burning nerve pain striking my lower back

[Jinseeker]

Hi, Just like to know that after being pretty well off and pain free despite hanging on with a triple dextroscoliosis curve, i can't help but notice every now and then and out of the blue, i get a jolting sensation right in my lumbar area, (where i have my left lumbar rhomboid muscle pronounced more than the right; basically where the main right thoracic curve ends and the l;eft umbar curve begins) as if someone just pinched me right there. It lasts for a mere second or two and then fades and doesn't hurt anymore. This is the only feeling i consider pain from my scoliosis asides from the moderate straining wearing out sensation of my back due to stress. I only get this sensation pretty rarely and only happens in a spark every now and then. It seems like a nerve is getting pinched where the left lumbar curve starts to twist to compensate for the main right thoracic curvature. I have consulted chiropractors, general practitioners and the orthopedic and they only told me that i needed to exercise and stretch those muscles out regularly, of which i am doing, but still i am getting this every once in a while, i am wondering if i should just ignore it since it is minimal and infrequent.

Anybody experience these kinds of striking nerve pain and know what has helped? I am bewildered.

[Jinseeker]

anybody care to shed some light? Best of all if you could share me experiences if you had experienced the same kind of symptoms.

[jrnyc]

Hi Jinseeker
i am so sorry you have not found an answer for this pain you are experiencing... sounds like nerve pain...

on my upper left side, i get bad muscle spasms & my muscles tense & freeze & get big, hard & bulky...but i do not get shooting or pinching pains.....

i get botox injections there, on upper left, which stops muscles from doing anything for about 3-5 months at a time...it gives me relief from the pain for that length of time...

if/when i have surgery, they will leave that area alone (40 degree curve) & just operate on lower 61 degree curve...my pain is reportedly caused by a right thoracic curvature & left lumbar curvature....

anyway, what i am trying to ask is whether or not you have been to see a pain management doctor to describe the kind of pain you are having to see whether such a doctor could be of any help...? also, have you been given any meds for nerve pain..??

i hope you find relief of your pain

best of luck
jess

[Jinseeker]

well i had consulted the orthopedic, a general practitioner and chiropractor about the shooting nerve pain i get once in a while, and they only told me to exercise regularly and gave me specific lumbar stretching exercises i do. I do these exercises, but i feel that these exercises are basic, symmetrical and generic, and not specific exercises for my condition. I hope i can find a schroth expert or some scoliosis specialist in my country(the philippines). Do you think my only choice is to see a pain management expert and accept this pain in daily life, and not pursue ways of eliminating it?

[jrnyc]

Hi again Jinseeker
i think it is worth it to see a pain management guy...to find out if they can help...sometimes they can help with injections, sometimes with meds...sometimes not...might be worth a try...what do you have to lose? if you have insurance to pay for it, that is..

i have been told by many doctors that the only way to get rid of the problem permanently is with surgery..to stop the problem from progressing...& the surgeons do not guarantee anyone will be pain free..only that one will probably have less pain than before surgery...& if lucky, MAY be pain free afterwards, or close to it..but they never guarantee it..cause it is a promise they are not positive they can keep...

i have not decided on surgery yet, but keep going back & forth with the decision...

best of luck
jess

[Jinseeker]

thank you for your reply. I think surgery is too off in the ball park for me at the moment. I guess pain management is the only way to go, but i do hope someone could share more insight on other possible exercise therapies. It won't hurt to try anyways. The only problem is I reside in the Philippines, and these specialized scoliosis treatments are hard to find...

[jrnyc]

Hi again jinseeker
did any doctor ever suggest you take neurontin for nerve pain? that is the one medication i know of for nerves...

i take hydrocodone or oxycontin for pain...when i need it...i have occasional good days, when i dont need to take it...i pray for more of those days!!

i dont know about exercise...before i herniated discs, i used to go to gym 4 times a week..my trainer had me doing some back exercises that helped a little...since i got so bad, with 61 degree lumbar, i dont go anymore...too much pain! i go in to nyc next wednesday for botox shots in left thoracic area...cant wait!!

best of luck
jess