5 years of Chronic Pain with still no results!

Okay...here it goes...5 years ago I was diagnosed with Traumatic TOS (Thoracic Outlet Syndrome) while performing my duties in the field as a cable installer. 18 months of Physical Therapy and was released from doctors care and told to "live with the pain". 1 year ago I went to a new doctor because I started to notice that my spine felt as though it was about to collapse. I could not perform my job duties and was significantly slowed in my performance. He ordered a cervical MRI as he suspected Cervical Stenosis. I am able to turn my head only 1/8 of the normal radius to the left and only 1/2 to the right. I elevate my head slightly upwards and I get a hard burning sensation down my spine. I tilt my head forward and the same burn occurs only farther along down the spine.

Here are the Cervical MRI results: 11/14/2007
* C3-C4 shows mild spinal stenosis with near complete effacement of CSF. No disc herniation. No foraminal narrowing.
* C4-C5 shows mild spinal stenosis due to congenitally narrowed spinal canal. Disc bulge or small bone spur to the right of the midline, mildly flattening the cervical cord. Mild foraminal narrowing on the right.
* C5-C6 shows a small central disc herniation which effaces CSF and flattens the cord. Mild right sided foraminal narrowing.
* C6-C7 shows centrallly bulging disc effacing CSF and mildly flattening the cord. No foraminal narrowing.
* Cervical spine is somewhat straight, potentially due to muscle spasm. there is very mild convex scoliosis to the right, also in the cervical spine.

Impression:
Diffuse narrowing of the spinal canal on a congenital basis. Bulging disc, multilevel, further narrowing the spinal canal, particularly at C5-C6 to right of midline with effacement of the CSF and mild flattening of the cord and mild narrowing of the right sided foramen.

Here are the Thoracic MRI results: 1/29/2008
* Mild loss of disc space at mid-thoracic levels. Slight spondylitic changes efface anterior aspects of the sac at mid-thoracic levels.
* T9-10, there is a very small amount of protruding disc material on either side of the midline. Perhaps a very mild central stenosis is present at this level
*T10-11, assymetric degenerative joint disease in the left facet joint with some overgrowth. Alternatively this represents a complex synovial cyst or facet hypertrophy. This does lead to very modest effacement of posterolateral aspects of the sac on the left but no central stenosis is evident. Neural foramina appear widely patent at all levels.

I do not have my Lumbar MRI results, however L3 is completely blackened on the MRI, which according to my neurosurgeon is a higher degree of Degenerative Disc Disease.

My doctor pulls me out of work and puts me on short term disability until the problem is corrected. I have seen 4 neurosurgeons and all of them tell me the same. Just because I have chronic pain does not constitute the need to take further action (i.e. surgery). I am going to see him tomorrow, because with the level of pain that I have on a daily basis, I refuse to accept that this cannot be corrected. My back and neck is constantly in spasm. And for the last 2 months I have a constant spinal burning. I have been to an APM and they wrote me off and told me to "deal with it", this pain will be with you for the rest of your life. I have since discovered that spinal failures is an inheretited trait in my family, so much that my aunts lumbar is naturally fusing itself from calcification. She is 73 and doesnt feel she can survive the recovery process (she has other health problem).

This problem has plagued my entire life. I am forced to learn a new trade, my marriage is all but gone (we have separated and nasty things have been said), I have no sex life, I have no joy or anything to look forward to except my grand-daughter (11 months). But all I can think about when I am with her is that I may not be able to carry her around or hoist her in the air for much longer. Since I first started having problems, my Blood Pressure maintains at a consistent 145/106 range, rarely falling 5 below those numbers. This is while taking my meds! I did not have any blood pressure problems prior to any of this. I cant sleep for more than 2 or 3 hours at a time and have difficulty falling back to sleep once I wake up. It is not until about the 4th day that I pass out for about 14 hours from sheer exhaustion. The spinal neck pain is the main cause for my restlessness.

I also have intense pain down my right arm that lasts up to 2 or 3 minutes whenever I sneeze. I starts in my shoulder, cuts across my shoulder blades as well as goes down to my elbow. I have had EMG's conducted and they showed a nerve irritation, but not enough to surgically repair.

I am having my doctor order a myelogram and a thermography do better determine what is the cause of my problems.

Okay, I have complained enough...oddly enough, because my soon to be ex-wife wouldnt stand to hear me out nor support me in my time of deepest depression, this has been somewhat therapeutic.