Do you have chronic back pain with negative tests?

[martikadragoon]

I'm curious to see who deals with chronic back pain  and who's had negaive Xrays and Cat scans, etc.

If you have had a positive MRI were your other tests negative?  If you had a positive MRI what turned out to be wrong with you?

My Xrays and Cat scan were all completely normal. my next step is an MRI.

[sweetieneedshelp2]

It took forever for someone to figure out what was wrong w/ me. Keep going back. Don't give up. My first MRI after my car accident didn't show anything wrong (neither did the xrays and ct...). It was the second that I insisted on that finally showed something... Sometimes they have to do comparisons between tests in order to see anything going on... Not just look at the last test you had done... Not sure if I'm explaining it right... They had to take the first MRI and compare it to the second for them to say I have scoliosis...
You know your body better than any doctor! Stand firm and don't give up. Pay attension to any changes...
Best wishes :-)

[RockyMD]

I had I think a Cat Scan and or XRAYs done, Blood Tests, nothing came back. But I also have Ulc Colitis/Crohn's. Sooooo, the pieces of the puzzle sort of fit. The traveling Joint Pain and Stiffness. Muscle Aches. It's awful. I wake in the middle of the night and feel like animal sat on me, can't get to sleep, wake up feel like a crumpled piece of paper. Yea..take a walk in my shoes.

[martikadragoon]

Unfortunately I'm well aware that this is a long process. My doctor is actually treating me well. He's one of the only doctors I've come across that will actually give me something that works for my pain and will listen if it doesn't work instead of saying "its working you just want something stronger"  but I don't want to keep having to take medicine for the rest of my life.

this pain limits my range of motion and makes me weaker also.

When he diagnosed the scoliosis and arthritis he said it was very mild. I have a leg length discrepency of about 1/2-3/4 inch so when I went to the chiropractor I got a small life for my shoe which seemed to help a little bit.  The neurontin that the dr has me on for nerve pain actually seems to help and on monday I'm going to call in to get an appointment so I can see if my doctor will put me on a different medication that works longer.

currently I'm on norco 10/325 1x4hrs PRN and it doesn't work as it should for me. I have to take 2 every 6hrs. it doesn't give me a buzz or anything at that dose it just helps my pain in a more noticeable way. i've been honest with my dr and told him this but I'd much rather be on a different med where I can take a smaller dose less frequently. I'm also on flexeril and lidoderm patches because he diagnosed me with muscle spasms. I was on Soma for a while but started getting dependant on it so I got off.  

[RunningMom]

You might need to look for a pain management clinic then.  You scoliosis and arthritis may be the culprit for your pain, or perhaps you are experiencing muscle pain.  You just don't know, these tests do not test for pain.  This is all based on your word to the doctor.  If your not being treated well with this doctor, find a different one who will.  It's a very long process. Good luck, I wish you all the best.

[martikadragoon]

Sandee~ My doctor knows that some tests will show results when others don't but with my insurance (Medical) I have to take the steps in order to get the MRI approved. I have to have xrays and then a catscan done first before they'll aprove an MRI. Luckily my doctor doesn't dismiss my pain and he understands just how serious it is which is why he's actually willing to treat it.   I've had doctors (including a pain mgmt dr) tell me that I'm too young to be in the amt of pain I'm in and that it's not possible.

I've also had a doctor who was absolutely unwilling to treat me with anything other than IBUPROFEN or prescription strength aleve. My current doctor (Who has been my doctor for several years) is actually giving me pain medication that works at least partly while we go through the motions of getting the proper tests done.

RunningMom~ My Catscan was absolutely clear, nothing abnormal showed on it and the only thing they saw was mild scoliosis and mild arthritis.

[RunningMom]

Even with solid proof, it is still difficult for some doctors to treat pain right. I've been there and suffered quite a bit.

The cat scan was really comparable to the MRI with my results.  It showed the exact same thing.

[sandee1818]

We have all been through the numerous test. It takes time and the right doctor who does realize that not all pain will show up on these test. There are many times that nothing will show up on the test and so the doctor dismisses the pain your in, but do not give up as I said there are doctors that do realize that just because it does not show up does not mean your not in pain.