Sometimes when I first sit down I have this horrible throbbing (heart-beat) back pain that lasts for several seconds.

History: I am 4 1/2 years clean and sober. Back when I was drinking etc. I had this a lot and thought it was probably my kidneys. But it went away after I got clean and sober. I am very active now and work at a hospital where I do a lot of walking etc.

I am now being treated for a severe bacterial infection, bed rest, antibiotics etc. but this has returned. The pain is sometimes almost unbearable.

Any suggestions on what might be causing this again?

Thanks.

Hi, cheryl, I would consider kidneys again. Does the bacterial infection have anything to do with your bladder?

Tick

Well the doc didn't think so. He did a urinalysis and ruled out bladder infection. He chalked it up to resperatory - hmmmmmmmm - Actually I don't think he knew and I think you might be right - That's what scares me.

Thanks!

Hi cheryl, you could consider kidney stones as well. I am thinking about this. A co-worker, who is diabetic, we are both PSWs, just had kidney stones removed instead of passing them. She had a lot of pain for a long time until doctor looked further into her problem.

I am not saying you have an unqualified doctor, but sometimes they get so blasé about symptoms and are blind-sided. If you have to, my dear, get a second opinion. All doctors have different approaches and read symptoms differently.

Best of luck

Tick

Cheryl,

You might want to get another test done by a different Dr. I have had the same feeling off and on for a year. I got tested a year ago, 6 months ago and 1 month ago- all came back negative. Then 5 days ago I woke up with back pain up and down my pain into my neck and a major headache. I thought maybe I slept wrong or something but after some Advil and being at work for 4 hours I couldn't take it anymore. I went to the Urgent care of my medical group the next day and the old doc tested my urine- guess what came back negative- but I didn't feel like I was having bladder problems I felt like I had the flu- it was so weird. He gave me muscle-relaxer and ibuprofen- didn't seem right but I didn't care I just wanted the pain gone. Next morning I felt a bit better. I had only take one muscle relaxer the night before- figured I would make it to my friend's party. I was there for one hour, had half a weak drink and then all of a sudden I had a spiking temperature, shooting pains in my neck back and head and I was shaking uncontrollably. Got home and took a hot bath thinking it was chills from the flu- but it was unlike anything I had ever been through in my life- I couldn't stop shaking and I felt hot not cold. My face turned white and my lips were dark purple when I finally decided I needed to go to the emergency room. After throwing up the half drink and the few chips I had in my stomach I started feeling better- still hot but the shakes subsided. At the hospital my temp was 102.5- most likely higher before I calmed down. After a nasal influenza test and blood tests came back negative for a virus my urine test came back abnormal so they sent it in for further testing and FINALLY after a year of these weird symptoms and negative tests- this test was positive, but my bladder infection was bad.

Long story short... it can be a false negative!

My regular doctor had put me on Cipro last month even after testing negative, but it made me nauseous so I stopped taking it. The emergency doc gave me keflex to take 4 times a day and it's so much easier, and I can feel the change in my body after 3 days...

Anyway good luck and I hope you figure it out!

Shelly

I would really like feedback on this. It is exactly like a throbbing heartbeat pain, not unbearable but very unpleasant at what seems the tip of my spine. I have to lean to one side and arch my back and sometimes it spasms in beat to the throbs. I've never had this before, just started all of a sudden. I don't take recreational drugs and only drink red wine with meals. It's becoming most embarrassing in company. I have just been given tramadol 50mg for the pain but it comes and goes in a few minutes.

I've had the same symptom off and on for over ten years. When it occurs, it is ALWAYS when first sitting down. As you described, a throbbing, pounding sensation--almost unbearable, that last anywhere from ten seconds to a minute or so when first sitting. Feels like it originates in my lower lumbar--or sometimes lower thoracic spine--and pounds upwards and around the rib cage?

For me, this started after a "tweak" while bending on and throwing a 50 pound bag of horse feed laterally. Wasn't a significant injury or anything I felt compelled to seek immediate treatment for. Just a odd sort of electrical twinge at the time that I just knew meant I'd done something "not right" back there. At the time, I was in college and a otherwise healthy, very fit 25-year-old. The symptom back the throbbing pain when first sitting started within a few days after that "injury" and persisted non-stop for at least a solid 18-months. It didn't happen every time I sat down... but it did occur near daily--sometimes more than once daily.

I am 40 now. I have gone long stretches of time without this occurring, only to have it happen again out of the blue. It doesn't seem associated, nor has it ever seems associated, with other back pain. And it always subsides within that short time frame and does mot hurt after wards. I had my second child about a year after this all started, and the anesthesiologist had quite a difficult time placing an epidural as one canal was significantly reduced in size. I'd had an epidural with my first child without issue.

Given the symptom, it does seem to me as if its some sort of nerve/cord issue OR (and this makes sense) it could be just the fact that spinal fluid has a reduced channel and the pressures within that enclosed "container" change when moving from standing to sitting. The "pounding" pulse-like pain could be from fluid pressing on the cord or nerves as it redistributes itself to normal internal pressures.

I'd be interested in hearing the thoughts of a neuro and anesthesiologist on that theory. Or what someone else with the Same symptom(one symptom and not multi isues) that has been diagnosed and treated successfully has experienced. I would hazard a guess, since I've not suffered any ill consequences in all this time other than occasional "take your breath away" pain, that it's a relatively benign problem. Given the choice between living with it or surgery to correct the diameter I think I'd chose "dealing with it" at this point in time.

This happens to me when I get agitated sometimes, and it happened once at the doctor when he put some medicine up my nose. I think it is related to my blood pressure being high, but I don't know for sure. If anybody finds out exactly what this is, please post it or something. Thanks

This happened to me just yesterday. Got caught in the rain with my dog and had to run to my car. Once I stopped and got in my car and started driving, the throbbing pain started in my neck and shoulders and than down to my lower back. I had to pull over it hurt so bad. It subsided after about 60 seconds. I've had that pain in my lower back for many years but never in my neck and never this painful. I woke up the next day with a severe headache though I don't know if it has anything to do with the throbbing pain. I recently had an MRI and was diagnosed with mild degenerated disc disease in my lower back but at my age (51) that is very common. Anyway, that pain was unbearable for the first time, that is why I googled it and here I am. I will be sure to tell my doctor. If I get any news I will share it with you all. Later...

I am also looking for answers. I have had this pulsating spasm like pain in my lower back for a few years but it didn't occure very often and quickly went away.
I have been recently been diagnosed with cirrhosis of the liver due to a viral infection HCV I have had for over 20 years.
I began chemo treatment for HCV 2 months ago and its been getting worse and worse. I am now taking extra meds for low white blood cells (neutropinia) and took my second injection last night only to have the pain again while lying down. This time it seemed to come from a much higher place on my spine almost the back of my neck.
It's very frightening, especially with the other problems I have going on. I have asked both my GP and HCV specialist only to be ignored with a blank look. So I Google and have considered high/low blood pressure (It feels like a large amount of fluid is trying to push itself through a tiny space. Perhaps its kidney problems or maybe there is something else happening because of my poorly liver. If anyone has anything to add, an explanation would be such a relief, Carolx

What you have described is almost exactly what happens to me. I first noticed this pain when I was in my 20s. After running for the bus, then when I sat down I got an awful throbbing pain in my back. It started slowly and softly then escalated. Since then (I'm 51 now) I've had it on and off. It seems to come on after a short exertion of some kind, but not always. It does take my breath away when it starts particularly when I got it a few days ago. Prior to that I hadn't had an 'episode' for a few years. I am overweight and I have put it down to that for all these years. (Not a successful dieter I'm afraid). I've not sought any medical advice purely because I think it's down to my weight. I hope this helps anyone out there. Perhaps I should see a GP.