Pain Making me depressed - or vice versa?

[Osaka_L.A._Connect]

Hello,

Wondered if anybody could offer some advice please.

I have had back pain now on and off for at least 6 years. I have had xrays, blood tests (all came back ok) apart from xray showed 'some degenerative facet joints'? which the doctor said was nothing to worry about.
I have been on anti-depressants which didnt really have an effect on the pain, (I also get a lot of headaches/migraines and neck pain!)

I wondered why it is much worse in the morning, I cant pin-point the pain it is all around gravitating from lower to my rib cage. It makes me feel sick, like i havent slept, (I look awful, drained and feel terrible)!!
After ive moved about for an hour or so it eases off only to return the next morning. I have a memory foam mattress which seemed to help, but now it all seems the same again. I cant remember the last time i woke up refreshed and happy.

I am due to start a full time degree course soon, am a single parent with no family and not much support around, and am beginning to think I must be mad. If i cant feel good in the morning, it is going to be hell..I will probably get a migraine before i get there (driving seems to aggravate headaches/migraine) and I dont know what to do.

I think i am depressed - but is it the pain making me low? or the low mood aggravating the pain. I really dont want to go back to the doctor, I have been over the same ground so many times!

Anyone got any advise? Would be so grateful.....feel like i have had enough of it all...

Thanks

 

[Shannon Bassoe]

"am a single parent with no family and not much support around"

Hi,

I highlight the above quote as I've read that problems with your back can be to do with support issues (makes sense as its your spine and skeleton that support your whole body). So, maybe, the pain is a reflection of your feeling of not having enough support, and the degeneration in the joints is due to feeling 'worn down' by life?

In my experience, it isn't helpful to be diagnosed with depression and get caught in a vicious cycle of mental 'health' treatment. (But that is just my own personal feelings on the subject).

The mind, body, emotions and spirit are all connected, so the pain will effect you on all levels - as will feelings of depression.

In my opinion you need to do something for yourself. I would recommend any of the many complementary therapies out there (Reflexology especially, lol):

The therapy is not going to 'cure' you but what seeing a complementary therapy practitioner does is that it helps you to take a step back from yourself, understand what it is thats effecting you, and gives you the much needed boost to your wellbeing that enables you to take positive steps forward (no Reflexology pun intended).

Anyway, I hope you find someone to help you. Take care,

Melissa

 

[Pompal 09.]

you report that you have "some degenerative facet joints" which showed up on X-ray.
This means that you do have DJD (aka osteoarthritis) in your spine, the severity of which can't be told by X-ray, as the process itself is non-painful, and therefore everyone symptomatology is different for each degree of observed degeneration. You've also reported that you've had this for 6 years, by definition, anyone who's had pain for this long, now has "abnormal" pain perception, and the whole thing has become very complex.
This means that your emotions are (almost by definition) involved in the pain you're feeling, so depression would likely be making your perception of pain, that much worse.

I would advice looking at the mental health, either through support networks, feelgood therapy, psychology, medication etc, and also addressing the cause of pain, and the perception of that pain.
Personally, I would be looking towards an integrated, multidisciplinary approach, something like positive thought sessions with a counsellor, aromtherapy to work on the stress, and to energise yourself (lifestyle changes will also help here, eg reducing caffeine/nicotine,alcohol intake, increasing water and exercise intake), and the mood, TENS machine to help take control over the pain (rather than letting it control you), and gentle physical thereapy (chiro/osteo/physio) to address the arthritis itself; with rehab/pilates to strengthen up the core stability once you're pointing in the right direction.

There's plenty of information on TENS elsewhere on these pages, or I'm sure many of us could help if you want further, specific advice.

DJD is your body's reaction to excessive movement in the joints at some stage, either habitually, or through a specific trauma, the body then thries to stabilise the joints, and grows butresses around them.
Because of this, I advice much more gentle physical therapy than would normally be offered, in chiropractic terms that'd mean Flexion distraction, spinal mobilisation, SOT type approach, and I'm sure osteopathy and Physio have their own techniques for mobilisation rather than manipulation. Once you're heading in the right direction, you should add in various rehab/pilates exercises to strengthen your core muscles, so that the joints are getting the support they need from the surrounding muscles, rather than trying to grow more boney butresses to do this.

Above all other things though, the key to dealing with chronic pain is for the patient to take control of the pain, and not let the pain control you, and to do this through yourself, not to simply pass that responsibility onto your therapist (you can do far more in 167 hours a week, than your therapist can do in the remaining 1)

 

[Scotla]

Thankyou Melissa and BIA for your responses. You have been very helpful and I am going to look into trying to treat this from a few angles. I had heard about the relationship that the mind and emotions have on the back and it is true to say I have had little support and the Mental Health issues need to be addressed with other methods. I always believed I had a high pain threshold and have in a way just accepted it as part of my personality as well! I know people get fed up with me. I have constant remarks from people at work saying things like "god for a young girl you always seem unwell" and even my ex-partner said nobody would want me because I am always ill, and even though I have tried to get better, it seems temporary and I suppose I do like you said BIA need to take responsibility for this and not hope for a quick fix!
I have just found some yoga dvds for beginners and thought its free and I can do it in the evenings, so may give that a try just to try some stretching and to help strenghten the muscles. I am also going to look on the internet about other hoistic therapies and the TENS machine suggested as had never considered that.
Thanks again for your responses.....

 

[a Dreamer]

I had that from somebody who had previously treated me and cured me perfectly - my injury was very simple but beyond repair by osteopathic manipulation alone - and many orthopedic doctors who should know better also said there was nothing wrong with me - well after 28 months of there being "nothing wrong with me" but still hurting - and i was not in the least bit unhappy except for the pain - I did looked into it myself - found a ton of information about prolotherapy, researched it solidly for a year - then I went to a doctor who had been treating with prolotherapy for 30 years - all fixed thank you very much - and it did not take long. My problem was different to yours but from my research it sounds as if it may well be appropriate for you - take my advice - ONLY take advice from people who are prolotherapists or have been patients - nobody else is qualified to hold an opinion ! Go straight to the BIMM for a list of doctors but then check the one you choose for their experience - i did a lot of work before I tried the treatment.

 

[Craig]

hello Kazzie ,
I felt I had to respond to this .. I live with back pain everyday from a failed back operation june 2003 that was suppose to make me better but failed (so keep in mind never seek surgery unles its last option i am flip side to it ) The reason u have pain more so in morning is because our bodies stay unmoved all night (mostly anyhow) u feel better when u start to move around a bit and exactly just that cause u are moving around . I want to tell you what i do as i also suffered extreme depression for over 2yrs but i dont anymore and my condition is unchanged and will be reast of my life . I exercise for one , walking and keeping core to body strong helps alot on keeping strong back that makes me feel good as far as emotionally and does help a bit with pain in day ( I am also on top notch narcotic pain meds ) which i dont recommend but for me i have to take them or id be in severe pain . I learned to control my mind by not letting this control me anymore , althought dr's can help us to a point we ourselves live this and we got to take charge as much as possible . I just decided Im not gonna let this take me down (and i know its hard when you are in pain) i am too young (35) so i took the reigns . No matter how bad i feel in the morning i keep positive . I also have degenerative disk disease too and 2 other herniated disks untouched (non operated on) . Try several things like walking and exercising and warm baths and keep trying !! dont give up!! Seek a good Dr as u may need some form of pain medications and dont take no for an answer but also always keep up front narcotic meds are addicting I know I been there and still am on these meds . One operation changed my life forever and if I could turn the clock back I would rather of lived withthe pain I had before than what i do now . Depression always affects poeple with pain It hit me hard for 2yrs but i just couldnt live like that anymore . I took charge and found a Dr that showed he cared for my condition and found a medication that gave me back a life a bit and i also incorporated exercise into this and a good strong mind and i have a better life . I will be like this rest of my life but thats OK it could be worse . I really hope you will find what works for you , please dont give up the fight and it truly is a battle at times .. take care xoxoxoxo