Duterte’s spinal pain ‘purely muscle spasms’

Senator Bong Go said yesterday President Rodrigo Duterte’s spinal pain was diagnosed to be muscle spasms.

Go said neurosurgeons examined Duterte and had him undergo an MRI scan in a hospital in Metro Manila.

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According to the senator, “nothing was seen that should be worrisome.”

Doctors advised the President to rest for a few days and prescribed him pain relievers to ease Duterte’s muscle spasms pain.

“There’s nothing to worry about. It’s purely muscle spasms, but he really needs to rest,” Go told reporters.

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Duterte has ‘high pain threshold’ and wants to ride motorcycle again

“Even if he feels some pain, the President wants to work, move – he has a high pain threshold,” Go said.

Go also said the President insisted he could still ride his motorcycle despite the pain.

“He told me: ‘Bong, I couldn’t live without riding motorbikes’; his body is looking for it,” the senator said.

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Last week, Senator Bong Go confirmed that the President had a minor motorcycle accident while driving inside the Malacañang complex. Duterte got slight scratches and light bruises from the crash.

In 2017, Duterte also suffered from back pains because of an earlier motorcycle accident.

Also this month, Duterte admits he has myasthenia gravis, a rare muscle disease during his visit to Russia. Because of the condition, Duterte said his eyelids dropped, and his muscles weakened.

Duterte also has Buerger’s Disease, a rare disease wherein blood vessels become inflamed, swell, and can become blocked with blood clots (thrombi), according to Mayo Clinic.

Despite all the President’s illnesses, Panelo said the public should not be “apprehensive.”

“The Palace reiterates that the public need not be apprehensive about the President’s health,” Panelo said.