So on Friday I have a telephone consultation with a physio, however I am in a bit of a panic on how I will describe the locations of my pain. Excuse the picture but just wanted a bit of advice if anyone knew the names for the locations of my back in which I am getting pain.
Area 1 and 2 I have had pain for a while now it tends to be when I sit for too long or stand for too long and even after walking for too long it will ache a lot, I have a constant dull pain there and it can get worse throughout the day, I struggle to lie on this side because of it. Area 1 I have a hardness to my back, it is a bit of a lump to feel and then area 2 the pain radiates to there. I have had scans and such on my kidneys and they came back fine so I am unsure what is wrong.
Area 3 and 4 are recent, I had an accident at work and ever since I have had so much pain in my shoulder and neck, I now have numbness going down into my fingers since it happened and the motion of taking things in and out of a box for example it becomes very uncomfortable.
Any advice or if anyone has had similar especially with area 1 and 2 I would be very appreciative.
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Unfortunately I don’t know medical terms but from your photos I would say that areas 1 & 2 are your lower back and to the right side and area 3 & 4 are your right shoulder to as low as your under arm. Any physio or medical person will know what you mean and won’t expect you to know the medical terms.
I have arthritis and fibromyalgia and have pain in my middle lower back and both my shoulders and neck so I understand what you’re going through.
I hope you get some good treatment and get some pain relief. I had some physio in these areas and then some hydro therapy. The hydro therapy was good as the water was lovely and warm and takes the weight of your body. I would certainly go for that again if I was offered it.
Could you ask for an email address to send that photo to the physio, because sometimes a picture says a 1000 words. And there is also a technical term for what you have done there, it is called a pain map, and it is a recognised representation of pain.
It was occupational health at work (I work in a hospital) that decided I needed physio, following the accident I had there. I have been to my GP numerous times over the past year but as scans came back clear nothing else was ever done or mentioned so I kind of gave up going as I felt I was pestering them.
Your symptoms really do sound like they are musculoskeletal, so I would imagine you had scans to your spine? If so did you have an MRI scan and has a neurosurgeon looked at them?
I would speak to your doctor and explain your symptoms with the aid of a musculoskeletal body map.
I would then ask the doctor to refer you to a spinal neurosurgeon or an orthopaedic consultant.
You will most probably be asked to fill in a body map of your musculoskeletal pain at your consultants appointment and then have an MRI and X-rays for the investigation of spinal damage.
I’m not trying to scare you, but I wouldn’t leave it and end up with Myelopathy(which I have)
Thank you for your advice, I finally managed to get a doctors appointment over the phone and she said she wants to see me in person tomorrow and depending on what she things said she will refer me to the musculoskeletal clinic and give me some stronger painkillers to get me by in the mean time.
I really do hope so. Annoyingly I actually feel ok today. Some discomfort but ok, typical. But I know I should carry on and pursue it with the doctor as my symptoms are worse when I walk for example.
So I went to the doctors yesterday, she has referred me to musculoskeletal clinic and is sending me for an MRI on my back. On my notes she put lumbago and sciatica. She asked me how I would feel if I needed to have an operation and steroid injections things like that. Until I get an appointment with musculoskeletal and for the MRI she has given me some Naproxen to take.
Spinal cortisone injections are common place these days and they can be assisted with Fluoroscopy(live X-ray).
You will a have a much better idea of where you are at after your MRI and after talking to a consultant, but be honest about your pain level with the consultant, try and keep a pain diary each day and rate it 1-10(10 being unbearable pain)
I was very drowsy with Naproxen, but it can affect people differently and you can always ask to be prescribed something else if you feel any side effects.
Good plan about the pain diary. I have started one. Good news. I had a call today and have my MRI booked for this Friday! Which I was surprised about as I only went to the doctors Monday evening, thought I would be waiting weeks.
I am nervous about it to, in case they don't find anything wrong then I am back at stage 1. I am worrying because the naproxen is working a little and my pain isn't as bad, as I got use to it been there all of a sudden its like oh no where has it gone what if this has an effect on the MRI result haha.
Great news about the MRI being arranged so quickly! I used to have private health insurance and I was surprised when that ended and I needed NHS treatment for a non related spinal issue and that was addressed very quickly too.
I really wouldn’t worry about them not finding anything, your symptoms ultimately need addressing and this maybe one of the investigative procedures to find out what your condition is and you are on medication for a reason.
On a treatment note, I would say to be careful whilst the medication is having a positive affect and not to try and do things that you have refrained from doing because of your condition, I had a cortisone injection and then cage plate fusion with a double anterior cervical discectomy...
The consultant hasn't contacted me. I literally just found and read the results on my GP app they have been there since 20th November.
I had an xray on my shoulder last week and next to that it said follow up required with these results but not sure what they mean
There is slight superior displacement of the distal end of
the right clavicle in keeping with a mild degree of
acromioclavicular joint subluxation. No widening of the AC
joint or Glenohumeral joint is noted. No acute fracture is
seen. No significant OA change.
I called the GP and they said they are just awaiting the ultrasound results that is why they haven't called for a follow up. I haven't been able to get the ultrasound yet though as there are no appointments.
I know it’s hard when you are in pain, but please try not to stress...
There is obviously going to be a follow up appointment, so nothing has been decided yet and it sounds like they have identified an injury by the description.
There is no point in anybody else second-guessing and it’s best to wait for your appointment.
I agree with Neckback. It sounds very much like musculoskeletal. I have had several spinal ops but the pain was different. A good musculoskeletal specialist might be your best call. The upper area could possibly relate to your upper spine but without an MRI that is impossible to say. Still edge more to the musculoskeletal idea. Also if you can show her the picture like you did to us it will help or even just stand with your back to the camera with a drawn on like this will suffice. I am sure she will get the idea.
I have specific pain along base of shoulder blade and used to be along arm and fingers for five years now and was told after a neck mri that it was from slipping discs at C5 and C6 possibly C7 though as that area in no 3 you have marked is specific to C6 and C7, my memory is bad, think it could be C7 Only.
Had a private mri for lower back, as have been to physio over 10 times in more than 20 years and it showed various lower back disc problems and interconnecting problems.
I just take gabapentin and co-codamol as pretty much nothing else works 😬🤔
So I haven't had my MRI results as of yet. But I did have an xray on my shoulder following an accident at work. Just checked my gp records and it states a follow up is required, not heard anything yet from them though. These were the notes. Not sure what they exactly mean though.
x-ray R shoulder - considering trauma and glenohumeral joint
tenderness r/o bony injury & OA
USS R shoulder - ?rotator cuff injury
refer to MSK with results
CONSULTANT RADIOLOGIST 3172540
XR Shoulder Rt :
There is slight superior displacement of the distal end of
the right clavicle in keeping with a mild degree of
acromioclavicular joint subluxation. No widening of the AC
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