Lower back pain and neck pain

[Henrik]

So a little quick update on how things are going.

First off all this week i hit a bump in the road wich means minor set backs and pain unfortunatly.

I have been sick as a dog, throwing up on and off and also digestive problems the past week or so and when that finally stopped and got better, boom! Facial nerve pain, head pressure, dizziness and pulistive tinnitus,neck pain and lower back pain knocked me out. The amount off pain i feel right now is from scale to 1-10, about 8 i would say and i have not felt that kind off pain as long as back to prior surgery.

The digestive/throwing up part i think came from my colleauges. There is some kind off virus going around at work, as half departement where im at right now had been sick or stil is sick.
Im mainly in machining and dissasembly department. So that out off the way, i have been going to physician the past two months wich does not think or belive i have misaligment in C1,C2 or C3 and does not think my lower and upper back pain is caused by any structual problems, neither does she belive strongly in “nerve pain” issues she sort off second guess it wich i deeply respect, no worries though because she explained it very thoughtfully what she thought might cause everything to flare up and. She did examine my muscle group very closely and could pin point a few problems in the way the muscles moved.

So what my physician thinks is that every muscle group is so tensed up both from the surgery itself and also from all these seven odd years with elongated styloids and calcified ligaments that it creates tension everywhere, from joints to nerves, so by that we started a stretching program. Mainly stretching shoulder and neck muscles. At first it helped, but it does not help anymore, and also she did actually quit as a physician at that office so im struggeling to get in again as a new patient to a new physician wich is a bummer

So yess, her i am falling through the cracks again

And yess iknow nerve pain can take a looooooong damn time, but besides what my physicians theory is wich i do partially agree on i do stil belive my own theory about that there must be structual issues or some kind off misaligment in my neck and back.

and also should i start to think about nerve medecine/blockers? Im a bit afraid to get to that point because i have heard so many “scary” stories about different types off it.

What i have done now, im getting in touch with my GP to solve what ever we can do and i have also orderd an apointment at the local chiropractor center wich has top reviews and he is also educated and practiced in USA. Maybe he can look into this case.

And there is something else i should mention, i had this before but not so much as now. Whenever i lay down flat on my back, and my head a bit upright. I do almost everytime, experience “squirting” sensation in my neck/ears. And it is loud, it can last for half an hour. It does also feel like sand or gravel that runs down my neck. I have seen members post about this before but there seems to be no great answere to this.

Another thing;
About work, it seems that both colleauges and the management takes this very easy and in an understanding way. They were aware off my condition and the surgery i went trough recently.

But iknow by experience, that no workplace likes workers that are sick or on sick leave for a long time. Do not mistaken me, because i do understand why it is like that and i respect it as it is hard for us all these days, what do they say ? " Time is money" or something like that, and oldtimers have the greatest work ethics that there is.

So, i do feel truly sorry for this and i have said sorry to my boss that it is a bit off a slow start. But as i said, they seem to be very understanding but i do stil feel sorry for it being like this and mostly for my colleauges. So i just want you to know that is a extra burden right now, guess it is normal for most people to truly feel sorry when they have to stay at home because they are sick.

[Isaiah_40_31]

Thank you for the update, Henrik. I’m very, very sorry for your setback & the pain you’re having.

@Henrik

I have been sick as a dog, throwing up on and off and also digestive problems the past week or so and when that finally stopped and got better, boom! Facial nerve pain, head pressure, dizziness and pulistive tinnitus,neck pain and lower back pain knocked me out.

What occurred to me when I read this is that vomiting uses lots of muscles - abdominal, chest, throat, neck & face plus pressure in the head & ears. Since your neck, throat, face & the vascular tissues in your neck (& likely up into your skull) are still healing from surgery, the pressure & stress caused by vomiting could flare pain up again. Hopefully given a week or two, you’ll notice it calms down again.

@Henrik

So what my physician thinks is that every muscle group is so tensed up both from the surgery itself and also from all these seven odd years with elongated styloids and calcified ligaments that it creates tension everywhere, from joints to nerves, so by that we started a stretching program.

This makes sense but I’m sorry the stretching exercises didn’t end up helping you more. How frustrating for you that this doctor left the clinic so you have to find a new doctor now. If she didn’t go far away, can you see her at her new location?

@Henrik

i do partially agree on i do stil belive my own theory about that there must be structual issues or some kind off misaligment in my neck and back.

This could definitely be the case since you previously did sandblasting work which was very hard on your body & then having ES & the problems that caused could have made your posture even worse so now you’re suffering from all of that. I’m glad you’re planning to see a good chiropractor. I hope he helps you get the structural issues worked out & your back & neck realigned. Just a warning - to keep the adjustments a chiropractor makes to your spine, you may need to do some physical therapy to help strengthen the muscles that support the parts of your neck & spine that are out of alignment. Also, I think you know not to let the chiropractor do high velocity neck adjustments. Anything done with your neck needs to be passive using a chiropractic tool called an activator (in the US) or a table that can help do traction.

@Henrik

And there is something else i should mention, i had this before but not so much as now. Whenever i lay down flat on my back, and my head a bit upright. I do almost everytime, experience “squirting” sensation in my neck/ears. And it is loud, it can last for half an hour. It does also feel like sand or gravel that runs down my neck. I have seen members post about this before but there seems to be no great answere to this.

This is odd but could be nerve related, especially the sensation of sand or gravel running down your neck. The sound I’m not sure about unless it’s a different form of very loud tinnitus. I think you should share this part of your post on the public forum to see if anyone else has experienced these symptoms.

Regarding nerve pain medication - most people find it makes them tired or sleepy so if you decide to try it, you may want to only take it before you go to bed at night at first. It can be very helpful when you find the right one.

@Henrik

So, i do feel truly sorry for this and i have said sorry to my boss that it is a bit off a slow start. But as i said, they seem to be very understanding but i do stil feel sorry for it being like this and mostly for my colleauges.

It does feel awful to make a commitment to work then not be able to be there as often as promised. I will be praying that your job waits for you & that your body keeps healing so you can work full time & feel good.

[Jules]

So sorry that you’re feeling rough again…I agree with Wendy, my first thought when you said you’ve had a vomiting bug was that you’ve probably aggravated all the muscles & nerves in your neck and around the surgery site, so hopefully it will settle with time. I also find when I’ve had any virus, it does seem to cause inflammation in ‘weak’ tissues, so I do get a small flare up in my neck pain, even if the virus is nothing to do with my neck!
Vdm & TheDuse have posted quite a bit about how different muscles can be affected all through the body from pain and tension in one area. Vdm posted links to quite a few videos on YouTube with stretching to help different muscle groups, maybe it would be helpful to you, here’s a link:
List of my favourite resources on YouTube to learn anatomy - General - Living with Eagle
There are quite alot though!
Re nerve pain meds, they can work very well but take time to build up in your system so you have to be patient & you may have to try different ones. A nerve block might be worth leaving maybe a bit longer to try as you are still healing from your surgery, the nerve pain might well still improve as some members have found they’ve got better even a year after surgery!
It is hard having to take time off sick from work, but it sounds as if this set back has been caused by the sickness bug which was spread around at work, so that’s not really your fault!
Sending you a hug

[Henrik]

Thanks for these good answeres !

So there is alot going on i think.

First off all, I got some bad results from my bloodtest that i’ve taken few days ago at my GP. There is a very high increase off Calcium levels, wich means my FHH is out off control. Wich also can possible explain the vomiting and digestive problems. These are very common symptoms with FHH, it is after all an autoimune condition. My tests shows levels over 3,14 mmol/L in comparison with last test i took that was about 2,48 mmol/L. The first tests i took when they first ruled it out, it was over 4,3 mmol/L so it is lower than the first time but it is increasing in comparison with the other 4 tests i have taken the past year.

This means that i probably have to up my doses in medecine, hopefully that will help.

Second, My GP found something in my neck and my lower back. He could not make anything off it right there and then, but he made up his suggestions by his findings when he palpated me on the back. He has ordered an X-Ray scan off the whole spine including neck and the lower portion off my back. Im going for X-Ray scan on thursday next week at the nearest hospitale.

Third, My GP did also find something concerning about my liver. It was bigger than avarage, he based his findings with palpation and that it was bigger than his index finger. He explained me what he thought it could be but i could not hang on to what he said. He is from the balkans, so some language barrier there is. But other than that he is a very good doctor. So i guess i just have take it day by day and see what comes next.

@Isaiah_40_31

Regarding nerve pain medication - most people find it makes them tired or sleepy so if you decide to try it, you may want to only take it before you go to bed at night at first. It can be very helpful when you find the right one.

So i’ve heard! It is best to not play around with these medecation yet i think, as i said it has to come to a surtain point. And also, i do not want to be sleepy at work. There is alot off heavy machinery and saftey is number one priority hence i have taken some few days off work.

@Isaiah_40_31

I think you know not to let the chiropractor do high velocity neck adjustments. Anything done with your neck needs to be passive using a chiropractic tool called an activator (in the US) or a table that can help do traction.

Thanks i will mention this for him!

@Jules

Re nerve pain meds, they can work very well but take time to build up in your system so you have to be patient & you may have to try different ones. A nerve block might be worth leaving maybe a bit longer to try as you are still healing from your surgery, the nerve pain might well still improve as some members have found they’ve got better even a year after surgery!

Yep, exactly why i want to wait to come to this point. The past two days have been okey, mild nerve pain. Worst at night though, but it helps with icing, and painkillers.

[Jules]

I didn’t know you had FHH (actually I had to google it!), I guess it could account for ES, we’ve had some members with high calcium levels which they believed caused the calcifications in their neck…I will pray that they can increase your medication okay & that it helps with the vomiting, and that they can find out what’s happening with your back & liver, and quickly

[Isaiah_40_31]

I’m sorry that you’ve had other recent findings in your neck/spine that may be significant, Henrik. The liver is concerning, too. I do recall your struggle w/ FFH & calcium level balance in your body and am also sad to hear that’s a potential problem again. I’m glad it’s controllable w/ medication & hope there aren’t bad side effects from it.

I’ll also pray for you to get accurate diagnoses & for the treatment to not require more surgery.

[Henrik]

@Isaiah_40_31

I’m glad it’s controllable w/ medication & hope there aren’t bad side effects from it.

Well sadly my friend side effects is an issue, normally or how to say, FHH has no typical symptoms as normal hypercalcemia would have, infact there should not be any symptoms from FHH because it is a genetically distrubtion in the cell production and in production off the PTH hormone itself. As my endrochronologist explained it; think off it as a recepie for a cake, where you’ll have two recepies the one is right and the other one has some faults in it, my cells uses the faulty recepie to make itself a cake.

So my cells will “read out” faulty levels off calcium, wich then leads them to overproduce PTH hormones.

But in very rare cases it can be symptomatic, and cause hormone inbalance symptoms. Wich is a fact for me.

One should also be aware that high levels off PTH hormones, can also mean that you have some cancer cells in your blood, or cancer in one off your glands, wich im always worried about. Because my grandmother have had blood cancer, she is good now though, she managed to fight it off.

@Isaiah_40_31

The liver is concerning

Yeah that alarmed me too, but i took ultrasound off my liver last year and it was fine so i think it is because off the heavy medication i’ve been going trough lately. Well i don’t know, i’ll take it step by step anyway. But it seems like everything happens to come at me once again.

I do think it was a bit early to start working full time also but at least i’ve tried and im happy to have had three good weeks back at it again. I was starting to go nuts by staying at home for so long, the past few weeks my back and neck has been as painfull as it never have been before, i can’t hardly walk or stand upright. Right now i feel as if my body is totally worn out from all these years off pain, infact im starting to think that since most off my ES symptoms has improved that my body is more concentrated with the pain in my back and my neck, almost like it is a new door that has been opened for more pain and adventures

So i’ll stop complaining there!

I have not gotten my results back from the X-Ray yet, but i’ve had my first meeting with my chiropractor, wich im looking forward to spend some time with him i’ll tell you why;

Meeting with my chriopractor went as follows;
He is very experienced chiropractor, educated in USA. Infact he had Eagle Syndrome as his first case study when he went trough education, so he was a bit shocked when we first met at his office. He told me has not been in touch with ES since his education and he has been practicing his work for a looooong time, so he was very shocked but excited at the same time.

Sadly he will be going away on holiday for two weeks, so we can’t start any treatment before the second week in august, and he said that since i have had ES he wanted to really think through, and make a good plan. As he said “this aint a quick fix, we’ll have to be carefull and use time on this”, he also wanted to really look through my x-ray scans. So to sum this up, i think i have found a good chiropractor and im extremely happy that he don’t want to jump at it before he has thought this through.

As off my stumach problems, seems like i have some intestinal bacteria growth. I got some results back from a test for that too, so there is alot going on.

lower back and neck pain;

Im suspecting it is CCI or it very well may be calcification there aswell, caused by FHH. And another thing it could be as i’ve had it before, imflamation in the disks or the “pillows” between the disks as we say in Norway(sport/workout injury).

The pain in my lower back is located in the middle radiating to my right side and it radiates out to my right hip aswell, sometimes i can feel it radiate through my right buttcheek. Sometimes, i’ll have spasm in my right leg or my thigh. It does not last very long. I do also have tingling sensation in my feet at the same time, that too goes away rather quickly.

The lower back pain gets worser when i sit down in a chair and also worsen when laying flat on my back, specially at night! Bending down, or twisting my body makes it worsen too. Walking, and stretching also worsens the pain and i’ll often get the sensation off being out off breath when walking as if im being punched in my stumach.

Neck pain, pain from C7 all the way up to C1Atlas. Pain radiates through my shoulder blades, aswell as on top where the scapula is located, sometimes it radiates all the way trough my triceps. Turning my head worsens the pain in C7 but relives the pain i feel where the C1Atlas is located, moving my head forward and tucking in my chin is exactly the same, pain in C7 but C1 Atlas pain is relived. Looking up, i’ll feel pain both from C7 to C1.

When doing all these motions with my neck and head, there is alot off cracking sounds, buzzing sounds and sometimes the sound off a soda can being opened up with the fizz/hizz sound. Sometimes i’ll actually get sinus relive aswell, feeling the muccus running down my throat.

Laying down flat on my back, very often it feels like gravel and sand running down my neck. That can last for at least half an hour.

Any thoughts from the public ?

I may think it will be important from now on to tackle my neck and lower back pain. I’ll see if i can post my x-ray scans on here when i’ll get a hold on the CD the radilogist burned for me.

[Jules]

So sorry that you’re suffering with your back & neck, but at least you have a good chiropractor on board when he’s back from holiday…it doesn’t sound as though there’ll be a quick fix, especially if you do have instability…
Sending you hugs and praying for you

[Isaiah_40_31]

Henrik,

I’m very sorry for the ongoing problems in your body & how they’re causing you to suffer. I’m very thankful that your ES surgery has helped resolve at least some of those that were somewhat debilitating.

The chiropractor you’re seeing sounds ideal & I hope he is thorough in reading your x-rays & comes up with a plan that is very helpful in relieving pain in your back & neck. I have a bulging disc in L5-S1 in my low back, & it causes almost the identical symptoms you get when yours is flared up. I also problems with sitting & lying on my back exacerbating my pain. The chiropractor I see recommended icing my low back when it’s very bad & that helps a lot. The other thing he recommended which also helps is to lie on my back in “fetal position” i.e. with my knees pulled up to my chest & arms wrapped around my knees to hold my legs in that tight position. That opens up the lumbar spine & takes pressure off my disc. Usually it doesn’t require staying in that position very long to get some relief. It will be interesting to see what your chiropractor recommends for you to do at home.

I have different neck troubles than you do so have not experienced what you’ve mentioned but it sounds AWFUL!!

I will also be praying for you to find helpful solutions.

[Henrik]

@Isaiah_40_31

I see recommended icing my low back when it’s very bad & that helps a lot. The other thing he recommended which also helps is to lie on my back in “fetal position” i.e. with my knees pulled up to my chest & arms wrapped around my knees to hold my legs in that tight position. That opens up the lumbar spine & takes pressure off my disc. Usually it doesn’t require staying in that position very long to get some relief. It will be interesting to see what your chiropractor recommends for you to do at home.

Thank you so much for these tips, that i did not even began to think off as a possible solution to relive pain and stress, i’ll see to it and try it out !

So i’ve got my cervical x-ray scans at the ready for you to have a blast and see if you’ll find anything.

The report states that my spine and neck is in good condition, but i do see that my spine is aint straight whatsoever, and also there is possible minor scoliosis ?

I would also pay attention to the right hip, there is something going on there but im not sure.

[Jules]

I see what you mean about it not looking straight, but wouldn’t know enough about it to be able to comment on anything else…

[Henrik]

I do not know what im looking at, but it is interesting to notice some few diferences. In this image you can clearly see that there is a much greater space between iliac crest and the sacroiliac joint on the right side compared to the left.

And in the femor head, there seems to be a hook on the left. The right one seems to be very rounded, wich i belive indicates stress or that it is worn out prehaps.

The blue lines i’ve drawn are not very accurate and i do not think that it is the best way to see the curvature, but i think the blue lines represent somewhat how the curving is.

Anyhow my chirpractor will take a look at them anyway, but doesn’t hurt to get some insight from the forum

[Isaiah_40_31]

@Henrik,

First your cervical curve looks GREAT! I can’t speak to how the discs & disc spaces in your neck are because I truly don’t know what they’re supposed to look like. I do see a little bit of a curve in your spine, too. A couple of years ago I was diagnosed w/ mild scoliosis which was shocking to me because I always prided myself in my nice straight spine. I was told I have an 11º curve which is very mild. There’s nothing to worry about until it gets to >25º-30º.

I also agree that your right SI joint is more open than on the left side. The other thing of note is that your left femoral head looks out of round & isn’t seated as deeply in the socket as the right one. (see image below). This can be indicative of the hip dysplasia & can cause SI joint & back pain. If you have those symptoms chronically, getting further scanning on that hip would be worthwhile.

I had bilateral hip replacement in 2022 but am still not great at reading hip x-rays so please don’t take my comments too seriously. Your chiropractor will be able to help you discern if you have a hip problem or not.

[Henrik]

@Isaiah_40_31

First your cervical curve looks GREAT! I can’t speak to how the discs & disc spaces in your neck are because I truly don’t know what they’re supposed to look like. I do see a little bit of a curve in your spine

Thank you for your insights ! you are right about the disks, i can’t find anything concerning either. I think the issues is further down!

I’ve compared my spine to a image on google, where there are about 11 degree scoliosis i think i may fit in with that too and seems legit. But that doesn’t mean that the problem is in my spine!

@Isaiah_40_31

I also agree that your right SI joint is more open than on the left side. The other thing of note is that your left femoral head looks out of round & isn’t seated as deeply in the socket as the right one. (see image below). This can be indicative of the hip dysplasia & can cause SI joint & back pain. If you have those symptoms chronically, getting further scanning on that hip would be worthwhile.

Thanks again for being with me on my concerns with my pelvic and hip findings!

Im starting to think this is were the problem is, because it fits so well in with where my pain mostly is located. Mid-lower back and it radiates trough my right hip all the way trough my buttcheek, specially when i sit down if i stretch out my right leg i can really feel the pain in my hip.

And the pain is really noticeable after a long day with standing up, walking, running etc.

So what we are both noticing is the spacings and as you’ve noted a divot/dent in the femur head. Im quite sure that there could be worn out tissue/inflammation or calcification. I do not think that it is just ‘‘dislocated’’ or that the slight instability in my spine causes this. I think this can correlate to the fact that im having freqeunt issues with FHH. FHH can cause calcification, inflammation in joints,tissue etc. Or that my hips are basicly just worn out for some reason, i’ve had a tough life that’s for sure !

I’ve noted this to my GP, and told him that i think we might have to reconsider these images or get a better scan off my whole pelvic and hip.

I’ve also ordered an prostate exame, just to be sure. Because that too can create problems with pelvic,hips and back.

Thanks again, this is really helping me !

[Isaiah_40_31]

Another thing I forgot to mention is that the right side of your pelvis is a bit lower than the left in the imaging.This may only have to do w/ how you were lying on the x-ray table, but I need to mention it as I had a big problem w/ my right pelvis shifting upward thus making my right leg shorter than the left. This was much of the source of my right SI joint pain. Chiropractic adjustments would re-level my pelvis, but it would unlevel again as soon as I went for a walk or jog. Unbeknown to me that was another sign that my hip was wearing out.

True hip pain is in the groin area in the front of the body i.e. the area where your leg joins your pelvis in the front. You may get a bit of ache in the hip socket & of course glute & low back & from the side as well & even knee & calf, but the primary & worst pain will be deep on the front side.

[Henrik]

This a draft from a pm that is about this topic, so thought it might be valuable to add some off it in the topic aswell for the public.

Some good news;

My GP has prescribed neurotine(gabapentin) for the nerve pain, he decided it was time to start on those. I’ve been put on a dosage plan, i will take 1 capsual the first day, then two and then three and then lastly i have to see wich off the doses helps and what is managable with the side effects. I took my first one today, so far no side effects. Though im a bit drowsy or tired but that could be from the fatigue.

The hospital have reevalueted my X-Ray scan off lumbarsacral. It was no more than four radiologists that looked at my scans, and all off them confirmed no found.

So my GP has ordered a full body MRI w contrast scan, because he is suspecting prolaps, nerve damage or inflamation in soft/muscle tissue.

He has also ordered a full dynamic/aerobic examination off my neck/lower back at the hospital in Kristiansand(one off Norways biggest hospitals). There is a team off specialized physcians at Kristiansand hospital.

My GP is doing wonders, think he really wants to push my case. So im greatfull for that too!

Im stil awaiting for the chiropractor apointment, it is schedueld 12th off august.

I think both me and my GP has done what we can for now, it’s a waiting game now, almost a
war of attrition

The draft was made three days before i started on gabapentin, so now as i write im on day four off the dosage plan. Im up to 300 mg now, stil a low dosage, however the side effects has kicked in, but no serouise side effects only mild drowsy,tiredness and abit nauseous but first night with 300 mg i had awfull nightmares and halusinations wich was a bit scary

So, i take 500 mg *2 naproxen and 300 mg totally off gabapentin, works quite well together, though i don’t feel the full effect off gabapentin yet as it can take up to 3 months for some as i’ve read online but i feel very calm, a calm i’ve never felt before almost a bit euphoric if i may say so.

And gabapentin along with naproxen, makes sleep a bit easier i guess. I stil take some liquid melatonin some days, but i say you this, you should be carefull with gabapentin and sleep medications, always ask your GP if it is safe or not.

To add for the X-Ray;

The hospital in Kristiansand called me the other day, and asked if they could take a look at my other recent scans before and after surgery as they wanted to compare them. Wich i belive is very good choice off them. So hopes and prayers for the team there !

• Henrik

[Jules]

I’m glad that your GP is on your side & pushing for you to get all the scans you need…I hope that you can work out a dosage of the meds which helps you…I hope that the scans give you a clearer picture of what’s going on with your back

[Isaiah_40_31]

@Henrik -

Be careful to drink lots (8-16 ox) of water & maybe a little food when you take your Naproxen as it can strip the mucus lining from your stomach if you don’t. I had that happen & had burning in my stomach & mild nausea for close to a month while my mucus lining repaired. Otherwise, I’m very happy to hear you’ve found a combination of medications that are helpful for you!

[Isaiah_40_31]

I had another thought, this morning, @Henrik. Have you had your hips x-rayed or scanned? I had terrible SI joint pain which referred to low back, glute & leg pain after it went on long enough. I think I mentioned that since my hips have been replaced my SI joint pain & the referral pain are gone. I’m not suggesting you need a hip replacement but PT for your hips might help a lot with the lower body pain you have.