Excruciating chronic left side neck pain plus lumbar issues

@ab6540183

Alfred, You may want to ask your doctor or pharmacist is the extra doses of pregabalin would be safe, and if that could be causing the nausea and feeling of "being hot" that you describe.

I also saw a post from another member that mentioned a podcast with a psychologist about the psychology of pain and gaining control of it. I looked her up, and here is her website, She has written some books that may interest you. I have not seen this, but I think that this may explain
how meditation, music, relaxation therapies can help reduce pain and why it works among other things. If you understand why it can work, perhaps you can let yourself explore that possibility.

When you describe yourself being short of breath, that may be from breathing improperly by taking quick breaths with the upper part of the lungs and even using neck muscles to do it pulling on the upper ribs. That will cause more anxiety. Relaxed breathing is from the diaphragm muscles in the belly. You can place your hand there to make sure your belly is rising slowly with a slow deep inhale. Don't rush or it gets right back to breathing with your neck again.

@jm1 is correct in that the more you describe yourself as being defeated by your pain and situation, the deeper that gets and you begin to define yourself in a negative way. You can talk yourself into staying there if you keep revisiting those thoughts. It may be subconscious, but you need to find a way to interrupt that roller coaster of pain, fear, and anger.

Perhaps you're not ready to understand and explore this just yet. In order to move forward, there needs to be acceptance of the situation, and in a way, "making friends" with your pain and trying to understand it. Only then, will pain no longer be an enemy, and you can find a way to influence the pain and lessen its anxiety. Those are steps that you can take when you are ready to take responsibility for your wellness.

Alfred, it makes me sad to know that you are suffering and not getting the help that you need. I feel powerless to help, but I am listening.

Jennifer

Hi Jennifer,

I have been trying to do the meditation stuff but the pain is so extreme and burning which is overwhelming.

For example last night the pain has been getting worse on my left hand side. It is burning, feels numb, deep in my neck, spreading everywhere.

Recently I am getting sore throat from the cervicogenic pain , sharp headaches etc.

How am I going to manage all this pain? The drugs aren't working properly.
As I said I am feeling very drowsy but feeling the full impact of the pain.

My blood pressure reached 167/105 last night. There isn't a single second to relax.
I am under continuous attack. I have been crying from it a lot.

The pain doctor should revise the drugs and try other ones in my opinion.

Next Wednesday, and I hope I can get there, I will have a transforaminal C6 left nerve root steroid injection at Olympic Park Imaging. I asked to be sedated prior because I am not able to lie down due to the pain. I am also experiencing an intermittent electric current starting in the right of my neck flowing towards the shoulder and right arm. My neck muscles are also inflamed. If I touch the skin of my neck it hurts to the touch.

In the end I called virtual emergency ( vved.org.au) instead of calling the ambulance.
The online doctor tweaked my medication a bit by adding an extra tablet of Amitriptyline.
This provided some short term relief, about 2 hours sleep. When I woke up I was still burning in the left. The online doctor advised to get remedial massage.

To feel like this every day and night is very challenging even for the strongest person.

I am wondering if this is life threatening if something is not down soon. It is important that I manage this pain properly because while I am in pain I am stressing my family when they seem me on the floor agonizing.

Thank you.

Best regards

Alfred

It wasn't a chiropractor but an osteopath.

I definitely showed him the MR reports for cervical and thoracic and also told home to be gentle because I was inflamed. I told him about the imaging but he replied that the report was good enough.

I can only remember 2 things before this pain exploded:
1) I saw an acupuncturist on 23/2/2023
2) I visited the osteopath on 24/2/2023

After this hell broke loose.
I should have know better with such an MRI.

I didn't even receive a call from my pain management doctor to advise me to avoid manipulation.
He had the full imaging and he should reviewed straight after being taken.

I am not accusing anyone but I noticed this change after being worked on.

I realised that there aren't many real friends because no one calls me except when they have a computer issue to resolve. I haven't received any visits from friends and family except for my second son. Wen I call to have a chat no one answers or returns calls.

I have been an IT admin for over 30 years and still know my stuff.

Now I have burning pain that won't stop for a second.

Alfred if you had to put a finger on it it would appear one of both of your health related visits on that day are partially responsible for part of your suffering or exacerbating it. The more you baby your neck the better off you will be. The less stress you put on your neck the better. Please be careful on your pain meds so you don’t accidentally OD since you’re having difficulties getting relief.

No massage., too inflammed!
ICE, ICE ICE, only thing to bring relief at this point. keep rotating ice packs.
I have 4 ice packs in my freezer. Elasto gel work good, see lic. They deep cool.

Thanks Jenatsky.

I have to find a way to manage my pain though because I am unable to sleep and sleep is very important for body repair.

If my pain management doctor can't work it out then I am really in big trouble.
There must be a combination of meds that won't nauseate me and also provide relief.

Whenever the ambulance came down, they just improvised by telling me take extra pills.
The ambulance here in Melbourne does not deem incredibly excruciating pain as an an emergency. They will take you to the hospital only if you have a heart attack, a stroke, a car accident or a vax adverse reaction. It really sucks.

Read this below about our hospital system crisis in Australia :

Urgent action needed now on crisis-ridden hospitals
https://www.ama.com.au/ama-rounds/3-march-2023/articles/urgent-action-needed-now-crisis-ridden-hospitals

I read the attachment you included. WOW your health system is in deep trouble. Are there any private hospitals. I have no idea how your systems or health insurance works down under. I am very versed in our systems here. You appear to be in limbo and more reason to take care of yourself. Are you still working or on disability?

Hi Jenatsky,

this is a real problem.

We have private hospitals here but you need private health insurance.

Unfortunately last year when this problem started I didn't have private health insurance because there were the public hospitals which are free for residents. So I thought that I would go to the public hospital in order to be treated. I soon found out that they are always packed and there is a minimum of 3 year to wait for any orthoapedic and neurosurgery.

In December 2022 I signed up for private hospital cover that costs me $230 Australian dollars per month which is a lot for me that I am not working. I have been providing medical exemption certificates to get government assistance to get by. Here they pay you around $1200 per month, it is not a lot but is better than nothing. On May 7, I will be eligible for the old age pension.

The problem with my new private health insurance is that there is a waiting period of 12 months for pre-existing conditions before they pay anything. Therefore if I go to private hospital they would accept me, but I would have to pay out of my own pocket. I wouldn't have enough money to cover the private hospital which would be very expensive.

But with my case I have the Transport Accident Insurer that would pay for the private hospital. I don't know how to get hospitalized because I would have to request for an approval of private hospital expenses by the private insurer.

Jenatsky, having been a professional nurse for many years, why do I feel a constant excruciating stabbing pain around the left of my cervical spine between C7 and T3 vertebrae roughly, then to the left between SCM and Trapezius muscles at the same level?

How can I relieve that stabbing pain? Is the stabbing pain caused by nerve, muscles or both?

Can a gentle remedial massage help?

The stab started 2 weeks ago on both sides and it is unbearable. If I could get rid of that, I would be much better. The left is much more painful.

Thanks.

Alfred

Alfred my first name is Jules. Your trapezius muscles are fed by nerves from C3-4 vertebrae and in part your MRI shows the following
“ 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.
Notice all the mention of stenosis for each segment. This stenosis is compressing on the nerves feeding your painful areas. These can be opened with surgery to provide relief.

Thanks Jules.

But while I am waiting I am feeling a massive burning sensation around from c7/t1 area. I am not really sure if the pain is really coming from there but that is where there is a lump that hurts continually and bad.

None of the medications are fully managing the psin like before.
When that spot hurts I also feel referred pain in my left trap, shoulder, arm, palm, thumb, index finger, middle, 4th and 5th intermittently.
I am not sure how I am going to cope over the next month until I see the new pain management doctor. Next week I will have the C6 steroid injection. There will many other injections I believe until the points of pain will be identified.