Problems with my spine

[Court]

I was diagnosed with Parkinsons about 7 years ago. I now have problems with my spine which cause severe pain in my back, legs , knees and even my feet. I was wondering whether this pain and deterioration in my spine could be connected to my Parkinsons in any way. Does anyone else with Parkinsons have trouble with their back?

[1shakey]

Hi ,

I had pain in my back to the stage that I was in a wheel chair to get around and at that stage they said it was due to my Parkinson's as it was a common symptom.But I had a car crash due to my Parkinson's Medes giving me sleep disorder, well they scanned my back after the accident and found a problem with vertibrays 1 to 5 so had a n operation to get it sorted and now I'm up and about and back working , there is still a reasonable amount of pain in my back still but it is bearable . So I would insist on your doctor having a good look in case it is not your Parkinson's, Just remember never give in . I'm 55 and had Parkinson's for 15 years so I no what it's like but we are all so different but get your back checked just to be sure.

Cheers

[Shol]

Hi I was diagnosed with p d 6 years ago ,I have pain in my legs which I was told comes from my spine.I am on pain killers only 2 a day which I don't like but I am also on lyrica . Doctors can't tell me if it is pd but my new neurologist says it's the wearing off period.

I'm on Stalevo now for pd and azilect which I have just started it's making me feel very heady and tired.love to hear from someone

[Hidden]

i had alot of pain in my back and left leg mri scan showed joint disease due do to artaritis in botom 5 vertabre leaning on sciatic nerve ,it took 2 mths trial and error to hit on right pain meds ,im on 8 paracetamol ,3 tradol and 2 75mg lyrica daily over 6 yrs since diagnoised with parkinsons im on meds every 2 and half hrs ,sinemet plus ,requip ,eldepryl ,sinemet cr slow release at nite .

[PatV]

Not every pain is caused by PD but every pain is made worse by PD! Hope you feel better.

[honeycombe3]

Sue,

When I fell in December & was in agony with my lower back an MRI scan of the region showed an existing stenosis (narrowing) of several lower vertebrae of which I wasn't aware. It was giving pain then because the accident had caused the nerve & soft tissue to swell in the narrowed space so there was pressure all the time. Apparently this experience of existing spinal conditions coming to light due to injury is quite common in general. One word of warning: because we have PD it is often assumed that, as back pain is associated with PD, other investigative procedures may not be necessary.

[Court]

Thank you all for your comments. I believe that it is the top five and bottom five vertebrae which are causing the pain. I have been told that nothing can be done except giving me pain relief injections. These help immediately, but don't last long. I have three things to fight now. Parkinsons, Type 2 Diabetes and a crumbling back. I must make sure that I do not have any favourites!!!

[Syncletica in reply to Court]

It might be to your benefit to explore the DVD by Dr. Vijay Vad, Back RX. The book by the same name is an invaluable resource.

It is my hope that this assists in mitigating the pain and thus avoiding surgical interventions, or additional medications.

[Alleymay1957]

I always said if it wasn't for back problems my parkinsons would be easier to deal with.

[quirkyme]

My husband is finding that some judicious physical therapy and daily stretching and exercise is helping his mid-back. His doctor (PCP) said after an x-ray that just about everyone at age 69 has some arthritis in their back and other areas. Stretching helps the muscles be less rigid and tight, so it's not bone-against-bone that has been inflamed from the arthritis. Be sure to go to someone well trained in dealing with PD.

[Hidden]

Yoga Yoga Yoga. The practice of yoga has given me the strength and the ability to enjoy life by finding freedom in movement. No matter you age or abilities, find a certified yoga teacher and explain your limitations and they will modify a practice for you. The hardest part is the first step.

[Hidden]

Yoga Yoga Yoga. The practice of yoga has given me the strength and the ability to enjoy life by finding freedom in movement. No matter you age or abilities, find a certified yoga teacher and explain your limitations and they will modify a practice for you. The hardest part is the first step.

[Hidden]

Yoga Yoga Yoga. The practice of yoga has given me the strength and the ability to enjoy life by finding freedom in movement. No matter you age or abilities, find a certified yoga teacher and explain your limitations and they will modify a practice for you. The hardest part is the first step.

[JohnPepper]

Hi Court. I am not a doctor. I am a Pd Patient. I had a disc removed from my lower spine, in 1977, before I knew I had Pd. In 1998, six years after I was diagnosed, I had been doing hard walking for one hour, three times a week. But, un-beknown to me, I was walking with a bad posture, and that caused me to damage a second disc in my lower back. I had to have that one removed as well. During the period before I had the disc removed, I had terrible leg and back pains, and they only got worse and worse. I took medication and anti-inflamatories galore, but nothing helped. I had to start standing up properly and walking properly, before those problems completely disappeared. Speak to a biokineticist or a physiotherapist. They can help you.

John

[Court in reply to JohnPepper]

Hi John. Pain that isn't connected to Parkinsons is a pain I could well do without - as could we all. I had injections, under sedation, before my holidays and the relief was instant and brilliant. However, it is returning far sooner than I expected. I have had mri scans and was told that my spine was in a bad way and nothing could be done to help me. I used to do a lot of exercise, but have cut back. I see my Parkinsons Consultant next month. She is brilliant and says that my overall health is her concern.

I am so lucky to have her and the whole Parkinsons team.

[JohnPepper in reply to Court]

Hi Court. Have you looked into your posture? Whether you have Pd or not, your posture can and does cause lots of problems with our spines. Do you have the usual stooped posture, or is your posture still upright and straight?

John

[Court in reply to JohnPepper]

Hi John. I do have slight posture problems. My physio always spots them as soon as I walk in the room. I favour my right side, which is my Parkinson side. I am reasonably upright but it is not easy. However, I will fight all these little things that Parkinson throws at me. I am not saying that I will win, but I'll give it my best shot. You are right I must watch my posture. Thanks.

[JohnPepper in reply to Court]

That's the right attitude Court. Why should you not succeed? If I have been able to succeed, then so can you. I am only human and your brain works the same way as mine does. Be positive and determined to walk and stand erect. When that has happened, and it will, I will then tell you how to walk properly! I Promise!

John.

[Court in reply to JohnPepper]

Hi John. Thanks for your reply. I am making a conscious effort to stand straight. This was also a comment my physio made. Like you, I have always felt that the key to, at least, controlling Parkinsons is exercise. I walk my dogs every day, no matter how I feel. I have had to cut down on stringent exercise until I find out exactly what the problems with my back entail. Once I know what I am working with I will start using my Wii again, using my exercise bike and generally trying to get fit again.

Thanks for your offer of help. I would be grateful for any pointers you could give me. Sue

[JohnPepper in reply to Court]

Hi Sue. In order to understand what fast walking does for us, I have to give you my understanding of it. I read somewhere, and I don't remember where, that when we run or walk fast, not casually, our brain thinks that we are running away from danger. This causes it to produce a chemical called GDNF (Glial Derived Neurotrophic Factor). Glial cells are neurons (Brain Cells). trophic means repair. The body produces different trophic factors for many different body cells. If we were not able to repair damaged cells, then we would never have survived as a species. The glial cells are the very cells that are affected by Pd, so we actually produce our own repair kits for the damage caused by Pd. Therefore, we should not ever need to take medication to do this for us. All we have to do is walk fast, for one hour, three times a week. We should never walk every day, as our muscles need a day to recover from vigorous exercise.

You, and many others may feel that you are not able to walk fast, and you may be right, but that does not mean that you will never be able to do so. Fitness comes from exercise and exercise has to be undertaken carefully and slowly. When you have addressed the posture problem and have learned how to 'consciously' stand upright, then you should start walking, as fast as YOU can, for as long as you can, without stressing yourself. You may find that you can only walk fast for two minutes, or maybe even only one minute. Don't let that worry you, do it every second day. Then after a week or two, you will find that you are walking faster and longer. That will happen automatically, because you will be getting fitter all the time. It helps a great deal if you record every walk. The time and the distance is vital, regardless of what it is. The purpose of the recording is for you to see the improvement. You have no idea how important it is to see that improvement. It gives you HOPE and that hope will drive you on to achieve great things.

I hope this will help you.

John

[Court in reply to JohnPepper]

Hi John. Thanks for the information on fast walking. I will certainly give it a try. I have always walked a lot until the trouble with my back did not let me do so. At the moment, I am not sure how bad my back really is. I will have to follow this up. I have an appointment with my GP this week. I also used to use an exercise bike and also the Wii.

I am determined to give Parkinsons a run for its money. I did it once, so I can do it again. I just need to get the motivation. Thank you for all your help and advice. I don't think you will see me in the Marathon. But who know!! Sue

[JohnPepper in reply to Court]

Thanks Sue. Good luck!

John

[Court in reply to JohnPepper]

Hi John

I am still taking your advice about walking. My legs and knees have been really painful so my GP has increased my tablets. Not sure I like the effect they have on me, but will give it a try. You are right that I tend to lean to my bad side. I am trying hard to correct this.

Hope all is well with you.

Sue

[JohnPepper in reply to Court]

Hi Sue. I don't know what any Pd medication does for pain! If your pain is not receding with the pills then cut them back to where you were before upping them. Have you tried anti-inflammatory tablets? Don't give in to this pain! I find I walk through the pain and it goes away. May I ask you if the pain in your knee is on one side? If so, then look at the sole of your walking shoes and see if the shoe is being worn down on one side? If that is the case, then by consciously putting your body weight on the other side, that pain will go away. You can also see a podiatrist, who can give you something to put under your foot, which will make you favor the other side. You could speak to a biokineticist to do exercises to remove the pain. That is a much better way of dealing with the pain than taking medication.

Good luck.

John

[Court in reply to JohnPepper]

Hi John. From what I know 2 mri scans have shown damage to my spine which is only going to get worse as there is no treatment available, only pain relief. I go to the Pain Clinic for injections in my spine about every six months.

I walk a lot and do exercises as I have always done. I will certainly take your advice and watch my medication. I am also becoming more aware of my posture. Thank you for your advice and help. Sue

[JohnPepper in reply to Court]

Hi Sue. As you know, I am not a doctor. I have had two discs removed from my spine, the first in 1977 and the second in 1998. Neither time did I allow the doctor to do a fusion. It is not natural for the spine to be kept rigid. I have not had any problems since either operation. I have skied, played golf, and done mountain climbing etc with no problems. Several of my friends and acquaintances have had fusions, at the same time and all of them have had problems.

Why is your back giving you a problem? If it is a pinched nerve, caused by a prolapsed disc then there is plenty that can be done to alleviate this problem.

Good luck!

Jihn

[pingopenguin]

Hi,

You should seek advice from your physio/doctor.

There are lots of exercises you can do to help you. The medical team should be able to tell you what exercises are best for you.

You might find doing them in water or sitting would benefit you ?

Try to avoid taking lots of pain killers as some of these can be addictive.

There is some research that shows acupuncture is good ! Most nhs trusts offer acupuncture at there pain clinics.

Also make sure it is your PD causing the pain and nothing else.

[Laurahush]

Yes I have had bad back over a year. Got so bad was seeing a chiropractor three times a week for 3 months. Now going every two to three weeks.

Helped enormously but still in pain. Have aching knees and sensations in feet