Can PT help alleviate the pain in my Back? Posted: 07-27-06 07:10am
Hi there. I have two things going on with
my back that have been around for about 4
years. They are both found below:
pain in my upper back exactly on the left
side of the very top vertebrae that sticks
out in the middle of my shoulders. I was
doing shrugs with two 100lb dumbbells and
I felt a pulling sensation and then
burning right in that spot. Got better
with time, but lately it has been killing
me. This has been going on for 4 years.
Every once in a while I move the wrong way
and it hurts like hell. The pain radiates
up into the left side of my neck and tends
to become sore on the top left part of my
shoulder. The pain originates from exactly
on the left side of my vertebrae. I can
actually trace my finger around the left
side on the edge and that is where it
hurts. Is this a muscle surrounding the
vertebrae that I injured??? If I ice it
the pain tends to go away, but wow it
hurts.
The second injury was when I fell on butt
when a table I was sitting on gave way and
I hit the floor from about 4 feet in the
air. I get muscle spasms on the left side
of a vertebrae in the middle of my lower
back. The pain seems to be between the top
of my left hip bone in the back and my
vertebrae and the general area swells up
to where you can actually feel it. It
dosen't seem to radiate anywhere, but it
makes my lower back extremely weak and I
cannot even bend over or straighten up
without help. I had x-rays done last week
and my primary said it was just muscle
spasms, but this has been going on for a
while.
Thanks for any advice you may offer. It
makes doing any sort of physical exercise
a risk as my back could go out at anytime.
Are these injurys that can get better with
rehab or will I always be plagued?
Thanks.
|
DoctorAnswer
Doctor Answer
Joined: 19 Dec 2005 Posts: 16777211
Thanks: 25
Thanked:0
Back Pain Answer A1274 Posted: 07-31-06 02:45am
It seems that the injuries you sustained
are the root cause of your problems.
After every injury of the spine, the
reparation process creates connective
tissue that may create pressure on the
root of the spinal nerves. That pressure
causes nerve pain rather than musclular
pain. If an injury causes disturbance in
the spine static, then the vertebral
degeneration process can be stimulated.
Imbalanced physical pressure stimulates
degenerative changes on spinal structures
(discs, vertebras and joints) that are
exposed to greater physical pressure.
These degenerative changes are manifested
with discs herniations, osteofits, and
spine wrenching (scoliosis, lordosis and
kifosis). Vertebral muscles try to
compensate imbalance with constant
contraction (spasm) and relaxation of
different groups of muscles. Constant
muscle contraction (spasm) causes pain.
Physical therapy is useful but I also
recommend you consult a neurosurgeon.
DISCLAIMER: "Ask a Doctor" Questions are answered by Dr. Nikola Gjuzelov, General Practitioner. Dr. Gjuzelov practices medicine for the general public and is affiliated with the Republic of Macedonia Public Health Institution. For more information about Dr. Gjuzelov or other eHealthForum.com medical experts, please visit our About Us page. You may also visit our Back Pain Forum, for moderated patient to patient support and information.
The material presented in the eHealth Forum Discussion Forums and Ask A Doctor is in no way intended to replace professional medical care or attention by a qualified licensed medical professional. eHealth Forum and eHealth Forum's Ask A Doctor advises all users with health problems and concerns to consult their personal doctors. Furthermore, if you have any questions or concerns about your condition, you must consult your qualified licenseced medical professional before starting any treatment.
The materials in the eHealth Forum Discussion Forums and Ask A Doctor cannot and should not be used as a basis for diagnosis or choice of treatment. To the fullest extent possible, eHealth Forum and eHealth Forum's Ask A Doctor expressly excludes all liability in respect of the information and opinions contained in the Discussion Forums and Ask A Doctor, this Web site, or any sites linked to this Web site.
