Kevin T

Problems began at 18 with a pulled muscle in right side about kidney level. Each restrain the recovery was longer and the time between flare ups was longer until I was getting about three months good and up to two years to recover. The whole time I just kept pushing through the pain. I was a workaholic. I loved to work; physical work. After about 17 years and many procedures to properly diagnose and correct the problem I finally learned to use muscle stimulation to correct flare up in 1 - 2 weeks. OF course I had used TENS many times in the past with no results. Just the right spot, just the right strength for several hours a day.
When I got straight, I was so excited. I hit the gym to get back in shape. I made great progress wit a few small injuries to back and shoulders along the way from overdoing it but they didn't last long. After 10 months of working diligently I slacked off from the gym just due to business. A month later a burning sensation set in between my shoulders and has been on fire for five years. Then L5 flared up and didn't want to go away and the right side muscle strain started coming to visit about every three weeks.
Oddly enough only one of the three spots ever hurt at any one time for a long while. Then it moved to all three at once. More recently they make all take a turn during a day. What was excruciating in the morning is pain free by noon and where I had no pain at 1000 is now excruciating. I have ran the gauntlet of endless intense PT, adjustments, acupuncture, dry needling, 1000s of hours of stretching and core strengthening, injections x20, never blocks x2, inversion tables, yoga, deep tissue massage, mindfulness, self hypnosis and many different drugs. Add burnout, depression and recovery to the side effects.
I am thin, health, very active despite the pain. The meds slow me down more than the pain but the older I get (now 50) the harder time I have pushing through the pain. I do occasionally lift something stupid heavy when I get carried away working and get in a bind. I am amazed at what doesn't make it hurt and then some little nothing does.
A friend had told me for years it is stress but I am about as laid back as they come...to a fault at times. I am not a worrier. I don't have an grudges. Plenty of drama from my teen years but I am peace with everything that has happen and have grown from it. The pain started before I had a stressful job. It didn't get any worse when the job got very stressful and it didn't get any better when the stress level at work dropped way off.
100% convinced my pain is TMs. Since I read the first book my pain got much better for a few days then came back with a vengeance. It hurt and acted in ways it never has before.
Really hoping that despite being obsessed with the pain and have so many conditioned responses, I can still find relief.
I appreciate all that you do here.