Excruciating chronic left side neck pain plus lumbar issues

In all the groups , and people I have met through my long journey, the majority of sufferers have at some point been told 'it's all in your head'. It is the line uttered by some physicians when their own frustration gets the better of them!
You are right, finding the person who listens and understands is the foundation to your medical treatment plan.
BUT... by the time we have struggled this long with pain and rejection, getting a doctor ( the ones who do listen as the job description) is a great idea.
Not to humor the insulting guy, but to get someone on your side.
The frustration and feelings of being abandoned and ignored are true poison to the soul; by this time, you might find it helpful to have someone who will listen and believe you.
Also, they may have a suggestion through their experience and network, the very specialist that could you.
( especially if they are connected to a medical school/university town).
Having a person who helps you 'sound off' our justified frustrations is Gold.
Didnt fix my pain, but gave me a bolster to my then shattered confidence in the middle of pain, confusion and a very non-supportive partner.
The 'pain' we have effects all aspects of our lives, the physical, most assuredly, but can also lay waste to our emotion, mental and spiritual selves- our very Being can be threatened.
Even those of us who now (after many years) have our diagnosis, do benefit from 'checking in' with our 'mental health supporters' (Connect is one of them!)
Life is a tough place to be - and we have the extra burden of carrying this pain and disablity every single day. Getting every avenue of support and guidance is a brilliant (and often overlooked) piece of wisdom.
We need help in every aspect to help us live our best life, despite it all.
I do encourage you Alfred to find somebody to be your own personal 'support person' . They can be invaluable for our journey.
All the best!

Thanks Christine.

I am currently falling apart mentally and physically due to this never ending and progressively worsening pain which feels like extreme tightness, burning, biting, pins and needles in the left side of the neck from C6 to Tl possibly. My MRI shows several nerves impinged. C6 and C7 are the worst. I also feel back pain shooting in my legs, feet and toes. My legs, my feet, my toes feel very tight. Pins and needles are painful in the toes. My left shoulder, arm, hand and fingers hurt badly. I get a lot of refered pain in all the fingers and mainly in the middle, index and thumb. It is a total fire in my body.

I have been abandoned by the traffic accident insurer called TAC (Transport Accident Commission) who will not pay for my physiotherapy, hydrotherapy because the don't think it is a permanent solution to my problem. It would help to get some relief in the mean time. I have been abandoned by the doctors who I don't trust anymore. ER is useless in Australia because they just provide temporary relief with a morphine shot then they discharge you the next day. This is the public hospital in Australia.

My injuries are the result of 2 bad traffic accidents in the last 10 years while riding the bike

Recently I can't sleep despite medication, I am going crazy. The ice packs, hot packs don't help. I feel pins and needles in different parts of my skin around the body.

I feel that this is going to kill me and if not, make my life very miserable.

The whole health system sucks in Australia and it is difficult to find good doctors. It is all about the money for them.

I complain to my pain management doctor that I am in unbearable pain , he gets me to come to his office, then he does the arms strength test which I pass, he tells me that I don't have neurological deficits and he sends me home. But what about the pain doc? He answers: take your tablets and I answer: but they don't work!

This my story for the last 12 months.

I decided that I don't want fusion with hardware or even artificial discs because the can have complications over time. I am really interested in the laser surgery to repair the disc, IE remove the bulging, the herniations, bone spurs.

I can't find this in Australia. The US is way ahead of Australia in this field

Ever since I acquired mild nerve damage in my neck from minimally invasive surgery, the two MRI’s I’ve had since caused 9 mos of pain afterwards each time. It seems it’s caused by the powerful magnets. Has anyone else had this experience?

Also, I have had nucleus propulsus from a ruptured disk touch nerves and tissues at C5/6 or 6. It did burn all the nearby nerves and there was within 2 hrs but it has grown and grown for 9 mos and the pain is unbearable when I lie flat and it continues all night. Is there some treatment for the pain? It’s ruining my health. Would peptide therapy help? Red Light Therapy? Would a CBD pain cream? I don’t like menthol in lots of creams on a damaged nerve. It makes it angrier. TU.

The numerical pain ratings from patients are supposed to try to identify levels of pain intensity a person is experiencing so they can be more clearly expressed to someone else. Shouldn’t understanding and empathizing be some part of treatment? It’s sad that a doc would tell you it’s in your head.

AlfredB,
medial branch blocks are used to discover it the cervical impingment is causing shoulder and arm pain.
You may be having a steroid flare. In some people the crystal of antiinflammatory agent (prednisone. depo medrol) irritates the joint causing yet more inflammation. Not so well know is the pain can last several months. The facet injection is directly in the joint.

The increasing facet issue is more likely cascade from the other "serious pathologies".

Hi Alfred,
I am concerned about you and your present situation. I am in Canada, but I do understand parts of the health care system in Commonwealth nations.
The ER is good but they will only treat the "Presenting Problem":. so if pain is the biggest problem of that moment, then that's the treatment you will receive. They will not engage in any diagnostics.
Since I do not know about the facilities in your area in Australia, I did look online for any helpful contacts.
There is a lot of spinal cord injuries sites --- not quite your place, but they may be a source of 'where to suggest'.
On one site the ''Spinal Life Association", they state that they are 'advocates' and state, "see how we can help you". Sounds good! They will certainly be able to understand what benefits/clinics/doctors/specialists are available in your 'neck of the woods', and steer you to the right place and persons.
In the meantime, have you tried talking to the "Mental Health line"? The more professionals you have in your corner the better, and with your permission, they can talk to each other to formulate a plan of action for you. There appears to be a different number for contact in each different state. You will have to call the one that is in your area. Please don't be put off in reaching out to these folk... you can bet that every person with a spinal pain and condition will have done so already!! Please don't allow yourself to stay in a dark place --- it can become a black hole. No, they don't have the cure, but it is so good to talk with someone who understands your life. That's my personal recommendation and my professional one!
You are the Captain of your ship --- so far, there have been too many rocks to navigate around! You are the one who can change course,
Please let us know how you are doing as you start afresh in your journey. I have faith in you !!
All the best Alfred!
christine

Alfred, medical branch blocks are used to discover if cervical impingement is causing shoulder and arm pain.
These blocks can result in lasting pain relief. Otherwise the patient can return to the source of this pain with facet joint injections. Facet joint injections can result in lasting pain relief. Otherwise the patient can have the nerve ablated with radiofrequency.
Increasing cervical facet nerve impingement is probably sequelae from the other serious pathologies that you don't delineate in your post. Central canal stenosis poses the greatest risk for you. The Thursday MRI. Wish it were a standing MRI (few places perform them) but it will give you treatment direction. Cervical facet impingement is not likely to cause pain or numbness in lower extremities.
There is the possibility of long term "steroid flare" causing increasing (frightening) neck back and shoulder pain without indicating a further compression of the joint.
I am sorry you have that silly doctor, they slow you down.
I'd erase the comment that repeats much of this I wasn't finished and accidentally posted. Mostly I wish you luck. As you already know, there are remedies for you.

Hi,

My pain has increased in the last week on its own. I did not have any medial branch blocks.

I was supposed to have them on 07/07/2023 but that is when he told me that my pain for somatic pain disorder and cancelled the medial branch blocks. Not a very good doctor in my opinion.

I won't be dealing with them anymore.

Hi

I mentioned this Central canal stenosis to my doctors but was told it was very mild and didn't have to worry about it.

You might consider cervical microdiscetomy without fusion at C5/6. It reportedly produces good results without fusion and only around 10% reherniate. The procedure is minimally invasive only removes the displaced portion of the pulposus and uses radiofrequency to repair the annulus.
Did your previous surgery involve metal implants. Did the second MRI reveal any changes caused by the first.
Heat and Ice alternately might help and some people try physical therapy, accupunture. But these are slow, temporary remedies.
google cervical nucleoplasty with annuloplasty. The success rate is said to be> 80%.