Posted 5/5/2012 6:46 PM (GMT 0)
My normally healthy 23-year-old son came home from work with pain in his lower back one day 3+ months ago. He has a somewhat physical job, so occasional back strain was not unusual. In the past, heat, advil & rest took care of the problem after a week or two. When there was no improvement after 2 weeks, he visited his PCP who recommended physical therapy. This went well for a couple of weeks until he came home from one session with his back really bothering him. Pain began to spread out from mostly the left lower back to include the right side as well. Over the course of the next few weeks, the pain started expanding to include the middle of his back, upper back & shoulders, and even around his right side and lower abdomen (which he describes as a deeper, pulsating pain). The pain is not always in the same place, sometimes his lower back hurts, sometimes upper, sometimes one side more than the other. He cannot sit or stand in one position very long before the pain increases. It has gotten to the point where he's been unable to work (he trains & exercises dogs at a local kennel) more than a couple of hours at a time before he has to come home and lie down.
To date he has tried PT, chiropractor, muscle relaxers, anti-inflammatories with no relief. X-rays, bone scan, and MRIs show no physical reason for the pain. He tested negative for Lyme disease. He is increasingly depressed and hopeless that we can find and fix whatever's going on. He was a healthy active young man before all this started, and has no other physical symptoms other than the pain.
I'm at a loss as to where to turn next. I'd be thankful for any input!
Worried mom,
Louise