Chronic Muscle Pain...Any Ideas?!

[ATAVUZ]

Well as anything goes here I’ll go ahead and post something that I’ve been dealing with for two years now. A few years back I hurt my leg at work, I don’t know how I did it but it had to be some sort of impact injury… I didn’t notice it right away and I figured it would go away but it never has… So I believe I damaged my anterior tibialis the muscle that runs down the shin. The spot is on my lower leg and it’s that tiny muscle you use when you raise your foot up… Symptoms… That part of my leg turns into a dull ache and it’s 24,7 non stop pain to the point I can’t sleep and it’s unbearable to walk. Even not using my leg sitting down it’s unbearable … so for the past two years I have been on OTC pain killers which take all the pain away but right when the pain killer wears off I’m forced to take another one. in other words I am fucking up my body/liver with nonstop pain killer use and I have yet to find a solution…
I have had two MRI’s always comes back with” your muscle shows slight damage, but will heal over time” but it hasn’t… been two years and still chronic… Did physical therapy which consisted of stretches and weights to make that muscle stronger… it was painful as fuck and it didn’t heal me either… Doctor recommenced a “boot” for 3 months… sorry can’t wear one while I’m working so it’s out of the question. So this issue has been tearing me apart and I feel helpless and feel I’m stuck on painkillers for the rest of my life since I’d rather die then live without them in that pain… can’t even sleep without pain pills. The pain is like smashing your fingernail and it has blood underneath the nail and it just throbs all day… been doing non stop research and ran across something called “trigger point injections” for muscle pain. I believe this is my LAST hope and only other option available… Does anyone have any experience with this? I’m seriously considering giving it a shot.

 

[Outlawthing]

I feel your pain literally bottom 5 discs are trashed hard to do what you want sleep sit pisses you off
I domy take pain pills any more. I get carried away just deal with it. But the it will heal shit from doc is bs too if it’s been that long and it isn’t better it ain’t getting better they need to fix it if they can may be calcified at this point which is like a knife in there poking you every time you move. Get another opinion maybe

 

[ATAVUZ]

Yikes… Sounds painful… I’ve tried many times to stop being a pussy and suck it up and deal with it but I just can’t. It wakes me up can’t sleep and I can’t go to work on no sleep or I’m toast, or get any gains off my cycle lol. But I feel ya on the second opinion… I’ve had two doctors so far and it just seems like doctors these days don’t think outside of the box to help you. You tell them what’s going on and they do their normal routine like a fucking mechanic and if you don’t fit their criteria you get thrown under the table like you are making up your symptoms or some shit lol. I’ll give this TPI therapy a shot he’ll maybe it will work… If not then I’ll go to a different doc when I move to Texas and maybe he will have a better brain then these google bums in Az.

 

[Outlawthing]

It’s sounds like a shin splint but 100 times worse it’s hard to find a doctor that will help these days they just go through the motions friend of mine had knee prob kept swelling g up and going out I have watched him bust his ass when it does said it always hurt like hell had 2 MRIs they kept saying therapy it wasn’t really showing anything and stuff he finally found a doc that said well let’s just go in and clean it up when he went in it was. An absolute disaster the doc couldn’t believe it said MRI didn’t show a lot of it he fixed everything while he was in there and after rehab my friend said it’s hella better that’s why I say find another doc

 

[ATAVUZ]

I’ve had shin splints in the past and the feeling is pretty much the same except it doesn’t go away unlike shin splints that go away on their own eventually. Hmm yeah I could just go for a 3rd opinion. Just sucks man cuz these visits aren’t cheap even with insurance. I’ve spent over 2,000$ on trying to find a solution and all they do is shoot you through the bs to get paid >_<

 

[Outlawthing]

Yup when me and the wifey weee trying to do invetro I went through 11 doctors on my end had a stack of tests and labs. To prove it before I found one that would help. It’s almost like a Ponzi scheme

 

[ATAVUZ]

That’s just ridiculous man. I guess it’s true with healthcare too though and doctors. Some people just suck ass at their jobs no matter the profession lol.

 

[NeuroRN]

Does it feel like it’s constantly being activated? Like it’s in flexion 24/7?

 

[ATAVUZ]

It’s constantly activated every time I walk I assume. I mean they did recommend a boot for 3 months but I can’t drive or do my job with that damn thing on I don’t work behind a desk lol. I had the boot on for a few days at one point but still had to pop the pills cuz my leg still was hurting like hell even with it on. I’m still doing things at the gym to try to strengthen that muscle. When the pills wear off I can barely lift my foot up as there is no strength in it.

 

[NeuroRN]

That’s a tough spot. For sure. It definitely sounds like it needs to be rested.

I would try to find a physical therapist that does dry needling. Sounds like it might help get that muscle to relax.

I know it sucks but sounds like a third opinion may be needed. Living with chronic pain isn’t “managed” just by pain meds. Maybe a try to find a DO instead of an MD. They are at least trained under a different medical model originally. May help with a different perspective.

 

[ATAVUZ]

Yeah it’s a tough spot and also doing research on it it’s seems to be a rare condition lol so just my luck. I wish I could rest it but sadly I can’t afford to go on light duty for 15 an hour for 3 months

Yeah they have TPI clinics throughout the valley here I’ll have to check out. I wonder if they are licensed PT’a as I’ve never heard of the practice.

I’ve been worried about the abuse of pain meds on my system. Ibuprofen started messing up my stomach so about a year ago I had to switch to Ace. I’ll try a different MD sometime next year when I move hopefully that works out if this TPI doesn’t. I’ve been to two ortho docs and the first one was a dick basically called me a pussy and I’ll get over it and the second one was the one who recommended pt and the boot. All pt was was a torture chamber leaving me limping out of the office lmao

 

[NeuroRN]

I’ve been in PT for over a year for my back. I leave the office every week almost unable to walk and can pretty much do nothing but sleep the rest of the day… but damnit is it worth it. My quality of life has dramatically increased in the long run. I hope you get it figured out.

 

[ATAVUZ]

Wow. I’m glad it works for you and helps you. In my case just seemed like a bunch of over paid broscience. Anything I can do in that PT office I can do at home on my bedroom floor for free lol. But your situation for your back is probably a little more complicated.

 

[NeuroRN]

It’s just like any other profession. Most become comfortable and complacent and do that same
Shit with every client that falls into whatever category.

I found a PT that looks at the whole body not just the part that hurts. Example: I get my hips and glutes dry needled and worked on to fix part of my back problems. Every other pt just gave me things to do for my lower back. Or middle back etc.

That’s why I said maybe try to find a DO instead of an MD. They tend to take the whole body into account a little better.

 

[ATAVUZ]

Yeah that makes sense. You basically just feel like a taco on the assembly line in Taco Bell.

Seems you found a nice spot. Kinda sucks you have to blow through thousands of dollars to find a service that can do their job properly. To think we’re paying medical every month plus co pays and all that other crap it’s just ridiculous. I believe you should get what you pay for but I guess it doesn’t work like that anymore lol. Only people who should be getting treated like a taco or number are people who don’t work and just mooch off the system.

 

[NeuroRN]

Hahaha I agree with you completely. I’m sorry bro. It’s so frustrating. I hope you figure it out.

 

[Rusty]

What is dry needle? I have done acupuncture and firecupping in the past and had success with both. Especially firecupping.

 

[Dirtnasty]

I thinking it’s like getting a tattoo with no ink hahaha

 

[Rusty]

Hahaha. That would suck.

 

[NeuroRN]

Dry needle is longer bigger acupuncture needles essentially… but they put them in the knots in the muscle. And the trigger points in the muscle to get the muscle to release.

It ensures your muscles are activating correctly. It’s a bitch.