No Lower back pain... EVER!

[zygy]

I am having more fun being able to ask my questions and not feel crazy!!  I notice lots of people have tons of lower back pain, I find it odd that not only do I never feel lower back pain but I would probably describe my lower back as numb, it feels weird!  I guess I am happy it is numb and not painful.  The only back pain I get is a searing sort of pain behind my left shoulder blade.  It will last for months.  I even went out and got a new mattress thinking maybe I was causing it but now I have a wonderful new mattress and still have a weird shoulder pain.

[JRae24]

I have that awful shoulder pain you describe.
It does feel like a pinched nerve or a rotator cuff tear! I've told my doctors about it for several years now, but they never pay much attention to it.
Finally my ortho surgeon had MRI's of my neck and thoracic back done, and he told me i had syringomyelia.
My whole right arm is dragging now, it's so heavy and i have to find just the right position (height) for it. Agony. This is very new to me, so i'm complaining a lot!

[Crys86]

I hurt in my shoulders and between my shoulder blades a lot. I know someone mentioned Bengay, I use Biofreeze. It is AMAZING. It doesn't really take the pain away, but it is a lot better than icyhot/icycold and bengay. It works wonders! Also horse lineament is awesome as well.

[selmaS]

Hi and welcome to the Chiari forum.

I have to ask u if u were tested for all related issues b4 u had surgery? A syrinx, tethered cord, disk issues, ICP,POTS, ehlers-danlos?

When was ur last MRI?

What symptoms did u have b4 surgery, and do u have nething new post op?

Do u know if u had a laminectomy or a duraplasty during ur  surgery?

If u had a duraplasty, what type of patch was used?

Sorry for all the questions, but they may help us point u in teh right direction as to what to be asking ur Drs.

[Scottb83]

Hi all, I'm new in here, I had decompression just over 3 years ago but since my opp the back/neck and shoulder pain I get is unbareable at times, I have always questioned wither it was connected to my Chiari as I've not met or spoken to anyone before whom has the type of back pain ie (walk with a stick) as I do. So after stumbling across this site I will be showing it to my NS and GP, as I now know that there is a connection. I was wondering if anyone could advise any medication or anything in general that they find has worked for the pain in the back/neck n shoulders, my neck and back pain never goes away, the shoulder pain feels like a trapped nerve under the shoulder blade but I have been assured by my doc that it isn't :( so I'm a bit lost as to what's causing it and how to control it, any advise would be greatly appreciated, thank u for listening to me blethering on :) tc all,
Scott burns

[*Stormy*]

Would you describe the pain as right at your vetebrae? I have constant pain which feels like it is at the end of my cervic spine (guessing c6 or7) and then again down in my mid thoracic region. The neck pain was the first symptom that appeared along with the headaches. When I rub the area it sends shooting pain down my spine. I have asked my doctors over and over again why and they still haven't been able to tell me. It is one of the first things that has reappeared post-surgery so I am not happy about that. I think it must be some kind of compression still either of my disc or spinal cord, I have an MRI scheduled in 4 months so I am hoping they will see something this time.

Have you had an MRI of your spine?

[Alicia696]

No, it is right in the middle and sometimes to the right of my shoulder. An I do have GERD i take 40mg. 2 times a day of nexium and zantac at night. I just had a upper GI in Oct. and it was ok. They can't explain the pain. I just want it to go away.

Alicia

[*Stormy*]

Does it sometimes go from the front through to your back? I was told that it was a GERD and the pain was from reflux. It is very painful (very sharp and stinging) and it was hard to believe that is what caused it. However, the stomach meds did help so I guess it was. GERD seems to be very common with chiari....

[Alicia696]

I have chronic shoulder blade pain like right in the middle of them. Yesterday is was so bad i could have cried. What do you do to help it? They have put me on naprosin muscle relaxers you name it an I still get bad pain. Is this from chiari? I no its not gallbladder I had that out. This pain is sharp and it hurts. Yesterday it went from inbetween the shoulder blades up my neck. Any help would be great.

thanks,
Alicia

[rod44]

I dont have the purse problem or bra strap problem (well I dont think so lol)....as nerves and the spinal cord are involved in Chiari (CSF flow and presure is very delecate and the ballance needs to be healthy) it is understandable that you would experence some numbness if there are problems with the cord and or the brain. I feel it is important to note any abnormal feelings and report them to your NS as numbness can be from many different issues in the cord, remember that the cord takes messages from the brain to the lower body and back again, if the messages are intrupted by any abnormality in the cord they get scrambled and lead to numb feelings, burning sensetation and pain to name a few.  

Ray

[Kim60]

I have had the shoulder blade pain and back pain but not all the time.  I also have DDD so it could be from that also.  Just another thing to deal with.  
As for the bra strap and purse, YES they both just don't stay where I put them!  It drives me crazy because I love a nice purse and I NEED a bra.
I bought a memory foam pillow off of QVC and really like it. I don't use it every night but it does work when I need it.  
We bought a sleep number bed and I love it.  I like it more now since I added a pillow top to it.  It's really made a difference because sometimes I need a firm mattress and sometimes I need a soft mattress.  
good luck everyone.
Kim

[selmaS]

I have one made by homedics...memory foam pillow that is...it is like a tube cut in half..rounded on one side, flat on the other...it was the best thing for me...I took it to the hospital....and I still use it.

[*Stormy*]

Yes, it was the best thing I stumbled on so far!!

I got mine at Cosco if anyone is interested.

[zygy]

I have a memory foam pillow and I do think it helps with the neck pain!

[*Stormy*]

Has anyone tried a memory foam pillow? I had a lot of discomfort and realized it was from my neck, the pillow really helped me.

oh..and I have the bra strap problem too...nothing like trying to hike it up while not being noticed :)

[608lion]

Latex? Is that like a catwomen bed?I know! stupid! I have never heard of a latex bed before

[selmaS]

it is my right shoulder as well...also the one I would carry my purse on...hmmmmm "interesting, but stupid"....lol.... ( do u remember that saying?)

[zygy]

We looked at temperpedic, ended up going with Latex and it is amazing.  A bit more expensive but wonderful.  I also love anything that they tell me Dust mites can NOT live in!!! Just makes me happy to know they can't be raising a family in my mattress :) LOL

[608lion]

Too funny! lol ...Tiger balm but rub it in with a quarter! It stinks but a little relief.
zygy,I also was frustrated with new mattress not helping.(that was 5yrs ago)We were now thinking on getting a Temperpedic  but don't know if that would even help.

[shanmomof3]

Lol selma! I'm having the same problem!! But only on the right side .... weird.... I just assumed it was because my right side has more trouble such as numbness and balance

[selmaS]

...we r talking about keeping a purse on our shoulders and lately I can't keep my bra strap up...lol....weird......

and yes we did have a warning about using creams too much...will bump it up if I can locate it.

[shanmomof3]

I have always carried a big purse (i have that purse fetish too lol) but i cant anymore. I'm not sure its the pain but for me i think its the balance. I cant keep it on my shoulder anymore it just falls off. I have also tried the smaller ones but they fall too, so now when i go somewhere i take the big one (because it holds so much and i never know what i might need) but usually leave it in the car! Oh, and i like icy hot gel! But be careful using too much, i think we had something on over usage one time. I forget lol

[selmaS]

U may want MRI's as they show the soft tissue...xrays only show bone.So something like tethered cord will not show on an xray, but u may have it or a syrinx....

I had some kind of muscle cream I used too...I think I got used to the fragrance more then ne relief from it....lol....

[zygy]

I must agree, even as a mom I only carry a small purse.  My husband found it for me, he knew all my old ones made me sore, it is just a little canvas thing with a LONG strap so I can put it over my head!  

The only "leg involvement" that I have is that I get tingling down my right leg.  It can happen anytime, sitting, standing, laying down, doesn't seem to matter what I am doing.  It does not hurt, just feels funny.  Some days it does not happen much and other days it seems to happen all day long.  I don't get leg pain or lower back pain.  All the back pain I get is between my shoulders or in my neck.  My pcp even had an x-ray done of my whole spine a year ago because I have so many upper back/neck issues and they wanted to make sure that they did not miss anything after my accident.  They found nothing wrong in the x-rays.  

The shoulder thing is really frustrating.  I was really sad when the new mattress did not improve anything.  I do think it seems to be worse at night.  It is really nice though to hear that all of these things seem so common amongst us!  I think I have used my share of bengay on that shoulder and I am not even sure it does anything, it is more of a burning feeling than a regular ache... I think I just like the bengay distract me!  

  

[*Stormy*]

Do you have leg involvement? I get a lot of lower back pain but I am pretty sure it is tied into not being able to walk correctly. The jerkiness is just too hard on my body and so my back suffers in the end.

I also get pain straight down the length of my spine and in both shoulder blades, I used to get a tingly, prickly feeling along my back which so far hasn't returned post-op. If I would touch the vetebrae that was sore it would send a shock of pain down my spine.