What kind of back pain is this....?

Nurses Stress 101

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Hi all,

I am entering Nursing School this fall '09, and wanted an official nurse's opinion, or someone that has perhaps had experience with this problem. My boyfriend of 3 1/2 years has always suffered from lower/mid back pain, and stiff back muscles. We live 9 hrs apart (school), so when I do see him (once or twice a month), I try and alleviate the pain by warming the muscles and slowly massaging and softening them using a variety of patterns and techniques.

The problem is that sometimes his back becomes so inflamed that he actually cannot stand even the slightest touch. I've never seen this type of reaction on anyone but him. He is 6'2", 186 lbs very fit and athletic guy. He used to play rugby, and is very much a "guy's guy". I've noticed from day one that across his back runs 3 parallel "scar" like marks. He has never said what they were, except to "leave 'em alone, and don't stress about them." Given his history of rough sports, I left it alone. Finally, a few days ago after a particularly painful episode, I demanded that he tell me if anything previously happened to his back that would render it so sore. All he said was that he was born with it, and that he didn't want to discuss it.

I am unsure how to handle this. I am reluctant to mess with his back at all (though he does insist the massaging does help), since I do not know a) what it is, b) why he's so hesitant to tell me, and c) what kind of lower/mid back issues you can be born with that appear perfectly normal on the exterior surface, minus the 3 scars I mentioned. They are not perfectly parallel, more like irregular. How do I go about this? He has seen a chiropractor, but they were anything but helpful, insisting he was just sore and to rub some mineral ice on it. That was my first thought as well, but now I believe it is an actual problem. I sincerely doubt he told the chiro that he was born with the problem. It kills me to see him in so much pain! Any tips or advice, or thoughts on what it could be?

Thank you so much, in advance!!:clown:

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