[Jyes]

In June 2005 I fell off a ladder onto my back, but luckily the concrete driveway stopped my fall.

In the emergency room, I was only x-rayed for pelvis, lumbar and LEFT rib areas. I think I made a mistake back then not telling them I had nasty cervical issues, but too late now.

Well, it took over two months to recover from bruised ribs, sore tailbone, and hip area. During that time every time I had to cough, if I did not support my back against the wall, the pain would drive me to the floor. Reminded me of when I cracked three ribs in a bike accident. But, this was on the right side and all my pain from the ladder fall was center to left area..

I told my family doctor several times about this pain, that was especially bad at night while lying in bed and when I tried to move the pain would fly in for a split second, but it was a quick super jab. Doc, just said, oh it is bruised muscles............

The pain continued for months, but in the meantime my other aches took priority. However I did continue to complain to the family Doctor and he sent me for an U/S of the kidneys, well, that came back negative. I continued with the pain, complained again to the Doc and he sent me for a Gall Bladder U/S, and that came back negative also.

As time went by and I had my cervical and lumbar areas under Pain Mgt care, my new exercise program was starting to hurt this back right rib area again, to where now it was bothering all the time and not just at night.

So, I finally gave up on my family Doctor and went to see a new NS, he listened to my complaints and thought that my pain is more likely to be generated from a spinal injury and not a muscle/rib damage area. He ordered a Thoracic MRI!! FINALLY, I felt like someone was really listening to me and I was hoping the MRI would show what is causing my pain in the mid back area.

Yesterday I met with the NS and we discussed the Thoracic MRI. The MRI itself is not bad, when compared to my Cervical and Lumbar regions, but I have on herniated disc at T8/9 and and abnormal deformity of the cord in that area. The NS is fairly certain that is causing my "sciatic like" pain into my lower right rib area.
Oh, his Dx was Thoracic Radiculapathy (sp?).
(Lucky me,now I am up to 6 herniated/protruding discs)

His recommendation is for my Pain Management Doctor to handle me for my problems, and he is one NS who is a big believer in Pain Management over surgery, he told me at an earlier appointment I am only a candidate for a mass fusing in my neck and that he would not want to do it, since only about 40-50% chance of pain relief, so he advocates, injections and RF procedures.

So, for this Thoracic problem, I see my PM in about a week to discuss the MRI.

Such fun, now having problems in all three spinal areas.

Sounds like an Steroid injection for me in the very near future.

Jyes

[LindaM]

I'm really sorry to hear of the updated DX, however it sounds as if we must be related.
Mine are:
C5/6
C6/7 these are herniated w/posterior spondylotic deformity,no cord compression

T5/6 herniated
T7/8 herniated w/cord compression

L4/5
L/5S/1
both of this disc are also herniated and have anular tears which now I have permananet damage to the S1 nerve
I have several other problems through out my spine not to mention an auto-immune illness, sure doesn't make for much fun does it?

I have been told like you that PM is the way to go as surgery would not be a benifit at this time and only if it becomes an emergency.
I've had the injections in my lumbar and I had 2 discgrams done and nucleoplasty and even a SCS implant all to no relief, so now after trying many differnt pain medications I'm on methadone along with baclofen and cymbalta for the pain. I have to say that this combination has worked best for me so far.
I wish you the best of luck and hope that you are able to find relief, oh yea I have a 7lb. weight limit on lifting due to my T spine problems, believe me the T spine is my biggest worry.
I have been following your story for sometime and was hoping that you would be doing much better.
It's really good though that you do have a better DX now.
LindaM(suede)

[Jyes]

Thanks Linda, my relative My NS made one statement as I he was getting ready to leave the room, that kind of made me laugh in a way. I asked him if the ladder fall certainly caused the T8/9 herniation, expecting him to say yes, instead he said, I don't know for sure, with all your problems at all 3 levels of the spine, I think that perhaps genetics plays a big role in your problems, your much too young to have all this going on.

It was the last statement that made me laugh to myself, perhaps he read my age wrong on the chart, or else I am a great pretender in not looking my age! I prefer that later......

Jyes

[Tbackpain1]

My goodness, Jyes...now you're a "triple threat"!

At least now you know for sure what's been bugging you with your ribs and the mid-back pain. Its certainly no picnic...mine's sorta like being in a vice all day, with some sharp stabby pain thrown in for fun. But, whatcha gonna do? I did have injections to my offending T-spine discs (T7-T8, T11-T12), both ESIs and Facet Blocks, to little effect...no long term relief. I hope they work better for you.

Take it easy.

Theresa