Pain and Numbness in back

[GoalieMum]

Would love to see if anyone else has suffered with this. I have had sciatica for a very long time, currently waiting for second set of nerve injections to help the pain. It is horrendous when I stand for long periods of time.
I have now also got pain in my upper back. I have numbness in this area, can feel sensation there but it is very reduced. Also have really bad pain in this area when I have been walking or doing the housework etc. It has woken me up recently on occasion.
Am going to see the Dr next week but just wondered if anyone had any experience of this or knew what it could possibly be.

Hi I recently hurt my back and have bad sciatica. There are some very knowlegable ladies on the long support thread called "the back story" it is very difficult with long term problems, but they can give you good advice. I think the pain in the upper back is related to the other back problems you have. You can get similar problems with discs and nerves in any part of the spine. I guess you may have had a scan in the past if you are having injections? Also have you had physiotherapy? Can you afford private physio?

Also be really careful until you do see someone. You don't want to make it worse. Avoid doing anything that pulls even a little and walk carefully, rest it where you can. I left my back too long before seeing the dr and was trying to work and it just totally went so I couldn't stand up or walk at all.

Could it be shingles or is it 'in' your back iyswim?

Thanks for the replies. It is definitely in my back so probably related to the sciatica. Can't afford physio, have had an MRI scan but that was ages ago , after that I had the nerve block injections which I am waiting for again. Will have a look at the other thread, thanks. Just has been worrying me a bit because of the numbness and pain, get fed up of not being able to do anything, even going for a walk yesterday was really difficult!

It could be a trapped nerve. Hope you find relief soon

Hi goaliemum,

Sorry to hear you are suffering. As you know, sciatica is a pain which is caused by a trapped or damaged nerve in the spine. So, likely you have some kind of disc problem? Can you remember what the MRI showed? Anyway, my physio often reminds me that your back all works together so although my injury is quite low at L4/5, I still get pains right up past my ribs and all sorts. So, it sounds as though you either have muscular spasm causing the pain or maybe another disc causing problems further up. This could account for the numbness.

Unfortunately unless you have an unusually good GP they don't tend to be very good at backs other than with referrals or drugs. So best thing is to see GP ASAP and ask for physio referral and another MRI. Who is doing your injections?

On a practical level, lots of us on a The Back Story (please come and join us), are addicted to hotties and heat patches.

Another thing that might help is to stand against a wall with a tennis ball behind your back and massage yourself with the ball. It hurts like hell but is great a relieving muscle spasm.

Oh, and don't be a martyr, take the drugs...

My back hasn't been bad for that long and is improving, but it really is frustrating. I hate not being able to do some housework tasks and have had to put off visiting my elderly relatives over Christmas which was sad. I do feel for anyone who has to deal with this long term. Also it is so tempting to overdo things then make yourself worse. Hopefully you will get more help goalie and be back to normalish soon, but do take it easy till you get to see the dr.