Sometime after my 7th week on Hepatitis C therapy, my lower back pain amplified to the intolerable level that I had to be on pain management. I thought it was part of Fibromyalgia. The treatment medication is also known to cause inflammation especially for those with pre-existing conditions of the muscles, tendons or nerves. I was diagnosed after an MRI done for L4/5 as mild degenerative disc arthropathy which is also known as Osteoarthritis or inflammation of the joints. It sounds mild but with lots of symptoms and pain. The stiffness and pain upon waking up is so debilitating I wished I never slept. Some may have no symptoms or severe pain but could show much on an MRI.
I had this pain for almost a year but was manageable with standard pain medication. After the office relocation, the pain got worse. I could not straighten my back after sitting for 20 minutes, could not couch, sit or sleep without pain. With the added "poison" into my system, I needed to cry for help and begged my doctor for the referral. It is sad that at only 46 years old, I feel like I'm 100 years old. Only the elderly would have such bone condition, that's what we always assumed. But cartilage wears off from age 45 and with the aggravation of other factors may contribute to early disc deterioration and breakdown of cartilage. I have extracted some basic information on Osteoarthritis below for your reference.
As I travel along the treatment journey, I had became dependent on the non-standard analgesics for without it, I could never function. Doctor advised physiotherapy, light exercise or swimming on a regular basis to strengthen core muscles but when will they ever understand how tired I feel everyday? How long am I going to continue to medicate? After completing my Hepatitis C therapy, I would still be on pain medication unless I make a change. Without anymore side effects, I shall be more vigilant to improve my physical ability. I have to do it because I have no one else to depend on in the future. I have to depend on myself.
As I travel along the treatment journey, I had became dependent on the non-standard analgesics for without it, I could never function. Doctor advised physiotherapy, light exercise or swimming on a regular basis to strengthen core muscles but when will they ever understand how tired I feel everyday? How long am I going to continue to medicate? After completing my Hepatitis C therapy, I would still be on pain medication unless I make a change. Without anymore side effects, I shall be more vigilant to improve my physical ability. I have to do it because I have no one else to depend on in the future. I have to depend on myself.
Below is an extract article from Spine Universe:
Osteoarthritis: Degenerative Spinal Joint Disease
Part 1 of 3
Written by Edgar G. Dawson, MD and Christopher I. Shaffrey, MD
Osteoarthritis is caused by cartilage breakdown; cartilage provides a cushion between the bones of the joints. Healthy cartilage allows bones to glide over one another and acts as a shock absorber during physical movement. In osteoarthritis, the cartilage breaks down and wears away. This causes the bones under the cartilage to rub together, causing pain, swelling, and loss of joint motion.
What Causes Osteoarthritis?
While the process of spinal osteoarthritis is understood (as explained above), what causes this process to begin is not as well-understood. There are several risk factors that make it more likely you'll develop spondylosis, including:
Osteoarthritis is a disease of the joints, and it can affect the spine (osteoarthritis in the spine is often referred to as spondylosis). Also know as degenerative joint disease, it is the most common form of arthritis, affecting more than 20 million American adults. It is a separate condition from and should not be confused with rheumatoid arthritis, another painful inflammatory condition.
Osteoarthritis is caused by cartilage breakdown; cartilage provides a cushion between the bones of the joints. Healthy cartilage allows bones to glide over one another and acts as a shock absorber during physical movement. In osteoarthritis, the cartilage breaks down and wears away. This causes the bones under the cartilage to rub together, causing pain, swelling, and loss of joint motion.
What Causes Osteoarthritis?
While the process of spinal osteoarthritis is understood (as explained above), what causes this process to begin is not as well-understood. There are several risk factors that make it more likely you'll develop spondylosis, including:
- Age – osteoarthritis affects more people over the age of 45
- Gender – osteoarthritis is more common in women than in men
- Certain hereditary conditions such as defective cartilage and joint deformity
- Joint injuries caused by sports, work-related activity, or accidents
- Obesity
- Diseases that affect the structure and function of cartilage, such as rheumatoid arthritis, hemochromatosis (a metabolic disorder), Paget's disease, and gout
Signs and Symptoms of Spinal Osteoarthritis (Spondylosis)
Osteoarthritis usually begins slowly. Early in the disease, joints may ache after physical work or exercise. Often the pain of early osteoarthritis fades and then returns over time, especially if the affected joint is overused. Other symptoms may include:
- Swelling or tenderness in one or more joints, especially before or during a change in the weather
- Loss of flexibility of a joint
- Stiffness after getting out of bed
- A crunching feeling or sound of bone rubbing on bone
- Bony lumps on the joints of the fingers or the base of the thumb
- Steady or intermittent pain in a joint (although not everyone with osteoarthritis has pain)
Continue reading ...
What Is Degenerative Disc Disease?
Degenerative Disc Disease and Low Back Pain
Anatomy of Degenerative Disc Disease
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