Kickas.org Forums Ankylosing Spondylitis General Discussion #1 AS Web Support Group Muscle pain?

Hello

I am new to all this and had a question to see if i share some symptoms with anyone to see if its AS related. so in the topic of back pain, does anyone sometime have muscle pain to the left or right side of lower back. almost like a spasm i guess, but doesnt seem to be my vertabrae per say.

any info would help

thanks!

Back muscle spasms was one of the first signs that my AS (which I'd had fairly mildly and intermittently since I was 16 or so) was really kicking into overdrive. I understand the spasms to have been a muscle reaction to uncontrolled inflammation in the vertebrae nearby. It took me quite a while to realise what was really causing the muscle spasms, during which time my GP had me off to neurologists, etc. once I got onto regular antiionflammatory treatment (full strength regular NSAIDs at the time) the muscle spasms disappeared which made me think my theory was correct. I can't take NSAIDs any more, and am not eligible for antitnf treatment, so I have started to get the muscle spasms again. Right now, short bursts of pred get it under control again (so again, confirmation that its likely to be inflammation related). Pred definitely isn't a substitute for good disease control though, and if I was eligible for antitnfs or could take NSAIDs I'd be on them like a shot.

Yes I get this.

yes, muscle spasms are a big big part of my disease.

in upper back: nerves compressed by bone spurs in neck cause mild to moderate muscle spasms.

in lower back: when SI joint is very inflamed, the lower back muscles spasm to try to "protect" that joint.

To get at the root of the problem, I try to get the inflammation down in the joints. Now that is humira. Before it was methylpred for bad flares and aleve occasionally for more mild flares, but could only take either for a few days at a time every few months. Ice on the joint that was causing the problem has always helped me, even now on occasion.

Also for me, ice seems to help my muscle spasms more than heat, though heat can help too, but heat increases inflammation, so i'm better with ice.

heat gets the blood flowing so sometimes i alternate ice and heat.

but ice is a good pain killer too.

and i use zanaflex (a muscle relaxant) at bedtime (and as needed, but mostly at bedtime). flexeril had terrible side effects (long lasting sleepiness) but zanaflex only makes me sleepy for an hour or two so great for bedtime. if i need it in the daytime, i time it so i can nap for an hour, an hour after i take it.

magnesium also helps muscle spasms to some extent, but for me it was more for the foot and calf cramps...which i don't get anymore (because i take humira? or because i still take magnesium? but i used to get them at the start of a flare).

coQ also can help the muscles some, so i take that too. though i mostly take that because i take a statin. but my rheumy thought it might help my muscle spasms too.