I'm a PERSONAL TRAINER withTingling from neck to thumbs PLEASE HELP!

[Eltonmichelle]

I'm a personal trainer here in Cloverdale California. 3 weeks ago I also started with tingling in my neck and right arm down to my thumb. It comes in waves. Whether I bend forward or backward, it still comes on. I'm frustrated! I'm in extremely great health and this it starting to make me mad. I teach 4 classes a week in Cycling, step, core conditioning, strength training. I've been to the chiropractor thinking I needed an adjustment. He thinks it's in my neck. I had rotator cuff surgery 2 years ago. That doctor told me I may have a herniated disc in my neck and that it should go away on it's own in about 6 weeks. He said ice and massage should help as well. So I've been icing it, but no difference. What about acupuncture? Can you be of further assistance in this?
Thanks!
Michelle

[CCF-Neuro-M.D.-PW]

Tingling in the neck that radiates down the arm can be associated with a pinched nerve root in the neck. This is called a radiculopathy. The nerves to the arm come out of the spinal cord at the nerve roots. Each root supplies a lengthways section of sking down the arm. The one that goes down to the thumb area is the cervical 6th nerve root. If severe enough there may be muscle weakness or wasting in the distribution of the nerve root - for C6 it is the biceps, and brachioradialis muscles mostly. The diagnosis can be made both clinically/examination or by an EMG needle study of the musscles of the right arm and back. This can be done at a neurologists office. MRI scan of the neck may also helpin identifying the cause of the pinched nerve root, which most commonly is a prolapsed disc or bony spur. Treatment in most cases is conservative, and it usually settles down in a few weeks, surgery can be done if there is a progressing neuroloigcal deficit ie the muscles are atrophying etc.

Good luck

[Gold24kt]

Michelle, Until you can get pronto medical help may I suggest using a grain heat pad before exercise(the ones you buy in the center of the mall)that do not microwave burn and there are specific neck area pads and other body part pieces. The ice is a great treatment after exercise. I am also an exercise instructor (Step & Yoga) and for some reason I have problems w/ my neck frequently and the same tingling here & there. I also bought an astronaut pillow that mostly conforms to your neck at
night. Costco carries these, as well. Seemed to help symptoms.
I really conciously have to make sure I'm not whipping, flinging, or hyperflexing or extending my spine & neck since I realize as instructors its very easy to go an extra mile or stretch. Bless your heart!

[Eltonmichelle]

Thanks for e-mailing me back! I haven't had any car accidents and I haven't done anything different in my daily routines. Even when I'm teaching classes. I teach cycling, step, low impact aerobics and core strength. I really stress safety first. I don't lift heavy weights and I no longer do overhead presses after I had rotator cuff surgery 2 years ago. I teach safe moves to all my personal training clients in order to prevent any injuries. That's what's so frustrating. I don't know how this happened. There's NO pain with this. Just tingling in waves. I have noticed in the past 2 days that when the tingling comes on when I sit down, if I turn my head and neck to one side it goes away. I also have noticed that when the tingling starts, I don't have much strength in my right arm.
The orthopedic doctor who did my surgery called me and said it sounded like a herniated disc and it should go away in 6 weeks. He said I should take aleve, have a massage and use ice. It's already been six weeks and it's still there.
Will this all get worse? Will it get better?
Thanks for all your help and comments!
Michelle

[Gold24kt]

Aloha! I really belive that because we still keep going faster than the energizer bunny..... 6 weeks is the bare minimum.
I was teaching so much that I have had injuries (overuse, etc.)that have taken WAY longer than usual to go away (always spine ones). If it takes longer than 3 months I would  begin to seek consultation, again. Actully I've had a lower back saccral pull that took 6 months to heal. That was a real pain! Living on & off ibuprophen. My husband gave me lots of massages! Hang in there.... I've cut back on classes however I'm slowly increasing them due to my boy in kindergarten -full time next year. I won't need to feel guilty for doing an extra class when he is in school longer.  Off to Hawaii for 2 weeks... Mahalo!

[Eltonmichelle]

Hello and thanks for your reply!
Unfortunatly I'm going to be adding 2 more classes to my already busy schedule! I don't want to, but I have an instructor going out on medical issues for 3 months. So it'll be 8 classes to teach. My neck is aching most of the time now. I'm starting hot packs which help a bit. I don't think chiropractic is helping. Someone told me about acupunture? I don't know about that. Have you ever done that? I also have 2 kids. One 18 and one 14 years old.
I'm going to have to go get an ex-ray or MRI I  think. I'm worried I'm making it worse by teaching.

[Gold24kt]

Michelle,
Aloha! Hope all is well.
Any results back yet from tests?
All my pain has gone away with NO exercise for 2 1/2 weeks.
Strange... however I'm ready to start her up again tomorrow.
Maybe a vacation will help.
This mid 30's age is testing on my energy levels.
Supplements w/ lots of fresh food varietys and cutting out junk food is helping me feel so much better.
Good Luck!  :) Carina

[Eltonmichelle]

Hi Carina,
I'm 44 and dead tired. I need a vacation! e-mail me at ***@**** so we don't have to go through the message board.
Great to hear from you!

[Gold24kt]

To Michelle in Cloverdale,
I will E-mail you next week after I'm back in town.
I live on Cloverdale Ct. in WA. state (4 1/2 hour drive to Seattle) by the Big Lake Resort=
Cour'da lene, Idaho.-
The only floating golf course in America.
The lakes are beautiful here, & the full 4 seasons.
I'm glad you have no pain and I'm sure your tingling is only short term. No one can fully understand the rigorous routines of an exercise instructor.
How do you do it? I bet you look like a barbie doll at 44 yrs!
I need motivation or incentive or something. Do you ever get like that? My husband says its because I took too much time off and I lost too many endorphins.  Good Call!
Hope to t/t very soon! :) Carina on Cloverdale (Ha!)

[Eltonmichelle]

Hello! Just got your e-mail and today is 5/10/06! Our internet has been dow. My e-mail is ***@****.
Funny how your street is Cloverdale! No Barbie Doll here after 2 "c" sections! The tingling has stopped for now and it's been 2 weeks. So this is a great thing! I'm still teaching 7 classes and never altered anything. I don't know what happened or why. I guess I shouldn't question it. But it's a good thing. It was really bugging the **** out of me.
E-mail me soon.
Michelle