needing a truthful answer about back problems

[justjackalyn08]

I developed back problems a week before Thanksgiving of '07. I was only 17 at the time. I've gone to the doctor a few times, only to be told I was too young to have these problems. The first time I went to him was about a month to a month in a half after the pain started. He put me in physical therapy, 3 times a week for 3 weeks. This did not work, but only made the pain much worse. I went back to him after I was done with PT, he then told me to go to a chirpractor. I did this, to once again be told I was too young to have back problems. I started at the chirpractor back in March of '08, 3 times a week for the first 4 weeks, then once a week for the next 4 months. I only have 3 more visits left and am very nervous for what the pain will escalate to after. The chiropractor did help, and I would defianlty recommend anyone to them, but it's not a complete fix. The pain is less severe, but it's still very bad. At times I can't breathe, it's so bad. It affects everything I do, I''ve had to change my life because of this pain. I just want a straight answer from a doctor who actually believes me when I tell them there's something wrong. I am only 18, and have had this for 8 months. It can't be normal if everyone is telling me I'm too young, which apparently I'm not. It is real, and is very painful.

I played soccer for 3 years, and my parents think that may have had some cause for it. I have taken some pretty hard falls. But known right before the pain started. I cracked my rib back in spring of '07, but I'm not sure if that has anything to do with it. A week or so before the pain started, my dad had a heart attack. I've heard stress can play a role in physical pain and I do believe that.

I just want an answer as to what this might be. The doctor gave me an X-ray the first time I went to him but said nothing showed up. After PT when I went back I asked him to give me an MRI and he wouldn't.

The pain is mostly in my upper back, between my shoulder blades, on both sides. It's also in my neck, I get stiff necks alot. On my left side, it hurts alot whenever I breathe. I cannot take deep breathes. It's also in my lower back, and at times I have shooting pains go down my legs to where I can't walk. Some days the pain is worse than others, but in the last 8 months there hasn't been a day where there was no pain at all. I have problems sleeping because I can never find a comfortable position. I can't twist in anyway, even slightly. It goes throughout my entire back and is the worse pain I've ever felt in my entire life. Sometimes it feels like stabbing, or alot of pressure is being put on it, or even like im about to go paralyzed cause I can barely move.

I'm 18. I'm white. I'm 5'5", 120 lbs. I've never had any serious health issues. I've had one surgery, which was to take my tonsils out. My dad has high cholesterol and heart disease, which is heredity.

Any ideas??

[spinefused]

first thing to remember is that you are never two young for back problems... mine started when i was 12yrs old (lower back) a nurse at school screening for scoliosis noticed a gap in lwr back and 6 mnths later i was getting my first back fusion.... find another dr. or just make an appt with a neurologist or orthopedic dr.  they will do the necessary tests to find out your problem... and yu do have one.... sorry to hear .... good luck! any questions let me know.....

[justjackalyn08]

One thing I forgot to add was that I have had extreme fatigue ever since the back pain started.