Sign-in to Ask A Doctor - 24x7
OR
Sign in with GoogleGet your health question answered instantly from our pool of 18000+ doctors from over 80 specialties
Suggest Treatment For Back Pain
I am a 29 year old female, 5 9, 142lbs. I had spinal fusion surgery december 2010 with instrumentation from T4 to L4. I have had increasing back pain since late July which has gotten progressively worse in August. For the past 3-4 weeks I had noticed in an increase in needing to urinate but I just thought I was drinking more. I also was having stomach pain/cramping and a lot of back pain but I attributed the stomach pain to IBS and the back pain to just worse back pain since I ve had surgery. Since this past week my back is swollen in spots. Friday night pain got worse, I had chills and muscle spasms. Then by Monday my entire spine felt like it was on fire with a lot of pain and stiffness particulary in my mid-upper back and neck. I went to see my general pracitioner Monday this week who found bacteria, white blood cells, nitrites and blood in my urine. She prescribed sulfameth trimethoprim to take with aleve. I have been on this since Monday. The burning sensation along my spine has decreased however there is alot of pressure in my back...just feels huge. I am having more pain in the mid-lower left side and there is swelling there and am very fatigued. I may have had a slight fever if any but my regular body temps always 96-97. Yesterday I developed more abdominal pain that wasn t there before and I am still having muscle spasms. My question is whether or not I need to seek additional medical treatment or if this is a normal response to antibiotic treatment and just wait it out . I have called my surgeons office and dr office but still haven t been called back and I don t know what to do. I am fearing a kidney infection and of course I m very concerned about any infection settling in my hardware along my spine. How do they check for a kidney and or spinal infection? Can you please recommend a course of action. I really don t want to go to an ER because I always feel like that s for trauma stuff but I don t know what other options I have at the moment. Please give me some guidance. Thank you.
posted on
Fri, 14 Mar 2014
Medically reviewed by
Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team
Wed, 15 Apr 2015
Answered on
Thu, 16 Apr 2015
Last reviewed on
As you have mentioned in your history it is clear that you are suffering from disc prolapse. For this you have to take some pain killer like tab akilos-p or tab ultracet twice daily after meals along with tab shalcal 500 mg or tab toscal-gem once daily after meals with tab rantac or cap omez twice daily empty stomch at-least one hour before any meal. I suggest you to take pain killer not on regular basis but only when your back pain is unbearable or disturbing your routine activities.You can also use volidup gel or powergesic-plus gel for local application. It is also very beneficial in relieving the back pain and provide you some comfort. Apart from these you can also go for some physiotherapy exercises after an expert opinion of physiotherapist. Also you have to sleep on a plain surface because it is a good practice in case of back pain which is due to disc prolapse.
I find this answer helpful
1 Doctor agrees with this answer
Note: For further queries, consult a joint and bone specialist, an Orthopaedic surgeon. Book a Call now.
Disclaimer: These answers are for your information only and not intended to replace your relationship with your treating physician.
This is a short, free answer.
For a more detailed, immediate answer, try our premium service
[Sample answer]
Related questions you may be interested in
Recent questions on Spinal infection
Loading Online Doctors....