Trying to better understand AS
Posted , 4 users are following.
I'm looking for people with AS helo me understand if my symptoms align with AS
I've had upper back pain near my neck for about 10 years that I let hang around, never testing or treating it. Also know, I've trained in the gym as a bodybuilding for nearly 20 years as well and never witnessed these symptoms. Now I'm trying to understand a new onset of symptoms, with recent tests Bloodwork, MRI of entire back and neck and X-rays which show the below:
Herniated discs: C5 to C7
4 Bulging discs lower back
My blood tests all came back negative/normal, tests performed: RF, C-Reactive Protein, Sedimentation, and Antinuclear Antibodies
HLA B27 was positive
The spine specialist I'm seeing said there could be a nerve that is compressed. So I received an epidural injection in my cervical area, no relief. I yet to understand how so many areas can hurt
i have no swelling or redness
no stiffness i think...
My pain symptoms:
Fingers, toes, and ears feel cold frequently then will warm up
fingers below knuckle joints hurt alot
Some numbness occasionally
Pain and tender spots in feet or ankles or toes
Pain in hands sometimes
Had some burning inner tricep a few times, felt like a sunburn almost
Muscular twitching through body randomly, mainly leg or triceps which is fine doesn't hurt
Dull pain in knees sometimes
Back of legs ache some when sitting
feet and back of heels hurt if standing or walking very long
the pain area constantly rotates and is hard to explain the type of pain:
pain can be sharp shooting, sore ache, electric pinch pain
all of this came on so sudden it seems like
literally two weeks after i had a nerve block injection this all happened, coincidence i guess
What does AS pain feel like and does the are always swell or become stiff?
1 like, 6 replies
hope4cure kc119
Posted
im not doctor qnd just from reading the symptoms you listed it could be a number of things. see a back specialist for xrays TO obtain a prognosis and diagnosis and therapy. try using mindfulness to help cope . sometime a little change in life style can do wonders. mindfulness will help.
drliz kc119
Posted
Hi it sounds like your spine joints and discs are damaged and that is causing your pain. The heavy training may have made it worse.
It does not sound like ankylosing spondylitis which is associated with general illness and the pain moves around to different joints in different years.
I think you need more advice from a physiotherapist and maybe a specialist doctor.
I think that the pain should improve when you rest lying down but you also need to keep moving in order to keep up ordinary muscle strength.
Best wishes
Terry1957 kc119
Posted
it sounds like it could be a number of things. i have AS and my right SI joint is affected. I have stiffness and pain in that area. I also have Osteoarthritis and an Inflammatory arthritis. My rheumatologist diagnosed me with Fibromyalgia too. Ive been taking Humira and Lyrica to treat these diagnoses. i definitely would see a Rheumatologist or Neurosurgeon. I know its frustrating, believe me, Ive been there. Good luck and hope you find some answers soon.
kc119 Terry1957
Posted
I'm sorry to hear of your issues, how do you like Humira? I've taken Lyrica, not a fan of it just b/c of the feeling of weird brain fog
kc119
Posted
Thank you both for replying, I know that in itself takes alot of effort at times. I'll keep you both updated after I'm able to see the Rheumatologist next month, trying to push the appt sooner.
Have either of you seen so many symptoms come on so abruptly?
kc119
Posted
@drliz Thank you so much for the response, I have a EMG test next month, along with a Rheumatologist appt... I'm hoping to better understand my condition soon. I think it's worse not knowing...
I want to know if full body arthritis can come on overnight, I'm 38 and just one day in the gym doing exercises and I felt weakness so I stopped. Next day I felt pains in my hands, feet, knees, traps with so many random pain types, pinching, aching, some tingling... twitching in the triceps and legs... I don't even know how to describe it all to people. I've read all the autoimmune arthritis's such as:
Septic
Psoriatic
Rheumatoid
OA
AS
Throacic outlet syndrome
Erythromelalgia
And they all have some similar symptoms, but I don't really have stiffness and I'm debating the swelling, it's very minimum in the fingers if so, nowhere else. As you can see above I've done some testing, unless I'm a Seronegative RA carrier? My pains rotate so frequently by the minute or hour...