Bones, Soft Tissue Damage.... And celiac disease

[princessfuzzball]

O.K.... I was in a really bad car accident in April, and the doctors thought that I had broke my neck.... However, I was complaining of a headache, and shoulderpain aside from my back and neck hurting. Teh E.R. made sure my back and neck were intact, and let me go. I spent the last four months in physical therapy, my shoulders and back and neck getting better slwoly because there was a lot of soft tissue damage.

Let's fast forward to about three weeks ago when I finally felt weel enough to get active and helped my friend paint/spackle and prepare the house she was moving into. My shoulders hurt, and locked up, seeking my chiropractor's help (who does some p.t. stuff as well) I was told just to take it easy, and that my shoulders should not have flared up like that. I took it easy for another week, and then rode my bike a bit (only 42 miles in a week's span) and my shoulders hurt again. My dr told me to take it easy again (and I got fed up with this, why go if she's not helping) so I took a week to see what was up and then asked her for a refaral for a second opinion last week. I scheduled an appointment for an MRI because of a suspected rotator cuff tear, but was not able to get an appointment until this Sunday. Friday morning I woke up and was in the worst pain imaginable from my shoulder, and about five hours later I finally found myself in the E.R. screaming and swearing at the doctor who didn't know what to do for my pain and found no physical reason for my shoulder to hurt. I was given two shots of morphine and sent home with some painkillers, enough to get me through the weekend when I could follow up with my regualr doctor and see what was up with my MRI.

My regualr doctor dosen't know how to read MRI's and was also dumbfounded (note a trend here) as to why my shoulder would hurt so badly. Luckily, she got me an appointment with a very very very respectable orthopedic surgeon in this area who I went to the next day. I took my MRI's and was concerned because i looked at the films and saw black spots on my shoulder bone and was more than a bit concerned.... I went to the ortho who glanced at the MRI's and told me to see some other doctor because it looked like I had a trapped nerve in my neck from my symptoms, and there was nothing wrong anatomically with my shoulder. So I went for an MRI of my cervical spine to prove him wrong, knowing full well what a trapped nerve feels like, and knowing that the pain was not coming from my neck.... (this guy was more than a bit of and ass) he also gave me some sterioids for help with the inflammation, and told me to take them as soon as possible.

I go back to my chiropractor on Wednesday and she tells me that she's concerned for my health because there were "cyst like lesions noted within the greater tuberosity adjacent to the rotator cuff insertions consistent with degenerative marrow changes." She also had the other MRI results from my neck, and said that there were not trapped nerves, so I was o.k. However, red flag number two popped up... "marginial osteophyte formation" was found on a few parts of my neck, pretty much bony spurs that occur as a reult of agining.

I have been straightforward with all these doctors, saying that I'm concerned because my bones may not be as awesome as they should for a young woman of 22. I'm obvioulsy showing signs of premature bone aging, and I'm wondering what this means for me? Does anybody here know whether or not these possible cyst like lesions may be painful? I pointed all this out to my chiropractor and remined her that I can't heal as quickly as others my age due to my health, and I may have other comprimises like this... am I on the right track? Should I get a second opinion from another ortho??? What should I do? I'm off of work so I'm losing wages, and I'm concerned for my health and consequences of this shoulder issue....

[2kids4me]

Has anyone ever mentioned Ankylosing spondilitis to you? "Bone spurs" in a young person should set off a red flag.

See: Open Original Shared Link

...they even talk about shoulder involvement. If you were in an accident and had this condition - even in its early stages, then it would cause more serious (pain) symptoms.

Ankylosing spondylitis (pronounced ank-kih-low-sing spon-dill-eye-tiss), or AS, is a form of arthritis that primarily affects the spine, although other joints can become involved. It causes inflammation of the spinal joints (vertebrae) that can lead to severe, chronic pain and discomfort.

from the site:

Scientists know that other genes, along with a triggering environmental factor, such as a bacterial infection, are needed to trigger AS in susceptible people. HLA-B27 probably accounts for about 40% of the overall risk, but then there are other genes working in concert with B27. There are probably five or six genes involved in susceptibility toward AS. It is thought that perhaps AS starts when the defenses of the intestines start breaking down and bacteria from the intestines pass into the bloodstream directly into the region where the sacroiliac joints are located.

Who is At Risk?

The risk factors that predispose a person to ankylosing spondylitis include:

Testing positive for the HLA-B27 marker

A family history of AS

Frequent gastrointestinal infections

Unlike other forms of arthritis and rheumatic diseases, general onset of AS commonly occurs in younger people, between the ages of 17-35. However, it can affect children and those who are much older. AS is more common in men, but occurs in women as well.

There are other conditions besides AS that can cause the symptoms and appearance on MRI that was noted. An injury related to the accident could have impaired blood supply to parts of the bone (for example).

A second opinion from a dr who will take "fresh look" would be helpful Someone who looks at the xray in total - not someone simply looking for trauma related issues, but someone who will look for any abnormalities that could explain ongoing severe pain.

[queenofhearts]

I don't know anything at all about these symptoms, just wanted to say I'm sorry you're going through so much pain, & I hope you find a doctor soon who can really help you.

Leah

[princessfuzzball]

Thankyou both so very much.

[mamaw]

Hi

sorry you are having a hard time of it. My son who was a pro motor cycle racer before his having to give it up , has a osteopyhe (large) plus two bulging disc and post concussion trauma. He has been off work for over six months. He's 31.We have been to so many specialist to try to give him back so sort of life again.I will say everyone in the medical mainstream has injected his head with steroids, PT,traction devices,and tons of drugs and nothing they did help. He was about to give up when I suggested cranial scral therapy. Hw tried this from a medical mainstream doc and nothing.then Isuggested he use an alternative solutions practioner and he now is getting his life back. I mean this man could not hold his head up for any length of time, he was hurting standing,sitting, and laying.this person has done cranial sracal therapy, and detoxing his toal body ,he now after three weeks is moving around, fishing on a boat,walking plus his coloring and expression has returned. He looks wonderful.

It takes alot of time to heal and I would suggest try to find a good(excellent alternative person) and go for some treatments. Also you might want to check out Prolo therapy. I'm from the Pittsburgh area and we have a clinic that does that...it has helped many people.

Osteopyhes can come from just wear & tear on ones neck......Oh yes, maybe cold lazer therapy would help too. I think you just have to try everything available.....

I hope you get feeling better soon.

If you would like more info just pm me

mamaw

[Nancym]

You might want to get in to see a rheumatologist. I was diagnosed with AS 6 months ago. It is pretty mild in my case but it can be quite, quite painful. It is hard to find a good AS doctor, if you have AS, especially if you're a woman. We present completely different symptoms than men.

[Fiddle-Faddle]

I'm so sorry to hear what you've been going through. I was hit by a car in January, dislocated my shoulder, and the idiot orthopedist (who has a very good reputation and thinks he is God) refused to order an MRI because he said he knew exactly what was wrong. It turned out that I had torn cartilage, torn tendons, etc.

To make a long story short, I found another orthopedist. I also learned that orthopedists and chiropractors usually haven't got a clue how to read an MRI. Is there any way you can go back to the radiologist who read yor MRI and ask him or her all your questions? That's where I got the most info about my shoulder.

Soft tissue damage usually means tears--which heal very very vERY slowly, espedcially the shoulder. i've been told that shoulders take much, much longer to heal than any other area of the body, even longer than the back.If you don't have a terrific physical therapist and chiropractor, you could end up tearing something else, especially if you started physical therapy before any tears had a chance to heal.

I was sent to a physical therapist who was impatient with how slowly I was regaining strength and flexiblity, so she pushed things a little--and injured my shoulder worse. This was a PT with a very good reputation.

I don't know how to tell you who is good and who is not, except to say that you should always be improving, even if it seems excruciatingly slow. You should not be getting worse.

AS is certainly a possiblity, too--but having just been through a shoulder trauma (and I'm not fully healed and the injury was in January!), I know that waking up in major pain didn't stop until last month. As I got better, I started rolling onto my side in my sleep--which caused things to flare up again. I've also been told that I will be more prone to arthritis and bursitis, but I don't know if that is true or not.

You also might try seeig a physiatrist--that's kind of like an orthopedist who does NOT do surgery--they are also referred to as rehab docs. A physiatrist might be more willing to take a non-invasive approach.

Best of luck --keep us all posted, okay?

BTW, princessfuzzball--what city are you in? I can both recommend and anti-recommend orthos, PTs, an in Pittsburgh (what IS the opposite of recommend?). I also know a wonderful chiropractor.

[princessfuzzball]

BTW, princessfuzzball--what city are you in? I can both recommend and anti-recommend orthos, PTs, an in Pittsburgh (what IS the opposite of recommend?). I also know a wonderful chiropractor.

Chicago... my first ortho works on the Cgicago White Sox. I will be going back to the radiologist on Monday and asking him my questions.

Thank you both for you help!