Facet Joint Injections and Thermal Radio Frequency Therapy

[snapteach]

This is snapteach again.  I can spell, but I can't type.  It is supposed to say "facet joint injection", "as bad as ever", "Is this too much to hope?"  Sorry about all this messing up, but since I had some medical complications in March and April of this year, I have a very hard time typing.  For a while there I couldn't even write my name so I am doing better.  Typing is still very hard and also remembering certain words and how they are spelled.  

Has anyone had facet joint injections and thermal radio frequency therapy?  I have been in severe pain since December of 2006.  I have had 2 previous cervical disk surgeries.  The pain stopped after my last surgery (June 2006) until December of 2006.  Since May of 2007, I have been going to a pain specialist.  He tried to epidural injections (with no pain relief) and then did a fact joint infection.  This injection made me pain free for 7 days.  After that, the pain returned as bas as ever.  I go back July 12 and get the thermal radio frequency therapy which is supposed to cauterize the nerve endings so the pain receptors won't be picked up by my brain.  Has anyone had this procedure to work?  I am so hopeful that it will.  I teach school and had to be off for 3 1/2 months last year due to the terrible pain.  I want to be able to live again, teach again, and be NORMAL!!  is this too much to hope.  Your replies would be appreciated. snapteach

[mike1105]

what are your symptoms? where does it hurt? what do you do for a living? how is your posture? At what levels was the surgery done? what type of surgery, and why? are you on the computer alot? Do you have pain between your shoulder blades? your shoulders? both sides or one? any symptoms in your hands? what is the diagnosis of your MRI report?

[snapteach]

My symptoms are severe pain in my neck and down the back of my arm.  Most of the pain, which is aching, burning, and numbing-type, is in the mid-cervical area.  I teach for elementary computer technology for a living.  I try to watch my posture, but with children, it is often necessary to get down on their level.  My surgery was done the first time on C5 and C6.  The second time, I had C5 and C6 redone because the bone did not fuse, and also had C4 and C5 done.  They went in through the front of my neck both times.  I had these surgeries because the disk were completely herniated and all the conventional treatments has not worked.  I do spend a lot of time at the computer, but I use my laptop so I can get in a more comfortable position.  I have some pain between my shoulder blades but mostly in the neck area.  All the pain is on the left side, left arm, and sometimes the left hand.  I have had 2 epidurals before the facet joint injection, and it has helped my left hand shaking and most of the pain there.  My MRI report is non-remarkable.  (Basically shows not a lot that could be causing this kind of pain.)  I hope this long answer gives you an insight into what may help. At this point in time, any advice or words of encouragement would be helpful.  Thanks, snapteach

[mike1105]

If your MRI is unremarkable, it is quite possible your symptoms have nothing to do with you discs or your spine or your previous surgeries. You may have Upper Crossed Syndrome-- it is a postural muscle imbalance that centers around tight and short scalenes (many nerves to the arm and hand run through these muscles so if they are in spasm and tight, they can pinch these nerves). the treatment is postural correction, releasing the tightness, shortness and trigger points in the short tight muscles (trigger point release and stretching) and strengthening the mid back muscloes with exercise. I would advise 3 books.
1 Paul D'Arezzo--book on posture w exercises and stetches
2. Clair Davies--trigger point therapy manual--worked great for me !!!  taught me how to treat each muscle on my own and explained the symptoms it can cause if in spasm
3. Jolie Bookspan-- "How to fix your back pain without drugs or surgery".  I would also visit her website.

the words of encouragement are this: Doing The above cant hurt (just clear it with your doctor first).
If the problem is muscular, ie soft tissue, it almost HAS to get better. I was worse off than you (trust me) and I had a 2 level minimally invasive laminectomies that dd squat for me. I followed these 3 books for 4 months and aside from a little tennis elbow I am pain free now.

[mike1105]

PS-- I had the radiofrquency technique--- did squat for me. (which is what one should expect if the problem is in the neck musculature and not in the facets !!!!)

I would advise treating yourself first before allowing anyone to stick needles and into your spine and then heat up the tissues in there. again, get permission from your doc first)

[snapteach]

I appreciate your input.  I read some of the things about the wall test that you had put on the other forums.  I did it and my head was against the wall.  I really do try to watch my posture.  I have done all the physical therapy exercises that teach you how to sit and the exercises to do to help those muscles.  From June 2006 until December 2006, these muscles and everything else I was doing worked.  I fell face forward on the floor after getting my feet tangled in pjs in December and since then the pain in relentless.  I will check out the things you noted.  I DO KNOW that some of the drugs they give to help can kill you.  I don't like medicine nor shots, but at this point I am taking 2 hydrocodoine daily just to function.  Sometimes the breakthrough pain is so severe I am forced to take more.  My doctor is very stingy with the pain medicine (and after almost dying from taking too much medication prescribed to me by another so-called doctor), I am glad he is this way.  I want relief, not a bandaid.  That is my doctor's philsophy and I like that.  Maybe, with what he is doing and the things you suggested, pain relief is in sight.