Sunday, November 25, 2007
My 11 year old daughter has had low back pain for almost 2 years. First bone scan showed dark circle at T12, impression was increased uptake. She hurts in this area continuously. Had different diagnoses by several doctors- growing pains, stress fracture, mental. Took her to a psychiatrist-said it was a physical problem. She has been on an antiinflammatory by a pain management clinic- but still in pain. This is ridiculous that no one can get her better. Any ideas? Thanks, drjackson
Dr. Jackson
I'm so sorry about your little girl, kids should never have to live with this kind of pain.
I'm sure it's horribly difficult on you too.
If she were my daughter, I think that I would continue to take her to the doctor, most of us with chronic pain have had to just be tenacious about continueing to strive to find a physician that would help, I'd ask for her to be seen at a pain clinic and see what they may come up with, for a young patient. There have to be some doctors out there that have dealt with juvinile pain, you just have to search for one.
I really hope your able to find someone to help your little girl
I would also take her to have messages, and also try some acupressure to help to relieve some of her pain. I don't know how an 11 yr old would do with acupuncture, so I would think the pressure would be an ave to start with.
Do you use ice & heat on her area of pain? if not, you may want to try it to eleviate some and comfort her.
I really hope you can find some help for your little girl, there's nothing more helpless, than have your child in pain and not being able to help them.
Take care, we're very glad you've come here to find some support and help.
Betty
Dr. Jackson
I think your doing great by finding her another pediatrition and continuing on.
Many of us had to see a great many doctors, before we found one that could help get us some relief.
It's frustrating enough to find doctors for our selves and I cannot imagine how bad it may get trying to get your child more help. There just has to be some pediatric physician that is well schooled in pediatric pain. It's just a matter of finding them. I would probably start calling any university pain clinics if I were you too.
I think that it could be easily brushed off as growing pains for awhile, but two years is far longer than any growing pains that I've heard of.
I hope you find someone to help soon!
Betty
( My name is Darlene Ruth Jackson- not doctor, I am a high school math teacher)
Thanks for the support. The first orthopaedic doctor said it was growing pains, even though there was a dark circle at T-12 on the Bone Scan. It turned out to be increased uptake -a concentration of blood supply to an area of injury or stress. It is difficult to find a pediatrician who is willing to listen and understand that this girl is in serious pain and there seems to be no end. The pediatric group that I have been going to for years said she needed to see a counselor. I finally took her to a psychiatrist who said she could not help-she obviously had a physical problem, not mental. I made sure she sent a copy to the pediatrician. I am really at my wits end on how to get an accurate diagnosis.
Perhaps the pain management clinic at Cincinnati is right. They said she may have had an area of stress on the spine at T-12/L-1, which is a pivitol point in the back, where the last rib meets the spine. (She had been in dancing from age 3-9 and tennis tournaments from age 7-9.) The muscles became spastic in the lumbar in support for the injury. It may have been too much for her growing body. The injury improved with rest and antiinflammatory, but the pain was locked in the muscle memory with the brain. Any stress would automatically go to that area and make the pain worse. What do you think of this idea? Maybe it is just going to take time. The only thing that concerns me is the times when her face looks pale and she has pain in the upper portion of her intestine. Sometimes I look at her and think there is something really wrong with her. But she is eating well and growing- no headaches, fever, etc. However, she used to be on the 50-60 percentile for height and weight and now it is on the 40th. The doctors did not seem to be alarmed at this-said it could be normal. I just want her to get out of pain and lead a normal life. Thanks, Ruth Jackson