Living with Back Pain – A Patient's Story

Back pain is one of the most common ailments that can lead to disability. Constant pain prevents people from focusing even on daily, seemingly simple tasks. Poor well-being disrupts sleep and brings about irritability, and anxiety that the pain may never cease. This was the unenviable situation faced by our patient, Vita Jurkauskienė.

We asked Ms. Vita to share her experience and the steps she took in her journey to a life without pain.

For years, you lived with chronic back pain. You sought various solutions, approached different treatment facilities, and never gave up, even though the treatments you tried didn’t provide long-term relief. Could you describe your experience, what symptoms you had, and where you sought help?

Yes, I endured back pain for many years. I mostly felt pain in my legs and back. Sleeping was impossible. Sitting, standing—no position was comfortable. I was constantly searching for a way to ease the pain, but I couldn't find it. Quality of life was out of the question.

However, I'm the kind of person who always seeks solutions. I don’t give up as long as there’s even a glimmer of hope to feel better. Initially, I spent half a year in another hospital where doctors tried various medications. Although I was prescribed injectable medications and nerve blocks, the pain persisted.

My loved ones didn’t ignore my suffering. My son put a lot of effort into finding information and managed to contact someone he knew in Latvia, arranging a nerve decompression surgery for me. The same day after the surgery, I was able to get up and walk, and I went home the next day. I admit, I returned to work immediately after the surgery without following post-operative care, but the surgery definitely helped.

How long did you feel an improvement after the surgery?

The improvement didn’t fade, but the pain started to spread up my spine. Then the hard part began—finding the exact source of the pain. A radiologist discovered a mass in my spine. After returning from Latvia, I saw another doctor who confirmed that there was indeed a mass and that treatment was necessary. The state hospital didn’t prescribe any treatment and asked me to provide all the documents I had since the pain started. The pain has been present for about 15 years, but I no longer had documents that old. Unable to endure it any longer, I started looking for help myself. After work, I would sit down and search online for what to do. I found "AGATAS" Clinic, called them, and scheduled an appointment.

I’ll admit, I didn’t expect very effective treatment. But I had to try because giving up would mean losing any hope for a somewhat better life. Those who live with pain every day will understand.

At the "AGATAS" Clinic, there are both pain management specialists and neurosurgeons. Many patients often want a neurosurgery consultation right away, although in many cases, it’s better to start with pain management procedures. What was your case?

I was prepared to consult with all the doctors who could assess my situation and develop an appropriate treatment plan. I was fortunate to be seen by both neurosurgeon Dr. Deividas Stukas and pain specialist Dr. Asta Mažeikaitė. Dr. Stukas reviewed my scans and stated that there was a 99% chance that the pain on my left side was due to spinal malformation. Since I was working and in a hurry, I started treatment at "AGATAS" Clinic immediately to get the necessary care as quickly as possible.

I underwent vertebroplasty, where a special polymer was injected into my spine. After a couple of days of rest, I returned to work. The pain gradually decreased, not as quickly as I would have liked, but I could feel the improvement. Over about a month, the pain subsided gradually, and I understood that this discomfort was indeed due to spinal pathology, even though I had other health issues related to internal organs, so various tests were regularly performed. I kept visiting Dr. Asta due to the pain, where she applied various pain management methods, such as ultrasound-guided nerve blocks and medication. I was pleasantly surprised by how Dr. Asta answered all my questions and helped me understand that treating chronic pain is a long process, especially since I had been in pain for so many years. Expecting a miraculous, immediate result was unrealistic. In my case, the most effective treatment has been ultrasound-guided blocksAlthough the treatment is ongoing, I can now say that the intervals between blocks are getting longer, and I feel positive results from the treatment. As the doctor said, it’s essential not to let the pain reach the intensity it was at the start, so that treatment doesn’t have to start over, as it would be even longer.

At this clinic, I feel genuine support and a helping hand. There’s no need to wait in long lines to receive the necessary treatment.

Indeed, chronic pain treatment is a lengthy process. Patients often experience a range of emotions, from euphoria when relief is felt, to deep disappointment and anger when pain flares up. This is a constant battle with oneself and with the pain. It requires determination, resilience, and a strong desire to live a quality life. What is your emotional state? Do you find yourself lacking the resolve?

I admit, it’s a mix of emotions, but giving up is not typical for me. I’m very active; I constantly need to be doing something, working, moving. My job requires all my attention, regardless of whether I’m in pain or not, so I don’t allow myself to succumb to negative emotions; otherwise, everything would come to a halt. Although I feel the worst pain in the mornings, I force myself to get up, get dressed, and go to work. There, I can somewhat distract myself and focus on other things. But yes, it’s a daily battle. Every day, I fight against my pain to stay upright and keep going. I believe that stopping would make everything worse.

We usually recommend physical therapy along with pain management procedures for pain patients. Movement under the supervision of a specialist gives excellent results. Have you tried physical therapy?

I’ve tried various treatments, including physical therapy. However, due to my condition, there are many activities I can’t do. Due to the malformation, I can’t use whirlpool baths or saunas, although I used to enjoy them. The doctor prohibited many similar pleasures because they only worsen the pain.

The physical therapist advised me to walk, so every day after work, rain or snow, I walk. I try not to run, but I walk at a very brisk pace.

Treatment goals are essential, such as what the person hopes to achieve once daily life is no longer dominated by pain and its intensity. What are your plans?

For me, it’s always important to learn something new, to expand my boundaries, and keep learning. Many may dream of long, lazy holidays, but my goal is to continue learning English. Due to the pain, I couldn’t sit down, and studying lying down was ineffective. So now, I’m looking forward to the time when I can get back to my studies.

This content is shared with the written consent of the patient.