alternating good/bad days

[Howden]

I'm wondering if anyone has an explanation for this situation (I don't know what else to call it). I routinely have a 'bad pain day', followed by a day during which the pain is reduced. Apart from the first year or so, when every day was a bad day, this sequence has been constant. At one time the contrast between severe and mild pain days was so pronounced, I could calculate a week or two in advance when to accept or make social engagements. It would naturally be a great step forward if every day was a mild pain day.

Also concurrent with the onset of my cp, or even preceding it by a week or two, I experienced a burning sensation of the buttocks and thighs. The burning too, has been a constant; the worse the cp, the worse the burning. Does anyone have any thoughts on these subjects?

[webslave]

Also concurrent with the onset of my cp, or even preceding it by a week or two, I experienced a burning sensation of the buttocks and thighs. The burning too, has been a constant; the worse the cp, the worse the burning. Does anyone have any thoughts on these subjects?

I may be way off the mark here, but given your unusual age (seventies) for having classic chronic pelvic pain (peak age is ~31), I'm tempted to say that you may have a different problem to most of us here. The burning in buttocks and thighs is suggestive of a nerve impingement syndrome in the spine. Causes are arthritis of the spine (common in older people), scoliosis, herniated discs .. there are a host of possibilities.

People (women) have reported bladder pain and inflammation problems after having spinal damage in car accidents, and Dr Shoskes told us years ago about research that showed that bladder inflammation can be caused by a viral infection of the lower spine (study here I think, and there are other studies too). So spinal cord stress, can result in "dramatic, neurogenically mediated changes in the bladder" (quote from another study).

[Howden]

Very interesting, webslave. I have luckily never had backpain in the generally accepted sense, but not long ago had an X-ray of my spine and pelvic area. There seemed to be no sign of arthritis or herniated discs, but it did show some scoliosis. Your nerve impingement suggestion makes very good sense. I have no way of knowing if a viral infection of the spine has resulted in changes to the bladder; all I can say is that my bladder does not appear(?) to be the cause of my pain. By that I mean I don't seem to have bladder discomfort; my pain is pretty much concentrated in the anal canal, perineum and right buttock. Thanks very much for your input.

[webslave]

The bladder pain in that study is just an indication that spine / nerve problems can produce symptoms elsewhere. I know from personal experience that pain in the buttocks can result from nerve impingement in the lumbar spine, and anyone who has sciatica has experienced pain all the way down buttocks, thighs, calf, foot and even toes.

Your problem sounds very neurological to me. Scoliosis can lead to bowel problems, http://www.spineuniverse.com/displayart ... e1499.html

If you want to see just how badly nerves can affect the bowel and lower limbs, Google "Cauda Equina Syndrome". You don't have that, but it shows how badly the nerves can affect the region.

[Howden]

Hi webslave. I have been away for a week or so, but I wanted to get back to you. I will be seeing a neurologist ( at a pain clinic I attend) early in August and will raise the matter of nerve impingement and the burning sensation when I see him. I noticed as soon as I found this site that I seem to be way out of the age range of others who are contributing to it, yet I have, or have had all the classic symptoms: golf ball in the rectum, perineal pain, burning on urination, testicular pain, etc,etc. Time after time, GP's and uros pronounced the diagnosis: chronic non-bacterial prostatitis, so that for years I went in search of a solution to that problem. I came to the broader, chronic prostatitis / chronic pelvic pain syndrome explanation by myself (that's when I found help and became aware of this site). Not one doctor in the 7 years since the onset of my pain has suggested that I should be past the age for having this complaint. Maybe I shouldn't be wasting your time with this message, but do you think it is possible that other old guys just don't go looking on the web for help and support?

[webslave]

Yes, it is possible. You are not out of the age range. But the burning thighs etc. are possibly indicative of something else going on.