NEED ADVICE

RE: NEED ADVICE

Hi Spectra,

Welcome to healthypages!!

Sorry to hear about your troubles,I must admit that the first thing I would be inclined to do is get a fresh, different opinion from a GP, but personally to me it sounds very much like a trapped nerve. This can give all the symptoms you are experiencing, particularly the numbness and tingling ( stinging nettle sensation) you mention.

As for treatment, (remember that I am not a doctor, but have some experience of trappednerves) I would suggest reducing the tablets you are taking as you are consuming a large amount of codeine which is both addictive and will lead you into eventually needing larger dosesto get the same pain relief. I would suggest you drop one of them and use an anti-inflammatory like ibuprofen or simple aspirin (as long as you don't suffer with Asthma that is). These will reduce the inflammation and possible swelling at the root cause of it. Another suggestion may be massage or a chiropracter....others on HP may be able to give you more information on this. If you do go to a doctor, I would put a trapped nerve forward as a likely cause and they may be able to suggest stronger prescribed anti-inflammatories such as voltarol.

Good luck and let us know how you get on.

Blessings

Crabapple x

RE: NEED ADVICE

is your numbess constant? can you pin point on your back where the pain is coming from? do you get any clicking in your back? check for soreness on the sacrum or just to one side of it. is the pain under your put much of an tight ache rather than numbess? do you ever get a sharpe stabing pain? any pains into the groin, buttocks or hamstring?

your symptoms sound like what i had and i also had a clear mri

you could go and see an orthopaedic specialist who specialises on the lower back -privately as the ones on the HNS will give you 5 mins if your lucky to see one. you did well to get an MRI so quick!

RE: NEED ADVICE

Hi Spectra,

I just noticed your request for advice and help.

Firstly, to explain, I'm a physio who works with back and malaligned postures as a result of injury and trauma. I am sorry that you have had such a raw deal through the NHS and that you have been fobbed off by various doctors with poor bedside manner.

And I'm also delighted that you have found this forum to get help from those who care and have a wealth of experience that you can tap into. (Please feel free to browse my website to get some more info www.realignphysio.com)

So now, to discuss your specific symptoms. ............."back pain,numb left leg,pain in the arch of my left foot,stingy nettle feeling in my arms and clicking neck followed by pain in the neck and headache at the base" ............ It is great to hear that your MRI came back clear and I'm guessing also really frustrating as you still don't have a diagnosis that can help you to understand what is going on.Your symptoms sound like the nerves in your back (both upper and lower now) have got pressure or tension on them. With an acute injury (such as the one described by you and the heavy trolley), the disc can be pushed out of place and put pressure on the nerve initially. As your MRI shows this has now resolved (which we would expect after almost five months) so the question now is what is causing the pressure on the nervous system?

I love my job because it is like detective work and the more information/clues we can find the better (feel free to call me and discuss your symptoms in private). And I'm going to hazard a guess that because you have been in pain for five months your pelvis and the muscles in your back have altered their alignment, in order to protect you from further injury. THIS IS TREATABLE. Our bodies will naturally try and heal itself and sometimes (often due to our sedentary ways of being in the world now, pain-killers etc.) it over compensates and/or gets it wrong. You just need someone with a pratised eye and the skill to look at your body, assess what's out of shape and teach you how to get back to where you need to be.

I say to my clients that our bodies speak to us in a language that is quite subtle. If we are not tuned into our bodies language (ideally through a regular practise like yoga,some sport or meditation/quiet contemplation time) then we find it hard to communicate with it. Pain and altered sensation (numbness, tingling etc) is our nervous system saying "please listen and sort this out!" Taking painkillers will help to quieten that voice and it doesn't deal with the root/cause of the problem. Your body is attempting to talk to you, you just need a 'translator' to help you work out waht it is specifically trying to say to you.

In relation to finding a therapist etc to help, obviously I'm biased being a physio. Someone who manipulates ie a chiro or osteopath may be useful to visit to check out your alignment/biomechanics and you need to find someone who you can talk to, who will explain what and why they are doing, and who will also give you some exercises/postural advice to maintain your new aligned position. I'm guessing you wouldn't fimnd a mechanic through the yellow pages, so try and find someone who comes highly recommended through a friend or someone you trust.

I say to my clients, the hour in the week that you see me is important, and that is only one hour out of 24, out of 7 days in a week. You need to understand your body to know how to look after it while I'm not around.

I hope this helps. Sorry if it's a bit longwinded, I'm Irish and we do like to talk!! plus this medium is a little clunky to get across information that is much better explained face-to-face and on your body in front of a mirror.

Stay in touch,
Rach

RE: NEED ADVICE

Hi again(Spectra),

I've just noticed your post about your hip that has been a problem for 18 months. This is another classic symptom of malignment in and around the pelvis.

You require a full biomechanical assessment that will look at your whole body.

Rach (Dragonfly)

RE: NEED ADVICE

Thanks to all who replied to my post i have now put a post in the neurological problem section.

RE: NEED ADVICE

Hi, went to the doctor today to get another sick note for work, the doctor looked at my notes and asked what i wanted, i asked for a sick note andhe put on it "neurogical investigations" as a diagnosis, i told him its my back thats got the pain and he said your MRI was clear so i can,t put back pain on it any more.
the trouble is i can,t move sometimes because of the pain, so do i have a back problem or just imagining it or is the doc right to stop putting "back pain" on my sick note, i have to send these sick notes to my mortage provider for insurance purposes and when i phoned them about the different diagnosis they said they would have to write to my gp and if he says you have no back problem you have to make a new claim which could take six weeks to complete, i,m onhalf pay and wont be able to meet my payments.

My question iswas my doctor right in putting the other diagnosis rather than back pain even tho i,m inso much pain with my back.

RE: NEED ADVICE

Let me tell you this - a large proportion of people with back problems have 99% clean MRI scans. Once drs see a clean scan they think "ah your fine" and give you some more pills!

MRI are generally used in the search for a damaged disk BUT many back problems can come from sources other than the disks. It’s a disgarcefully narrow minded view to say you back is fine just on the basis of a clean MRI scan. In fact there is quite of experts out their who think that disk issue are not a major cause of back problems BUT and when they are evident they are secondary to another cause.
There could be a number of things wrong with your back - strained ligaments, facet joint problems, instability or SACRO ILIAC joint problems
Mr DR refered me to a orthopaedic Dr on the NHS who had a quick look at my scan said its all down to my muscles being weak and wrote down on my report "mechanical back" which basially means he hasn't got a clue and can't be bothered to investigate the real reasons. Luckily I've found a know of a few decent private physio's and Drs in Sports Medicane who have bothered to look for the route cause of my problems think we have a good idea of whats going on
The most important thing is to investiage the cause of your problem and they treat accordingly. Most important thing is not to be impatient and expect someone to fix with with a magic bullet like many "professionals" claim they can.
If you live in the east midlands or surrey or north kent then I could point you in the direction of some a few people who may be capable of finding out whats really wrong with you. Please be careful of any hit and hope techniques as these can make certain conditions a lot worse…
Thanks
ian

RE: NEED ADVICE

Hi Ian, thanks for the reply, i have other symptoms which i have posted on the neurological section, about 3.30 pm today i had a sudden pain in my toe next to the big toe was,nt doing anything just sitting watching tv, then it started to swell and now its gone hot and bruised, i,m falling to bits.

I,m in leicester if you know anyone can help me, also i have made a complaint about my GP, did,nt want to but he made me feel like achild and like you say they just want to give you pills. thanks again, Paul

RE: NEED ADVICE

Im from leicester also but curretnly living in the south.

I know of a nueral orthopeadic specialist in Victory Park who may be able to help. He has retired now but still works 3 mornings a week - he will treat you as well as trying to find out what your problem is

He costs a lot to see but if he can help you only need to see him once or twice.

cost £200 too see first visit but most drs do