Parents Chronic pain/pain clinic

[flipnastic]

Hello, was hoping you could help me out with something.
My daughter has chronic 3rd metatarsal pain. It began in May 2022 after she dropped a knife on her foot and her entire foot and Ieg got very infected. First mri showed information and her tarsal bones and on the third metatarsal. Second MRI showed no information and (so that area healed as expected and very quickly) but the spot in the third metatarsal is still there, slightly improved… but it’s a very small spot and doesn’t seem like it should cause the pain that she’s in. The doctor recommended We go see a pain specialist… Basically, he thinks that it’s in her head,and after talking to someone she will realize it’s not actually painful.

She has not done much gymnastics, hardly at all since the incident. To me, it doesn’t really make sense… I feel like if it was actually a chronic pain issue, then she would still have pain in her tarsal bones as well, but that healed appropriately…and very quickly… with rest.

My question is, what are your experiences with chronic pain and chronic pain clinics, if any? If your child did have chronic pain with no underlying cause, how did it act? Did it hurt at rest? Was it consistent or did the pain change? What kind of treatment they receive at the pain clinic?

 

[Dahlialover]

It’s not in her head, it’s in her nerves. There is a very real syndrome where an injury heals but the pain persists. It’s a bit like “phantom limb” pain in an amputee. Some pain specialists do a good job treating this syndrome (some are just drug dealers, so research your options). I’d take her to an acupuncturist first. They are really good with weird nerve pain and it will not do any harm. Good luck!

 

[flipnastic]

It’s not in her head, it’s in her nerves. There is a very real syndrome where an injury heals but the pain persists. It’s a bit like “phantom limb” pain in an amputee. Some pain specialists do a good job treating this syndrome (some are just drug dealers, so research your options). I’d take her to an acupuncturist first. They are really good with weird nerve pain and it will not do any harm. Good luck!

Thank you for a response. I need to update this thread. I know of CRPS (The syndrome you are referring too, I'm a PT) and its not that at all. She doesn't have any of the classic symptoms of that, other than persistent pain and sometimes edema. One doctor actually told her she has low pain tolerance, and the other doctor told her that he doesn't think she understands what pain actually feels like and after a conversation with one of their doctors, he thinks she'll be able to interpret it better to know what is actually pain and what is not. She completed all of her routines with a full blown infection that spread from her toes to her knee for crying out loud! My kid knows pain and is willing to work through it. I couldn't believe it.

Anyways, we saw a podiatrist yesterday who has a reputation for fixing other doctors mistakes and getting to the bottom of what causes the pain. He saw an old, undiagnosed Salter Harris Type 2 fracture immediately that was well on its way to healing/healed. There's no way this injury could have happened within the last 8 months...likely before, since she has hardly worked out in the last year, and we've had gosh, 4-5 xrays since then. I think the fact that this was missed shows the doctors had the preconceived idea that nothing was going on. It was clear as day. Also, the inflammation in the MRI's isn't as mild as the other doctors had said. Anyways, we are going to start with another round of immobilization+steriod cream+vitamins for 4 weeks. If it doesn't improve, we could be dealing with a deep seated bone infection, which is unfortunately going to take us on an entirely new journey, as its incredibly hard to diagnose. BUT...we are praying that the cream, immobilization and vitamins work!

 

[gymgal]

Thank you for a response. I need to update this thread. I know of CRPS (The syndrome you are referring too, I'm a PT) and its not that at all. She doesn't have any of the classic symptoms of that, other than persistent pain and sometimes edema. One doctor actually told her she has low pain tolerance, and the other doctor told her that he doesn't think she understands what pain actually feels like and after a conversation with one of their doctors, he thinks she'll be able to interpret it better to know what is actually pain and what is not. She completed all of her routines with a full blown infection that spread from her toes to her knee for crying out loud! My kid knows pain and is willing to work through it. I couldn't believe it.

Anyways, we saw a podiatrist yesterday who has a reputation for fixing other doctors mistakes and getting to the bottom of what causes the pain. He saw an old, undiagnosed Salter Harris Type 2 fracture immediately that was well on its way to healing/healed. There's no way this injury could have happened within the last 8 months...likely before, since she has hardly worked out in the last year, and we've had gosh, 4-5 xrays since then. I think the fact that this was missed shows the doctors had the preconceived idea that nothing was going on. It was clear as day. Also, the inflammation in the MRI's isn't as mild as the other doctors had said. Anyways, we are going to start with another round of immobilization+steriod cream+vitamins for 4 weeks. If it doesn't improve, we could be dealing with a deep seated bone infection, which is unfortunately going to take us on an entirely new journey, as its incredibly hard to diagnose. BUT...we are praying that the cream, immobilization and vitamins work!

I missed the original posting of this thread but so glad you are getting to the bottom of this and hoping your gymnast starts to feel better soon. Before reading this updated reply, I was going to suggest continuing to look for other specialist opinions. We had a situation with one of my children years ago that the drs all thought it was in his head. nearly 2 years, several specialists, x-rays, mris, treatment for regional pain syndrome (which really did a number on his mental state due to the meds). Turns out, I actually found the answer with sheer luck through countless google searches, after reading an article about a pro baseball player who had the same symptoms. We contacted the surgeon who did the surgery for that player and sure enough, that's exactly what it was, but I do blame them for insisting it was in his head instead of going the extra distance to search for the answer. If I found it through google searching, why couldn't they through their networking?

 

[flipnastic]

HOLY COW! Thats insane! But I sooo believe it! I couldn't believe how fast they jumped to that conclusion and wouldn't let it go! As a parent, when you have that gut feeling, it truly makes you feel crazy.
The mental state in wrongly treating CRPS or psychogenic pain or even "your not really in pain" is what I was so concerned about. If there is TRULY something wrong, yet your child is spending hours a week focusing on this pain, with treatments focused on trying to turn the pain signals off.....how can that be healthy?!?! There's no way. I read an article where CRPS is around 75% over diagnosed when NOT following the budapest criteria, and 35% when following the budapest criteria. Thats insane. All these kids thrown into this box because doctors don't want to dig. I have nearly lost my mind after a year of this. There's no way I could last another year like this. I'm so sorry for you and your son, but SOOOO glad you kept at it and found answers!!!

I missed the original posting of this thread but so glad you are getting to the bottom of this and hoping your gymnast starts to feel better soon. Before reading this updated reply, I was going to suggest continuing to look for other specialist opinions. We had a situation with one of my children years ago that the drs all thought it was in his head. nearly 2 years, several specialists, x-rays, mris, treatment for regional pain syndrome (which really did a number on his mental state due to the meds). Turns out, I actually found the answer with sheer luck through countless google searches, after reading an article about a pro baseball player who had the same symptoms. We contacted the surgeon who did the surgery for that player and sure enough, that's exactly what it was, but I do blame them for insisting it was in his head instead of going the extra distance to search for the answer. If I found it through google searching, why couldn't they through their networking

 

[GymAir]

We had a situation with one of my children years ago that the drs all thought it was in his head.

I went straight to level red when I read that. I had the same thing happen to me. When I was a young teen doing gymnastics, my back started to hurt. My family doctor (who was a sports medicine specialist) told my parents he couldn’t find a cause for my pain and that I was likely attention-seeking. (If an X-ray can’t find the problem, I guess you don’t have one.)

 

[Cosmogal]

Thank you for a response. I need to update this thread. I know of CRPS (The syndrome you are referring too, I'm a PT) and its not that at all. She doesn't have any of the classic symptoms of that, other than persistent pain and sometimes edema. One doctor actually told her she has low pain tolerance, and the other doctor told her that he doesn't think she understands what pain actually feels like and after a conversation with one of their doctors, he thinks she'll be able to interpret it better to know what is actually pain and what is not. She completed all of her routines with a full blown infection that spread from her toes to her knee for crying out loud! My kid knows pain and is willing to work through it. I couldn't believe it.

Anyways, we saw a podiatrist yesterday who has a reputation for fixing other doctors mistakes and getting to the bottom of what causes the pain. He saw an old, undiagnosed Salter Harris Type 2 fracture immediately that was well on its way to healing/healed. There's no way this injury could have happened within the last 8 months...likely before, since she has hardly worked out in the last year, and we've had gosh, 4-5 xrays since then. I think the fact that this was missed shows the doctors had the preconceived idea that nothing was going on. It was clear as day. Also, the inflammation in the MRI's isn't as mild as the other doctors had said. Anyways, we are going to start with another round of immobilization+steriod cream+vitamins for 4 weeks. If it doesn't improve, we could be dealing with a deep seated bone infection, which is unfortunately going to take us on an entirely new journey, as its incredibly hard to diagnose. BUT...we are praying that the cream, immobilization and vitamins work!

Have you heard of Freiberg infraction? My daughter was diagnosed in her 2nd and 1st metatarsal bone. It’s a fracture she must of done awhile ago and with the constant impact on the hard floor it just never healed. She’s out most of the season. We caught most of it early but it’s rare condition that happens mostly in females who are athletes. I came across your article trying to do some research and I just wanted to pass along the info. Hope your daughter is doing well?