Neck Pain: Cervical
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Sat, 07/04/2009 - 19:19
8 mo with Disc Problem in neck - getting worse
Hi - i'm new to chat forums like this but looking for advice from anyone who can relate.
I'm 41 and until recently have been very athletic and active. For the last 6 months i have increasing neck problems and pain, including pain that radiates to my arm and hand, and increasingly really bad pain comes and goes around my shoulder/scapula - a horrible cramping burning pain.
I've been to a neurologist, had an MRI, which shows a c5/c6 buldge. I've also had the first of several cortisone injections in my neck. The injection provided TOTAL relief for 24 hrs and then things were right back to where they started.
Has anyone had anything like this, and what/when do you contemplate surgery???
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Welcome.
How big are your bulges?
Anyhow I first got hand numb/tingle pain. Then I got headaches, then neck pain at night then neck pain all the time, then tight left side of neck, then tight shoulder muscles, neck, upper back. Pain radiating into my left arm and hand.
My shoulder pain has gotten worse. I think I'm pinching nerves everywhere from muscles being so tight. My shoulder bones hurt, my scalp hurts, my neck hurts to touch.
I've had triggers or nerve blocks and they would work for a day or two maybe a week depending on if they got it in right and how bad of shape I was in...The best thing I find is muscle relaxer like soma or amrix , pain killer, and a tens unit.
Ice and head sometimes helps, but not my shoulders. I'm in so much pain right now with what feels like pinching pain in my shoulders and sides of neck, that I don't know what to do. I'll be getting PT monday. I am suppose to get a cervical epidural on the 13th but due to money and my dad being a baby, i'm going to have to cancel that.
I just feel like my life is spiraling out of my control and it is very upsetting. I'm only 27 and almost done with school (6 more classes) but I don't know if I can do that, and I've been dealing with this for two yrs now.
Well I hope you get some relief.
Findings:
There are no gross abnormalities at the upper three cervical interspaces or the cervical-thorasic junction. Disc desiccation without disc protrusion is noted at T1-2. The second and third thoracic interspaces are normal.
At C5-6, there is mild to moderate disc desiccation with a 2mm central disc protrusion with slight central stenosis.
At C6-7, there is more moderate disc desiccation with a 3mm central disc protrusion with mild central stenosis but no direct spinal cord compression.
There is no evidence of nerve root canal stenosis or nerve root impingement at any cervical level. All of the facet joints are normal. The cervical cord is normal. There is no fracture or dislocation. There are no intradural or paraspinous masses.
My Cervical X-ray said:
Findings
AP, both obliques, open mouth, and lateral views of the cervical spine revealed very minimal hypertrophic uncovertebral joints at C5-6. On oblique view there is a suggestion of minimal osteophyte formation and foraminal impingement at C5-C6, especially on the left side. No fracture is seen.
Lumbar Xray - L3 Mild Osteophyte formation, indicates : Lumbar disc disease.
Medications: Atenolol 25 mg, Soma 350mg, Lexapro 10mg, Klonopin .25 (when needed), Cymbalta 30mg, neurontin 300mg 1x a day, either tyl 3 or reg vicodin for pain.
Neck Pain on left side, on the back of neck, in between shoulder blade on spine, headaches, left arm and leg pain, sometimes numbness or burning, muscle spasms. Depression and Anxiety.
Yes I have and still do deal with neck pain. I have had 2 neck surgeries since 2006. I had burning pain, arm pain, shoulder pain and neck pain. Surgery depends on the conservative measures first. Most insurance companies will not pay until the patient does the injections, physical therapy, resting options and a lot of diagnostic testing first plus follow up notes from your surgeon to be and physical therapist. It's a long road. A positive attitude helps a lot. The forums I have read up on say about 70 percent of patients respond well to conservative measures. I would ask your doctor to prescribe you aqua therapy first and see how that goes. I was in aqua therapy 3 times and it feels so good and I healed faster from my lumbar operation also. Taking anti inflams will also do some good if taking correctly. (every day several times a day) and applying heat and ice alternating on the painful part of neck.
6/9/09 cervicial laminectomy C3
1/13/06 cervical fusion C4 through C6.
1/23/08 bunionectomy
11/23/06 L3,L4 discectomy.
please join us in the room, many of us know whay you are going through. Me very much. I have had the extremities for coming up on 2 years now. I would love to talk to you more on this subject. Take care for now.Rest is best. I will see you in chat, then if you want to we can private chat about this.Take care till I read your cords. I go into neck/back surgery forum. you are welcom to be part of the family of friends who all understand. It really is a healing room, even if we are silly, or cry, or drinking on-line lol inside joke. Hope to see you soon.
14.4 year old boat wreck. Head trama, now post concussion syndrome,knot still there. Cervicial neck fusin needed(I am avoiding it),2 buldging one above ,pne below a hernidiated disc in cervicial. One buldging in thorasic, one undiagnoned in thorasic from store injury in Nov (20th)'08. One buldging inlumbar. cyst showed up 11-20-08 after store injury. Nerve damage whole body. On bed rest as much as possibly by old Drs orders. 100% disabled. Cronic Migrianes. Cronic sleep- depro. Told my multiple nero-surgeons & old P mgt DR that I can be parralized just sleeping. Having to do everything all on my own, still trying.
please join us in the room, many of us know whay you are going through. Me very much. I have had the extremities for coming up on 2 years now. I would love to talk to you more on this subject. Take care for now.Rest is best. I will see you in chat, then if you want to we can private chat about this.Take care till I read your cords. I go into neck/back surgery forum. you are welcom to be part of the family of friends who all understand. It really is a healing room, even if we are silly, or cry, or drinking on-line lol inside joke. Hope to see you soon.
14.4 year old boat wreck. Head trama, now post concussion syndrome,knot still there. Cervicial neck fusin needed(I am avoiding it),2 buldging one above ,pne below a hernidiated disc in cervicial. One buldging in thorasic, one undiagnoned in thorasic from store injury in Nov (20th)'08. One buldging inlumbar. cyst showed up 11-20-08 after store injury. Nerve damage whole body. On bed rest as much as possibly by old Drs orders. 100% disabled. Cronic Migrianes. Cronic sleep- depro. Told my multiple nero-surgeons & old P mgt DR that I can be parralized just sleeping. Having to do everything all on my own, still trying.
it is so very important that when you post, you post information that you were going to discuss in the chat rooms.
There are so many people that never go into chat and by telling everyone there is so much to discuss there, you are leaving out a good portion of Spine-Health members.
So please whenever you talk about chat and whats going to be discussed, outline that in a post so others can see what is going on.
Ron DiLauro (aka PapaRon)
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I can relate to what you are going through... I have had the same exact symptoms and have a severe C5/6 bulge. I am scheduled for a C5/6 ACDF on July 20th.
Don
Long history of back and neck pain, remember having back pain in middle school.
360 degree fusion with instrumentation at L4,L5,S1 in 2001.
Scheduled for C5-6 ACDF on July 20th 2009.
I've had the pain that you describe, both in my upper back, shoulder and radiating down my arms. My MRI results were three totally herniated disks, though, with the very common DDD and arthritis.
Sometimes we don't have any choice when it comes to surgery - the insurance company requires conservative measures before they'll approve paying for surgery, or at the opposite end of the scale, the doc says trying anything but surgery is useless (as was my case).
What does your neuro say about surgery - is he/she giving you that option?
The pain in my shoulders and back were muscle spasms and controlled by muscle relaxers. Do you have any tingling, numbness or weakness in your arms?
Cath
October 21, 2008 - ACDF, 3-level (C4/5, 5/6 6/7), with hardware and eight screws. C4/5 and 5/6 fused, still movement at C6/7.
February 2009 - Lower back pain and sciatic pain.
January 6, 2010 - Scheduled for TLIF at L4/5.
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Each forward step we take we leave some phantom of ourselves behind. ~John Lancaster Spalding
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I am in no way affiliated with the medical profession. Any recommendations I make are based on my personal experiences only, so do not take my comments as medical rules.