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Excruciating chronic left side neck pain plus lumbar issues
Hi Everyone,
I just joined and this is my first post.
I am a 66 year old male that lives in Melbourne Aus.
Thankfully I found this discussion forum in order to get answers in regards to my deteriorating condition.
For the last 20 years I have been an active sportsman doing long distance bicycle riding and body building, but in the last 9 years I have been hit 3 times (2013,2015,2019) by negligent drivers while riding. These accidents have caused me severe whiplash and a multitude of fractures.
Each time I recovered and went back doing my riding passion.
4 months ago I noticed a pretty strong left sided pain around C6 therefore I went to see physiotherapists and osteopaths. But 4 weeks later at the end of August, this pain got even worse when one night while lying down on my loungeroom carpet, I got up and felt multiple crackles in the spine. It didn't hurt at the time therefore I went to sleep and woke up half hour later in extreme pain going from the left side of my neck, left side of my thoracic spine. I felt as if I was twisted. I was unable to sleep or sit. Standing provided some relief but I couldn't sleep.
Things slightly improved over the next 3 weeks.
I had some MRIs done at the end of August 2022 which showed:
C2/C3:
[No protuberant osteophyte, disc bulging, spinal canal stenosis or
neural foramina stenosis.]
C3/C4:
Minimal broad base central and bilateral lateral disc bulging with
associated minimal right intervertebral foramina stenosis
C4/C5:
Broad-based central and right lateral disc bulging with associated
moderate right intervertebral foraminal stenosis
C5/C6:
Disc bulging resulting in moderate bilateral intervertebral foraminal
stenosis
C6/C7:
Right lateral/foraminal disc bulging resulting in moderate right
intervertebral foramina stenosis
C7/T1:
[No protuberant osteophyte, disc bulging, spinal canal stenosis or
neural foramina stenosis.]
Conclusion:
Multilevel disc bulging and multilevel intervertebral foraminal stenosis. To see the complete reports open the attached PDF.
I contacted TAC which in Australia stands for Transport Accident Commission. They are responsible for paying medical expenses for anyone who has been a victim of a transport accident. Every driver in Victoria pays a premium yearly when they renew their car registration.
I arranged an appointment here to see first and orthopaedic surgeon and then a neurosurgeon. The first specialist told me that I had C6 nerve root impingement and the second specialist reported facet joint syndrome in the neck.
The injury is defined as a mechanical injury.
I noticed a discrepancy between the 2 opinions which left me frustrated. None of the specialists can pin point the exact source of the pain. They both recommended pain management and I am currently on Endep 10, Catapress 100 and Targin 10/5 daily.
Also I was told that no operation for this condition was required and ultimately a fusion, if non invasive, minimally invasive therapies didn't work.
This maybe ok as a temporary solution, but it can't be a life long remedy, because these medicines have side effects and I can't even drive the car to the supermarket when I am drowsy.
In the mean time I had C6 nerve root cortisone injection at the hospital on 1 of DEC 2022, but it didn't work at all after 3 weeks.
I actually have more pain than ever before something like 30% more. I queried the hospital, but they told me that it was done correctly.
Just a few days ago I have had fresh, new MRIs of the cervical/thoracic spine and a bone scan of the whole spine.
Yesterday 23.12.2022, according to the pain management specialist and the neuro surgeon, they couldn't find a lot of difference compared to the previous MRIs taken in August. They were perplexed as to why I feel so much pain. They can't pinpoint the source of the pain.
This is not very re-assuring and I have to keep taking drugs for the next 6 weeks. If I don't take the medication I have extreme, 10 out 10 burning pain that starts around left of neck at C6 going through C7, T1, T2, T3. The pain is also spreading aggressively in the left of my trapezius muscle. I have referred pain in the left shoulder, left scapula, left bicep/triceps and in the little, medium, index finger and left thumb. Referred pain is also felt in the right but not as bad. I also get pain going into my left pec muscle but it is not related to the heart. My cardiologist told that I am fine there even though I can get high blood pressure when I am anxious and stressed out.
To make things worse I have also been getting left/right headaches, left ear ache, left sided head scalp numbness and dizziness from time to time in the last 2 months. Just 2 weeks ago I developed a ringing tone in my right ear which is hypersensitive to sounds. I am a total mess.
The mental depression has been really bad and I have been isolated at home because I am unable to enjoy life like I used to.
Recently when I sit and lie down I feel numbness in my legs and feet. When I stand the problems seems to disappear.
My main frustration is the lack of answers and solutions to fix these problems and two specialists can't agree on a course of action.
I have been doing a lot of research and learned that referred pain can be caused by pressure on neck functional nerves and by facet joints sensory nerves but I don't which one is the culprit. Not even the specialists know.
I am worried that if the compression is not removed in time from those nerves (assuming that it is nerve related) I may get a neuropathy and get paralysis.
My bladder/kidney/liver functions are currently fine.
I don't know if anyone in the Mayo community has come across this and knows something about it.
While searching I found this site which looks promising:
spineconnection org
They can fix a lot of spine related problems.
I haven't received the December MRIs/Bone Scan yet.
Thanks and regards
Alfred
summary of mri xray (summary-of-mri-xray.pdf)
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Hi Jennifer,
I have asked my pain management doctor, my GP and my cardiologist.
They all told me that my hear is fine and I don't need blood pressure medication.
Probably my anxiety is playing tricks on me. Also the clonidine has some blood pressure lowering properties.
I still have no answers from the first 2 doctors in regard to one hard lump 1 cm below the base of my neck and to the left 1 cm. The second hard lump is above the base of the neck to the right 1 cm. They both hurt if I gently press them.
The C7/T1 junction feels swollen. I wish I had a clear photo to show you.
The extreme pain starts from those areas.
In the mean time I am preparing for the C6 steroid injection on Wednesday.
I will get a sedation injection before the procedure because I can't stay still when lying down.
Alfred
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1 Reaction@jenatsky
Hi Jennifer,
In the last week I have been feeling intermittent left jaw and throat pain.
Could this be related to my cervical nerves?
I have been feeling some left mild mid back pain recently.
Starting on the left of T1 vertebra I feel some mild pain going down for 12cm.
Can cervical pain radiate into your thoracic spine as well?
My last thoracic MRI from end of Jan shows this:
Findings:
The thoracic spine is sagittally aligned.
Multilevel loss of intervertebral disc space height and disc desiccation in keeping with moderate degenerative disc disease.
No thoracic vertebral body compression fracture appreciated.
Moderate multilevel facet joint arthrosis.
The spinal cord signal intensity and morphology is within normal limits
without evidence for syringohydromyelia.
There is multilevel posterior disc bulge with associated minor spinal
canal narrowing and indentation of the thecal sac anteriorly along with
mild multilevel, predominantly mid-lower thoracic neural foraminal
narrowing on background ligamentum flavum hypertrophy without
appreciable contact of the exiting spinal nerve roots evident.
SUMMARY:
The thoracic spine is sagittally aligned with spondylotic change
characterised by moderate multilevel degenerative disc disease along
with multilevel facet joint arthrosis.
There are minor posterior disc bulges predominantly in the mid-lower
thoracic spine associated with minor spinal canal narrowing seen with
bulging disc seen indenting the thecal sac anteriorly along with mild
neural foraminal narrowing on background ligamentum flavum
hypertrophy at a number of levels without contact-impingement of the
exiting thoracic spinal nerve roots appreciated.
The spinal cord demonstrates normal morphology and signal intensity
without evidence for syringohydromyelia.
Thank you
Alfred
SOS
I am burning up really bad inside my neck and can't manage the pain. I couldn't sleep at all. The night before it worked for me using the same meds, why not last night?
Last night I took :
Pregabalin 75mg
Amytripiline 20ng
Clonidine 50mcg
Diclofenac 50mg
Targin 10/5
I felt drowsy but no relief at all, burning right through the neck in the back of the neck, to the sides and down the upper thoracic spine. Throbbing pain
Maybe my gut is not absorbing it.
Why so much burning and pain, feeling pins and needles on the sides of the neck, led and right.
Don't know what to do anymore.
I emailed my pain doctor for answers.
I can't cope no more, this is too much.
I feel the pain in my scapulas, deep and pulsating. My pressure this morning is 160/105.
My trapezius and scms are inflamed a lot.
Maybe I am allergic to some meds?
Hi all, many of you in the Spine Health support group have met @jenatsky. He is featured in this week's Member Spotlight by @johnbishop. Learn more how @jenatsky finds a balanced menu with volunteering, exercise, cooking, and pain relief
- Daily exercise and pain relief: Meet @jenatsky https://connect.mayoclinic.org/blog/about-connect/newsfeed-post/daily-exercise-and-pain-relief-meet-jenatsky/
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5 Reactions@jenatsky
Jenatsky really helped me with a lot of good advice.
His extensive experience as a nurse and as a healthcare consultant has been very precious.
I don't even get all this info from my pain doctor.
Thanks to Jenatsky and, to Jennifer @jenniferhunter and others @jm1
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2 Reactions@jenniferhunter
@jenatsky
Hi,
Today I had a left sided transforaminal C6 nerve root steroid injection.
I haven't felt an improvement yet but I was told to wait a few days.
As said before I keep getting this burning, tingling pain in both sides of my neck when I try to sleep after having taken the pain management meds.
Tonight I fell asleep with my the right hand side of my head with hardly any pain then 30 minutes later I suddenly woke up with unbearable burning, tingling pain over the whole rear of my neck plus the sides. I am not being anxious at the moment.
I tried ice and heat several times, slow breathing and after coughing once I got a bad hiccup that won't stop.
These sensations started after the osteo neck adjustment on 24 Feb. Will this get better eventually?
I manage the pain during the day when standing, but when I lie down I can't control it.
What else can you suggest to mitigate this burning because I am not able to sleep and stay up all night which makes me exhausted.
Thank you.
Best regards
Alfred
@ab6540183
Hi Alfred,
I have used Arnica gel topically which helps, but that isn't a strong pain killer. It does help me when I have aching tendons and ligaments in my ankle. I am still recovering from a bad ankle fracture a couple years ago with a dislocation and a sprain, so when I overdo, I get in pain and I use the Arnica. Have you tried anything like that? perhaps Voltaren topically which is over the counter for arthritis pain? I know burning nerve pain is worse. You have to find a position to rest that lessens the pain. Could your pain doctor prescribe a pain patch to place on your skin?
Have you tried sleeping sitting up? I like to pile up pillows on the couch so I'm not laying flat, but on an angle like a recliner. Often spine surgery patients say sleeping in a recliner where you can adjust the chair helps get them through recovery.
I don't know what your future is, but you have to believe you WILL get better. Keep hope in your heart. Keeping hope alive helps in recovery after surgery. It takes a lot of patience to get through this and time. You don't have an opinion from a specialist right now on what could be done for you, and you need that knowledge in order to move forward. I hope your injection brings some relief soon.
Jennifer
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3 Reactions@ab6540183
Alfred,
Yes, you can feel throat pain from cervical spine problems, particularly around C3. I have experienced that when spasms have moved my cervical vertebrae around. I still do get spasms that affect my neck because of also having thoracic outlet syndrome, and that has also caused my jaw to be too tight and unbalanced which has caused facial and jaw pain and ear pain. These are things I have worked on a lot in physical therapy. Typically neck spasms from spine problems tend to straighten the normal (lordotic) curvature of the cervical spine. In my experience, keeping my curve in line keeps me out of pain, so when I do get spasms, I need to work on them to relax the tension and allow my neck to relax. That is where myofascial release really helps me. I do have to work on the tightness from the surgical scar now and then.
As far as pain radiating, that can be complicated as to what are all the reasons for it, and if there is also any compression of a nerve further down the pathway. Generally speaking, compression at a spinal nerve root follows a dermatome map of where that pain is felt on the surface of the body, so it is predictable. Pain generated by spinal cord compression inside the spinal canal could be anywhere and can change because of differing spine positions because the spinal cord has to move inside the spinal canal and that can change where a pain symptom happens or if it happens or not because of what part of the cord is in contact with something. When spinal cord compression has advanced more so that changing position does not reduce pressure on the spinal cord and there is no fluid space around the cord, it is harder to predict how pain will respond to body position or if changing position will help at all. You can have all of these scenarios going on at the same time making it difficult to find the exact cause of pain, but that is the task of neurologists and nerve testing as well as imaging.
Jennifer
@jenatsky
Thanks Jennifer.
Sorry to bother you.
I managed to sleep somehow on Thursday night after 2 massive episodes of horrific spasms of the neck and lower back.
Today I spoke to my pain management doctor and was feeling not too bad.
Last Wednesday I had the left c6 steroid injection but I am yet to feel some relief.
Unfortunately on Saturday night now I feel the pain in the first 10cm of my upper thoracic spine. The pain is uncontrollable, I tried ice packs, slow breathing but I can't manage it at all. I feel it into the groin and both feet are partially numb.
I am getting left chest pain on and off.
The pain is unrelentless.
My blood pressure is 168/102
I can't understand why this is happening.
Both sides of my upper thoracic spine feel hard.
Should I call emergency?
The situation is pretty precarious in Australia trying to get help in the public hospital.
Thanks
Best regsrds
Alfred
Excellent video!