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arthritis of the neck ??

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Rheumatoid Arthritis
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Posted 5/4/2008 2:46 AM (GMT 0)
i have a few questions as i'm new to this. here's my story:
4 weeks ago had a tightness in my back. thought i slept wrong and it would go away, it didn't . one day my left arm goes numb, weak, and tingly. i went to a doctor cause it scared me. he thought it was muscle problem so i went for a massage. it's been 4 weeks and it keeps getting worse . Tuesday this week i couldn't handle it anymore as the numbness and weakness moved into my back. so i went to the emergency room and they took a CT scan. the Doctor said it looked like i had arthritis in my neck and is sending me to see a specialist on Monday. i also went back to the Doctor who i saw originally ( did blood tests 2 weeks ago ) he said that my rheumatoid level was elevated 37.4.
does this mean i have rheumatoid arthritis in my neck ?? what kinda treatment am i looking at ?? does anyone else have this ?? how bad can it get ??
thanks in advance
a little scared and worried
vince
Posted 5/4/2008 9:47 PM (GMT 0)
Your RF is not remarkably high so it is probably inconclusive by itself. Lots of people have elevated RF without haveing RA lots of people have RA without an elevated RF. Having said that if you have inflamitory arthritis in your neck your doctor will have to determine if it is RA or AS or some other condition. I have RA that has affected my neck and shoulder. Medication has helped a lot and right now I am pain free. (plaquinel, prednisone, sulindac, methotraxate) If it is RA or AS the important thing is aggressive treatment now to control the inflamation and disease process to prevent more permanent damage.
I know this answer isn't totally coherent but someone will be along to provide even more info and I would be happy to attempt to answer any other questions you have.
Sj
Posted 5/5/2008 3:03 AM (GMT 0)
thanks for the reply.
i should find out more tomorrow .......... i hope
i just don't know how i can continue working at this moment with the pain getting worse every week
vince
Posted 5/5/2008 3:29 AM (GMT 0)
Make sure your doctor knows how much pain you are in. Proper medication should help decrease the pain but depending on what they put you on it could take a while to kick in.
Sj
Posted 5/5/2008 8:18 PM (GMT 0)
I had very similar symptoms with my neck and right arm.  An MRI showed degenerative disc disease.  My doctor put me on Arthrotec and Tizanidine (for muscle spasms).  It took about 10 days to kick in and he prescribed Lortabs (10)for pain.  This is the drug combo that worked for me.

Posted 5/11/2008 9:06 PM (GMT 0)
 

Try to see a rhrummatoidologist. Find a good one. SunnyDottie

Posted 5/11/2008 9:16 PM (GMT 0)
I agree with sunnydottie, a good rhuemy is your best friend if you have any type of inflamitory arthritis-and you want the rhuemy not your gp making that diagnosis.
Sj
Posted 5/11/2008 10:49 PM (GMT 0)
the doctor i saw said it's just a spur pinching my neck and not arthritis. the pain is still getting worse and i'm not sure how people deal with this everyday. i'm now on gabapentin (sp?? ) and they say the pain should go away in a month or 2 ( i pray )
thanks everyone for your answers
vince
Posted 5/20/2008 7:55 AM (GMT 0)
Went to a neurologist about a year ago because of all over pain on my entire body. I can't take any pain medications . He told me gabapentin was safe for me, it worked on the neck pain but not on lower back. Have had severl MRI's and they have found herneated disks the worst pain, osteoarthritis , and osteoperosis. I'v been in pain starting with lower back and escalated to neck , knees , all over joint pain. For over 20 years and have never had a med i could safely take. I can say the gabapentin has helped some .I had to start on a low dose and increse dosage till I reached a comfortable level for me. Started with 300mg a day and ended up with 2400mg a day. I was to l could go higher. I chose not to . My level of pain will I'm sure increase with time. Hope it works for you. good luck june
Posted 7/2/2008 4:39 AM (GMT 0)
I have Arthritis all down my spine. A Rheumatologist dismissed me saying there was nothing that could be done for that, except exercise. He said if I didn't exercise, I'd be in a convalescent hospital in four years. I take Methadone & Xanax, but nothing helps very much. I try to exercise but I just hurt myself more. Right now I'm not happy with my life. I'm miserable and relatives don't really think anything is wrong with me because "YOU LOOK OK." People who don't have chronic pain, simply DO NOT believe in its existence.
Pamela Neckpain
Posted 7/2/2008 4:40 AM (GMT 0)
This Arthritis, Scoliosis, & Spondylosis & Pinched nerves have been going on for six years.
Ohhhhh,
Pamela Neckpain
Posted 7/2/2008 4:41 AM (GMT 0)
I have Arthritis all down my spine. A Rheumatologist dismissed me saying there was nothing that could be done for that, except exercise. He said if I didn't exercise, I'd be in a convalescent hospital in four years. I take Methadone & Xanax, but nothing helps very much. I try to exercise but I just hurt myself more. Right now I'm not happy with my life. I'm miserable and relatives don't really think anything is wrong with me because "YOU LOOK OK." People who don't have chronic pain, simply DO NOT believe in its existence.
Pamela Neckpain
Posted 7/2/2008 7:04 PM (GMT 0)
dear pamela neckpain ... find another doctor. your rheumy sounds like a pain in the neck to me!
Posted 7/4/2008 5:27 AM (GMT 0)
Joan M,
I go to a Pain Doctor now and it seems to work out the best of all.
I went to a pain clinic. They believed that psychotherapy and biofeedback were the answers. I talked my doctor out of those "modalities" because I can't sit long enough to talk to the practioners. He believed me and set me up with a series of Accupuncture. That cost a whale and did absolutely no good. It made my back feel like raw hamburger. Just for the heck of it, he shot one of the needles into the top of my head. It sounds HORRIBLE, but it wasn't so bad.
Hamburger Head,
Pamela Neckpain

If this is posted more than once, I'm gonna scream!!!
Posted 7/4/2008 1:59 PM (GMT 0)
hi...i also went to pain management when i had a herniated disk in my neck. they gave me a cortisone shot in the neck (told me i would be paralzed for life if i moved during the procedure and scared me half to death) but the treatment worked. i had two shots. the doc also told me i was young and should get a new neck...the orthopedic doctor said that was not necessary and naturally i want to avoid surgery.

also went for knee shot around the year 2000 through pain management and pain management also helped me with my post shingles pain so i've had good luck with the pain clinics.

take take of yourself, pamela.
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