[Alex126K]

#6555

Hello, My name is Alex, in 17 years old and I’ve had the worst back pain for years. I’ve gone to many doctors and one said “It’s growing pains, It’ll go away” the other said it was “Nothing”. Now my primary care doctor want’s to go deeper with my problem to see “Why?” it hurts. But since I’m not an adult yet, most of the doctor’s don’t treat me the same way they would a adult. I’ve had no accident’s or anything that would cause this. The pain is always there, day and night. It’s my lower back, down where my tailbone is. It hurts the most whenever I sit down. Also my shoulder blade is starting to hurt really bad. I wake up and it’s already hurting. The only thing that helps with the pain is a heating pad. Hydrocodone is what I’m currently taking but it doesn’t help a whole lot. It let’s me walk without much pain and discomfort. My doctor told me to stop using my heating pad because it’s ruining my nerve’s. (You can see it, it’s this nasty burn/discoloration where I use it) I was wondering if you could help. I’m on state insurance because my mom doesn’t make much and she’s a single mom so there isn’t much options that my insurance will cover. I live in the Orlando, Fl area. Do you know anything that can help me? Thanks in advance! I’m tired of being in pain. Sorry if I’m being too general..I just don’t know the medical terms to describe my problem more detailed.

*Updated-The pain is a 10. It brings me to tears. The lower back pain is a sharp stabbing pain. When I bend up, down, or to the side it brings on a whole lot of more pain, to were it only stop’s if I stop moving and I have to wait a couple minutes before I can slowly move. The shoulder blade pain is the same, but no movements cause or bring on pain.*

[Donald Corenman, MD, DC]

#6566

First Alex, I hope you have a parent or guardian who helps you with decisions as you are too young to make medical decisions by yourself.

See the section on “Back pain in the child athlete” under “conditions” as this section will relate to you.

In general the shoulder blade pain is not related to your back pain as the origins are two separate sources. There are systemic disorders that can cause both pains at the same time but they are rare disorders and most likely you do not have them.

You might check into a University clinic as some are “pay what you can” clinics. Maybe start with a primary care provider who has an X-ray machine and has some experience with spinal disorders.

Dr. Corenman

PLEASE REMEMBER, THIS FORUM IS MEANT TO PROVIDE GENERAL INFORMATION ON SPINE ANATOMY, CONDITIONS AND TREATMENTS. TO GET AN ACCURATE DIAGNOSIS, YOU MUST VISIT A QUALIFIED PROFESSIONAL IN PERSON.
 
Donald Corenman, MD, DC is a highly-regarded spine surgeon, considered an expert in the area of neck and back pain. Trained as both a Medical Doctor and Doctor of Chiropractic, Dr. Corenman earned academic appointments as Clinical Assistant Professor and Assistant Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, and his research on spine surgery and rehabilitation has resulted in the publication of multiple peer-reviewed articles and two books.

[Alex126K]

#6568

Thanks for the reply Dr. Corenman. And my mother is there by my side at every doctor visit. Blood test show I have ANA. I really don’t know what that means but the doctor told me that my body is attacking my muscle’s and bone’s and that’s why it hurts so much. Does that sound to be true?
Thanks in advance, Alex

[Alex126K]

#6569

Also is there a way I can e-mail you some photo’s of my MRI?

[Alex126K]

#6571

Sorry for all these reply’s. I’m just worried and would like to know what’s wrong with me. I have some additional information. Back in March of 2010 I had a “CT L SPINE WITHOUT CONTRAST” but my doctor didn’t understand the report because she spoke very little English, so she just left it unspoken of, and I forgot about it until now when I needed it for a orthopedic doctor. But here is the report:

HISTORY: Lower back pain, 724.2. 14-year-old male who reports bilateral posterior leg pain and lower back pain.

TECHNIQUE: Multiplanar, multisequence imaging was obtained of the lumbar spine without contrast.

FINDINGS: There are promineent anterior Schmorl’s nodes involving the superior endplates of L3 and L4 with a small central Schmorl’s node involving the superior endplate of L2. The vertebral bodies maintain normal height and alignment. No compression deformities are seen. No paraspinal soft tissue masses are appreciated.

At L1-L2, there is no focal disc abnormality. Mildly bulging disc material partially effaces the inferior foraminal fat bilaterally.

At L2-L3, there is a mild diffuse disc bulge. Partial effacement of the foraminal fat is present bilaterally.

At L3-L4, there is a mild disc bulge. Partial effacement of the foraminal fat is present bilaterally. No focaal disc abnormally is appreciated.

At L4-L5, there is a mild diffuse disc bulge. Partial effacement of the inferior foraminal fat is present bilaterally. There is no focal disc abnormally or significant acquired spinal canal stenosis.

At L5-S1, there are bilateral pars defects present. There is an anterolisthesis at L5-S1 measuring approximately 4-5 mm. There is a congential deformity of the posterior elements involving the spinous process and laminae. There is a small spina bifida occullta incidentlly noted at this level. The anterolisthesis in conjection with mildly bulging disc materal results in mild foraminal stenosis bilaterally. lateral recess stenosis is present bilaterally. There is no significant acquired spinal stenosis. The remainder of the examination is unremarkable.

IMPRESSION:

BILATERAL PARS DEFECTS OF L5 ARE PRESENT. THERE IS AN ANTEROLISTHESIS AT L5-S1 MEASURING 4-5 MM. BULGING DISC MATERIAL AND EARLY DISC SPACE NARROWING CONTRIBUTE TO FORAMINAL STENOSIS BILATERALLY. NO NERVE ROOT IMPINGEMENT IS SEEN. THE REMAINDER OF THE EXAM IS AS DESCRIBED ABOVE.

*Sorry, Dr. Corenman for the reply’s and such a long message*

Thanks, Alex

[Donald Corenman, MD, DC]

#6573

You have supplied enough information for me to comment on it. It appears you may have two separate processes going on. You have a mechanical problem in your lower back (isthmic spondylolisthesis- see website) and possibly an inflammatory arthropathy (positive ANA).

The inflammatory arthropathy is an autoimmune disease. That is, your own white blood cells and antibodies could be targeting your own tissue for attack (hence the term- auto immune). Those cells do not recognize your own tissues as “self” and attack as if the tissues were an invading bacteria. This condition needs to be worked up by a rheumatologist.

Your leg pain could be from both inflammation and the spondylolisthesis but more likely than not, the isthmic spondylolisthesis is causing most of your lower back and leg pain. You need a consultation with a spine surgeon to gain some insight and help.

Dr. Corenman

PLEASE REMEMBER, THIS FORUM IS MEANT TO PROVIDE GENERAL INFORMATION ON SPINE ANATOMY, CONDITIONS AND TREATMENTS. TO GET AN ACCURATE DIAGNOSIS, YOU MUST VISIT A QUALIFIED PROFESSIONAL IN PERSON.
 
Donald Corenman, MD, DC is a highly-regarded spine surgeon, considered an expert in the area of neck and back pain. Trained as both a Medical Doctor and Doctor of Chiropractic, Dr. Corenman earned academic appointments as Clinical Assistant Professor and Assistant Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, and his research on spine surgery and rehabilitation has resulted in the publication of multiple peer-reviewed articles and two books.

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