Having Back Problem. MRI Scan Showed Weak Core Muscles. Having Anxiety Problem. Suggest

Posted on Thu, 30 May 2013

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Thu, 30 May 2013 Answered on

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 Last reviewed on

Question : I been having back problems since having my gallbladder out in november of 2011 . It started ariund feb 2012 i had mri of thoracic ljmbar cervical and brain all normal spine specialist said it was from week core muscles and neurologist said same thing plus i showed radiculopathy un c5c6 after nerve test had blood work done all normal in july i started to get cold sensation in my upper back and down my arms my doctor said it was from anxiety bec i do have z tendancy to condtantly worry something is wrong with me on a daily bases. I also noticed i started to get these sensations after using a heating pad which i used daily all day long i finally stopped using one a few months ago but i still get these sensations i actually discolred d my back from it which finally went away can this be caused from anxiety or someone said i could have damaged my nerve fibers im always in s panic something is wrong this all happened after my surgery which really freaked me out

Answered by Dr. Anantharamakrishnan (4 hours later)

Hi friend,
Welcome to Health Care Magic

Anxiety – beyond doubt – is responsible for most of your symptoms.
Nerves have already been tested by your Neurologist – hence no need for further concern

Your past surgery may not have anything to do with your present symptoms / There is an old expression - ‘Post hoc ergo propter hoc’ meaning "after this, therefore because of this" / It is natural human tendency to associate things with the immediate past - which is always not true...

You will benefit greatly from Psychiatric assessment and assistance. Counselling and drugs will give you dramatic improvement. Some of the drugs used for Depression/Anxiety also raise the pain perception and threshold – helping in addition.

Take care
Wishing speedy recovery
God bless
Good luck

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Anantharamakrishnan (57 minutes later)

Would it also be causing the burning I get in my upper back between shoulder blades

Answered by Dr. Anantharamakrishnan (7 hours later)

Hello

Yes, it could be / very likely ...
However, Anxiety is often and preferably is an exclusion diagnosis –
It is better to have a stress EKG – to exclude heart problem / and an Ultrasound scan of abdomen – to exclude recurrent stone in the bile duct.
Changing bed / and sleeping posture can alleviate muscle spasm...

All the best
Regards

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar