the old cliché, "I feel your pain."

Best wishes, & do what you gotta do.

Doc

Doc
 

Thank you for that input
I'm sorry to hear of your neck/shoulder issue........

Yes, I'm pretty frustrated in that I can't seem to get ANYbody to really help me center in on this. I have a great PM doc who is on the verge of retirement......he writes out wonderful prescriptions...but is completely NOT interested in digging deeper in to the problem. I'M the one who had to push to get the Xray. I'M the one who has to call the shots it seems like.

I see that you know exactly what I'm talking about when you said 'a dagger in the spine'

Well, since it appears that I have to be my own advocate in trying to get any answers, I better learn more about some of these options - myofascial trigger techniques.... and by 'techniques', are you referring to injections?
Trigger point injections? Is this the same as 'cortisone shots'......

You've opened some doors of possible opportunities I can check in to.
I appreciate it.

Low Pain Levels to YOU my friend!
Rae
:hug:

A good or advanced physical therapist should be able to differentiate if it is muscle spasms you are having and possibly what the cause might be.
Like if it is posture, scoliosis, or use related, and if the nerves might be causing some of it.
Sometimes it becomes a circle of pain - nerve tells muscle to tighten or spasm & then the tight muscle pulls more on the spine & so on...

A good PT should be able to help calm the muscles down with manual trigger point release, heat, massage, ultra sound, low level laser - what ever modalities that won't disrupt your SCS.

Welcome to the Wonderful World of Specialization! In a way, it's not his job to delve into the causes of pain (though in another way it is); his job is to help you manage the pain you're ostensibly stuck with. Makes sense but still seems stupid, huh?

I get the frustration, though I've worked past/through some of it (e.g. stages of grief). My orthopedic surgeon advised against surgery for me (everyone/case is different), because the numbers weren't there to support it. Chances were better than 50% of my pain being the same or worse after surgery, and I didn't care for those odds.

His advice was Pain Management (adding that some healing/body adjustment would occur naturally in time) until either my situation or medical science changed. I don't regret that decision one bit; some healing/fusing has occured, as has some further degeneration, but we're dealing with it.

I wasn't, specifically, but they are one of the modalities used in PM. Sometimes they use steroids (cortisone or other); sometimes other little "cocktails"; I'm not really up on them since they didn't work for me.

I was referring to myofascial trigger point therapy ("massage*"). I concur with Jo*mar's observations**, except that in my own experience, while PTs are somewhat familiar with myofascial trigger points & treatment, I would seek out (as I did personally at the suggestion of my PM doctor at the time - he couldn't officially "refer" - politics....) a certified/licensed (depending on jurisdiction) Myofascial Trigger Point Therapist .
http://www.myofascialtherapy.org/index.html

* "Massage" may be a bit of a misnomer, which the therapist joked about with us. Basically, they manually work out little knots in the muscle tissue, but this little manipulation can generate a pain level of 7 if it's done properly. "This too shall pass!"

** especially those about the circle/cycle of pain - I have a lot on that.

The therapist we saw was light years ahead of and beyond the local PTs. There is a lot of overlap. She helped me work on things like posture, gait, proper sitting support, etc. When it got down to the nitty-gritty, she located several MTP issues, worked them out, made some observations, and then taught us how to continue the therapy on our own at home.
http://www.triggerpointbook.com/
with or without a Thera Cane
http://www.theracane.com/
tennis ball, and/or a few other common household items...

There are many. Western medicine pretty much limits itself to two choices: surgery and/or medication. Eastern & alternative medicines take a somewhat wider view, but we must be vigilant against quackery. Then there are individual prejudices like belief systems, past experience, and preconceptions (right or wrong) tossed into the mix....

What's working for me now are a little of each, depending on.... well, a lot of variables. I use/have used meds, MTP massage, TENS, stretching/exercises, distraction (a lot of distraction).... Then there were several boatloads of things that didn't work....

Like I said, we gotta do what we gotta do. :winky:
Hang in there!

Doc

Back pain
 

I fully agree with this advice which I followed with great success.
It took me a while to find the right physio, and you may be able to get some personal references to help you get to the the best.
Just like doctors, they vary.
Mine can find the problem just by look or feel. If a joint is locked up, gently massaging will release it.
Also consider some remedial massage to get the muscle knots unravelled.
Lower back pain is VERY common, and the physios handle this sort of thing all day and every day.
Afterwards, you should embark on a routine to stretch and exercise the back, and look to lifestyle influences that strain the lower back.
Our muscles lose strength and tone as we age yet we try to do everything the same.
Joints tend to stick together, leading to strained muscles as they try to hold the joints in the new position.
Something has to give....

Hi Rrae ~ It doesn't sound like muscles spasms to me . Muscles spasms are a more fluctuating thing -- not the constant horrible deep ache that you describe. And I would NOT want to have decompression if I were you, or you'd end up with more problems than you already have. Surgery just begets more surgery. Just like with fusion -- the levels above/below will fail - and you'll end up needing more surgery. This happened to me -- I had 2 open surgeries for herniated discs - and darn it if the levels below the surgical site didn't fail. Now I have more herniated discs. No one will touch me now tho, since I have a bad case of osteoporosis. :rolleyes:

The American Medical Society said that most surgeries in the U.S. last year had the same long lasting effect as those people who went to physical therapy!!! So there have been many needless surgeries !!! The only reason for surgery should be if your spinal cord is being compressed.

If I had it to do over again, I would NEVER let them touch me -- but my surgeries were done before the internet came into being. :rolleyes: so it wasn't easy to do any real research.

I wish you the best of luck! God bless & take care. Hugs, Lee

I use a lot of distraction - and some of dat traction, which I forgot to mention. I have one of dose units dat hangs from a door.... It gets me to laughing so hard I have to stop lest I pull a neck muscle, because all I can think of is:
http://amayberrystateofmind.com/images/Barney21.jpg

Doc

Can you get a scrip for PT?
 

The reason for the query is its tendency in the spine treatment realm to be an oft used initial therapy for deep tissue spine patients in an effort to assist with their usually well schooled combination of analysis/observation, massage, exercise, and stretching. The use of a therapy service provider whose place of business also includes access to a therapy pool [typically a heated water bromine solution in an indoor pool where both exercise and traction can be achieved. I have spent countless hours in a therapy pool both pre and post surgery as a means to try to build strength and relax everything. After a good workout in pool, a deep end traction with either a cervical collar or those pool noodles strung under the arms allow the back to hang and you can attain a traction effect. Once you have tried this and seem to have good results if any, you could graduate the traction effect under the watchful eye of the therapist by adding weights to your ankles [and they come in graduated sizes- I worked up to 5 pounds on each leg] and then let your self hang or do bicycling in the deep end of the pool.

That's it for now,
Hope you can get some relief Rae,
Mark56:hug:z

Thank you my friends
 

Your responses are packed full of good stuff......so much so that I'm gonna print out this thread and stuff it in my purse as I must deal with how I'm going to handle an unexpected situation.......cripes :( when a death in the family happens, our worlds must come to an abrupt STOP and most of my distant family member have NO idea how 'disabling' I am becoming....
Only my immediate family are the ones who see me curled up in bed wishing I could just fall off of the face of the earth :rolleyes::confused:......

I am in NO condition to travel that's for #@#$%*& sure!
I can't 'boo hoooo' to my relatives about "MY" issues...for crying out loud my COUSIN DIED..!! :eek:
I'm practically having a mental meltdown because I can't be there for people who need support.....I can't even feed my horses anymore....I can't BE ANYBODY!! :eek::(:thud:

Can someone just stuff me in a BOX and Fed Ex me to the funeral?
Could it just BE THAT SIMPLE!!!!!!

Anyway, I just wanted to let you know how much I appreciate all your input.
It really means alot to me

Doc.... thank you for that funny 'visual'....I feed off of humor. If it weren't for humor, I'd be a gonner by now, that's for sure.

Hugs to all
Rae
:grouphug: