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Posted 3/16/2014 2:48 PM (GMT 0)
Hi,

I am 50 and had MRI & diagnosed c7 neuro right foraminal narrowing severe along with DDD. Went to 2 neuro surgeons including Dartmouth. All do not push surgery in my case. One even noted in his report I was nervous and over the top with my concerns, well of couse wouldnt you be. Had a previous c7 disc issue 3 years ago that resolved and L5 disc that herniated 15 years ago but got better with conservative treatments, so I'm no stranger to back issues.

For the past 6 months I have had soreness in my shoulder and upper right arm triceps. Tingling in my upper rt arm and chest when getting out of bed. I present very well according to the doctors i have little to no muscle weakness..& have not missed any work. So they think I'm not bad keep up with conservative treatments.

But I'm in constant moderate pain 5 out of 10. I was very active I like to do things. Recently finished Close to a 3 week course of prednisone with some "minor"positive effect. Previous aleves 3x a day for months always waiting for them to kick in..I also had minor success with PT but when I'm sitting at my desk it doesn't help. I use a Saunders head traction unit that a friend lent me and the PT instructed me in the use of the Saunders. I am fine when lying flat or getting a manual decompression by PT. My primary dr wants me to go to pain management injection dr. I don't really know if that will help.. Took previous prednisone, a large amount didn't do anything major and a medrol dose pack previous to that.

3rd doctor an orthopedic said if i dont improve he would relive pain by cleaning up/ out my foramina area .... my neuro said no as he doesn't agree with minimally invasive approach with surgery , bone spurs one of my diagnoses. It almost seems to me that unless you go in crawling to these doctors they just treat you like any other and I feel like its the " no respect" you"ll get better with time line.. And stop being so nervous one report said.. Basically man up.. And deal with your nerve pain..


At this point would seeing a Neurologist for emg nerve/ muscletesting be a good idea? Or other thoughts ? I really don't want surgery I don't want a handicap sticker for my car all I want is my normal life back, if that is remotely possible. It's just tiring and frustrating and my doctors who are all very capable don't know what to do it seems as if I'm the one crying wolf, I Apologize for ranting.
Posted 3/16/2014 5:48 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Seacoast,

I am relatively new to this forum as well, and everyone here is very supportive and informed.

I have several back issues i.e. scoliosis, ddd, arthritis, pelvic tilt, sacroillitis, periformis syndrom and have been in pain for 14 years, but only if I move (hah)! I am 66 years old.

I too have heard from scores of top doctors, no surgery, everything they see to them is mild, mild, mild. Pt and pain management with conservative measures.

Here is what has helped me over the years. Tens unit, water therapy, lifestyle modifications (so difficult), daily walks, advil and tramadol (although these do not cover all of the pain they do help).

I have come to see that for most cp patients, the hope is to reduce the level of pain. Most likely it will not go away completely. I have read and hear from individuals that 1/4 only of back surgeries are successful in that 1/4 get worse and 1/2 stay the same. Surgery is a big decision and should be made carefully after several opinions from top doctors.

The things that I have recently discovered that have been a godsend are: Pain psychologist with specialty in chronic pain -- she is helping tremendously with coping and guilt and such. A new pain management doctor who saw out of the box and was able to pin point an area of my sacrum(muscles) that had never been treated with excercise. This is helping greatly.

When this happened to me, I changed my work situation to avoid the things that made me worse. Lost lots of money, but I am convinced that I am better for it today.

Also my doctors think I am hyper as well. Apparently it is a fact that my pain doc told me white women with blue eyes feel pain more. Well that is what she said.

At least you know you are not alone and maybe some of the things that help me will help you.

Just because docs and family and friends cannot see your pain or understand it, does not mean it is not real.

Lumiere
















1
Posted 3/16/2014 6:38 PM (GMT 0)
Welcome to the forum, Seacoast.

Listen to your doctors and go to a pain clinic. Just find a good one - ask referring doctors, friends. Make sure at least one of the pain docs is an anesthesiologist because you have neck problems and you don't want anyone else messing with thoracic or neck. Physiatrists are often fine with lumbar until it gets to ablations (look up). I wouldn't like an ortho working on my nervous system.

Your neuros are right no surgery yet. That's a really last resort! Injections, and there are many types, can reduce or sometimes completely eliminate spine pain for months or more. My first lasted 2 years!

The bone spurs are not causing your pain - my opinion as a patient, not worth beans unless you take it with salt. It's the foramina (plural of Latin foramen -holes for nerves to pass through) and other passages that are narrowing and pinching the pain nerves. Well, depending on where they are, they could cause some of the pain. But you still don't want surgery - risk too high - paralysis, worsening of pain.

Lumi's got a good handle on the pain - TENS and such.

The pain clinic can do the EMG too, and it's a good idea to make sure none of the pain is due to something wrong with the peripheral nerves. They will also send you for an MRI (Yay! No radiation.) to see where the impingements are.

You're not going to get cured. This bone stuff took a long time to build up and it takes a long time, maybe a couple of years, to get relief bit by bit. Meanwhile more arthritic changes keep occurring. Not meaning to be negative because there is a good chance of getting relief so you can go back to living comfortably.

So find a good pain group, not a bunch of guys herding sheep with some non-doctor as shepherd. Research a whole lot of threads using the search box at the top of the page. And come back with loads more questions. I'm no expert, still finding people here who know way more than me, and thankful for all of them!

PS: Get all your doctors' records, copies of all imaging on discs, copies of all written reports. Make a few copies, some for yourself, some to take with you to other doctors. If you have proof of cause for your pain they won't treat you like a drug-seeker. I keep file folders by body part.

Post Edited (Alcie) : 3/16/2014 12:42:03 PM (GMT-6)

Posted 3/16/2014 6:51 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you for the information. My Primary Care is referring me to anesthesiologist MD. I am going later this week for a consult. Its all very tiring, at 50 I never expected to be in this shape.

Alice they already did an MRI this past December on my neck.  The Pain group is supposedly a good reliable group in my area. As form emg test, I do not think the pain management MD's have access at this place but I will surely ask. I thought this was in the realm of a Neurologist? My situation seems to be I have abit of muscle weakness  & have nerve pain.. The doctors don't want seem to be gung ho on my situation unless like I was 15 years ago with my L5 S1 herniated disc when I walked in so hunched over the nurses had to help me sit down . Sounds bad but I would rather have that for 2 months than what I have now, constant irritating pain..I guess I have classic C7 radiculopathy..?

If its the "It's the foramina" as you say Alice how do they correct that, does the nerve just grow around it and or can it heal at all? If the formiana is "clogged up or narrowed" I don't see how this resolves itself.

And yes I do have a folder containing doctors notes and current and old copies on DVD of my MRI. Due to my type of work I can not take the narcotics as they make me to sleepy and I could not function I did try vicodin (sp) but it was just to strong and had to stop it . I have missed only 1 day in 6 months so far-- pain and all  and as you can guess it has not been fun at times...and the best part of my day is going home and or lying flat out that helps relieve the compression etc.. Thank you for your responses.

Post Edited (Seacoast) : 3/17/2014 10:46:01 AM (GMT-6)

Posted 3/21/2014 3:07 PM (GMT 0)
I did see the anesthesiologist yesterday. Nice doctor very knowledgeable for the most part. He recommends an injection at the C7/T1 level he than changed his mind to C5/6 area after listening and reading reports. I told him about my tingling in my upper right chest and arm when I get up, he said it could be the compression from standing. I asked further and he said in his 25 years he didn't know what caused the tingling in my upper right chest and arm that then leads to the pain in my shoulder and upper arm he said he would rule out C7 as he thinks C5 is causing my upper arm tricep pain. When he said he didn't know what was causing my tingling in my chest I felt like saying what's an injection going to do.. I don't know! I am thinking I need to go to an neurologist? I forgot to ask him about this.. Like many of you its very tiring both physically and mentally..
Posted 3/21/2014 4:42 PM (GMT 0)
The pain anesthesiologist is the right guy to see. Neurologists don't do invasive stuff. Pills aren't going to make this go away.

It's impossible to know exactly where the nerve that is being pinched is coming from given only a small amount of information and confusing information. If the injection doesn't give relief your doc can try another spot or do a different type of injection.

Injections aren't a big deal. They don't always work and often it takes a few days to get relief, but when they work it's heavenly. Back to life!

Ask what type of injection the doc is giving you. If it's a facet joint injection, don't expect more than a few days relief, although it could be good for months. This type is more often intended to be diagnostic than curative (well, really no cure, just temporary relief). Anyway, if it helps you can have the nerve ablated - the outside fat covering is heated. That often gives many months of relief. I had 6 last year and am hoping to get them redone (they can be redone!) starting next week. They are no more painful than the other types of injections.

During injections you get a local anesthetic in the area to be injected. Then there's a long, very thin needle to deliver the anesthetic and steroid. It doesn't hurt much, mostly just pressure, because of the numbing shot. I'm an old lady and after the first one it was not scary at all. I look forward to getting rid of the pain. Sometimes I get relief immediately. I've got neck and 6 or 7 lumbar and maybe a thoracic one needing to be done. Too bad they can only do one set on one side at a time and then wait for up to 3 months.

Search the HW site for more answers, also google spinal injections, and if it doesn't bother you, watch some videos. If you go in informed you will relax.
Posted 3/21/2014 5:06 PM (GMT 0)
Hello and welcome to Healing Well.

I'm 52 and my back became a source of concern 1o yrs ago but really in the last 5.

I started a Pain Management Injection Doctor last May against my Doctor's concerns.The 1st three procedures(injections) didn't do anything good or bad.

The 4th on January 9th caused my Sciatic Nerve in my Right Leg to turn the next 46 days into pure hell.

It was like Ground Hog Day.Every day when I woke up someone flipped the pain switch.

I'll never take another Back Injection.

I thought the damage might be permanent.

Welcome aboard and good luck with your treatment,
Rick
Posted 3/21/2014 5:45 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Rick. Yah I might get another opinion. This pain doc said some patients do ok with injections some do not. He was very straight forward no salesman ship as I know these doctors make a lot of money.
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