Chronic Thoracic Pain

I have no idea, insurance maybe? They always want to go the physical therapy route which just makes things worse for me as I have Fibromyalgia and Ehlers Danlos syndrome.
I have noticed after I turned 60, that doctors don’t seem to care. They chalk everything up to getting old. Unless you are dying, their attitude is to deal with it.

i will add that if the disc is compromised by arthritic deterioration, some docs are slow to operate because of a high probability it will recur. That deterioration tends to leave sharp places that can press on the nerve root. But if the bone isn’t all jagged they can trim that bulging disc to retract off the nerve root.

All that said, “radiculopathy” can imply a myriad of reasons a nerve root is getting leaned on. Some you can relieve, others are less likely.

Yes, I have bone spurs where the nerve roots come out if the spinal cord.

I too have chronic thoracic pain. I have degenerative disc disease and have had a cervical fusion and lumbar fusion which have helped. My chronic pain doctor has given me multiple injections of steroids and pain medication. He has done ablations on various areas of my back. This consists of burning the ends of nerves that are irritating my back. It is a simple procedure done in the OR under very mild sedation, just enough to relax the muscles. I am discharged to home shortly after that. This procedure has allowed me to decrease or sometimes eliminate the need for options. I just take arthritis strength Tylenol and occasional muscle relaxer. I cannot take nsaids due to chronic kidney disease stage 3. I still occasionally have some pain in the thoracic area but much less in intensity and frequency.

I just caught up your comments. I'm considering nerve ablation. I've been having shots that don't do much and the pain doc is saying because I reacted well to the numbing shots before the cortisone, I'm a good candidate for the ablation. Has the ablation been good? Anything you can say what makes a good candidate? I'm going on four years post spine surgery with rods and instrumentation halfway up my back. Pain is worse than before the surgery. Taking 20 to 40 mg's Oxycodone a day and sitting with heating pad a lot. Thank you

I feel your pain, I too have gone to the er w pain, they always say that I have a stable dissection. (Ascending, decending 2012). They always want to blame it on that. They never look for anything else. Then I get the look like I'm drug seeking!!!! I have an incredibly slow gut and that causes a lot of pain. But no one wants to address it. Your gut can spasm terribly. I also had redundant colon for which I had surgery. Just keep pushing these doctors to find out what's wrong.
They like to dismiss people. Good luck

@christine5 I suggest you get with whom ever is treating you for your “slow gut” and your dissections to provide you with a treatment plan written on their letter head with instructions to the ER. This should be your best approach instead of depending on the ER for answers. This provides the ER treating doctors with answers to questions they may have concerning your illness’s and their treatment. They can call the doctor(s) for answers if they still have more unanswered questions. But considering that you have a history of a potentially life ending illness and ER’s look for an immediate threat to life and limb which is their job, you cannot blame them for going down that pathway initially. If you feel it’s your slow gut then having a treatment plan from your GI doc would be most imperative but you may still encounter push back from an ER doc out of concern.

I have thoracic back pain on my left side about bra level. It sometimes wraps around to my front ribs. It’s aggravated by using my arms… washing dishes, hanging clothes, washing my hair etc. it has left me unable to do much of anything, because it is excruciating.
I know exactly what causes it. I have pinched nerves in that area due to Radiculopathy.
I already go to a pain clinic for chronic pain for other conditions. They have tried injections, and that’s it. Last time they told me to go to an acupuncturist. 🤔
I’ve gotten no help with disabling condition. It’s seriously impacting my quality of life!