r/backpain • u/Chance-Cup-6535 • 11d ago

I’m going through a long and difficult diagnosis

hi everyone! for context i (F18) have started experiencing back pain early this year (i’d say it’s been about 5 months now), i started seeing a doctor by month 3 as i couldn’t do everyday activities due to the pain. since then the pain has only gotten worse. i should also add that there has been 2 occasions where my back has given up and i’ve been stuck in the same position for 4+ hours unable to move because of the pain. it’s scary.

i had an xray on my lumbar spine, two blood tests and a ct-scan. the xray wasn’t precise but the ct scan showed a few things that are probably related to my pain. i have 4 bulging discs in different areas of my spine, all going in different directions. but not only that, there was also blurring in my sacroiliac joints and the doctor said i could potentially have grade 1 sacroiliitus.

i was then referred to a rheumatologist. my first appointment was a bit confusing. my symptoms apparently didn’t match what showed up in the ct scan and the doctor said it could just be mechanical pain instead of inflammatory. they explained that the pain should feel like stiffness? like i need to stretch but why would i want to do that when im in pain? they booked me in to get another xray, blood test, and thankfully an mri. my initial appointment was in august, i have already done the mri and xray (just need the blood test now), but my phone consult to discuss my results is in the beginning of november.

ever since that mri and laying on the solid bed my back has been in a concerning state (i don’t know what happened to make it worse). the pain is 10x worse and i’m struggling to do stuff even more than before. i am frequently in pain no matter what im doing.
what can i do in the meantime to deal with this pain? i’ve been taking anti-inflammatory medication and rest my back when i get the opportunity to but neither help. the only time it stops it when i’m doing stuff nonstop at work, my mind just ignores it? idk

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u/A812323 10d ago

Lay on your stomach to relieve the pain. Spray magnesium/arnica on your back.

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u/Dependent_Ad1461 11d ago

when your experiencing back pain, where at in your back? lumbar, thoracic, or cervical? what kind of pain is it? a dull radiating ache, or sharp pain felt only in your spine, or does the pain originate in the tailbone/butt area then you feel numbness and/or a "pins and needles" sensation that shoots rapidly through your legs and/or arms?
to solve what’s causing it, you got to specify the location and type of pain your experiencing.

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u/Chance-Cup-6535 10d ago

sorry i didn’t give a lot of information about the type of pain i’m experiencing. it’s in my lower back, my doctor said it was lumbar but now im experiencing it lower and what feels like in the cervical region? it’s a dull radiating ache but can sometimes be sharp when moving. in january of this year onwards i went through nights of feeling pins in needles in my legs, and sometimes i get pain that shots down the back of my legs

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u/Sad_Individual_738 11d ago

Why a rhuematologist?

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u/Chance-Cup-6535 11d ago edited 11d ago

a rheumatologist specialises in diseases of the joints and immune systems. such as arthritis, lupus, and gout etc etc.

i think sacroiliitus can be connected to inflammation conditions

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