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Spinal Pain

Messages
44
Hey all, I'm wondering if anyone has any suggestions as to what might be of benefit for my spinal pain?

The pain can exist at any part of the spine, but is worst at the very bottom area where tailbone and hips meet, and quite high up the top of the back. The pain can be quite sharp and last hours. It can move along the spine, as though concentrating on certain areas at a time, and sometimes gives tingly/tight/achy sensations in the areas close to but either side of my spine.

It causes my whole body to feel heavy and awful. It responds to touch - my acupuncturist pressed down on the areas that were sore, and as he did so the pain was really sharp. It definitely causes aches and pains of various types in the back of my head and around my ears. It sometimes causes numbness/tingling/throbbing in my arms, legs, palms, and feet; and can cause difficulty (lack of fluidity) in bending, moving freely etc...

It comes and goes by the hours/days, but has been quite a bit worse over the last few days for no reason that is obvious to me. Despite it being worse and keeping me largely bed ridden, I do not necessarily feel that my overall condition is worsening (we'll see how I go over the next few days/weeks), and the optimist in me even considers that it may be a sign of long term spinal pain/inflammation/damage/whatever healing - but of course, that may just be the optimist speaking.

I'm wondering if anyone else is familiar with this pain, if anyone has experience to suggest if my optimism is justified or not, and what might be done to treat it (if it's a sign of methylation problems, or gut problems, or you know, whatever else...)???

Last year I had a bone scan that revealed nothing, and before that I've had an MRI of the brain which revealed nothing. I've had CFS for 3.5 years and in general have been making very small, but undoubtable, improvements over long periods...

Any responses are much appreciated.
 

maryb

iherb code TAK122
Messages
3,602
Location
UK
@bootsydan
I had a bad back for years before getting ME. Its become much worse since though. My back/neck/head MRI scan didn't show anything either. I too get pains in the back of my head. The type of pain varies with me but it does move about and you can put your hand on the 'sore' spots which feel really hot. I don't know if you take anti-inflammatories, but they may help if not.

Over the past week I've been trying to do the shower jets on my back every day (lot of effort physically - also its only a shower head with a nozzle to turn the jet part on) just moving up and down to stimulate lymph flow. I walk about the shower trying to aim up and down the lymph - up the back of the arms to the shoulder and up and down the spine. The inflammation doesn't seem as bad and the sore spots reduced slightly, my osteopath will tell me later on in the week if it looks any better.

I have a lot of food intolerances as well as MCS so I'm taking a a/histamine before bed every night, some people on GcMaf also take them to help with inflammation.
 
Messages
44
@maryb
Seems we have something similar. Anti-inflammatories don't work for me. Interesting about the anti-histamines, I've been reading more and more lately about the possibility of CFS sufferers having too much histamine. I will look further into this.

@minkeygirl
Thanks for the tip! I will add it to my shopping list.

Thanks both for the replies
 

taniaaust1

Senior Member
Messages
13,054
Location
Sth Australia
I used to get severe sharp bone pain at times with the ME (like someone was drilling within my bones), I had bone pain in most of my body esp arms and legs (when I was a lot sicker) but this bone pain could happen anywhere eg in the bone making up my eye socket. (I didnt find nothing to help this..over counter pain kilers were usless. I did not get to try any prescription drugs as I had bad doctors who wouldnt treat me).

Ive also had times where it was just my spine which was affected but in which it felt like there was some kind of inflammation going on within my spine esp at the base of it. I suspect it may be something do with the presence of dorsal root ganglionitis?? (this issue has been found in deceased ME people).

These things were different to the bone stuff Ive got at times from having a bad back which I have a great physio for, the other issues I know were related to my ME.
 
Messages
44
Ive also had times where it was just my spine which was affected but in which it felt like there was some kind of inflammation going on within my spine esp at the base of it. I suspect it may be something do with the presence of dorsal root ganglionitis?? (this issue has been found in deceased ME people.

That sounds like what I'm experiencing, and I too have read and considered the dorsal root ganglionitis possibility. It is also why I am able to at least have some level of optimism that perhaps it is a sign of my body attempting to fix the issue, but the opposite idea - that it could be worsening, is not a nice one.

Did the physio help for this at all, or only for your other bone issues? Have you found any relief from it?
 

Wayne

Senior Member
Messages
4,300
Location
Ashland, Oregon
@bootsydan -- Just this evening, I heard about a local woman who claims to have gotten significant back pain relief by using peppermint oil. She apparently also uses it to successfully treat migraine headaches by putting it on the temples. (The back pain she got relief from may be different than the "spinal" pain you described.)
 
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Messages
44
@bootsydan -- Just this evening, I heard about a local woman who claims to have gotten significant back pain relief by using peppermint oil. She apparently also uses it to successfully treat migraine headaches by putting it on the temples. (The back pain she got relief from may be different than the "spinal" pain you described.)

Yes it's effectiveness probably depends on the cause of the pain, but as we don't know that, definitely worth a thought. Cheers!