Back and Neck Pain Exchange
What are the best treatments for back and neck pain? Who are the best doctors? ... more
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AngelaView Thread
Here it is 2010 and my neck / upper back from shoulder blades up to scull of my head started hurting. I have noticed my left arm tingling and if i hold both arms above my head both sides hurt and dont have the streangth in my hands and arms i used too. I have having extreme muscle tightening in my shoulders and around my neck. Muscle spasms and my neck is stiff and constantly wants to pop. Oh yeah and a lot more headaches from all the tension back there.
I just recently had x-rays of my neck but not upper back on 12/23/10 waiting results.
Those of you with neck problems or those that have had surgery does this sound familar?
Thank you
Penny 30 years oldView Thread
Corporate whistleblowers and congressional critics contend such arrangements—which are common in orthopedic surgery—amount to kickbacks to stoke sales of medical devices. They argue that the overuse of surgical hardware ranging from heart stents to artificial hips is a big factor behind the soaring costs of Medicare, the government medical-insurance system for the elderly and disabled.
Conservative spine surgeons argue that a spinal fusion is appropriate only for a small number of conditions, such as spinal instability, spinal fracture or a severe curvature of the spine known as scoliosis, and that financial incentives have caused the procedure to become overused. The most hotly debated use of spinal fusion surgery centers on patients who merely suffer from aging disks, a condition known as degenerative disk disease.
Fusion by the Numbers View Interactive
See hospitals' case counts and total Medicare reimbursements for spine fusion, 2004-2008.One health insurer, the nonprofit Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina, announced in September that it would stop paying for spine fusions performed on such patients beginning on Jan. 1. The insurer said that the procedures are "considered not medically necessary."
Some recent studies have suggested poor outcomes for spinal fusion. A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, or JAMA, in April found that Medicare patients with a condition called spinal stenosis who had more than two vertebrae fused, a procedure known as a complex fusion, were nearly three times more likely to have life-threatening complications than patients who had a less invasive procedure known as a decompression.
Another study of workers' compensation cases published this year in the online edition of the journal Spine showed that patients who had a spinal fusion were much less likely to return to work within two years after their surgery than a group of patients with similar conditions who didn't have surgery, and that 27% of them had to be re-operated on. Their rate of permanent disability was more than five times as high as the patients whose spines weren't fused, and their daily intake of powerful narcotic painkillers increased by 41% after surgery.
Read the entire Wall Street Journal article here: http://online.wsj.com/article_email/SB10001424052748703395204576024023361023138-lMyQjAxMTAwMDIwMTEyNDEyWj.html .View Thread
Yesterday I went into the hospital to have a CT mylograme of c-spine. This is when they give you a spinal tap and draw off some fluid, then inject the spine with dye. They flip me upside down to get the dye up and down the spinal canal. Then they take cat scan pictures and your done. You have to wait at the hospital for 2-4 hours after the procedures A: to make sure you dont' get a headache and B: to keep you from getting a headache. After this procedure your suppose to lay flat to keep from getting a headache.
I'll find out Tuesday what finally happens to my neck/arm/back. Will it be surgery, or what????View Thread
I went to my university health center and I was told to take ibuprofen and ice my back. The icing doesnt seem to do much but I have taken Ibuprofens when I have needed to.
I am restricted in a few movements and I cant breath too deep without feeling pain in the left side of my chest.
Getting a doctor to evaluate me is bit of an issue due to distance and transportation so I am curious to know if the pinched nerve will eventually take care of itself on its own if I avoid any activities that can aggravate it AND if so how long will it take and will i be able to go back to my regular weight lifting routine?
ThanksView Thread
I have massive, massive headaches that could be from my herniated disk or my brain trauma from my car accident in June. I think a bunch of different things are going on but I also think they all end up combining themselves also.
I'm worried that he may say surgery and if it works great, I'm excited, but how long will I be out of work? I've been with the same job for 18 years I don't think they can let me go because I have a health issue. After all I have over 100 days I can use to take time off.
I had 2 disks removed from my lower back awhile ago and everything was great. But I now have another bad disk bulging in my lower back. Is that related to the neck problem or just a fluke. I'll have the Dr. Tuesday look at this area also.
Well enough is enough.View Thread
For all I know it's nothing, but I was just wondering if anyone knows anything about this. Should I be concerned?View Thread
I am a 30 year mom of 2 young boys (8&5), and I had spinal fusion surgery in April on my L5, after having a failed discectomy in December. I have been in constant pain for over 2 years now, and it has increased tremendously since the fusion. I knew the fusion would solve one issue, but create several more, but I had no idea it would be to this degree. Most days I have trouble walking, I can no longer drive for more than 10 min. stretches, and I am now experiencing pain and numbness in both of my arms and hands, which is further incapacitating me. Has anyone else experienced similar issues? I have been advised to apply for disability, and I am going to seek the advice of an attorney next week, but I am going to school at the present (online), and I am still hoping to one day feel well enough to return to my career in Interior Design, but I'm afraid that may never happen. I'm also concerned bc my disks are degenerating at such a rapid rate, I am looking at more surgeries in the very near future, which I personally think will be a waste of time. I have scar tissue wrapping my sciatic nerve, and a host of other issues, and my pain management Dr. was honest with me, and told me I was most likely going to never improve. I'm hoping in the next few years more advancements will be made, bc I can't imagine living like this for the rest of my life. I feel like my kids are being cheated out of so many experiences, bc we used to lead such an active life, but that has all come to a halt. I am also unable to do household chores, putting a further strain on my husband, who I am so lucky to have, bc he complains about nothing and supports me unconditionally. I have been told I have the back of a 75 year old, so where does that put me in 20 years, lol?? I may seek a second opinion on my condition, bc my neurologist has just pushed me to pain management bc he repaired the herniation, but has let pain management deal with the after effects. If anyone has a similar story or any advice I would really appreciate some feedback.View Thread
Where do I go now. What happens next. Do I live with the rest of my life on pain meds that really don't work anymore. Dr. says he doens't like to do neck surgery so I guess that means that I suffer.
My physical therapist wants me to see a specialist that she can refer me to. I'm just getting so tired of seeing Dr.s and having tests, x-rays, MRI's. I want the pain to go away but I'm sure you can understand how tired I am.
Any help out there.View Thread
I am 27 years old male based of India, working with consulting firm as Business Analyst for 3 years. My daily job activities involve working in front of laptop for 8-10 hours. To reach office I travelled 40 Kms on bike and back home the same way.
From last six to ten months, I am having issue with my neck / shoulders sometimes back pain (minor) that restricts me to have less mobility of neck and if I do so it triggers a pain in and around neck, shoulders and till some part of hands (tingling effect).When I first got this issue, I let go for sometime as it was not causing trouble, but later when pain increased, I saw physio-therapist to get treated. He begins to give me ultra-sound, IFT and traction to induce healing. During treatment, I was almost ok after 8-10 days of therapy, but somehow the pain reoccurred after I had a gap of 4-5 days in treatment (thinking I was alright). Then I revisited him and physio-therapist said let the treatment gets complete, so again I underwent treatment and was alright after 10-12 days treatment. But to my surprise, the pain again reoccured after 2 days but this time near left shoulders starting from the locations below left ear to left hand biceps.
So this time I visited orthopaedist to know more about this pain and why it is occurring repeatedly. He asked me to undergo MRI of cervical spine (16-Aug-09), and I did the same. Below are the outcome of MRI test:
Early degenerative changes in C2-C3,C5-C6 discs.
Posterior disco osteophyte complex seen impinging adjacent anterior thecal sac and cervical cord at C5-C6 level.
Decrease in the mid sagittal cervical canal diameters at C5-C6 level
Incidentally noted -
Degenerative changes in L4-L5 disc.
Schmori nodules herniating in the upper end plate of LV1, LV2 bodies.
Doctor said I am fine and there is nothing much to worry and asked me to exercise for 3 weeks and see him again. This is all happened in last week of august to mid of september.
At present i am doing exercise as prescribed and feel alright but get crunch or little pain sometime and also if i dont do exercise. Overall i am fine, but worried about my neck and back as sometime they pains. In early morning, i also get some stiffness in and around neck. In addition, do i need to take up MRI scan again as its little old. (or) one more concern is that my age, as i am very young getting these type of problems is it alarming and also can i sustain my lifestyle and living habits for atleast next 30 years till 58 years. Please advice.
Can i continue doing my desk work or change the profession?
I am concerned what exactly is this. Hope these details are appropriate. Please let me know if any more details are required or need any clarifications.
Thank you.
Regards,
Ravinder RajView Thread
My neck has 3 disks out of place, and severe arthritis in the neck. One disk is pressing on a nerve that goes down my shoulder and down my arm into my hand. I have numbness in my hand on and off. I have severe pain in my elbow and forearm along with pain going into my hand. My right hand that is which is amy domanent hand.
I was told yesterday that they beliveve that I have a Double crush of the deep radial nerve. He said they can try shots in my elbow or go straight to surgery but that will be the surgeon's decision.
I have to go for a nerve test on my arm to find out where exactly the nerve is crushed then decide what needs to be done.
I have to go for a spine MRI to get a better picture of the disks, to which I have degenerate disk disease.
The pain is so bad that I take 3600mg of nerve pain medicine a day. It makes me tired. Not tired enough to sleep but mellow's me out. I don't know if that's good because I suffer from depression and it adds to that.
I am a work o holic. I always feel I have to be at work and feel bad when I have to go to the Dr's and have to take the day off. But my husband always says you are a number there you can always be replaced. He's right everybody can be replaced, but I don't want to be that one. I've been told from many people with everything I have going on that I would be able to get disability. I don't want that. I'm not giving in to that. I just suffer with the pain.
Bottom line is I have so many health problems from head to toe and suffering from depression and anxiety. I think about death so much that sometimes I want it to be real.
JayneView Thread
I talked to the owner who is the head honcho today about this pain and he said something about the middle or second bone in my elbow is injured along with my tendons being swollen possible torn and that is why the pain in going into my hand.
My arm is becoming imobile. It's my dominet hand and that doesn't help. I have all I can do to put my car in Drive. We were having Sweet corn tonight and I couldn't even husk it. I've asked the Physical therapists if it's time to bring in a orthopedic Dr. and they say no I just have to give it time because of the amount of pain.
I don't even know if calling my Dr. and getting a different pain medication would work because I have to drive a 1/2 hour to and from work. Another thing that adds is that I am a secretary and I type 90% of the day so when I'm at work I'm in pain all day.
Any suggestions.
JayneView Thread
Someone please help me get rid of my pain. I don't drink or smoke but my husband says maybe I need to have a few drinks a day to ease my mind and my pain.
Suggestions!View Thread
-heidiView Thread
4 weeks ago I had a bought with bronchitis, which caused me to cough so much and so hard I thought that it was causing pains below my right ribs (as has happened before when I get a chest cold or bronchitis). After the pain is my right ribs got worse and I had some strange bowl movements, I went to the emergency room, where I was diagnosed with a gall bladder attack. The gall bladder attacks have caused pain below my right ribs, my right upper chest, behind my right shoulder, and to the right of my spine. Could the gall bladder be causing the pain in my lower left back? Could the gall bladder have been going bad when I first noticed the low back pain in February 2010?
I saw my doctor today and he ordered two blood test and a sonogram. He told me that although the low back is not usually a site for gall bladder pain, he would not rule it out, until these test come back, and they make a decision on what to do for my gall bladder. He said if the back pain goes away after they treat whatever is causing the gall bladder attacks, great, if the back pain still continues then they'll do tests to find out what is causing it. He said to continue my low fat diet and gave me Vicodin for the pain.
My chiropractor also gave me some exercises and low back strecthes to do and the strecthes do help. I do the strecthes in the morning and at nighrt, but the pain ids still there in the morning. After the strecthes the pain stops for above 2-3 minutes, but starts back again.
Can anyone provide anything that I might do other than what I've already done? Thanks for any help.
John200View Thread
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