Monday, April 7, 2008

My Never Going Away Back Pain Part 2..

I wrote about my never going away back pain a few weeks ago and after I wrote it I went to see a doctor because I couldn't tolerate the pain anymore. The doctor diagnosed the pain I was feeling as a "Myofascial Pain Syndrome or MPS". WebMD.com described MPS as below:

"Myofascial pain syndrome (MPS) is a fancy way to describe muscle pain. It refers to pain and inflammation in the body's soft tissues.
Myofascial pain is a chronic condition that affects the fascia (connective tissue that covers the muscles). Myofascial pain syndrome may involve either a single muscle or a muscle group. In some cases, the area where a person experiences the pain may not be where the myofascial pain generator is located. Experts believe that the actual site of the injury or the strain prompts the development of a trigger point that, in turn, causes pain in other areas. This situation is known as referred pain." More of this here.


So it's basically a muscle pain that can be triggered by anything from an improper sleep position to improper posture while in front of a computer. Several days after my visit to the doctor, my wife discovered that the culprit for my pain was the latter. My wife experienced the same pain when she worked from home one time which I also later experienced when I worked from home. I've been working from home once a week for months now and I didn't realize that it was what was causing my back pain. The table and chair we're using to put our laptops is not ergonomic at all.

Anyway, the doctor prescribed medications to help ease the pain which I'd say was very effective. She also advised that I undergo several PT (physical therapy) sessions. I'm down to my last PT session before I go see my doctor again. The pain is almost gone now but it'll come back again, as my doctor says, if I don't do something about correcting the incorrect posture.

It's really difficult to do that especially if it has already become a habit. As the saying goes, "you can't teach an old dog new tricks." hehe.... I'm admitting that I'm old but hey, I can still change.

No comments: