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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
how are you?
On 15 March 2023 I had the left C6 nerve root injection.
2 days later I started feeling strong pain that I never felt before just starting under C7 to the left.
The pain is chronic, burning with strong pins and needles.
I also feel some numbness and when I sit down I feel that my left foot goes a little numb, it feels tight.
Can the injection have caused this?
I am not managing the pain very well with the meds and I keep waking up constantly during the night.
This has caused me a lot of anxiety because I am not getting relief,
It has been 6 days like this but it is not improving.
Will it improve eventually with time?
Thank you.
Best regards
Alfred
Hi Alfred, we are all praying for you to get relief, sometimes it takes me 14-16 days before I get some relief. Keep icing, remember no heat on the injection site and no massage for 2 weeks.
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4 ReactionsThank you jm1 and for your prayers, I definitely need a lot.
I am icing as I am writing, it is helping a bit.
Today I went to see my pain management doctor who told me that no decision can be made about fusion surgery unless they can prove which the facet joint, nerve root are causing the pain. So far I had some facet joint injections and 2 left C6 nerve root injections.
In Australia the surgery would cost around $50000 AUD or $33581 USD. I don't that it would include rehabilitation.
I don't I understand why they are not trying C5, C7 and C8 nerve root injections since I get referred pain in all my fingers on and off on both sides.
My main stabbing point is mainly under C7/T1 to the left.
This is my latest bone scan from 6 March 2023:
WHOLE BODY BONE SCAN
Clinical Notes:
Neck, thoracic and low back pain.
Technique:
The entire skeleton was examined following intravenous injection of 847MBq of Technetium HDP.
SPECT images of the entire spine were also acquired and these were reconstructed in three planes.
These have been co-registered with a preceding low-dose CT study including colour-coding.
Findings:
Comparison has been made with the previous study of 21/12/2022.
Cervical Spine
Some disc degenerative activity at C4/5, C5/6 and C6/7 is again seen similar to the previous study.
On this occasion there is some very slight facet joint activity on the left side at C6/7.
Thoracic Spine
Previously there was some slight increased activity in the left T2/3 facet joint. Today this is more marked and quite prominent.
Prominent increased activity is now seen in the right T5/6 facet joint not present previously.
Lumbar Spine
Disc degenerative activity is again shown at L2/3 and L5/S1.
There is now some slight increased disc degenerative activity at L1/2 not shown previously.
There is no increased facet joint activity.
The sacroiliac joints remain unremarkable.
Comment:
Since the previous study some slight increased activity has developed in the left C6/7 facet joint.
Significantly more marked activity is now present in the left T2/3 facet joint as well as activity in the right T5/6 joint indicating
degenerative synovitis.
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3 ReactionsHi Alfred ! I’m so sorry you are in such pain. Praying for you to get relieve in the near future. Is surgery the only option? 🙏🏼🙏🏼
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2 Reactions@jenniferhunter
@jenatsky
@jm1
It's 4:58. I didn't take any pills tonight to see if I could hold on. Excruciating burning with pins and needles in left side of neck and upper thoracic spine. Numbness in the groin and feet. My doctors don't know what causes this burning and numbness. very reassuring of their part. 😣
I kept icing but didn't help. Looks like that no one knows nothing and my condition is not improving.
This extra pain has started since I had the C6 nerve root injection.
It is difficult to stay positive and relaxed. I tried deep breathing but the pain is too much.
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2 ReactionsYou should take your meds as directed. Trying to hold off your meds is not the correct thing to do. I am repeating myself : You need to talk to your dr about taking them round the clock not just at nite. If you build a steady stream you will not have these horrible break thru episodes. 🙏
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5 ReactionsThanks for your advise.
The meds have made me nauseate a lot recently, vomit, slow my digestion, make me lose appetite and increased my constipation. I haven't been able to pass a stool for nearly a week.
Anytripiline gives an extreme dry mouth and recurring nightmares through the night.
I saw the pain doctor on Thursday, he was supposed to change my meds on the day to something more tolerable but he hasn't done it yet.
This new pain i am getting just below the base of the neck has started occurring just a day after I received the left C6 nerve root injection. Is is a coincidence? I don't know. Could the doctor perfirming the injection have struck a nerve? I don't know. Prior this injection I didn't feel that much pain. The pain is stabbing, intense, pins and needles.
I understand that I need the meds to cope with the pain but this does not fix the underlying problem of nerve compression which shown on the MRIs. On top of the there is also facet joint inflammation.
If I take the meds during the day I will feel like a vegetable and won't be able to do much.
Thanks.
Alfred
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1 ReactionNot taking the meds around the clock increases the intensity of the pain you experience at night, Not getting much sleep can worsen symptoms of depression.
Pleas reconsider your stance on when you take prescription pain meds.
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2 ReactionsAlfred, I have given you the all workarounds for every side effect you mentioned the last 3 months. And I am not going to repeat them all again. So, Please go back and read them and do them, they work. Like I have said before, It's about tradeoffs. You have to break the pain cycle with the meds to start healing and reducing your depression. To cope, I also watch alot of movies, play games, and read books, but at least my meds stop the burning pain. Dont take your meds on an empty stomach. Soda crackers at least. And add a daily salad to my previous constipation recs. YOU CAN DO THIS . If you are up to it try helping some folks on other blog threads the way I have been trying g to help you. It takes your mind in a different direction. 🙏
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4 ReactionsI have been taking my Endep medication but I still feel some numbness under C7 vertebra to the left connecting with left groin and foot. I can still walk but it is very annoying feeling the numbness which wasn't there as pronounced before the C6 injection.
Today I am seeing a neurologist for my nerves. Don't know what he can do to help me with this.