djf2005
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 11449
posted
does anyone else have severe pain in their spinal cord? i have it about halfway up my back, and its bad. also severe pain in my shoulder blade tissue. i have lyme, and being treated, but i was looking at co infection symptoms and i am going to discuss these w my llmd. does anyone else have this symptom and if so, do they attribute it to lyme or coinfection? looks like bartonella can cause this more than babs?
-------------------- "Experience is not what happens to you; it is what you do with what happens to you."
posted
Well, shortly after I started treatment for Lyme, I had pain in my spine where you describe. I don't know if you're a guy or a girl, but it reminded me of the pain I had after the epidurals during childbirth. I asked my LLMD and he said that you can re-experience previous traumas during treatment. I chalked the spine pain up to those epidurals.
Also, the pain in the shoulder that I had came from a car accident - again, previous traumas.
I have read that heavy metals settle in poorly oxygenated areas of your body - injuries to muscles compromise oxygenation - and then the Lyme bacteria settle in those damaged areas also. That may be part of the issue also.
My shoulder rarely bothers me anymore and the spinal pain left after about 2 weeks and hasn't come back.
Hopefully as you continue treatment you'll find these pains go away.
-------------------- Getting older is when we would rather not have a good time than have to get over it. - Oscar Wilde Posts: 386 | From Radnor, PA - where the ticks run free | Registered: May 2006
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The pain begins mid-way up my back and radiates across my shoulders, sometimes causing a stiff neck as well. The tissues in my chest and near my shoulder blades are extremely tender when they're pressed on or touched. I also have this in my forearms. I have no swelling though.
My GP diagnosed me with myalgia, explaining that some bacterias can cause this, including Lyme. I'm still waiting for my Igenex results for co-infections, but I'm thinking Babs can cause myalgia.
I've tried OTC pain meds, but they never work. Even pain narcotics only have a short term effect before the pain comes back with a vengance. I've started soaking in hot baths and that seems to help somewhat. It's also good for detox.
I've been on abx treatment for close to four weeks, and I will admit, the myalgia was the first symptom I noticed that was beginning to ease up.
Good luck to you.
Posts: 81 | From Central PA | Registered: Mar 2007
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posted
I have bad spain pain as well. For me it feels like my spine needs to be cracked or something. I guess its kinda like an arthritis pain. I definately notice it most in the morning when i wake up and try to stretch.
CaliforniaLyme
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 7136
posted
I had this with Babs-!!!
-------------------- There is no wealth but life. -John Ruskin
All truth goes through 3 stages: first it is ridiculed: then it is violently opposed: finally it is accepted as self evident. - Schopenhauer Posts: 5639 | From Aptos CA USA | Registered: Apr 2005
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posted
That seems to be a common area of pain for Lymies. I've had it so bad that I could hardly use my arms to push myself out of bed, and had to walk very slowly so my arms wouldn't swing.
Unfortunately it seems really slow about getting better with treatment. Sometimes it seems like it gets worse with the antibiotics for quite awhile.
I realize that being warmed by radio waves is TOTALLY AND ABSOLUTELY POLITICALLY INCORRECT these days... but Diathermy seems to help this.
It puts warmth into deeper tissues than is possible with hot water bottles or heat lamps. This increases blood flow and increases oxygenation, something Bb does not find favorable. It does not like the heat either.
It also has a stimulating effect on the immune system's cells in the area, causing them to activate and get busy cleaning things up.
The net effect is that the inflamation is reduced or eliminated, and the pain goes down. At least that is what it did for us.
I suspect these days when people are even looking at their hair dryers as 'potential sources of evil, damaging EMF radiation', very few will venture to try this.
I mentioned it anyway, since it seems to help. It is probably available from a chiropractor nearby.
Posts: 714 | From San Antonio TX | Registered: Oct 2004
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djf2005
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 11449
posted
thanks to all. yeah, i take percs too, but it only lasts a little while and even then only numbs the pain. hopefully this will go away soon....
-------------------- "Experience is not what happens to you; it is what you do with what happens to you."
posted
fwiw, i have had chronic stiffness and pain in my neck, shoulders and base of skull. i'm being treated for lyme and now babs. the only thing that really helps me is laying down with the heating pad on it. sometimes.
good luck. carol
Posts: 56 | From southeastern PA | Registered: Jul 2006
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bejoy
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 11129
posted
Adrenal girl says...when your adrenals are stressed from fighting infection, etc, you can feel pain in the middle of your back.
Adrenals sit right on top of your kidneys. The pain can radiate to your spine.
Treating the adrenals will help, if this is the cause. Also, chiropractic and cranial sacral therapy are good for relieving spinal and radiating pain.
Of course, lyme is full of many brands of myalgias from many different combinations of causes.
I feel more neck and shoulder pain when my lymph in the neck area is especially congested and toxic. I find that manual lymph drainage by a massage therapist, or magnetic pulsing is good for that.
I got muscle rigors, tight muscles throughout the body, I think from Bart. I also get this when I am too acid or when lose too much sleep.
Best wishes for your wellness!
-------------------- bejoy!
"Do not go where the path may lead; go instead where there is no path and leave a trail." -Ralph Waldo Emerson Posts: 1918 | From Alive and Well! | Registered: Feb 2007
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posted
Bejoy, it seems the more I read the more I understand how the adrenals are tied to our lyme symptoms. I've been told that because lyme is an infection (as well as coinfections) the body is stressed. This stress causes major problems with the adrenals which of course seems to cause a lot of symtoms that lyme patients complain about. I suppose technically some symptoms are caused by adrenal fatigue but the adrenal fatigue seems to be caused by lyme and coinfections. Sounds like a vicious circle to me.
Posts: 547 | From Maryland | Registered: Mar 2005
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posted
Mathias, Interesting what you posted! I have active mycoplasma infection and have had it for I don't know how many years.
About 2 years ago, I began experiencing severe right shoulder pain that also radiated to my middle back and in front under my clavicle.
Went to PCP who referred me to Ortho doc who gave me shots in my shoulder which were excrutiating and which did not work at all.
Went back to PCP and he ordered physical therapy. That is where I found out about the phenomenon of "frozen shoulder."
As with so MANY conditions, the CAUSE of frozen shoulder is not known. Maybe its mycoplasma for all we know! Anyway, I had to have quite a few therapy sessions before I could raise my arm over my head.
Most recently, I have begun having LEFT shoulder pain, although it is not as severe as the last time and I haven't sought help with it. I have trouble reaching behind my back and I am trying to remind myself about the exercises which helped last time.
Another interesting thing is that my adrenals are BURNED OUT! This is confirmed by my endo doc. I also have hypothyroidism not controlled by meds currently.
One more tidbit: My mother began having shoulder pain that got worse and worse until she sought treatment through her PCP. She was referred to an Ortho doc who gave her pain killers and prescribed physical therapy. Nothing really helped for long.
Her PCP decided to do some lab work which showed some abnormal adrenal numbers. He sent her to another doc for more tests and it turned out she had adrenal cancer (officially colon cancer which had come back and gone to the adrenals...the standard of care after cancer removed from her colon was to do nothing except yearly colonoscopy.)
Since we can't live without adrenal glands, my mom agreed to chemo and radiation. Doc gave her 5 months to live without any treatment. Mom took treatment and LIVED 5 MONTHS, but with pain, exhaustion, nausea, 70 lb. weight loss, and so on.
I keep coming up with examples of why we Lymies need to not be complacent about our symptoms. I know I don't call my doctor or run in for an appt. every time I have a new symptom. But I need to be aware of things that are just a bit different and get them checked out. Ya never know........
-------------------- DISCLAIMER: No information presented above should be considered medical advice or take the place of advice given by a medical professional. Links to other sites are provided merely for ease of research. Posts: 287 | From Tennessee | Registered: Sep 2006
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posted
Mathias, how do you know the pain was caused by mycoplasma and not Lyme or any other co-infection?
djf, when I went on clindamycin when it was discovered I had Lyme, the fibro pain went to almost zero in one week, and that included all that back pain you're describing. Now, one well-known doctor did tell me that maybe I was also dealing with mycoplasma fermentans, from my clinical description of responding so well to clinda. Don't know -- never tested for it.
Anyone else on taking a med causing this pain to go down dramatically?
One more thing: for pain relief, I use an Equalizer. It's a hand-held vibrating machine. I run it up and down my back muscles. It REALLY helps. Highly recommended!!
Posts: 13171 | From San Francisco | Registered: May 2006
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