seekhelp
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 15067
posted
I have not posted a lot lately, but not because I'm feeling any better. Just frustrated.
I was having a lot of symptoms that seemed heart-related and finally my cardiologist did a cardiac cath a few weeks ago. Fortunately, all was A-OK...no blockages or other issues. The medical mystery continues.
The last few weeks I just have had unbearable tightness / pressure in my upper neck area snd mid-back. To make matters worse, I fell through a wooden fence a month ago and landed on my back. At the time and for a bit after my neck was sore and my back also. My right foot was tingling slightly for a week.
I went to Urgent Care the day after I had my accident and they took a bunch of cervical x-rays and said all was fine.
I'm not getting any shooting pains or tingling at the moment. Just severe tightness at times. All my recent CT scans/abdominal ultrasound show my spleen is mildly enlarged. No one has cared though.
I can't even tell what causes the tightness feeling. It's just unbearable over time. I can't stand up for any prolonged time w/o needing to wear an elastic back brace. My neck is so tight it feels like I can barely flex it down/up. Cracks like CRAZY moving it side to side, but no pain again.
The only relief is leaning forward a bit to take pressure off the neck.
FYI, previous MRIs showed minor bulging discs in C4-C7, which none of my docs had any concern over. Previous MRIs of my lumbar region showed herniated L4/L5. It's been a long time since I had a MRI of my thoracic area.
Magnesium tablets aren't helping. Stretching isn't helping. Don't know what else to do. I';m getting demoralized by all this crap.
Posts: 7545 | From The 5th Dimension - The Twilight Zone | Registered: Mar 2008
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posted
Sorry for your trouble. Would definitely have you follow up with your primary doc or llmd about the spleen issue - perhaps some serious blood testing is in order.
As for the back issue, I've got similar history - cervical and lumbar injuries. I've managed to stay upright with no more pain or sciatica, except once or twice a year.
This week has been that "once or twice a year" time. What has helped me is warm/hot showers, and a good cervical support pillow and trying to lie on my back if possible when lying down.
A heat pack to the neck might help a lot, too.
I know you said it's hard to stand, but for me, standing and walking sometimes would allow me to finally stand upright instead of hunched over like a pretzel. Sitting makes it much, much worse.
Perhaps you might benefit from some physical therapy - not just the exercises, but they have modalities there that can help - heat packs, tens units, etc.
posted
One more thing - some on these forums have said that an enlarged spleen can be associated with babesia.
Are you being seeing by an LLMD and have they checked you for babesia symptoms and tested you? even if the tests are negative, if you have the clinical symptoms, you really should be treated.
Posts: 348 | From NJ | Registered: Sep 2011
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Carol in PA
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 5338
posted
Bergen is right, an enlarged spleen may be related to Babesia.
Babesia infects the red blood cells and breaks them apart when it leaves, thus killing the cells. The spleen filters out damaged red blood cells and may become enlarged when it has more work to do.
The pressure and tightness in your upper neck and mid back may be muscle tension. Low magnesium can cause muscle tension and spasm and pain, but you said you are taking magnesium.
You've already seen doctors about this, and cervical xrays did not show a fracture, but xrays will not show the condition of the muscles.
Which kind of magnesium are you taking? Check the list of ingredients. You might need to change or alternate the form you're taking, to try to absorb it better.
Another way to relieve the pain of muscle spasms is to increase the bloodflow by applying hot packs. You can wring out a towel in hot water, or you can make a rice pack and warm it in the microwave. Apply the heat for 20 to 30 minutes, every two hours.
Massage may help. Check what's available through Amazon vendors by searching for self massage or massage rollers.
The last thing I'm going to suggest is more expensive, but I'm pretty sure it would help. Pulsed Electromagentic Field therapy, or PEMF.
The magnetic force adjusts the electrical charges on either side of the cell walls, so that minerals like magnesium can go in and out as needed for the enzyme processes. This improved circulation helps provide the cells with the nutrients they need to make energy, and the muscle spasms and pain stop.
Wounds heal, fractured bones heal, muscle spasms stop, inflammation clears up. Bone will grow tighter around hip and knee implants.
posted
X-rays don't rule out muscle spasms from your fall, or from Lyme. You can see your doctor about physical therapy, and/or listen to the good advice here about hot packs, warm moist heat is best, along with stretching. You should let your doc know if numbness persists or returns, that might warrant an updated MRI. I recently developed pain/spasms in the exact area you describe, I agree it's nasty. It surprised me that I got rid of it entirely yesterday by doing gentle stretching exercises in the shower. It's back today though...so I'll try it again today. Crossing fingers that it goes away!
Posts: 12 | From NY | Registered: Jun 2013
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seekhelp
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 15067
posted
Bitten, thanks for the advice. I highly suspect Babesia, but never have made major progress treating it. I never have been able to treat super aggressively. I've done some treatment. I have had a Babesia WA-1 titer of 1:2,048 on the IgG side through Labcorp.
This pressure in my back is concerning. It feels like something is pressing in that area. Stops me from standing too long w/o discomfort. I'm hoping the herniated disc didn't worsen. I am used to super tight muscles, but this seems like more. I fear I damaged more on the fall.
Carol, I'm taking one capsule a day of a mixed magnesium type from Vitamost. I never notice anything from it. All my blood tests have always been normal / high range for Mg. I know they are not reliable. I may try dousing on Derma Mag and seeing if that makes any difference.
I have never tried PEMF. I"ll look into it.
Posts: 7545 | From The 5th Dimension - The Twilight Zone | Registered: Mar 2008
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quote:Originally posted by Lyme2Long: X-rays don't rule out muscle spasms from your fall, or from Lyme. You can see your doctor about physical therapy, and/or listen to the good advice here about hot packs, warm moist heat is best, along with stretching. You should let your doc know if numbness persists or returns, that might warrant an updated MRI.
- agree! I was thinking the same thing
I recently found a product called Re-Mag .. it ACTUALLY gets the mag into your cells! It is amazing!!
I hope you get some relief soon! Even a "mildly" bulging disc can cause plenty of pain.
-------------------- --Lymetutu-- Opinions, not medical advice! Posts: 96222 | From Texas | Registered: Feb 2001
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MannaMe
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 33330
posted
Have you thought about trying cranial therapy? That works with the muscles - helps to relax tight muscles.
My husband says the cranial therapy is more helpful than chiropractic for him.
Posts: 2252 | From USA | Registered: Aug 2011
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tick battler
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 21113
posted
Seek - I have always suspected babesia as a cause of your symptoms. I think I recall you had a huge herx from GSE?
Have you ever tried the Dr. K lyme cocktail? It works for most with babesia.
You might try Agrisept-L - which has mostly GSE in it and is used to cure babs by one of our practitioners. Both approaches have cured it with us, but the cocktail works faster. We normally take both though to get over it faster when we are reinfected.
tickbattler
Posts: 1763 | From Malvern, PA | Registered: Jul 2009
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Carol in PA
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 5338
posted
quote:Originally posted by seekhelp:
Carol, I'm taking one capsule a day of a mixed magnesium type from Vitamost. I never notice anything from it. All my blood tests have always been normal / high range for Mg. I know they are not reliable.
I have never tried PEMF. I"ll look into it.
What kind of magnesium is in the capsule that you're taking? Look at the list of ingredients.
Perhaps take one capsule three times daily to increase your dose. Or buy magnesium taurinate or glycinate.
The blood tests for magnesium are not reliable because most magnesium is in our muscle and nerve cells...where the Lyme bacteria continually use it up.
I'm taking supplemental D3, because our body cannot use magnesium properly when Vitamin D is low. And I'm taking 3 mg Boron daily, to help stop the kidneys from filtering out too many minerals from the bloodstream.
Have you ever tried hot packs on your back pain? Or massage?
If you cannot manage this, using the SOTA Magnetic Pulser is easy. The machine generates a magnetic pulse in the hand paddle, which you can place on whichever part of the body that is injured or in pain.
Posts: 6947 | From Lancaster, PA | Registered: Feb 2004
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posted
Well I ended up having bones spurs as the root cause of my back pain upper. We thought it was from babs. Turns out it was not. Vitamin b6 and b12 sublingal (sp) the b12 is an under the tounge drop, helped me a ton.
Posts: 267 | From South | Registered: Oct 2011
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posted
I have the symptom you describe with the back and neck stiffness. And it is very frightening to me. It goes away with bactrim and explodes if i miss one dose. I wish i knew what exactly i am treating.
Bactrim so far has been my miracle...but it only keeps me baseline.
Posts: 66 | From Memphis | Registered: Feb 2013
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Just frustrated. 
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