Straight cervical spine..

Question

Can straightening of the cervical spine due to muscle spasm cause tingling in your arm and face? And numbness on the tips of two fingers? I have no bulging or herniated disc in my neck. Only straightening of my cervical spine. Just trying to figure all this out. What symptoms could this cause, if any?

JessieLee98 · Answer

hi im 17 and ive had this pain for almost 5 years, i have had quite a few x-rays and ultra-sounds and i was told nothing was wrong, i went back a few months ago because the pain is becoming so unbearable i can barely get up of a morning becuase i feel like i cant move and when i can i feel like if i do i will be so dizzy i almost faint. the newest doctor i went to told me that there was actually something in my last result over a year ago and doesnt understand why they didnt tell me, she told me my spine was to straight and if i went to a good physio that they should be able to help. so i went to one about an hour away because i had heard good things about them, however after seeing them for a few months, i have triend many different treatments/exersices and nothing is working, it has come that i can no longer sit nor stand in the same place/position for too long before it starts being really bad. whenever i stand up i have to sit back down again becuase i get really dizzy, its hard for me to read the whiteboard in school because it gets fuzzy and my head constantly feels like its going to fall off. everything has beocme that bad that i feel like i can/should no longer be by myself in a room in case something happens, my work both in school and at the workplace are being affected as i cant look up at the boards and i cant move too quickly, i havent told anyone the extent of my pain only that i need to sit down or stand up because im dizzy, im scared that if i say something to someone that it wont be as simple as my spine is too straight and something bad will happen.

madmack · Answer

I have a lot of the symptoms everyone is describing the head feeling so heavy it feels like it is going to fall off and spasms so bad it shakes my whole body  pain so bad that oxycodone wont help just constant pain and discomfort pillows just not feeling soft enough and that I toss and turn all night in search of a comfortable position cant sit cant lay cant stand for too long before needing to resituate been going through this for a little over a year it seems to be more tolerable in the beginning half of the month then the last two weeks of the month it seems to get worse and worse no diagnostics tests have show to useful but my blood work came back with low levels of arthritis showing have to go to specialists to hopefully get more answers

Backcondition10786 · Answer

Just to add something, I am 27, I am young and have all this back problems, I can't imagine in say 10 years how my back will be?! At the moment I am struggling to go through the days and from my experience I just got worse and worse and I shouldn't expect improvements.
The only thought that makes me accept living with this (even though its hard when you used to be a very healthy person) is thinking at other people that are more unfortunate then me, that have health problems since childhood, or are in a worse position than mine....:(

Backcondition10786 · Answer

hi 
I don't intend to be negative, its just my experience. I fell down the stairs for years ago and ever since I have back problem and feel like living in Hell since then. It started with lower back pain (3 disc slipped and touching the nerves that cause lots of pain in lower back , legs, etc).
Then after I start to have pain on the upper back, had an MRI , result|: slipped disc touching the nerve on my neck plus straightening of the cervical spine, lost the normal curvature.
Recently I started to get pain in middle back so I cans say literally my hole spine is sore and my hole body in pain.
For 3 years I tried everything, chiropractor for 4, 5 months, different chiropractors, spent a fortune and no improve, Phisioterapy, pilates, yoga, pain killers, nothing seems to help and I am running out of options....In these years my back problem got worse with every day despite all the efforts I am making, I am far from having a normal live, every day in pain, in my hole body, I am not optimistic about this that is going to improve, I am thinking about surgery as my last option, and....I will see...
But, honestly, I don't know hot to live this life, pain is affecting every single aspect of my life, and my opinion , once you have back problem we can prepare yourself for worse with the time but not for improvements, depends how bad is your condition, pilates and yoga can help if you have a mild condition, my advise, everyone with back problem should practice pilates and yoga.
All the best to you all!

samsters67 · Answer

Hi
Dont get your hopes up about the injections as in my area there is a 1 year waiting list.

saadia307 · Answer

hello im suffering from the same problem for more then 2 years now. It was not that bad in the early days as it is become now since the last 10 months. Just dont know wir to start from n wir to end. u seem to feel al ur body parts paining, ur nerves cracking, muscles weakkening n etc etc. my head feels so heavy most of t times, it feels it wil drop of my neck. Very regularly towards t day end i face throbbing n bad bad muscle stifnes n spasm on my cerivical stretched al t way down to my shoulders. T only releif i discovered was therapy sessions.... medicines jus bring u temperary relief n then ur stuck with the same situation. 

jus ***** to b facing this almost everyday without any reason..... care n happines is t only cure to it. Tak care of ur life style, routine n emotions.... n u shall feel t difference. though i know it can not be permanently applied but you guys can try to .....

bugsandry · Answer

I have been dealing with horrible neck and shoulder pain for well over 10 years.  Today, I went and had the results of my ump-teenth x-rays read. I was finally diagnosed with straightening of the spine.  The pain is horrendous and relief is not accessable to me with any amount of meds or therapy.  My doctor put in a referral for orthopedics for steriod injections (which I've had in my shoulder, but not in the neck) and was told if that doesn't help, I will be sent to neuro for botox injections.  Was just wondering if anyone else has went through these type of injections!  Thanks!!

ginia9 · Answer

Hello everyone- I'm new to this forum and may be of some help. I too have this condition- and I'm a chiropractic student and have undergone many treatments in the past 2 years- although haven't really been consistent with chiropractic or any other alternative treatments due to my busy schedule until now because it's gotten so severe. 

Absolutely the pain can cause tingling in your face and arm. Straightening of your spine can cause pressure on a cluster of nerves that supply those areas! 

Ok- So a lordosis of the cervical spine is quite common. We sit at desks all day- put our heads forward while we're on the computer- in turn, our muscle stability isn't balanced and our body gravitates toward moving with the injury because it wants to maintain function. The good news is that treatment is available for things like this. The bad news is (as I'm learning right now) that it's going to take a lot of patience and work which can sometimes be frustrating and hard. 
My advice: 

1) Find a good allopathic doctor that isn't just interested in writing you a prescription and sending you on your way. No throwing your hands up and saying it's a chronic problem. No writing you a prescription for pain killers with 10 refills. You don't want to deal with addiction long term on top of this. This might be the most challenging (at least in my case). I know that so many chiropractors shout from the rooftops that drugs are bad- and to an extent they are- but there is a time and place- and when you're dealing with awful migraines, nausea, and debilitating pain....in my opinion, that's the place for drugs. Everyone- I feel your pain. It's awful. 

2.) Find a good chiropractor. Some people believe in chiropractic- some don't. I'm not here to persuade anyone either way. I've just had a lot of personal experience in this field and am throwing in my two cents. There are some amazing chiros out there- and there are some really crappy ones. Once again, you've gotta find the one you jive with and who really cares about you and not your money. It's the same with searching for a medical doctor. Chances are (unless there's a fracture) you need some muscle work done. All the muscles (traps, levator scap, scalenes..) are going to be suuuper tight and need to be worked on for any sort of adjustment to hold. Look for doctors who are certified in ART technique which is unbelievable and can alleviate a lot of pain- as well as graston. get those muscles under control. 

3.) focus on nutrition and emotional balance. Stress doesn't help. (this is my problem) Nutrition has such an impact on our body and how it deals with external stressors. Eating dairy will promote inflammation and keel those muscles flared up so your body can't relax. Ease up on the caffeine and hydrate! get some books on nutritional healing and start taking care of yourself from the inside out. Exercise! This will alleviate stress and help with your healing. 

4.) Look into a cervical posture pump. they're a little expensive but worth it. (I think they're like 150 bucks) If you use it five minutes a day and be gentle with it, it will introduce that curve back into your spine. 

I hope this helped someone. I sure know how awful and frustrating this pain is- and especially when you just want to crawl into bed and make it all go away. Know that you absolutely have control of your health and this pain. This is not a death sentence (to whoever the poor patient was that received that news)- it just takes a lot of strength, willpower, and discipline to make the decision to take control of their own health. Find a medical doctor and a chiropractor that can work together to help you get to an optimal level of health. You need to be proactive in doing so- and following directions and take care of yourself! 
If you don't have a good feeling about a diagnosis (ie: it's a chronic problem, there's nothing we can do)- don't settle for it. Find someone who will help you. It's your body and don't let anyone sentence you to a life of pain! I've had a great deal of success with acupuncture as well. People may not know that acupuncture can treat things like this- and underlying causes that contribute to this such as stress. 

I hope that all of you find the right practitioner and have a lifetime of health. It's so frustrating going through this- I know. Good luck to everyone! It will get better. 

Best Wishes!

Eesha1973 · Answer

I have had a straight cervical spine for years and muscle spasms in my shoulders and every doctor I went to just told me to take Tylenol,motrin, Arbil, ect. with no relief.  I've had massages and PT to no avail and the spams come back. I went to neurologist for the headaches and he pretty much threw his hands up and told me it's a chronic problem and it will go away and will always come back. So now I am on a variety of pain meds and muscle relaxers to help. I have read about bottom injections to help relax the muscle to relieve the pain. I'm just glad I'm not the only one with this problem and I'm not crazy. Sometimes I just wish it would just all go away. Best of luck to all with this problem. I feel our pain too.

mollytuberose · Answer

I was just diagnosed with Cervical spine straightening. I fell on the wet bathroom floor at work, and received a whiplash injury when I hit my head on the sink. I also have joint damage which was causing the muscle spasm that is the cause of my straightening. I have a hard time sleeping as well, and wake up feeling like I was hit by a sledgehammer. Rainy weather seems to greatly affect me as well. I am now starting chiropractic therapy today which after two months of this and that treatment, I am hoping gives me some relief. I have two children I take care of on my own and my pain management has been poor for the past two months.

liltrey13 · Answer

my sister has this same problem too. she just found out she had it and the doctors r telling her that in a short amount of time she will become paralized and then eventually die. idk if its the neck problem that is causing it or if its somthing in her lower spine but i do kno that it isnt curable yet and i just wanted some pointers that can maybe help my sister relieve her pain until it can be fixed or at least until it doesnt threaten her life anymore

flr_blue28 · Answer

I also have cervical straightening. I've been undergoing physical therapy for about a year now. But I have this condition for about 2-3 years. It's only last year that it was diagnosed as such. Physical therapy helps a lot. One missed session would really give me very very painful headaches from the head down to the neck and those muscle spasms are really bulding up so fast. However, with continued therapy, i still have this pain in the neck. It's like I have stiff neck for the longest time. And i still take NSAIDs when i cannot bear the pain.

And yes, mamabecky75, memory pillows doesn't seem to help at all. But i don't know any helpful pillow at all so i just stick with it. When i wake up, i cannot move my neck easily. It's like waking up at the wrong side every morning.

Guys, i've been looking for other treatments aside from the usual PT. I've searched about chiropractic treatment. Any feedback? What alternative treatments have you been undergoing? 

I also tried acupuncture. No help for me.

Thanks....

mamabecky75 · Answer

I too have a straight cevical spine I don't have numbness in my face, but like Kerwin I have cracking when I turn my head in any directions It gets worse over time and it's scares me somtimes the're extremely painful and it feels like somthing i breaking. I also get headaches and it is as if my head is now very sensitive to where my pillow hurts my head it's like I can't find one soft enough and those memory foam pillows feel like rocks.

Kerwin · Answer

I too have straightening of the cervical spine. But besides from the pain on the neck I also have pain on my head. Whenever I move my neck side to side it I can feel a cracking sound on my neck. Im afraid that some nerves will pop on my head.

But I do hope that you get well or should I say WE BOTH get well soon.

olivo · Answer

I can relate on how you feel. I do have the straightening of the cervical spine due to muscle spasm and that numbness and tingling is bothering me more than the pain.
Am so scare to go out because I feel like my muscles are become more weak.

I hope you feel better soon.

noneck · Answer

Yes it can. Go to the doctor and ask about P.T. where they have a cold laser machine it is excellent for muscle spasm. Do not just ignore the loss of the curvature of your neck, if left untreated it can and will cause further degeneration of your neck. You might want to try cervical spinal decompression at the P.T. office or a chiro.

Hope I Help