Reply To: Back pain with CIDP?

jk
March 16, 2015 at 9:58 pm

I have back pain. I also have CIDP. In my opinion, and only for whatever that is worth, there is absolutely no correlation between my back pain and my CIDP. With the exception of the low back fatigue my bilateral foot drop causes.

NINDS, the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke says this about CIDP: “What is Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy (CIDP)?

Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP) is a neurological disorder characterized by progressive weakness and impaired sensory function in the legs and arms. The disorder, which is sometimes called chronic relapsing polyneuropathy, is caused by damage to the myelin sheath (the fatty covering that wraps around and protects nerve fibers) of the peripheral nerves. Although it can occur at any age and in both genders, CIDP is more common in young adults, and in men more so than women. It often presents with symptoms that include tingling or numbness (beginning in the toes and fingers), weakness of the arms and legs, loss of deep tendon reflexes (areflexia), fatigue, and abnormal sensations. CIDP is closely related to Guillain-Barre syndrome and it is considered the chronic counterpart of that acute disease.”

There is no mention of back pain in that discussion. Of course, every case is different. However, the nerve damage caused by CIDP usually does not affect the torso.

There is a 2010 website link from a GBS-CIDP forum user (yes, the link still works) back in 2010 to this article by Dr. Richard Lewis. Dr. Lewis is considered an expert on CIDP. The user suggested printing this article to give to your doctor.

http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1172965-overview

don’t overlook the next section link at the bottom of each page. There at least 9 pages of wonderful information.

Your comment about “cidp is not on most doctors (even most neurologists) radar” is accurate. Do yourself a favor and find a doctor who has years of radar with CIDP. This website lists several Centers of Excellence. I would do whatever it took to get to one.

Don’t delay. It is diagnosis time as GH stated. Some damage from CIDP is irreversible and takes place over time. Time you don’t have.