New: spine and neck involvement

General
1

I've had PsA almost my whole life, and I've always been very very grateful that everything on my body was involved from eyes to skin to most of my joints, EXCEPT my entire spine and neck.

Two weeks ago my neck and lower back decided they wanted to get in on the action in a serious way. Saw my rheumy today and he sent me for a pile of x-rays to start, a referral to a spine specialist, and a trigger point injection in my back (still need to look that up to find what I agreed to!) My doc is pretty conservative for imaging and is more of a 'let's wait and see' (which is my attitude too) when things aren't in crisis. So this is freaking me out a bit.

All this hit a week before a 4 day vacation to the Oregon coast. I had to subsist on prednisone and pain meds just to function (thanks to both those things I was able to walk in the waves with my 12 year old, fly kites, and sit on the sand after dark to roast s'mores on the beach).

I'm doing a bit better today, but GEEZ, not happy to have the very last part of my body affected.

2

I am sorry for your troubles Marietta. I am s glad you were able to enjoy your vacation, that is MAJOR! I have had it in my spine and neck all along. I have multiple areas of damage- either herniated and bulging disks and areas that look more like OA to the radiologist but as they were done without contrast my Rheumy and I believe it is probably PsA. Their is a school of thought that what is OA now will be PsA as both P and PsA seem to be somewhat opportunistic and move in where there is damage.

I have had plain films and MRIs and had epidurals with some relief.

I hope you feel better soon. You are in my thoughts and prayers.

3

I'm glad they're being so on top of things, but sorry to hear that this is added in right now. I hope you keep getting some relief.