Back Pain

[Guest guest]

Back pain in people with PSC can be one of many different things. Sometimes

it's related to the PSC, most times it's probably not related. The related

diseases can be different forms of arthritis, pain related to bile duct

blockage or infections, or pancreatitis. The first would be figured out by

your doctors, and usually there are other joint pains at the same time.

However, back pain can be the first sign of a spondyloarthropathy, the type

of arthritis related to PSC and to gut diseases like UC/Crohn's. These can

be treated with drugs such as methotrexate, imuran or NSAIDs (non-steroidal

anti-inflammatory drugs) such as Motrin, Naprosyn, Celebrex, etc. Care must

be taken because sometimes these drugs can affect the liver (this

information is usually in bold on leaflets that are givent to patients when

the drug is dispensed).

Other causes of back pain include kidney infections, stones, mechanical back

pain (stress of the back due to lifting or overuse), vertebral fractures

(pretty rare). None of these is really related to PSC, specifically. There

are other more rare causes of back pain.

In cases where someone with PSC has a combination of back pain, or gut pain

and chills, shaking, and fever, medical care should be sought immediately.

These are signs of significant infections. Sometimes it's just a bad cold or

flu, but with the underlying PSC, infections of the liver and pancreatitis

need to be ruled out.

That being said, common things are common. In other words, even in folks

with PSC, colds and flus are still the more likely diagnosis when someone is

feeling sick, especially when they are exposed to those carrying these

illness. The important things to remember though are in the previous

paragraph.

Aubrey