When Back Pain Wasn’t Just Back Pain

A 62-year-old man came with constant back pain. “It’s just age,” he told his family. Tried painkillers, even physiotherapy. Nothing worked. Blood tests and a bone marrow biopsy finally showed multiple myeloma.
Another case, a 55-year-old woman had repeated infections and fatigue. She thought it was low immunity. Antibiotics kept failing. Tests again revealed the same: multiple myeloma. Different symptoms, same disease.

What It Is

Multiple myeloma is a blood cancer. It begins in plasma cells, the white blood cells that normally make antibodies. In myeloma, these cells grow out of control, damaging bones, kidneys, and the immune system.

Symptoms Families Overlook

 

• Persistent bone pain, especially in the back or ribs.
• Frequent infections.
• Fatigue, weakness.
• Unexplained weight loss.
• In some cases, kidney problems.

These signs are often dismissed as ageing, stress, or minor illness. That delay allows the cancer to grow silently.

How Doctors Confirm It

Diagnosis usually involves blood tests, urine tests, imaging, and finally a bone marrow biopsy. These steps confirm the presence of abnormal plasma cells. At the best cancer hospital in India, all these cancer diagnostic testing services are available together, so results come fast. Hemato oncology treatment experts then review the case and plan the path forward.

Treatment Options Today

The good news: treatment has advanced.

• Chemotherapy and steroids remain part of the standard approach.
• Targeted drugs and immunotherapy have improved survival.
• Stem cell transplant is used in eligible patients to extend remission.
• New multiple myeloma advanced therapies, including CAR-T cell therapy, are offering hope even in relapsed or resistant cases.

Treatment depends on age, overall health, and stage of disease. Most patients need a combination of these methods.

Life Beyond Medicines

Treatment is long. Fatigue, pain, anxiety are all common. Patients need more than drugs. Nutrition, exercise guidance, counseling, and family support are key. Good hospitals combine advanced care with emotional and social support, so patients feel less alone.

A Final Word

Multiple myeloma is serious, but it is no longer without hope. With modern therapies, patients are living longer and with better quality of life. If bone pain, fatigue, or repeated infections persist, don’t wait. Get tested. The earlier it is caught, the stronger the outcome.

Consult us at any of our locations across IOCI Noida, Greater Noida, Mumbai, Indore, Chh. Sambhajinagar, Agartala, Saharanpur, Kanpur and Jodhpur.