Kickas.org Forums Ankylosing Spondylitis General Discussion #1 AS Web Support Group Can someone tell me what's happening?

Okay, so first and foremost, I'm sorry that I'm more of a lurker than a participant on this forum. I've posted a few times but I don't make an everyday thing of it. That being said, I'm wondering if someone can tell me what is physically happening to my body when I get a certain pain (in addition to all my other AS pains).

So, on my lower back, on the right and left side near the top of my hip bone (is this the SI joint?) is where the problem is. It's always stiff and has an overall achiness, but ocassionally, if I step or turn the wrong way I get an extremely sharp jab of pain, almost as if someone stabbed me with a knife. It hurt so bad the other day when it happened that I actually fell to the floor.

What is physically happening when I get this stab of pain?

Just curious; not that I can do anything about it. Thanks in advance.

Sounds like you need an x-ray, 27 years ago I had the same kind of severe stabbing pains in the same area and it turned out to be a fracture in my L-5 vertebra. As you probably know so hard to tell because pain can be referring from different areas but with the AS/SI factor I would think x-rays are the best starting point. By the way, surgery did correct that issue with me.

I would agree you need xrays to see what is going on.Pain in that area could be from several places get it checked out.
Kevin

Hey... That is where i get my worst pain.... from my xrays it shows that is also where the damage and fusing has occured.... in particular.. and what i reckon is responsible for the stabbing spasms.. is there are ligaments in there that are all calcified.... like rope coated in crushed glass..... so yeah get some xrays..... are you on meds? when this spot goes for me nothing stops it so it means horizontal and hot pack for a day or two and then very careful til it settles down. Keeping the stretches up helps i guess.... rob

Thanks. X-rays, for now, are out, as I have no health insurance (maybe I ought to show up at one of those town hall meatings and scream my head off too); hopefully soon this will change.

of course i don't know what it is and only a doctor could tell for sure (and maybe not even then) but i just saw you say that you don't have health insurance, so i'll offer another idea.

your symptoms also sound familiar to me. the stiffness sounds like when my muscles spasm and heat or ice help that (for me ice helps more, but others find heat to work better) and that sharp pain sounds like when something (for me, i'm assuming my ligaments that hold the SI together) is either loose or out of alignment or something. then its important for me to stop what i'm doing and maybe stretch a certain way until it feels a little better and then grab the ice. tonight in fact, i was doing something and felt that twinge and so i went and sat with an ice pack for awhile and then it felt better.

if you can get to a doctor, please do. if not, see if heat and/or ice help, so long as you're careful, they probably can't hurt too much.

just another idea,

feel better,

It also sounds a little like sciatica, which I was told is part of AS. so an exercise to relieve this is to lie on your back and cross right leg over left, resting rt. foot on left knee. then pull left knee toward chest and hold stretch for 30 seconds. you should feel this in your whole glute and hip area. repeat on the other leg. this really helped me through a period of sciatica, I too had to hit the floor at times. good luck.

-Donette

Hey...
I got the sciatica dx for 10 years ( and spent that whole time in unecessary pain) before I had toatal physical followed by mental meltdown... i'm sure its part of it but if I had xrays 10 years ago I woundn't be as damaged as i am now at 32... Man your health system sucks over there... how much is insurance? If you're on the AS path... i'd say it's invaluable..... I spent 4 grand on AS related stuff the last 6 months and being as lucky as we are hear in aus.. i think i paid about 500 out of that..... Hope all sorts out.
Rob..

ps. I got the glass rope analogy whilst watching the Kite Runner.... It's a great movie and even better book... check it out! ; )

pps. how was the birthday D?! ; )

Hi there, I know that what I've been feeling lately is similar to what you describe. I don't get the sharp pain, however. I know from my latest x-rays that my right SI is starting to fuse and I have a lumber vertebrae that is growing what I can only call spurs (I cannot remember the correct name). This stiff, burny, overall ache is a sign to me that my disease is progressing.

I sure wish you could get in for x-rays and find out what's going on. This is not something to mess with if you have any kind of fracture.

Hugs,