No more pain: My journey to a diagnosis after 5 years! I hope this helps, YOU!

It shouldn’t have taken this long to find the root cause of my back and neck pain. I am sharing this in hopes it helps someone else.

Even if this story doesn't resonate with yours or you haven't had a fall, the issue I had can still be the issue you're experiencing. I've learned a lot about the human anatomy throughout the past six years. Keep reading to hear my diagnosis.

My chronic neck and back pain began approximately six years ago during my second pregnancy. A significant fall in the bathtub left me with a massive bruise on my leg, which I believed was the onset of my discomfort. Later, while heavily pregnant with my third child and carrying my 10 month old baby, I slipped down freshly mopped stairs. These incidents led me to suspect serious disc damage, given the daily pain I experienced in my back and neck.

Picture taken after one of my falls.

After childbirth, I suffered from excruciating restless legs, fearing blood clots. Over time, the leg pain subsided, but persistent aching in my neck, behind my eyes and ears, chronic fatigue and headaches and my left thoracic region continued, resembling nerve damage. I sought relief through various treatments:

Chiropractic Care: Provided no significant improvement *at the time*

Physiotherapy, Deep Tissue Massages, and Acupuncture: Offered temporary relief but did not address the root cause.

Osteopathy with Dry Needling: Gave short-term relief; the pain always returned the same day.

Feeling hopeless, I consulted my GP, who referred me to a pain specialist. An MRI revealed tight soft tissue in my thoracic area, believed to be the source of my discomfort. I was prescribed strong muscle relaxants and anti-inflammatories to alleviate muscle tension.

Coincidentally, I sprained my neck around this time, experiencing severe pain radiating to my head and eyes, accompanied by migraines. Emergency hospital visits provided very little relief. The pain specialist recommended Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) therapy.

I found a holistic doctor in Scarborough who offered PRP therapy. The preparation involved discontinuing anti-inflammatories, detoxing, and hydrating adequately. The doctor and his wife were compassionate, guiding me through the process and ensuring my comfort. The procedure was brief: numbing the targeted areas, drawing blood to extract plasma, injecting it into the painful spots, and using infrared light to promote blood flow.

The next day, the sprain pain had significantly diminished, and I regained neck mobility. Now, there are some who debate whether it works this fast or not but I strongly believe, that in my case, it worked. While PRP therapy accelerated healing from the sprain, my chronic aches persisted. The holistic doctor suggested a comprehensive functional medicine appointment, involving extensive blood tests and a full-spine X-ray to rule out scoliosis.

Before the follow-up, I visited my old chiropractor practice but saw a different practitioner who utilised the drop table technique - a method involving a specialised table with sections that can lift and drop slightly to gently adjust the spine. This approach was different from the manual adjustments I had previously experienced. The previous technique used - the doctor manipulated the neck and back to release trapped air between the joints. Now, I’m not saying this is a wrong technique and I’m sure it has its place for pain relief in some cases, but this wasn’t a technique that worked, for me. My current chiropractor identified significant misalignment in my hips and pelvis, explaining that my neck and back pain stemmed from these areas. After the adjustment, my long-standing pain vanished. He advised regular sessions to help my body adapt to the corrected alignment.

The X-ray confirmed I had functional scoliosis - a slight spinal curve caused by muscle imbalances due to misaligned hips. Unlike structural scoliosis, functional scoliosis can often be corrected with conservative treatments. Aligning my hips alleviated the associated pain.

This journey taught me that the location of pain isn’t always its origin, and , I’m NO doctor but if I can offer some words of advice through my experiences and help others who are experiencing chronic neck and back pain, I would say; consulting a holistic doctor, obtaining a full-spine X-ray (front view), and finding a chiropractor experienced in various adjustment techniques. Now, I use a hip support strap, wear orthotics during sports, and practice yoga to strengthen my core. Additionally, I visit a place called Merse in Virginia for hot and cold therapy to naturally relax my muscles. Adequate magnesium intake and sleep have also been crucial for my recovery.

Through this comprehensive approach, I’ve achieved relief after years of searching. I hope my story offers guidance and hope to others facing similar challenges.

For a visual understanding of the drop table technique, you might find this video helpful:

https://youtu.be/Mn8YJv7ejmY