Cervical disk/neck pain

[sdsnow]

I hurt my neck (around C6-8 I think) in  Aug 2012, pain is always burning and sometimes can barely get head straight up. Been to ortho - not a bone issue, neurology denied referral, this is ongoing and the only relief is not to use arms etc. movement forward like playing cards or computer is worse. Fingers go numb when sleeping - have to get up a lot to move neck around to get ok. wake with headaches and severe neck pain. Weakness is horrible - sometimes arms just ache and hurt and just have to quit doing anything. Current use aspirin and muscle relaxers as allergic to most pain meds.  Can this be serious or will it just may take years to get better? MRI showed increased signal at C5/C6m but fell in driveway a month after MRI - had to have xrays on army and shoulder as couldn't even lift coffee pot. any advice on how to get it better would be great. thanks

[caregiver222]

The generic problem with muscle relaxer's and nerve compression in the cervical area is they contribute to loss of muscle tone. And cause muscle atrophy. Muscle tone is what keeps the head upright and pulls the vertebra away from one another. For some reason (probably obsolete protocol) large numbers of physicians prescribe muscle relaxants when there is cervical nerve compression. Decades ago they wanted me to have a cervical fusion, which I declined. I can tell you that these cervical nerve compression injuries can cause level ten pain and make life unliveable. The patient "self-splints" to avoid pain and ends up with a frozen shoulder, arm, or head....and more pain. The natural gut feeling is that you will be damaging the spinal cord by moving through the limits of pain. This may or may not be the case. There is always a gray area when recommending whether a patient should exercise through the limits of pain.  It is difficult to find physicians who know what they are doing in respect to these injuries..

[JamieEileen]

I need to know what your scan results are before I can help you.

[sdsnow]

thank - will try some of the suggestions. I do exercises (stretching etc) but will try the wall ones. I do work thru pain - not inactive at all. I use muscle relaxer way less now because i figured they might be doing more damage by relaxing the muscles i want strong. Thanks - off to the wall. (Also had a fusion at C5/6 almost 20 years ago),

[caregiver222]

I am very, very hesitant to provide advice on issues involving nerve compression of the cervical area, especially without seeing the MRI. First off you need a 3T MRI (not a 1T). X-rays are useless. Then, assuming you have no fractures that could cause transection of the cord, the drill is oral prednisone for two weeks (NOT longer), gentle axial traction, for five to ten minutes at a time, separated by two hour intervals. That will take up your day. Think a month of this treatment. Get a hobby like reading or listening to music.  And range-of-motion exercises through the limits of pain. You can purchase an axial traction device for about $35 without a prescription. Throw away the rubber water bag and set it up to gently lower yourself over a chair, but not go into full suspension. Forceful manipulation of the head through the limits of pain should be considered, done by a physician (not a chiropracter) with access to the MRI who concurs. Look for a pain specialist with experience in subluxion injuries. Muscle relaxers are absolutely positively contraindicated. They will reduce muscle tone, increase inflammation and make recovery impossible.  Do not use a cervical collar. You will need to start exercises to improve muscle tone that will lift your head.  Stand straight against a wall with your head touching the wall. Place a hand against your forehead and gently force your head foward. This is an isometric exercise. Do so at thirty-degree intervals around your head. The natural tendency is to feel that pain is telling you that you will damage something if you move. With subluxions, the patient continues to restrict movement until they end up with a shoulder or head "frozen in place". Not a nice situation.