Hello everyone. It’s been a while and I hope everyone is doing ok.
I wanted to ask about back issues if may. I have never really had back problems with my arthritis but may be having them now. I’ve had a recurring slipped disc before, but that always starts with intense pain for a few days before slowly getting better. This feels like how the slipped disc feels after those initial painful days - but not getting better. It is coinciding with a flare up in my knees.
So, my symptoms are a pain in my lower back that is passable except for the odd times when I move in a certain way or twist, at which point it stabs. For example, if I twist - but not a big twist, just a little one. THAT’S when it hurts. Likewise, if you imagine the sitting position you have on the loo (sorry), where you’re slightly leaning forward, and then slowly move the bottom of your back forward as if straightening up. THAT’S when it hurts. Or when walking and your foot inadvertently goes into a dip in the pavement. That again is momentarily painful. It is better when sitting, especially with a cushion in the small of my back. And it’s ok when I’m in bed. There’s a slight sciatica sensation at times, but nothing too bad.
Does any of this sound familiar to people with arthritis in the back? It’s been there about four or five weeks off and on. It FEELS mechanical because of the way it is sharp with certain movements, but I’d like to know if this fits other people’s patterns.
I had many years of severe disc issues and quite disabled as a result when I was 25-50 years old. All were injury related from having more muscle than brains. I lifted too much, too fast, poor body posture etc when lifting. The result was 2 severely herniated discs and one less so. Herniated disc is a better term as the disc is not a hard object that “slips”…though most bad chiropractors would like you to think so so that they can “slip” it back in. Discs are the soft cushion between the vertebrae kinda like bubble gum and surrounded by a membrane sheath. When the sheath ruptures, the disc pushes out from where it belongs and puts pressure on a nerve or bundle of nerves. Before any treatment other than pain control, I would insist on proper imaging. The LAST thing one needs with a herniated disc is a chiropractor trying to “crack” your back. Foolishly I tried that route and had further damage done while being squeezed and twisted. Look at it this way: If you had a badly sprained ankle, would it be beneficial for someone to give it a good twist to help it along? I have two physio’s in the family and one of them told me that by time a person is in their mid ‘50’s and older, the discs start to atrophy and become less fluid like and more like leather. That’s why we do shrink a bit with age and lose that flexibility we once had. My brother physio was right, by time I hit 60, my chronic back issues disappeared, the pressure on the nerve subsided. Sorry for blathering on so long that I forgot your question! Herniated discs can heal with time but are always vulnerable due to scar tissue. Celebrex and Tylenol gave me some decent pain relief while healing. Your body will tell you when and how to move. Gently stretch every morning and every joint before venturing out…it can make a huge difference. Chiropractors have a very specific place and purpose, but oh boy, I have encountered many quacks doing sloppy imaging with poor equipment and make you dependant on at least 7 more visits. I’m sure I just ticked someone off. Oops!
In a nutshell, yes. Amos made some good points - always good to get it checked and stretching and (proper) movement is so important too.
Last summer I got off my bike to intense “hip” pain that spread in to my back, managed to get my bike home then tried to lay on my bed (in bike clothes) to relieve it, couldn’t. Walked in to kitchen and my leg went numb. Back to bed, nope. Back to the kitchen and told my son I was going to shower and he needed to take me to ER. THREE hours to see someone, couldn’t stay seated, couldn’t stay standing, wanted to cry (and I’m not a cryer). Got a great doctor and the next three hours involved sitting in a recliner leaning (they have recliners in the ER?) and xrays, hydromorphine, and a requisition for an MRI. Long story not so short - I had the MRI in 2 weeks. I have “severe femoral stenosis” on my left side and “severe facet arthritis” in my spine. My right side is bugging me a bit now but I’m almost scared to get a scan, rheumatologist says we’ll wait.
After much conversation with my rheumatologist and a bone scan for density I am on low dose amitryptiline for the nerve pain (apparently numbness and tingling is nerve pain, add that to the types of pain list). I am also on a new drug called Evenity to help build my bones up a bit.
Can I repeat getting things checked out ? I’m a healthy weight, take my calcium, have lifted heavy-Ish weights for decades, eat well, and walk a lot. I’m 56 and my bones are crumbling. Rheumatologist called it secondary osteoporosis, related to my PsA, which took a good 10 years to get diagnosed. He tells me ‘do not fall’.
FWIW, stenosis can be confused with sciatica. I have back pain sitting too long, with bad posture, and the tingling in my leg revs up walking uphill. I am careful bending, never loaded, and usually squat to pick things up, which the knees don’t always like. Another reason to check it out I guess.