BACK PAIN – BACK PAIN BLOG UK…

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WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MYOFASCIAL PAIN -v- DISC PAIN?…

June 1, 2023May 24, 2023 barmac5

As most of my readers know I suffer from chronic back pain. Nowadays spinal fusion is not used as the first choice for prolapsed discs with pain management being the first treatment and only if nerves are compressed is it used as another option.

The problem with spinal fusion especially if you have more than one surgery is the pressure it puts on the disc below and above your fusion.

Another condition which you can also suffer from after any type of surgery is Myofascial Pain Syndrome which is a chronic painful muscle disorder and is common if you have experienced a muscle injury. Over time these myofascial restrictions can lead to poor biomechanics, altered structural alignment, compromised blood supply and pain. Other causes of myofascial pain are injuries to an intervertebral disc, general fatigue, repetitive motions, and some medical conditions.

The symptom of the condition includes muscle pain that feels like a firm knot, which is accentuated when moved. Myofascial pain syndrome gets worse or fails to improve over time. Muscles feel weak, stiff and inflexible and have a reduced range of motion. Due to the pain, there may be difficulty in sleeping, which may also affect a person’s mood.

It is characterised by the myofascial trigger points and the symptoms include persistent or worsening pain, deep and aching muscle pain, tender knots located in the muscles and pain after exercise or sporting activity.

Myofascial Pain Syndrome (MPS) is the name given to pain caused by trigger points and fascia (connective tissue) adhesions in the body, usually in muscle tissue, and inflammation in the body’s soft tissues. The myofascial pain is usually caused by overuse of the muscle, trauma (injury) or psychological stress. Other contributing factors may include bad posture, small lesions, soft tissue tension or rheumatic arthritis, gout, thyroid problems, or psoriasis among other diseases.

Myo = muscle
Fascia = the main connective tissue in the body
Release = to let go, ease pressure

Treatments include anti-inflammatory medication, pain killers, physical therapy, stretching, massage therapy and trigger point injections.

A trigger point injection is either a cortisone injection or dry needling. Pain relief is quick and helps in continuing physical therapy. Trigger point injections can also be used for people suffering from degenerative disc disease.

Understanding the cause of your pain is an important step to finding an effective solution. It may involve a series of sessions and an at home program to keep the area strong.

Disc pain can come from a disc bulge or prolapse but you can also get myofascial pain which could be treated conservatively instead of surgery. Fibromyalgia patients can also suffer from myofascial pain. According to history, Sir William Gowers introduced the term fibrositis for a common, but idiopathic, localized form of muscular rheumatism that is now recognised as myofascial pain syndrome in 1904. And, despite the intervening years, it still constitutes the largest group of unrecognised and undertreated acute and chronic pain problems. Some people (like myself) have also been told they could have Fibromyalgia, previously named ‘fibrositis’.

Nerve block injections into your neck for a disc bulge can be quite dangerous as they are quite tricky to do and they go through the front of your neck.

I guess with any spinal pain after you have had all the tests it’s then worth trying alternative treatments well before you resort to surgery which is something I have always said I would avoid having.

Source: Top Doctors

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THE MANY SYMPTOMS OF FIBROMYALGIA…

May 10, 2023 barmac5

People living with an “invisible” illness don’t just have to content with chronic pain and fatigue, there are many other symptoms with Fibromyalgia which include –

Chronic widespread pain without apparent cause

Fatigue

Sleep Disturbance

Cognitive Dysfunction

Morning Stiffness

Cramping and Muscle Spasms

Restless Leg Syndrome

Digestive Problems

Headaches and Migraines

But the most distressing thing about Fibromyalgia is people not recognising, or even believing, that your experiences are real. Even today, there is still a significant lack of understanding around fibromyalgia in terms of its causes, diagnostics and how to best manage it.

According to Bupa, it affects up to one in 20 people. Des Quinn, chair of Fibromyalgia Action UK, said: “We frequently hear of doctors saying they do not believe in fibromyalgia to a patient.”

Some of the typical points Fibro patients say –

Looking ‘well’ does not mean I am fine, I have just made a real effort today.

Not getting a diagnosis for years and years can be soul-destroying and make your symptoms worse through the stress of trying to get a true diagnosis.

Some say they have to constantly explain what it is they have which can be exhausting. Just because you do not walk around with something in plaster does not mean you are not in awful pain.

Lots of people with fibro still work but struggle on some days more than others but having an understanding boss is one in a thousand.

Every day is different which means you cannot always plan ahead. But when you are on a good day you may end up doing more than you should and then suffer from it afterwards.

Sufferers can be fine one minute then it suddenly comes on big time and its an effort just to walk.

The chronic fatigue with Fibro is very difficult to explain but imagine you stayed up ALL night for a couple of nights on the run and that is how the fatigue feels. It totally takes over.

Some may comment on the different types of medications you can take making it look easy to just pop a pill and the pain will go away. That is far from the truth as most of the pills have awful side effects and don’t always work. Its a balancing act to work out what helps the most.

‘Pace Yourself’ seems to be a very popular phrase used by many people including the professionals. If it was as easy as that then we would all be in a much healthier state. A bell doesn’t tend to ring until you have overdone things and you only overdid things because you were on a good day.

The change in seasons can affect us badly and according to Fibromyalgia-symptoms.org, there are five “major weather factors” that can affect our bodies. They are temperature, barometric pressure, humidity, precipitation and wind. I am afraid the weather is something we cannot control.

May, as you can see from many of my posts is Fibromyalgia Awareness Month so please take your time to read through the many posts going out this month to help people understand the condition a bit more. Here are six facts about Fibro to remember.

It is a real disorder with measurable biological abnormalities.
There is a specific set of diagnostic criteria developed by the American College of Rheumatology to be used for diagnosing Fibromyalgia.
It affects men, women, and children of all ages.
Several studies have revealed markers of inflammation in Fibromyalgia.
Exercise, when done properly, can help to reduce Fibromyalgia symptoms.
Although there is no cure for Fibromyalgia, it can be managed with the right combination of treatments and therapies.

Source: Fibromyalgia Symptoms

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WORLD HEALTH ORGANISATIONS TAKE ON MUSCULOSKELETAL HEALTH…

April 11, 2023April 11, 2023 barmac5

According to the World Health Organisation fact sheet on Musculoskeletal Health there are Approximately 1.71 billion people have musculoskeletal conditions worldwide.

Musculoskeletal conditions are the leading contributor to disability worldwide, with low back pain being the single leading cause of disability in 160 countries.

Musculoskeletal conditions significantly limit mobility and dexterity, leading to early retirement from work, lower levels of well-being and reduced ability to participate in society.

Because of population growth and ageing, the number of people living with musculoskeletal conditions and associated functional limitations, is rapidly increasing.

WHO is responding to the burden attributed to musculoskeletal conditions across a number of programmatic areas.

Musculoskeletal health refers to the performance of the locomotor system, comprising intact muscles, bones, joints and adjacent connective tissues. Musculoskeletal impairments comprise more than 150 different diseases/conditions that affect the system and are characterized by impairments in the muscles, bones, joints and adjacent connective tissues leading to temporary or lifelong limitations in functioning and participation.

Musculoskeletal conditions are typically characterized by pain (often persistent) and limitations in mobility and dexterity, reducing people’s ability to work and participate in society. Pain experienced in musculoskeletal structures is the most common form of non-cancer pain.

Musculoskeletal conditions are relevant across the life-course – from childhood to older age. They range from those conditions that arise suddenly and are short-lived (such as fractures, sprains and strains, associated with pain and limitations in functioning) though to long-term conditions such as chronic primary low back pain and osteoarthritis.

Musculoskeletal conditions include conditions that affect:

joints, such as osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, gout, spondyloarthritis;
bones, such as osteoporosis, osteopenia and associated fragility fractures, traumatic fractures;
muscles, such as sarcopenia;
multiple body areas or systems, such as regional (e.g. back and neck pain) and widespread (e.g. fibromyalgia) pain conditions, inflammatory diseases such as connective tissue diseases and vasculitis that have musculoskeletal manifestations, for example systemic lupus erythematosus, or amputation as a result of disease or trauma.

Musculoskeletal conditions are also the highest contributor to the global need for rehabilitation. They are among the largest contributors to the need for rehabilitation services among children and account for approximately two-thirds of all adults in need of rehabilitation (1). Musculoskeletal conditions often co-exist with other noncommunicable diseases and increase the risk of developing other noncommunicable diseases, such as cardiovascular disease (2).

Low back pain is the main contributor to the overall burden of musculoskeletal conditions (570 million prevalent cases worldwide, responsible for 7.4% of global YLDs). While the prevalence of musculoskeletal conditions increases with age, younger people are also affected, often during their peak income-earning years.

The WHO Rehabilitation Need Estimator tool provides a unique opportunity to search for country, regional or global prevalence and YLD data on musculoskeletal conditions that can benefit from rehabilitation, based on GBD 2019 data. For lots more data on this subject head down to the World Health Organisations website here.

Source: World Health Organisation