Lets be postiive

[Iamjake]

I am 22 years old, have had back and whole body problems ever since a neck injury two years ago. I have done everything to heal and I have made great strides. But in the end I hope that time will be the final piece to the puzzle. All over the internet there is much more to scare you then encourage you. I need a morale boost, can people post there injuries, progress, and what they have done to recover; of course you may post whatever you feel is appropriate.

If you are interested or if you have any prognosis advice for me here is a list of my symptoms and background.

-Did a backflip landed on my cervical thoracic junction, at the time of the injury my neck and hips were the only parts of my body in prolonged pain.
- Have been to four physical therapy facilities in a year.
- Had X-rays and MRIs done but everything looked normal.
- Seen multiple orthopedists(who all turned me to PT), neurologists( who said I have fibromyalgia), chiropractor( who made me worse), Rolfer( best form of relief I have had), muscle activation specialist (although their job is not to treat pain, did an amazing job in restoring my body's strength), a salt cave ( supposedly has some healing ideology behind it) at PT I have tried acupuncture and dry needling, and a naturopath( who currently has me taking Magnesium Citrate)
(the Holistic stuff has worked best for me)
- From now to the injury more symptoms have appeared such as major pain in my collarbones, entire back, and neck, major tightness in my IT bands, ankles, groin, glutes and calves along with neck and back,
- shakiness in joints and no matter what I do they do not become strong again.
-Tingling, pins, and needles and light shooting pains in my feet.
- Sitting, standing, and lying down are painful.

I am so confused on the shaking in my joints, if anybody could give me some insight on that it would be much appreciated. The fact that I did this to myself through an injury rather then being born with it gives me some hope that I can reverse the process.

[jemma116]

Some good advice from the above posters.

I shall be looking at the links and the herbal drinks you recommend gymdandee.  Thanks for the info.

It is very important like gymdandee suggests, that you have a healthy and well balanced diet.

With all the new symptoms that you now have, you need to book an appointment with your doctor to get an up to date assessment of what is going on in your spine.

The pins and needles and shooting pains and pain when sitting standing etc., sounds very much like you have a lower back and pelvic problem.  Problems in the lower back can causes these symptoms.  Pins and needles can be referred pain from lower spinal problems.  If there is pressure on the sciatic nerve, this will cause the pains to run down the back of your leg (Sciatica).

You require new imaging to find out the problem in your lower back and if there is any impingement on the sciatic nerve and to find out if there are any slipped discs or degeneration.

Reading your other post, it appears that you are pushing yourself too much.
You need to do the correct exercises and a physiotherapist will give you exercises to do that are specific to your problems.  The physiotherapist will tell you how many times and for how long you should do your specific exercises.  You do the exercises slowly and build them up gradually.
If you ever get offered hydrotherapy, take it.  The hydrotherapy pool water is much warmer than swimming pool water and a physiotherapist will also give you specific exercises to do in the water that are suitable for you.  

The thing with bone and nerve problems, is not to overdo things.  You need to pace yourself.  It is very hard when you are no longer able to do things that you once used to.

You may benefit from asking your doctor to refer you to a rheumatologist.

I damaged my neck at the age of 11 doing a backward roly poly at secondary school when we were told to do this at PE.  And had neck problems ever since.  

In answer to your other post.  It depends on what the condition is that you have.  Sometimes there is no cure.  As we age things slowly deteriorate (sorry) and we have to learn to manage our symptoms.  Having said that, you have some new issues that need looking into urgently.

Book an appointment to see your doctor for referral to the appropriate specialists and for imaging/xrays.  The doctor may order a blood test to check for any autoimmune disorder like rheumatoid arthritis.

Let us know how you get on.

[philnoir]

Hi Jake. I'm just an old horse doctor trained in allopathic methods, so I rarely suggest anything considered "complimentary" or "alternative".

But in your case, I'm going to have to agree with the other poster. Muscle manipulation seems to give you the most relief. Stay with it. There's something myofascial going on with you, even if it isn't "fibromyalgia" which is a big word and covers a lot of territory these days.

Exercise every day. Go easy, but try to stay moving w/o exaggerating your pain. Don't push into pain, just go to the edge and enjoy the view. Find out what works -- start with walking, or better, swimming, as this removes any affect forces of gravity may have on your condition.

But here's the old doctor part of my thoughts -- keep a log of these exercises as they affect your symptoms. You've described a syndrome that is progressing -- to where, who knows -- but it's going somewhere, and keeping a log of its progression is going to help some brilliant spine doc figure this out for you one day.

Track your pain daily -- morning, daytime, nighttime -- along with your activity, emotions, thoughts, anything else. If you take medication, track that along with the pain. Even the homeopathic stuff.

And as you're already doing, keep reading everything you can find. Keep asking questions. Keep seeking. Don't quit. Living with chronic pain requires courage, confidence, and perseverance.

Some day, you're going to read something or meet someone who will help you, and that log you're keeping is going to give them the essential clues they will need to get to the heart of your problem.

Best wishes.

[gymdandee]

I had both knees replaced after years of doing Interval running!
Also have two herniated disc in the lower back. Have a pin in the right hip
and a plate in my head after having a benign brain tumor removed. I will say when I travel TSA always pats me down.( I keep asking for a female agent but I never get one)
I bought a few years ago the sleep number bed!! Found my number and sleep like a baby. If you ask your doctor for a letter on his stationary recommending the sleep number bed then if you purchase it you can claim it on your taxes as a medical expense!! Doesn't cost the doctor a penny.
Also ask him to put on the same letter recommending the My Pillow.
It's GREAT!!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NCtF9_DuzMU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&list=PL7YKya_R1ROt9Qif71Z4go0aqvPClQt8H&v=BWV6keJUDeo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=PL7YKya_R1ROsos7ytdqeHBev0JoFYpriU&v=BZcZenvWBlg&feature=player_embedded


Qigong Eases Fibromyalgia Pain
Research performed in Canada suggests that the routine practice of qigong, a form of meditative movement, can help lessen the pain of fibromyalgia and make a significant difference in the impact the disorder has on patients' lives. Investigators at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia enrolled 100 people, mostly women (average age 52) with longstanding fibromyalgia and assigned half of them to a treatment group and half to a waiting list. Those in the treatment group participated in a three-day workshop to learn seven specific movements and exercises that are said to emphasize relaxation, release and distribution of "qi" (energy) throughout the body. The researchers reported that after only eight weeks of practice the patients' pain, as measured on a 10-point scale, had dropped by 1.55 points while those in on the waiting list reported only a 0.02 decline. When participants responded to the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (a 100-point measurement of the effects of pain, function, sleep and psychological distress), negative symptoms had declined by 18.45 points among participants in the treatment group, but only by 0.93 points among those in the control group. After six months, the women on the waiting list received the same training. Over time, the more qigong the women practiced on a weekly basis, the better (lower) they scored on measurements of the impact of fibromyalgia on their lives. Also
Some evidence is available for the use of SAMe for fibromyalgia,
400 to 800 mg a day.

Eating the right foods literally feeds your joints and keeps them strong and flexible. Foods like fish and walnuts or almonds contain essential fatty acids that lubricate those your joints.
Natural sources for safe pain relief, Unless you eat fatty fish like salmon or sardines on most days, you're simply not getting enough healthy omega-3 fats-or their anti-inflammatory benefits. You want to get two specific omega-3s in particular: EPA and DHA. The best source for both is fish oil. Aim for 1,000-3,000 mg total DHA and EPA.

Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM), a sulfur-rich compound can be added to the mix too. Sulfur compounds like MSM are necessary building blocks for proteins, especially those found in the hair, muscles, and connective tissue of the joints. And at the same time it's helping to strengthen the joints, it can also help alleviate inflammation and pain. 500-1,500 mg a day

There are also a lot of useful herbal anti-inflammatories, including rosemary, curcumin, and ginger. I suggest trying a product from New Chapter called Zyflamend, which includes all of these herbs in addition to seven other herbs known for their joint supporting benefits.

A German product called Wobenzym It includes two enzymes-papain from papaya and bromelain from pineapple. Like SAM-e, it is expensive, but it can be a big help in tough cases. The bottle says to take three tablets twice a day, but some people need up to eight tablets three times a day. You can find it in some health food stores, but it's much cheaper to order it from the Internet. I like the internet sight vitacost pretty good price.

FIX MY BACK PAIN
http://www.criticalbench.com/gains/fmbp-collage