Back pain associated with digestive disorders

[mikie]

I have been suffering with a recurring problem for about 10 years.  For 15 years prior to that I had been diagnosed with spastic colon that presented with a sharp pain in upper right abdomen.  Usually rest and a gentle diet for a few days took care of it quite well.  Then I got my usual pain but then it went through to my back - to the right of my spine around the bra strap area.  This pain is disabling and can be intermittent for 3-6 months. I went through the upper/lower GI's, gall bladder ultrasound and everything looked fine.  ER docs. diagnosed muscle spasms, so flexeril & anti-inflammatories were prescribed.  So about 2 years ago I started looking at neurosurgery.  All MRI's have come back A-OK.  Physical therapy did nothing.  Now it's back.  I think I can associate it with constipation, bloating, gas.  Also I get a tightness in my chest that I'm not sure if it's reflux or not.  I also have had elevated liver function tests for years.  

Does anyone else have this horrible back pain?  This episode has been since late February.  My youngest daughter is graduating in two weeks and I sure would love to feel good.

[jmvj]

A related discussion, could back pain be caused by colitis? was started.

[PAJ]

Hi Mikie I too have the symptoms you describe, in my case in the aftermath of a gut candida infection , I also have had all the tests and my liver enzymes are slightly elevated. now Dr Truss reports that this type of liver ache is common & gives the explanation as pathogenic bacteria. "see below" do you relate to the article? Do you have pale or colourless stools? Does your ache increase & decrease ? do you get the feeling that something is blocked building pressure, & then releasing bringing relief, in fact almost disappearing altogether over a week or so ,& then building again? My ache is of years standing also.


Lack of energy and digestive disturbances, arthritic joint pains, skin disease, menstrual problems, emotional instability and depression. All symptoms of what I call the 'antibiotic syndrome' which have greatly increased in frequency in recent years.
On further examination, more symptoms may be discovered. Most of the gastro-intestinal tract is tender when pressed, especially the small intestine, liver and gall bladder. There may even have been a gall bladder operation that failed to improve the condition, sometimes even worsening the symptoms.
There could be a history of thrush or oral, anal or vaginal itching. When these are present the diagnosis of Candida is obvious but it may also be present in the absence of these manifestations and that can be somewhat confusing. The yeast or fungus Candida albicans, of course, thrives during antibiotic treatment. I regard it as reckless negligence to prescribe antibiotics without simultaneous fungicides and replacement therapy with lactobacilli afterwards. I believe that this practice has greatly added to our vast pool of a chronically sick population.
However, the 'antibiotic syndrome' is not just due to Candida. I regard it more generally as a 'dysbiosis' where the wrong kind of microbes inhabit the intestinal tract, not just Candida and other fungi, but many types of pathogenic bacteria including coli bacteria which are normal in the colon but become disease-forming when they ascend into the small intestine.

[Squash]

HAVE YOU BEEN CHECKED FOR PANCREATITIS.  MY DAUGHTER ALWAYS HAS UPPER BACK PAIN - BRA STRAP AREA AND WE THINK IT IS PANCREATITIS. ALSO DID THEY DO BLOOD WORK TO CHECK ON HER AMALYSE AND LIPASE ENZYME LEVELS.  THAT WOULD ALSO INDICATE PANCREATITIS.  GOOD LUCK.I AM ALSO GOING THROUGH THE DIAGNOSTIC TURMOIL.