Anyone else have a hiernia in the upper spinal cord?

[euronatura]

Just got back from the doctor and it was confirmed that I have a hiernia between C5 and C6. It is causing pressure on the nerve and causing me pain in my left arm. Not to mention pins and needles from time to time.

Still have another test to get done to check if any nerve damage exists. Will be getting this done next week.

Anyone else have a problem like this and what was the treatment. My Doctor told me that sooner or later an operation may be needed. Would like to avoid this but then again would like to get of the pain and get back to normal life.

Iggy

[MTI]

Is the diagnosis a herniated disc at C5-6 with nerve compression/impingment? I take it you've had the MRI to confirm. Is the next test your doing a needle EMG?

[Pete Geither]

Had what sounds like the same problem about a year ago. Pain was so bad I couldn't take it and refused to take drugs to cover it up. Operated and removed part of the disc and was the best thing I ever did. Pain was gone almost immediately, with some lingering aftershocks, but all in all, would do it again. Just check the rep of your doctor just as you would a bodyshop who works on your Benz.

[euronatura]

MTI

Yes that is exactly it. Yes I have the MRI to confirm. I had this done on Tuesday and went to the Nuerologist today with the results.

Given the way insurance companies are, I submitted the paperwork today to get the approval for the next exam. The one that you mentioned, I believe. It is to see whether or not there is nerve damage or loss of response in my left arm. As it is now, I get pins and needles from time to time and infrequently, since I am on a coctail of muscle relaxers and anti-inflamatory/pain killer drugs, LOTS of pain starting at my left shoulder (the shoulder-blade part) working down to my left elbow. It was so bad a few weeks ago that the pain would wake me from my sleep.

If you or anyone out there has had any experience with this I would love to hear from you. Part of the current situation is that I am currently unemployed (got laid off the 2nd of February). My health insurance is still active but when I get a new job, my health insurance will obviously change therefore, I will have to declare pre-existant problems - obviously then the new health insurance will not cover any treatment/operations.

The Nuerologist today told me that with treatment and so forth I can aleviate the pain and all that but the herniated disc will still be there. Sooner or later I will have to get this operated on. (still need to see a nuerosurgeon) I am 34 years old and do not want to spend the rest of my life in treatment and on drugs.

Therefore, even though still only halfway through the diagnosis, I am considering an operation. (milk the current health insurance company/policy and take advantage that I am out of work for the recoup time)

Anyone out there with facts that can chime in? Just how dangerous is it to operate on herniated disc between C5-C6 today? Is this now commenplace? Will traction and coctail of drugs cure my problem - relieve the pain but still persist with herniated disc that will cause problems with the disconituation of treatment? I know that each problem like this unique but, I would like to hear what the forum has to say.

Thanks,

Iggy

[Botnst]

Ig,

I had C6-C7 with classic symptoms that I figured out from a gross anatomy chart. Went to my GP and she sent me for MRI, confirmed my self-diagnosis, gave me a cortisone derivative, muscle relaxer and some great dope and then sent me along to the neurosurgeon. Before she did, she recommended that I try just about any form of therapy short of quackery I could think of before surgery.

Neurosurgeon said I wa a prime candidate for surgery. I told him I was a reluctant warrior and he suggested trying a P.T. and if that didn't work, a chiropractor. If neither worked, then acupuncture. If none of that worked, come back and see him. Oh yeah, it was a work-related injury--I tried to lift a trailored airboat onto the ball hitch because I was impatient with a co-worker's back-n-forth ineptitude backing. Impatience never seems to work for me.

I went to the P.T. At this point I was stoned witless all day or incapacitated with pain, sometimes both. The P.T. said I'd probably need surgery but he'd give it two weeks of one-hour per day. Thank God for great insurance.

In two weeks I no longer needed the drug. In three weeks I had almost no pain. He gave me a series of stretches that I'm supposed to do daily (I used to...). His theory was that the herniation and calcification was irritating the nerve root. The nerve root always has friction but your nervous system has a sort of high-pass filter system that blanks-out sensations below what's needed for proprioception ( the sense of body positioning). His therapy worked on loosening my muscles, training them to relax to the pain. The stretching trained the nerve root to ignore the friction of the herniation and calcification.

For all I know, that's completely bogus. I don't care. It worked. No knife. No drugs for over two years (with the exception of a couple of times in which I took the muscle relaxer-pain killer combo for a few days and willed myself to relax my neck/back muscles).

Good luck to you. It hurts like hell, but take your time and make the right decision for you.

Botnst

I have 3 c2-c3 c4-c5 c5-c6 and two bulging on each end of those.

Since there are so many grades of herination spurs ect. time is of the essence because after spurring your chances of nucleoplasty get slim.

Make sure you ask about nucleoplasty, it's a very conservitive but effective treatment. Good luck with the EMG those suck big time, but that also depends on who's doing it.

Email me anytime I will be glad to help you, I am somewhat of an expert on the subject.

Also Nucleoplasty is fairly new, if your doctor does not perform them find one who will.

[Botnst]

Originally posted by MedMech
I have 3 c2-c3 c4-c5 c5-c6 and to bulging on each end of those.
...
Email me anytime I will be glad to help you, I am somewhat of an expert on the subject.

Man, I'd hate to be that kind of expert. Did you/do you spend much time doped? How in heck do you fold into a Ferrari?

Botnst

[1991 560 SEC]

I have had C-4-5-6-7 fused. I`m in a lot of pain and cannot move my head. I can only drive with a co-pilot. My operations were in `89,`91,`93. No felling in my arms, can`t lift more than 5 pounds no reaching, pushing and pulling.
Bottom line don`t do it if you can avoid it. I had no choice because the disc`s where on the cord.
By the way I initialy did this by raising my arm over my head, in my sleep!
John

[euronatura]

Good luck with the EMG those suck big time, but that also depends on who's doing it.

Question 1: How is it that these suck bigtime? All I know about the exam is that it is electricity to check the responses and something with needles - this part I assumed was kinda like accupunture type of needles?

I initialy did this by raising my arm over my head, in my sleep!

Question 2: How is a herniated disc caused by sleeping with your arm over your head? I am still trying to figure out how I got this. Of course I have had a few accidents in my life that may be the cause but I wonder.

To all thanks for the responses. Part of what kills me at this moment is that I have a 3 month old daughter that lights up everytime that she hears my voice and the Doctor told me not to be picking her up in arms. I mostly do what Doctors tell me but this one recomendation may have to be ignored from time to time.....

Iggy

[Botnst]

Concerning my injury, the doc told me that the cause was my lifting a heavy object. But he said really, that was just the latest in a fifty-year record of abuse of my back. That, and the damnable aging process. As we age, most folks add calcium at their joints and sites of old injuries.

Aging sucks. But its far better than the alternative.

B

Originally posted by Botnst
Man, I'd hate to be that kind of expert. Did you/do you spend much time doped? How in heck do you fold into a Ferrari?

Botnst

Monthly cervical epiderals and Vioxx and some vicoprophen before bed.

Getting in the Ferrari has been troublesome at times but once I'm in everything is A-OK.

And no lifting at all. If you haven't tried the pain block you should they are a frickin miracle.

Originally posted by euronatura
Question 1: How is it that these suck bigtime? All I know about the exam is that it is electricity to check the responses and something with needles - this part I assumed was kinda like accupunture type of needles?



Iggy

Think about it probes being stuck in your arm and neck and then wackin yo ass with ultrasound voltage. Some are better tahn others, the last one I had was a total nightmare, I almost beat the crap out of the doctor.

[1991 560 SEC]

Nerve conduction tests hurt like Hell ! Don`t let anyone tell you different. I have had a total of 5 , both upper and lower extremitys. A MRI can tell them all they need to know.

While sleeping I raised my arm over my head and woke up screeming from the pain. The second time I was riding in the back seat of a lincoln and it just poped. the third time I was lifiting a plastic file crate from the floor to the seat of my car.

Now because of pain and spasams in my neck shoulders and arms, I sleep about 45 minutes at a time.

Before my last fusion I tried Discographys at 4-5 didn`t help and when the steroids kicked in it was bloody hell.
Why did it happen? They don`t know, but I was a Water Ski Jumper in my early 20`s and raced Karts as a teen. Once while jumping I broke my ankle took 3 more jumps and walked around on it for 3 days before getting it looked at. The Disc`s hurt worse!!!

John

I have severe spurring and spondylolisthesis, as well as something else that causes the "s" shape of my spine to flatten out more in the lumbar area.

My back was destroyed during my days as a competitive bodybuilder and kickboxer, unfortunately. I'm only 31 but my back is 60+, as per my Dr.

Surgery may be in my future, but I manage it with chiropractic care every few years. I also can no longer squat (at the gym, that is. I can physically squat just fine).

I had an "attack" last September, and the pain was excrutiating and I was literally dropped to the floor and unable to move. I literally had to roll to the phone and call the Chiro. I don't even have insurance right now so needless to say I was scared to death. A few adjustments later and I was much better, but I had a few months of physical therapy which was great. I don't recommend chiros for serious problems like herniated disks and so on, unless your into them and trust them.

Anyway, I know how the pain is and I'm sorry for anyone who might be feeling it.