1. Community
  2. Bones, joints and muscles
  3. Scoliosis and Kyphosis

Being Referred for Pain

Posted , 4 users are following.

dawn57104
dawn57104

Okay so my previous post was about controlling the pain due to scolosis and being unable to control it. I also get muscle spasms too.

Rang my GP monday and she said how long has this been going on for i said a year because it has and finally i am going to get seen by the pain management clinic and get an MRI hopefully to find out what is going on.

I am currently taking cocodamol for the pain, i was given tramadol but i dont like the fact they are addictive and because i have asthma i am not keen to take them either.

I am not sure how long it will take to get seen by them. I have tried so many different things but the pain feels different this time. It is more central in my back at the bottom which radiates up, also it hurts much more to sit down than it does to stand or lay, standing or laying the pain doesnt completely go but is more bareable.

Anyone else had the same symptoms? or been told the possible diagnosis for this?

1 like, 14 replies

14 Replies

  • margaret85310
    margaret85310 dawn57104

    Posted

    Hi,

    I had lower back pain that made most positions difficult. I was OK sitting on the couch if I had a heating pad on. Both standing and walking were difficult, and sometimes I would be woken out of a sound sleep if I moved wrong. Getting up in the morning was ridiculous.

    I was told by a spine specialist that if I didn't want more surgery, my best pain option would be a narcotic pump that could deliver pain meds directly into my spinal fluid. I guess it doesn't make you high if you bypass the bloodstream, but you still become dependent, which doesn't sound good.

    Instead, I began a Bikram Yoga practice. Bikram is a healing yoga practiced in a hot, humid room. I was pretty desperate, and although I couldn't do very much, being crippled, I went every day Monday - Friday and did as much as I could, and most importantly, I stayed in the room the whole 90 minutes. The first day I felt a little better, by Friday I was PAIN FREE. 3.5 years later, I am still pain free as long as I practice at least once per week, and I've gone from being crippled by pain to completely able bodied.

    • dawn57104
      dawn57104 margaret85310

      Posted

      Hi Margaret85310

      I work full time and have no spare time to speak of to do this.

      I try not to take meds if i can help it but it is getting worse and worse.

      I am not keen on the surgery part but i guess i will have to wait and see what happens as to what needs to be done if anything after i have had the scans and been seen by the pain team.

    • margaret85310
      margaret85310 dawn57104

      Posted

      Hi Dawn,

      I hope you won't be put off by the fact that I did in Monday - Friday my first week. I was on disability at the time, and so I was able to do it. I work full-time now, so I usually try to do one session after work mid-week and then another on the weekend. I think that I got faster results because I could do 5 days in a row,  but I felt better even after my first class...

  • Normagray02
    Normagray02 dawn57104

    Posted

    Sorry u have pain and hopefully pain management can help you! To let u know tramadol is not habit forming so u don't have to worry and keep me updated thanks

    • dawn57104
      dawn57104 Normagray02

      Posted

      Hi.

      I have read too many stories on the Tramadol forum to be sure that people are saying it is addictive.

      thanks for your comment.

  • elizabeth142
    elizabeth142 dawn57104

    Posted

    Hello dawn I can completely go with this!

    You sound very much like my back problems too and asthma.

    I am worse in winter time. My back locks I scream out in pain!

    I find that the medicated pads are excellent!

    I use them at night not in day. You have the option to wear it in night or day for 12 hours then take it off. It is a good pain reliever though.

    I find walking too much also hurts my back my left leg is 1 cm shorter than my right leg!

    I get very tired in afternoons Aswell.

    I also have migraine and it triggers it with a stiff neck I'm ill for a couple of days!

    Not much fun overall.

    I had an MRI scan back in 2014.

    I was under it for almost an hour!!

    I recommend you take something a cd to listen to.

    And I have had back therapy mind therapy also. I'm not very good going up stairs either! Can't walk a long way I get out of breath and my back starts burning in the lower part of my back where the problem is.

    I've got scoliosis my mother had it too.

    I've got athritis in my lower back and a bulging disk!!

    Do I have to be really careful with my back.

    I can't bend over I can't do much house work it wears me out!

    So I do what I'm able to do.

    Summertime is better because my back is warm in winter I dread it!

    Liz😀

    • dawn57104
      dawn57104 elizabeth142

      Posted

      Thanks for your reply Liz.

      I also have scolosis and find it hard in summer and winter. It is currently hard for me to stay sitting down for a long time as it gets painful.

      I also cant stand for a long time either so it is a no win situation.

      Hoping the MRI will shed some light on what the problem is.

      Thank you for your comment smile

    • elizabeth142
      elizabeth142 dawn57104

      Posted

      Hi no probs the MRI will show everything!

      I was shocked when I saw mine after I seen the consultant a couple of months later at an outpatient appt.

      But I know that therapy did help me.

      And Pilates. Under the watchful eye of the physio pros not good to go off anywhere to do exercises..

      Mindful exercise is good if you have the room to lay down on a mat at home. Do your concentration and breathing exercises. That's good.

      But definitely you will find out with the MRI .. I was under it for almost an hour as opposed to the twenty minutes they said.. Take a favourite cd for them to play it for you. It's not very comfortable the noises you hear.

      Just relax concentrate on music as much as you can and keep still too. I found that hard after almost one hour lol! You feel some warmth going through you too don't worry about that. Anyway it is good to know what's going on with your back.

      Clear diagnosis. I also had six injections later on but I must say over time my back has slightly got better but not much.there are a few treatments to have before they decide on surgery.which is quite evasive as the doctor said to me.

      Don't need it don't have it. Some people are better after it not all are though my friend isn't. It takes a long time to completely heal afterwards.

      Liz😀

    • dawn57104
      dawn57104 elizabeth142

      Posted

      Hi Liz,

      Thank you for the heads up with the MRI scan, i am not too concerned by it as i know i need it to show what is happening.

      i already do some stretching and i have a yoga balance ball too that helps with posture and exercises. I struggle to do a lot as the pain gets in the way.

      I am not keen on surgery i just want to know what is wrong. I can manage the pain if i know why.

      Hope that makes sense.

    • elizabeth142
      elizabeth142 dawn57104

      Posted

      Yes it sure does make sense

      MRI is the best tool to see what's going on.

      All the best liz😀

    • dawn57104
      dawn57104 elizabeth142

      Posted

      I just googles an mri scan and i now know what to expect, stops me being anxious and worrying over it.

      I dont know how long i have to wait for the scan but hopefully it wont be too long.

      thank you for all your help Liz biggrin

    • elizabeth142
      elizabeth142 dawn57104

      Posted

      Hi dawn your very welcome.

      It's nothing to worry about anyway I felt like that before mine. You will be Absolutley fine.👍😀

      Liz

Back to top

Report or request deletion

Thanks for your help!

We want the community to be a useful resource for our users but it is important to remember that the community are not moderated or reviewed by doctors and so you should not rely on opinions or advice given by other users in respect of any healthcare matters. Always speak to your doctor before acting and in cases of emergency seek appropriate medical assistance immediately. Use of the community is subject to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and steps will be taken to remove posts identified as being in breach of those terms.