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Suggest Treatment For Back And Neck Pain With Body Stiffness While Treating Psoriasis
Question: I have psoriasis - two herniated disc and a third disc with a piece broken off. I also have cervical degeneration. I now have the following symptoms: Stiffness in legs with knee pain
Head sometimes feels too heavy for neck to support.
Stiffness in arms and body – like someone beating you up
Tenderness when skin is pressed (all over) especially in ribs
In morning feels like you have sciatica when you get up – pain is the same each morning but on days when its combined with the back pain, it is hard to control urine and sometimes bowels – these days are rare but happen whenever the back pain becomes severe.
Stiff fingers – painful finger sometimes when picking something up
Middle finger on right hand is swollen and bends slightly to the right
Good days and bad days (on bad days can barely walk; hard time rising from sitting position)
Fatigue
Morning headaches
My family practitioner wants me to see a rheumatologist to rule out psoriatic arthritis but would psoriatic arthritis cover all these symptoms - or could everything be coming from the back disc problems.
Head sometimes feels too heavy for neck to support.
Stiffness in arms and body – like someone beating you up
Tenderness when skin is pressed (all over) especially in ribs
In morning feels like you have sciatica when you get up – pain is the same each morning but on days when its combined with the back pain, it is hard to control urine and sometimes bowels – these days are rare but happen whenever the back pain becomes severe.
Stiff fingers – painful finger sometimes when picking something up
Middle finger on right hand is swollen and bends slightly to the right
Good days and bad days (on bad days can barely walk; hard time rising from sitting position)
Fatigue
Morning headaches
My family practitioner wants me to see a rheumatologist to rule out psoriatic arthritis but would psoriatic arthritis cover all these symptoms - or could everything be coming from the back disc problems.
Brief Answer:
Is it psoriatic arthritis
Detailed Answer:
good evening
thank you for writing on health care magic
I have gone through your history and you have a lot of symptoms which don't fit in with psoriatic arthritis.
1. the symptoms of pain in the back and neck looks most likely due to disc disease. psoriasis can affect the spine as well but it doesn't seem so in your case. it seems the spine is compressing on your nerves which is causing these symptoms. if you could attach the MRI report it would be helpful. But for management part, we need to focus more on physiotherapy for you and help strengthen the muscles . also you can try with drugs like pregabalin or gabapentin. my only concern is your bowel and bladder involvement which is something we need to act on quickly.
2/ as for the fingers one needs to examine the joint to look for any inflammation going on to confirm it is arthritis or not. where exactly is the pain location? do you feel stiffness in the fingers in the morning?..
3. also I would like to ask you a few more queries: do you experience irritability or forgetfulness since recent times? how is your sleep pattern?
I hope the information was useful
do let me know for more queries. await your reply
regards
Dr naval
Is it psoriatic arthritis
Detailed Answer:
good evening
thank you for writing on health care magic
I have gone through your history and you have a lot of symptoms which don't fit in with psoriatic arthritis.
1. the symptoms of pain in the back and neck looks most likely due to disc disease. psoriasis can affect the spine as well but it doesn't seem so in your case. it seems the spine is compressing on your nerves which is causing these symptoms. if you could attach the MRI report it would be helpful. But for management part, we need to focus more on physiotherapy for you and help strengthen the muscles . also you can try with drugs like pregabalin or gabapentin. my only concern is your bowel and bladder involvement which is something we need to act on quickly.
2/ as for the fingers one needs to examine the joint to look for any inflammation going on to confirm it is arthritis or not. where exactly is the pain location? do you feel stiffness in the fingers in the morning?..
3. also I would like to ask you a few more queries: do you experience irritability or forgetfulness since recent times? how is your sleep pattern?
I hope the information was useful
do let me know for more queries. await your reply
regards
Dr naval
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Hi Dr. Mendiratta - thank you for your response. Would the disc disease also cause the tenderness in the ribs and other bones when pressed? In response to your question regarding the finger - it is stiff the entire day. The stiffness I feel in the legs happens more when you are sitting and you go to get up - you can barely walk. When I get up in the morning the hips hurt - like you have sciatica.
Brief Answer:
Disc disease
Detailed Answer:
Good evening
Well, the disc disease when compressing the nerves can cause tenderness in the ribs area as well as lot of nerves pass between the disc space. Moreover , you are developing chronic pain syndrome where the pain starts spreading to all the body parts and slightest touch is perceived as painful.
Regarding the stiffness in the legs: I am not sure if it is psoriatic arthritis as it can cause pain throughout the day, not only at specific postures. But if you get an X Ray of the Pelvis along with X ray of the knees, it would give us a clear picture regarding your difficulty. It does seem like your knees and hip may be undergoing degeneration as well which we need to look into as soon as possible. Sciatica wont cause such symptoms. It is more of pain in the back thigh.
So I would suggest: X ray of the PElvis and X ray of the knees( standing) for now to localise your discomfort
Hope the information was useful
Do let me know for more queries. Would be happy to help out
REgards
Dr Naval
Disc disease
Detailed Answer:
Good evening
Well, the disc disease when compressing the nerves can cause tenderness in the ribs area as well as lot of nerves pass between the disc space. Moreover , you are developing chronic pain syndrome where the pain starts spreading to all the body parts and slightest touch is perceived as painful.
Regarding the stiffness in the legs: I am not sure if it is psoriatic arthritis as it can cause pain throughout the day, not only at specific postures. But if you get an X Ray of the Pelvis along with X ray of the knees, it would give us a clear picture regarding your difficulty. It does seem like your knees and hip may be undergoing degeneration as well which we need to look into as soon as possible. Sciatica wont cause such symptoms. It is more of pain in the back thigh.
So I would suggest: X ray of the PElvis and X ray of the knees( standing) for now to localise your discomfort
Hope the information was useful
Do let me know for more queries. Would be happy to help out
REgards
Dr Naval
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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