Breakthrough News re Treatment Chronic Back Pain.

[Calceolaria]

Check this yourselves but breaking news is that very well respected researchers have determined that infection can be the cause and antibiotic treatment can cure. This would seem to apply in cases of prolapsed discs which can allow bacteria to enter and infect bone tissue. Here's hoping this will help people on this site.

[Boozybird]

I wonder how long this treatment regime will take to filter down to the NHS? I just phoned the mast medical centre in London who are running the private program - it costs £70 for a consultation and erm....then another £700 to have a new MRi......

[Calceolaria]

It's similar to the fairly recent regime which has cured many stomach ulcers. This was pending gastroscopy and biopsy/scrape. Not sure how they would determine bacteria in discs !!! Blood tests do not bring it up as its too discrete an area which is inhabited. Very interesting and exciting news though. I don't think augmentin suits me at all though, never mind 3 months worth.

[carneed in reply to Calceolaria]

I was admitted into hospital on 22nd December 2012 with suspected septic discitis,at T11-12,for a biopsy, but only took a blood test which showed normal inflammatory markers and sent me home without the biopsy on 25/12/12,saying infection no longer "florid" so must have gone away on its own.Therefore I was very interested to read your statement that infections in discs may not show up in blood tests, as that would mean that I probably do still have the infection that showed up on 2 MRI scans. They have suggested extending my lumbar fusion to include the damaged disc at T11/12 but have done nothing about the possible infection. Please let me know where you got your information from about disc infections not showing in blood tests and whether you are a medically trained person. I was already thinking about accusing my consultant of neglect!

[Calceolaria in reply to carneed]

Carneed, I am not a medically trained person and last night I spent hours on the Internet, reading the newspaper articles and following up threads from them. Where I read the bit about blood tests I now just cant recall. By the time you read this, you might have found out all the information you are seeking. Someone posted on the other thread that they contacted the London HQ which is carrying out this work and was told that they start by diagnosing for this infection with a new MRI.

[Calceolaria in reply to Calceolaria]

But thinking on, it was all about chronic back pain, not the acute infections which presumably are picked up more easily in bloods. Again, just my speculation, not being medically qualified.

[Hidden]

Answered my question on your other post!

Thats going to save the NHS money in discectomies etc.

Have you got a link to the report?

I think they can see the infection in the joints and bones on a mri scan.

[Calceolaria]

Not seen the report itself. My sister texted me last night as she is a medic. I googled it and found reports in several newspapers. Interestingly, there has been an suspicion about infection and chronic back pain for some years but researchers were unable to prove and didn't really try. My pain did bear similarities with almost feverish flare ups and feelings of faintness, shaking. None of these symptoms discernible on test. Apart from bp, which was high for months and necessitated meds. I knew it wasn't a permanent issue though. Eventually, things settled and I have chronic back pain, some days better than others. I rarely take any meds, not worth it.

[manma]

I slipped a disc 18 years ago and more have slipped since. I also have spinal stenosis, degenerative disc disease, scoliosis and osteo-arthritis of the spine. I was having caudal epidural's progressed to lumbar epidural's and now have lumbar facet joint injections. Could all this really be down to infection, if so I want some antibiotics!! I can barely walk the pain in my back and legs is so bad and my consultant says I have a high pain threshold most of his patients with the same condition as me are in wheelchairs or bed bound. I try not to use painkillers but on a bad day I will.

[Calceolaria]

It's a possibility, according to this research, that some or all of low back pain is caused by infection. I have an appt with my GP for next month to discuss his take on all this.

[security]

I think it would be best for me not to tell my GP of this new treatment...... His eyes would roll around and be off risk of falling out...........This happens when I tell him of information I have found on the internet.........

[Boozybird]

Is anyone going to stop brushing their teeth as one commentator speculated in the links due to transmission of bacteria via the mouth/blood stream? We'd be even more popular then! Lol. I'm not going to talk to my GP either as all he ever does is take the opportunity to talk about the disc problems in his own neck!

[Calceolaria]

Despite the newspaper excitement, there does seem some room to hope for some. More balanced views are coming in all the time. The teeth cleaning seems to be an issue affecting the discussion boards of microbiologists and PhDs. Dental hygiene was proved to reduce incidences of heart problems some years ago if I remember rightly?

[Boozybird in reply to Calceolaria]

Yes, flossing is supposed to add 5 years to your life...