Chronic Thoracic Paraspinal Pain

[beucker12]

I am a 32 year old male.   I injured my mid back Feb 2004 working out.  I experienced mild to moderate pain.  Had an X-ray done.  Family doctor said X-ray showed good disc spacing.  Did leg tests with no pain.  Felt I just strained the area.   Went to a Back Pain management specialist several months later who prescribed Ultracet, Tizanidine, and Mobic with Massotherapy and Chiropractic adjusments.   Medication and Manipulation provides some relief.  However, I have continued to feel this pain for 14 months now.  There is no numbness, shooting pain, or any pain in my legs.  Simply muscular tension/pain in my thoracic area with a majority on the left side.  It has never completely gone away, it swings from mild to moderate pain.    Area is tender to the touch and can feel muscular knots in the back when its at its worse.   I've read on the internet about Myofascial Trigger Points, can this be my problem?   Can they last for 14 months without reprieve?  Or should I look into getting more tests, such as an MRI?

[CCF-Neuro-M.D.-PW]

From a neurological point of view, your symptoms are not suggestive of a problem with the nerves.

Most probably the problem is musckuloskeletal

Sometimes, if a impact to your back was severe, you can bruise the spinal cord, giving a deep poorly localized pain that is often difficult to diagnose and treat
Medications for nerve pain are more likely to be effective such as neurontin, amitrpytaline, phenytoin, baclofen
I'm not sure if this has been assessed in your case

Trigger points do exist, usually initially caused by a precipitating event ie a prolapsed disc, but can become independent over time - a kind of hypersensitivity of the muscle and muscle covering to pain.

A good neurologist or phys med and rehab doctor should be able to evalaute and decide on a treatment plan - usually conservative with non-narcotic analgesics, muscle relaxants, and physical therapy
Good luck

[emt146875]

Hi I read your thread and see alot of simalarites to what I am going through now. left side pain but i have numbness in the hand and burners through my back. I injured myself in sept on the job they did the same thing x ray whole nine.it was only sprained and there was swelling, now 7 mnths later i had an mva and upper back was hurting only but I had an mri performed on the whole back 3 studies and 18 films later I have degenerative disc disease also known as old age and a bulging disc that favors my left side and im in constant pain. now i know what treatment to get i will. get the mri performed.