cervical pain

jacobkkn

New Member

Joined : Feb 2008

Posts : 1

Posted 2/6/2008 3:36 AM (GMT -6)

Hello everyone,

For the past one year I have been having severe pain in the cervical area of my spine (localised pain). My physio put me under a week long treatment of ultra-sonic and TENS therapy. It provided instant relief, but only for a while. Over a period of time it became chronic. Recently, my ortho. suggested me to take an MRI-scan. The report says....

"Mild posterior disco-osteophytic bulge along with early degenerative bone changes causing mild stenosis of bilateral neural foraminae at C6-7 level and left sided neural foramen at C3-4 level"

My doctor taught me some exercises which I am supposed to do everyday.

Some one please tell me what is the real condition of my back, in the sense, is it reversible. The pain subsides when I am lying face down or sideways and while standing. But While I am sitting the pain shoots. Please help

razzle51

Veteran Member

Joined : Jan 2005

Posts : 763

Posted 2/6/2008 9:44 AM (GMT -6)

Have you ever been checked for Chiari malformation. Might be a good idea . a MRI

http://www.chiarione.org/symptoms.html

Syringomyelia T4-T10

Chiari Malformation

Decompression Surgery 1999

"Remember That Life Is Short!!!" Life is short, break the rules, Forgive quickly, Love truly, laugh uncontrolably, And never regret anything that made you smile.

Chutz

Forum Moderator

Joined : Jan 2005

Posts : 9431

Posted 2/7/2008 12:30 PM (GMT -6)

Hi Jacobkkn,

And welcome to Healing Well!! I don't know if your problem is reversable...I'm not a doctor, but please do ask your ortho about your options. I have a collapsed disk down low at L5/S1 and I just live with it. I have pain medications that I can take for it. The word 'degenerative' is the one that caught my eye. That would be the one I would address since you don't want it to get any worse. If it's Degenerative Disk Disease then you need to get it stopped or slowed down immediately. You need a lot more information from your doctors.

We're always here for support even if we don't always have the technical knowledge to help. Maybe someone with the same problem will come by and share more.

Hugs,
Chutzie

Co-Mod Fibromyalgia & Chronic Pain Forums
~~~
Fibromyalgia, Ulcerative Colitis, Insulin dependent diabetic, collapsed disk, dermatitis herpetiformus, osteo arthritis in spine and other locations.
***************

The only difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has it's limits. Albert Einstein: (1879-1955)

straydog

Forum Moderator

Joined : Feb 2003

Posts : 16878

Posted 2/8/2008 10:24 PM (GMT -6)

Jacob, the mild bulge with the osteophytic that is like spur which will cause you pain and the stenosis means narrowing. I don't see anything on your MRI that will indicate your problems to get better. I don't know how old you are either. the degenerative disc means like as we get older our body wears out. Most likely as time goes by your condition will get worse. Susie

volfan

Regular Member

Joined : Nov 2007

Posts : 58

Posted 2/11/2008 10:33 AM (GMT -6)

Jacob, I suffered a severe injury some time ago which thanks to workers comp docs was let go for over a year. They first told me it was cervical strain and later switched to arthritis. I had to trick them into agreeing to an MRI by asking for a cervical block. All other requests were denied. I had two blown discs in my neck causing severe pain and numbness to my left arm and hand. I had surgery which resulted in fusion and plating. The arm pain in gone but I still have numbness in hand and my neck hurts 24\7. Nothing and I mean nothing helps with the neck pain. The reason I'm being so blunt is to advise you not to let it go too long my friend.
Have a Blessed Day!

painsince91

Regular Member

Joined : Apr 2007

Posts : 77

Posted 2/17/2008 2:51 PM (GMT -6)

volfan, I can sympathize with you about the neck pain 24/7. I have had it for 16 years and nothing stops it. Right now I am going to a Chiro but recently I went to am Orthropedic who did nothing but try to scare me out of narcotics. He sent me for PT for 8 weeks which helped while they were working on me, but costs me a fortune. He also had me get a TENS which costs me $100 out of my pocket. Man, I live on SS and all these costs and copays and then the meds are breaking me up. I am in CC debt because of trying to ease my pain.

I'm sorry you are in extreme pain. What do you do for a little relief? The only time I'm painfree is when I'm asleep and I take meds for that too.

I'm a Big Orange fan, too.

volfan

Regular Member

Joined : Nov 2007

Posts : 58

Posted 2/18/2008 10:50 AM (GMT -6)

Hi p-91, Isn't it odd how pain meds will help with other pain but won't touch the neck pain! I can feel your financial pain as well. When all this happened to me my pay was cut substantially, all the while with two kids in college. Thanks be to God that one has since graduated and is really making progress towards standing on his own two feet. How do you place the leads for the tens unit. I tried mine once or twice but it made my neck draw to one side quite hard. Funny but it really hurt! As far as what I do for relief; I force myself to stay as active as I possibly can. I go to the gym regularly and get in the pool, sauna, and steam room. In so doing I have made several good friends and it is a wonderful stress release. Talk to your cp doctor about it. He should write you a prescription for it which will help ease the pain in your wallet. If not, there are other avenues for this type therapy. Our church has a Family Life Center which has everything except for pool and whirl pool. I too have to take pills to help me sleep but pain still wakes me up. Most every night I see 12:30, 2:00, and 4:30 roll around.
We have a lot in common P-91. We are both CPers and are forever linked as residents of the Volunteer Nation!!!! Sad to see that UT is dead last in this years recruiting class. I love Tennessee Football and miss John Ward jubilantly saying,"It's football time in Tennessee"! I used to attend nearly every home game but my condition has prevented that for the past two seasons. If parking was better I would try it but the long hilly walk would be impossible. Good talking to you P-91
Have a Blessed Day
Volfan

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