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Muscle pain in back?

Posted , 8 users are following.

kay97415
kay97415

I was diagnosed with polymyalgia last June and now reduced to 9 pred a day.

I have muscle pain on the right hand side of back at waist level but only when walking for about 10 mins or housework etc. It is ok when resting. Dr believe it's to do with my back rather than the polymyalgia. Does anyone else have problems with just one muscle once on the pred? New to the site so hope I have posted this correctly. 

1 like, 27 replies

27 Replies

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  • pat38625
    pat38625 kay97415

    Posted

    Hi Kay, welcome to the forum.  I am relatively new to PMR just got diagnosed November and am at present due to reduce from 15mg of pred to 12.5mg.  Like yourself I have an aching back when I try to do just ordinary everyday things and I really don't know if it is PMR or not.  It would be both muscles and not just one.  There will be somebody along either later on or tomorrow morning.  It's a great forum and you will get plenty of advice, support and information.  Good luck on your journey.  Regards   Pat
    • kay97415
      kay97415 pat38625

      Posted

      Thank you Pat for your welcome and advice.  I think I will try the Bowen therapy and see if that relieves it at all. Forgot to say last night it moves down to my ankle when the back is bad which seems strange.  Will let you know how I go on. Regards Kay
    • pat38625
      pat38625 kay97415

      Posted

      Hi Kay, I hope you get sorted out and get some relief from your back pain.  Yes keep in touch.  Regards   Pat
  • christine_fay
    christine_fay kay97415

    Posted

    Had PMR since 2013 September. I find housework really hard. It helps to wear a support around the waist like an essebelt or similar. The worst thing for me is my head sweating after even half an hour of effort. I have to wear a sport sweat band if I do any kind of work. I reduced far too quickly in the first six months due to Docs advice and had a sever relapse so I am currently on slow reduction... Still have to take 17 though. I am managing the pain most of the time if I pace myself and get enough rest. However as a normally very active and busy person I often overdo it. At the worst point I spent a few days in bed which made a huge difference. Never done that before but so glad I did. It is my 'last resort' if all goes pear shaped.
    • kay97415
      kay97415 christine_fay

      Posted

      Thank you Christine, such a great forum with advice arriving within hours of posting. Sometimes you feel quite alone with this as it's not visible and lasts for such a long time. 
    • erika59785
      erika59785 kay97415

      Posted

      Yes, one can feel so alone when dealing with this kind of burning back pain.

      I can only walk about 5 minutes and stand for a while until I need to sit on my stool in the kitchen to rest and not have to feel the pain.  Hopefully, soon it will get better.  I hear from Eileen that Bowen Therapy would help, but I do not have it available where I live.

      I feel for you, and we all understand.  This website is such a comfort.

    • kay97415
      kay97415 erika59785

      Posted

      Thank you for your support Erika, yes that's exactly how the pain feels, a burning pain. It seems from all the helpful replies I have received this definitely can be the PMR and not necessarily from the back. I am so grateful for everyone's comments and support. Hopefully soon we will all improve.
  • EileenH
    EileenH kay97415

    Posted

    I also had this sort of pain - like you have in the early days but it got ignored and eventually my whole back seized up after a whiplash injury and I ended up in hospital! That had happened twice, the first time long before PMR,  and both times it was finally due to something called myofascial pain syndrome. Both times I got a lot of benefit from massage and what is called manual mobilisation of the trigger points - one pair of which are at the position you describe - as well as local cortisone injections.

    Another very good approach is with Bowen therapy - a very gentle and perhaps strange very gentle manual physical therapy but one which a lot of people on all 3 PMR forums have tried for this sort of problem and had great benefit. Really do consider trying a few sessions - if it will help you will know in up to 3, it isn't an open-ended approach that will cost the earth. One lady went from unable to walk without a zimmer frame or similar support to forgetting her walking stick she'd needed to get in to the room after just one session!

    • kay97415
      kay97415 EileenH

      Posted

      Thank you Eileen, Having seen the Bowen therapy mentioned before on this forum there is a lady who does this locally so think I will give it a go as it's the one thing that stops me doing lots of things. I will let uou know how it goes.
    • EileenH
      EileenH kay97415

      Posted

      Although we have to pay - it is immediately available and you don't have to persuade a doctor! Some people see an improvement immediately - hope you are one! And yes - do tell us how it is!
  • vanessa66630
    vanessa66630 kay97415

    Posted

    I also have this but it is more my hip, the second I sit it goes, am wondering if it could be lack of vit D as have read that lack of vit D3 gives you joimt pain similar to PMR and also gives you sweats in the face and neck, would be interested to hear if anyone else knows of this.
    • pat38625
      pat38625 vanessa66630

      Posted

      Hi Venessa, my pain/ache would definitely be muscular in my back and my vit D levels are good,  Everyone's different though.  The only ease I get is when I sit.  Then again I don't know if this is to do with my posture and maybe nothing to do with PMR, I just don't know.    Pat
    • kay97415
      kay97415 vanessa66630

      Posted

      Although my pain is just above the hip in the muscle at the bottom of the ribs it immediately goes when I sit. Yes I wonder sometimes if it's my posture too, but it's a great deal worse now I have PMR. It makes me lazy as I would like to do more walking but get the car out instead!!!

       

    • EileenH
      EileenH kay97415

      Posted

      You have to remember the back is doing an amazing balancing act keeping you upright! And it is very accommodating - it will adjust to all sorts of abuse with other parts of the body that are putting strain on it. I had terrible neck and shoulder problems - due to a wisdom tooth that was affecting my bite! Tooth out = pain gone!

      We walk "wrong" when we have PMR, you then adjust to the discomfort to find the most comfortable position and it becomes a downward spiral. Posture doesn't often cause the problem, the problem causes the poor posture. Pain is usually your body telling you to do something about a problem.

      I'm banging the drum about Bowen therapy today - it really can help with these sort of problems and at least reduce the pain if not banish it altogether. There are several people on the forums (including me) for whom it improved the pain we had that was PMR+, not just PMR but an add-on. It really is worth a go - if it doesn't work then you don't get faced with a practitioner who wants to do it for the next 5 years...

    • kay97415
      kay97415 EileenH

      Posted

      Yes I am definitely going to try it. The local lady does not appear to be registered with the Bowen Association so am trying to check with them if it is advisable to use a registered therapist or not. Many thanks for your support. Kay
    • EileenH
      EileenH kay97415

      Posted

      There are 2 different groups they can register with but don't ask me the other name. There really is nothing that can go wrong so I'm not sure whether being registered means a lot - if you google Mitchell Mosher podiatrist Bowen therapy videos you will find his site with links to the videos he has made of how it is done. They are very good.

      And I bet the association says you need to go to one of their listed ones!

    • EileenH
      EileenH

      Posted

      My wonderful lady is registered with the European College of Bowen Studies and I can see no mention of the Bowen Association on her site.
    • kay97415
      kay97415 EileenH

      Posted

      Thank you Eileen your help is very much appreciated. There is such a lot of support on this site. Kay
    • erika59785
      erika59785 kay97415

      Posted

      Same here --- I used to love to walk, and now I avoid it ---and get the car out instead.
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