A 35-year-old woman suffered from back pain for years until a pain specialist found the real cause — her nervous system

• Melissa Angle had chronic back pain that made it hard to work, care for her kids, and pay bills.
• Finding the right treatment and actual cause helped her get her life back on track.

Melissa Angle was a 35-year-old working mother of two when she began developing back pain. The pain slowly worsened month after month until it became so unbearable she could no longer work or care for her kids. Over a year later, her doctors still hadn't found the reason.

She worked as a bartender for many years. Eventually, she transitioned to a different line of work and opened Sweet Melissa's, a business offering bridal and event makeup.

She spent hours each day standing and leaning slightly forward to apply makeup. Spending a large amount of her day like this is brutal on the back; it's a position that puts pressure on the spine, placing it at increased risk for injury.

She faced a common problem with an uncommon diagnosis

Angle began experiencing a persistent ache in her lower back. After a few weeks of pain, she saw her doctor. He examined her and assured her it was just a muscle strain. She cut back her work hours and sat down more during the day, but the pain persisted.

Her doctor then referred her to physical therapy. Despite four weeks of therapy, the pain continued. In fact, it worsened and spread to a larger area across her back. She tried anti-inflammatory medications like ibuprofen with minimal relief.

Given her continued decline, her doctor ordered an X-ray, then an MRI. Both showed mild arthritis. But other than some sensitivity to touch and slight discomfort when bending forward or backward, the doctor could find nothing else wrong during her exam to explain the severity of her symptoms. Mild arthritis is not typically disabling; a back strain should have healed by that point. Confused, her doctor sent her for a steroid injection, but it didn't help.

Her symptoms were mistreated and misunderstood

For the next two years, Angle avoided activities that required a lot of active movement because she feared the pain would worsen. Then she began gaining weight. She felt she could not live her normal life, and depression set in. She started to feel hopeless.

During this time, Angle saw multiple doctors who all prescribed the same standard approach of physical therapy, ibuprofen, and steroid injections. The pain continued without relief.

She feared her doctors thought she was just there for the drugs, and they confirmed her suspicion.

She felt shamed by some of the medical staff at the clinic. When she called the clinic with questions, she was greeted with a condescending tone. She recalled one particularly hard day when she called the clinic with a question and the staff responded, "Aren't you on enough medicine? What else do you want?"

It took six doctor visits before the staff believed her pain was real and that she was there to help control it. Eventually, they believed that she desperately wanted help and provided pain management. Angle wasn't seeking drugs, she was seeking relief.

The struggle wasn't just in the clinic, but also with the people around her. She felt that coworkers, friends, and family were annoyed by her pain issues; it often felt like the people in her life believed her pain was in her head.

When she talked about her struggle, she often received comments like, "You just need to move more," or "You spend too much time on your butt." Because her medical tests were mostly normal and her pain was not visible, it was often assumed by others that she was exaggerating or faking.

Angle felt guilty that she couldn't play with her kids because of the pain; her parents had begun helping with childcare and finances, which made her feel worthless, like a burden to everyone around her. She was in a downward spiral with an endless cycle of pain and depression.

Treating the right cause made all the difference

After several years of physical and emotional suffering, Angle found a pain specialist who suggested another cause of pain that had not been considered before. Although her pain had started with a minor back injury, caused by strain from leaning over eight hours a day, the injury no longer explained the growing pain and disability. Her pain was no longer solely a muscle or joint issue. Another process had been triggered — nerve sensitization.

Her pain specialist explained that her back injury had triggered nerve sensitization, which is the abnormal processing of pain signals in the brain and nerves. Sensitization amplifies pain signals, making every movement and activity hurt more. When she understood the role sensitization played in her pain levels, Angle got into a better mindset to manage her symptoms. Once she knew her symptoms were related to sensitization rather than a worsening injury, she wasn't afraid of moving anymore. Just understanding what was happening was a huge relief.

The doctor switched her treatment to the actual target — the nervous system. She recommended medications that calm over-reactive nerves, reducing pain signals from sensitization and nerve-related pain. She also began mind-body therapies, such as yoga and meditation, to help build awareness of the effects of sensitization and stress on her body.

Sensitization symptoms are extremely sensitive to stress levels. Angle became aware of how stress had worsened her back pain. This awareness empowered her to find ways to reduce stress. She recognized the importance of self-care. She joined a gym, which gave her a sense of community and surrounded herself with people invested in her decision to get healthy.

When she regained hope, Angle's mental health improved. She understood that her struggles were real and she wasn't just imagining them or being overly dramatic. She finally had a course of treatment that was providing real help.

After a year, with the right treatment, Angle was able to recover. She closed her makeup business and re-entered the workforce, starting another part-time business painting houses. She enjoys the movement and artistry that comes with painting. She can now care for her kids and has regained her health and happiness.