C6 nerve compression and double vision

I’ve got bulging disc at I believe was C4-C6 same as you I’ve been to audiologist everything is good for my hearing but the tinnitus is so loud I’m going in for an evaluation for hearing aids to try quieting the sound in my ear down so I can sleep. When I quit work a year ago working nights I would wear a blue tooth mask and play music to try overriding the sound that I’ve had since about 1996 from an air blast to my ear but has got worse since my surgery in Back Surgery in April. I’ve not had double vision but was getting a flash in the corner of my left eye. Then about 2 months detached the vitreous gel in my right eye. I’ve got a cyst on the brain but neurologist says it’s not causing any problems.

Hi
Thanks for the reply. It’s interesting because it never occurred to me that my double vision and associated issues could be due to my neck. I’m super fed up of not being able to get any answers.
Really hope you can get sorted out. The tinnitus is horrible!
Tracey

Hello, @traceycat, I Have been diagnosed w/ C-4, into C-5 and now progressive to C-6 w/ Spinal Stenosis, Cervical Radiculopathy w/Myeleopathy. Thing is I Have visited Mayo 3 occasions in the last 9 years. Recently on 24th of January this last week. I'm dealing with all you have just explained and I was basically told By Neurosurgeon, "Surgery won't help it will just make worse", so I just agreed, cuz I felt he was in a hurry even though I waited 45min for him to enter the room. Last visit 2 years ago he seemed to listen. I then Went for CT injection, for C-5 bilateral right side, on Wed 24th and have a little relief, but my left side was worse w/ pain, and I'm assuming they did right side since my R Arm was tingling/ numb and CT Was scheduled prior to The Mayo's discovery of me having Severe Carpal tunnel in Right arm and Left arm, then basically I felt they then focused on the EMG For Arms and totally dismissed the main issue, my NECK And blurred vision and the immense pain in both sides of neck, and the inability to stay awake w/ so much pain but only sleep for 1 hour at a time, when I lay down my head constantly pounds and the pressure in my neck, head "frontal", more so left temporal, This CT injection has now traveled on 3rd day from the site of injection, now i have severe pain in lower back and following up w/ My doctor at home on Monday, to see what this is all about, been off work Since October and yes it is Miserable.. sorry you are enduring this pain too. I am also going to get a Second and possibly a 3rd Opinion, almost 10 years of this pain. Susan

Thanks for this Susan. You have my sympathy, sounds like youve had a really difficult time too. I think the worst thing is, as you said, that you feel the main issues you are trying to sort out are dismissed. Sometimes I feel like the words I’m saying to my doctor are translated somehow into something different entirely. All I want is some answers, so having to search myself because my vision is completely double and I’m very dizzy and unsteady.
I hope you get some resolution to your health issues, honestly Ive gone from being outgoing and fun and active to being withdrawn and miserable because of my health issues.
Tracey

@wil24 Susan, I'm sorry you didn't get the answers you were looking for. You might have what they call a double crush where you have the same nerve compressed in a few different places making it impossible to tell where the pain is coming from. The same nerve may be compressed at the spine and also in your wrist and both areas can be generating pain. Spine surgery causes a lot of inflammation, and perhaps this is why the doctor thinks surgery would make you worse. Was there any mention of surgery to address the carpal tunnel? It also gets confusing between carpal tunnel and thoracic outlet syndrome if you also have that. I had that situation in having carpal tunnel surgery on my wrist and it didn't solve the pain I had, and was later diagnosed with TOS. The hand surgeon completely missed that I had TOS and was irritated after I came back to him and told him after another doctor diagnosed it. He wouldn't help at all or authorize physical therapy. He actually was rude in my medical records calling me a malingerer, and it was he that missed the diagnosis and didn't understand the condition.

What he did at my surgical follow appointment was take my pulse in my wrist and tell me I was fine. Taking my pulse may have told him useful information if he had done it while my arm was raised and head turned because that cuts off the circulation in TOS. They can also listen in the neck and do the same things. That is pretty common with TOS patients to go years before getting a diagnosis. We had talked about TOS before you went for your appointments. Did they discuss or test you for TOS while you were there? If you had both TOS and carpal tunnel in addition to the spine issues, it would be very confusing indeed.

Did any of your doctors think addressing the carpal tunnel first would be a step toward removing it from the equation?

I still think you may get some benefit from myofascial release and you don't need a specific diagnosis to do that. You're in pain and that is enough to justify it. It can help carpal tunnel up to a point, but your condition may be too severe for that. Surgeons do look for what they call a differential diagnosis. That may be why they were focused more on your arm issues than your neck after the discovery. I'm sorry you are suffering as I know how hard that can be. There may be muscle spasms rotating your vertebrae in your neck, and a physical therapist doing myofascial release can help that by getting things back in line where they belong. It may improve your symptoms even though it doesn't solve the structural spine condition. That would be the same therapy to do for TOS anyway, and if you have TOS, it can help even without the official diagnosis. I had rotating vertebrae putting pressure on my spine issues which was causing my spinal canal to close down a bit and causing vertigo, gait disturbances, and difficulty emptying my bladder; when my PT straightened things out, my stenosis symptoms improved. That made it intermittent for awhile, and I also had no doubt what was causing them. A good PT can probably help direct the diagnosis if the doctors will listen to what the PT figures out.

I'm glad you are following up with your doctor tomorrow. Do you know where you want to go for a second or possible third opinion? If you have more questions or what to discuss anything, please let me know.

Jennifer

Jennifer

Sorry to hear about the tough time you’re having, Tracey. A few months back I was diagnosed with stenosis, including a bulging disk and osteocytes that are touching (but not compressing) my cord at C5-6. I have other lesser problems at C6-7. My primary symptoms are feelings of numbness and weakness in my lower arms and legs, although physical tests show no definable strength loss. Both my spine doc and PT say my MRI doesn’t explain the lower leg problems. I went to a neurologist who said the same. I also get periodic bouts of nausea and light-headedness when I look down too much, especially in physical activity when, say, cleaning or cooking. Likewise, I feel that I have slight gait disturbances after the same activities. None of the docs (my PT is also a doc) can explain these ancillary and only periodic symptoms, but I’m convinced they’re all related. No vision or hearing problems related to the stenosis, although I have a prior ear injury that causes me separate issues with hyperacusis and minor hearing loss.

I’ve been lucky that PT has definitely helped lessen my symptoms. In fact, some days I’m in no discomfort at all. But I have to avoid many things I like to do and have made adjustments on other activities, like getting book and laptop stands that bring everything to eye level so that I don’t have to drop or tilt my head to read or type. I’ve also been sitting in a straight-back chair to watch TV and generally keeping good posture which requires constant attention. Life-changing to say the least, but I’m doing ok, again thanks to PT

I hope you get to the bottom of your complications and find relief with appropriate intervention.

Have been on this train awhile, suffering with Cervicogenic pain, occipital neuralgia, osteophytes, bulging discs, vestibular migraine with vertigo, chronic sinusitis, tinnitus, vision issues, and migraine without aura , nausea, lightheadness, dizziness. Reading the "Pathophysiology if Migraine: A Disorder of Sensory Processing" at NIB has been very enlightening. It is all inter related! Avoiding head down posture is great advice. Diet and lifestyle changes along with nerve blocks have helped me also. Prayers for all suffering.

Thank you for your reply, your symptoms sound very similar to mine. I’ve tried neck exercises from YouTube but they haven’t really helped. I’m waiting to see a neurologist but I will see if I can read what you suggested.
I truly feel this condition is ruining my life. How do you manage on a daily basis?
Hope things improve for you
Tracey

Oh thank you for your kind words. I’m sure all of my issues are connected too. I’m fed up of going to my gp in tears all of the time because I feel so unwell. Not having a clear diagnosis is causing me huge anxiety, my gp just tries to give me anti depressants despite the fact I’m not depressed, I’m anxious which is completely different.
The worst thing is the really weird things like I’ve been getting what feels like a star shooting through my head and for years I had one eyebrow droop that cleared up one day on its own . It’s so bizarre but my anxiety comes from having so many symptoms and never knowing what’s next.
You seem to be managing your symptoms quite well, given the circumstances. Wish you all the best
Tracey

Typo correction Its a publication at NIH. Neurologist is best bet. Wasted too much time with 5 Ents and a few GP'S. No more coffee or chocolate or wine or other foods that aggravate allergies. No gardening or pollen/mold exposure. Neck brace when needed. Lomit computer and texts. Special book holder. Ice packs when inflammed. Along with meds. Afrin and omnaris sometimes help with dizziness too.