Dental Hygienist with severe neck and arm pain

[amy72]

I am a Dental Hygienist who practices correct ergonomics. I have had neck pain for over a year. My xrays show my neck straight as a board with no curving. My Dr says it is a muscle spasm. I have completed physical therapy (which I believe aggrevated it more). For a couple of months I have experienced tingling in both arms and hands. The neck pain radiates to my shoulders and causes bad headaches. For the last week I have awakened with severe arm, elbow and shoulder pain. When this happens I cannot do anything for at least an hour and it gradually returns to full function. The other symptoms happen at anytime, I have not had an MRI or any other diagnostic testing other than xrays. I have become depressed because I have alot of pain with no answers. Please help me figure this out. Thanks!

[Relle03]

Hi guys,

The perils of dental hygiene. I dislike starting a sentence with such negativity but our profession is haunted by chronic and degenerative neck and back pain.

I have been working 7.5 years now and have always experienced pain in my shoulders, base of skull and neck. Two weeks ago I woke up to limited mobility in my neck with radiating pain through my arms, right to my finger tips. At night my hands go numb and it takes a good 5 minutes of shaking them about to regain feeling.

So, with my neck in a terrible state, off I went to work. I must add that at this point I had alerted my boss to the extent of my pain and she had been very supportive. Although, in this career we put others needs above our own so I still treated a few patients prior to consulting a physician. Every movement I did caused a shock up my spine and down my arms. I knew this pain was new and much worse than I'd ever experienced.

I went for an MRI which revealed mild disc bulge c3/c4, moderate disc bulge c4/c5, and prolapse c5/c6 with overall degenerative spondylosis. My doctor referred me to the top neurosurgeon who Im booked in with Thursday morning.

The long term prospect of career change is daunting but a necessity. As a 28 year old, I don't even understand the feeling of waking pain free. I'm remaining optimistic and of course very keen to get back into hygiene but will put myself first from now on.

Anyone deliberating filing a work safe report should just go ahead. You only get one body and if your career has led to you being pushed out of work then somebody needs to pay your income.

I hope this helps,
Relle

[Redfunny]

I am also a dental hygienist with the same difficulties.  Yes I work for the income and the pleasure of my job.  I am missing the income terribly even though I have reduced my hours over the years.  My numbness started with my left arm and hand ten or more years ago.  It went away and has now returned on my right side.  In 2010 I had an MRI . It showed damage in the cervical 5,6 and 7 areas.  In Jan. 2014 I began to have swelling in my back, pain in my right arm and numbness in my right hand.  I was forced to stop work.  I have had a second MRI.  The degeneration is worse.  I am in PT.  I  have also had 3 epidural steroid injections over the last 2 months. I have discussed possible surgery with two neurosurgeons.  They both agreed that I am a good candidate for cervical surgery and should have good results.  I have talked with my GP.  He suggests that the problem won't end there and that years down the line I will need more surgery due to the extra stress placed on my spine from the original surgery. My physical therapist agrees with my GP.  I am depressed and still in pain.  I need my income even though I have reduced my hours to 8 a week.  I am 58 years old and have been practicing full or part time since I was licensed in 1979.  I am very uncomfortable about trying to ask or recieve workmanship comp.  I have a wonderful husband who has tolerated theses up and downs.  I still have some pretty tough decisions to make. Any suggestions.

[cleanguy911]

  I am a male RDH in Vancouver BC and have been suffering from tennis and golfer's elbow.   I have been practising for over 20 years now.
  I am going through physical therapy doing the usual tens machine, accupunture, cold laser and just finished 4 rounds of radio therapy (they use the machine that breaks up kidney stones to break up the scar tissue to ad in healing) and 3 rounds of IMS.  I found the IMS and the radio therapies to help for the contracted muscle issues but I am not having success with regards to the tennis/golfer's elbow.
  I have been off of work for 3 months and recently Worker's Compensation has denied my claim saying this is not a work related injury. I have yet to find out why they deem this a non-work related injury since I do nothing that would aggrevate my elbows when not at work.  I was fortunate because 8 years ago they (WCB) did accept that my bursitis in my shoulder (same arm) was a work injury.  Unfortunately that also has not cleared up but doesn't hurt enough to make me stop working.  I am like a few of the posters that are re-thinking my profession but at 48 there won't be much for me to choose from.

[JaneInColo]

Maria - Carly:

I'm an RDH in Colorado and I've been practicing for 26 years now.  For about ten years now I've experienced gradually increasing pain originating in my neck that now radiates pain into my shoulders and down the arms and into my hands.  My hands now go numb on occasions. I've seen dozens of Dr's and pain specialists over the last few years and have tried all techniques short of surgery.  I have an appointment soon with a neuro- surgeon.

I'm curious.  You mentioned that you stopped working.  In this day and age . . .how was that possible for you?  Did you not need your income or have you replaced it with other income from another type of job? Of course- the HUGE issue is did you(are you) going to file for workmen's compensation in your state?  Essentially, your career was taken away from you because of how your body reacted to working conditions.  I'm just curious because I'm reading about so many hygienists being affected by spinal issues but I don't read how income is replaced as the hygienist stops working.  I guess it's GREAT if you don't really need the income, but if I didn't need the income . . .I would have never started working as a hygienist in the firt place and just started working on my golf game all those years ago . . .but I wasn't born (nor did I marry) into such fortunate circumstances!

[Mariardh]

How is your pain now?

[Mariardh]

I am a RDH and I have been told by two Doctors that I can no longer practice Dental Hygiene.  I am 42 years old and I have a bulging disk in my neck.  I have not work since May 17, 2012.  I loved my career and never wanted to stop.  I had to stop because the pain was terrible.  I am slowly recovering.  My posture is improving and I am off all of the pain medicine.  The correct PT is so important because I have had some PT's that cause the pain to become worse. My pain sits in the right side of my neck and shoulder.  It traveled down my arm.  Pumping gas became difficult.  I never had a problem with using the dental tools.  Take care of yourself before it is too late.
Maria RDH

[CarlyR14]

I am also a dental hygienist experiencing severe muscle pain on my left side. I have had multiple symptoms from headaches/migraines, pain in my neck, upper back, shoulder, chest/peck, arm pit, jaw pain, tingling in cheek, cold hands. Basically, you name it and Ive had. My muscles seem to be taking over my body and I have been in physical therapy for 4 months with an excellent therapist, but for some reason my symptoms always come back and my muscles take over. My therapist and I are currently trying to find a specialist or fellow hygienist or anyone to offer advice and take the next step in getting better. I want to be able to continue with my career, but more than anything I just want my life back. I wish there was some sort of support group amongst dental hygienist where we could share our stories because I know I am not the first to experience these problems and we shouldnt have to lose our careers over this. Any response is appreciated. CR

[mj257]

Do u have crowns in the front of your mouth????  upper and what on the lower, either veneers or crowns.  I had the same thing,, my mri showed a lordosis, straight spine, pain was incredible, base of the skull with arm pain. Dentist took off some of the thickness from the crowns, helped soooo much.  mj                

[katrdh]

I have been a dental hygienist now for 6 years.  For the last 1 and half years i have been working in a perio office with old equipment and no help.  I have had some pain in my shoulers when i worked in a general dentist office but since i have been in a perio office it has gotten worse to the point that i can't even sleep at night.  I had an MRI and it shows that i have 3 bulging discs in my cervical spine 5, 6 and 7 with 6-7 being the worst.  I have pain that starts behind my ear and continues all the way down my neck, shoulder, and all the way down to my fingers.  I have tried everything.  Physical therapy helped somewhat and I'm going to try acupuncture this month.  I have been so depressed to the point I just want to quit my job and change careers all together.  Any suggestions anyone? I'm going to cut my hours down from 4 days to 2 days I hope it helps. I just want my life back.

[Rupert_1]

Yes!  Try Versaball!!  It really works!
Good luck, Rupert.

[333Heidi]

I have pain in my neck, upperback and base of my skull.  It never goes away.  Somtimes it is less painful than other times but pain is always present.  I have been practicing dental hygiene for 12 years and for the past four years I have had pain.  The pain seems to get worse as time goes on.  I work eight hours a day and I should take stock in Advil.  I have tried physical therapy but I did not get the relief I wanted.  Maybe I did not stick with therapy long enough.  Massage therapy seems to help temporarily but it gets so expensive.  Is there any one who has suggestions on what to do?  Is there a doctor who treats these symtoms other than a physical therapist?  

[Kulinaire]

If you're still having problems, look into a Rossiter Workout (google search it for more info).  I've used this technique to help hundreds of folks with boggling pain symptoms.

[Chloe12338]

Curious if you have tried any of the ergonomic designed operator chairs?  I may try a KOBO chair, I am having difficulties 15 years into hygiene, to the point I may have to change careers!