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Neurology (Expert Forum)
Re: Pain in left neck/back/arm
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Re: Pain in left neck/back/arm
by CCF neurology MD MM, Jan 01, 1995 12:00AM
Posted By CCF neuro MD MM on February 15, 1999 at 10:44:52:
In Reply to: Pain in left neck/back/arm posted by Sally on February 10, 1999 at 12:26:56:
I have a long term history of migraines that always originate on the left side of my head. They begin behind the eye and continue down the back of my head and the left side of my neck; I can feel pain in and around the area of my teeth on the left side, especially the upper jaw. I've had some problems with muscle spasms on my left side also, which have intensified greatly in the past six months. The pain is nearly constant and wakes me up at night, although I do have some good days. It originates in the same area of my teeth, travels down the left side of my neck, intensifies where the neck joins the shoulder and in the upper center of the left back (where it is a "sharp" pain), then extends from there to become an aching pain in the elbow and wrist and a tingly feeling in the palm and fingertips. Sitting still for long periods of time makes it worse. I get the pain in the back/arm without getting migraines, and I sometimes get migraines without getting the pain in the back/arm. However, the migraines usually make the pain in the back/arm worse. Amerge helps the migraines but not the rest of it. I've had an MRI of my head with contrast (normal) and of my cervical spine without contrast (slight protrusion in one of the discs but my neurologist doesn't think this is responsible for the pain.) My questions are: Do you have any idea what the problem could be, and do you think the migraines and back pain are related? (I get migraines once a week or so, and back etc pain almost all the time.) Do you think physical therapy would help? Are further tests like EMGs indicated (my neurologist wants me to take one but I am leary of the idea.)
Thanks so much,
Sally
I do not think thast the migraine ansd neck pain are directly related,
migraine does not cause constant pain usually, and does not radiate intlthe arms and back as you describe.
The problems you describe are very suggestive of nerve root irritation in
the neck area, causing symptoms in the area served by the nerves arising
from those nerve roots.
If the MRI is normal the obvious next test is an EMG as this can localise
nerve root problems. I would not encourage physical therapy until a
diagnosis has been established by this means.
In Reply to: Pain in left neck/back/arm posted by Sally on February 10, 1999 at 12:26:56:
I have a long term history of migraines that always originate on the left side of my head. They begin behind the eye and continue down the back of my head and the left side of my neck; I can feel pain in and around the area of my teeth on the left side, especially the upper jaw. I've had some problems with muscle spasms on my left side also, which have intensified greatly in the past six months. The pain is nearly constant and wakes me up at night, although I do have some good days. It originates in the same area of my teeth, travels down the left side of my neck, intensifies where the neck joins the shoulder and in the upper center of the left back (where it is a "sharp" pain), then extends from there to become an aching pain in the elbow and wrist and a tingly feeling in the palm and fingertips. Sitting still for long periods of time makes it worse. I get the pain in the back/arm without getting migraines, and I sometimes get migraines without getting the pain in the back/arm. However, the migraines usually make the pain in the back/arm worse. Amerge helps the migraines but not the rest of it. I've had an MRI of my head with contrast (normal) and of my cervical spine without contrast (slight protrusion in one of the discs but my neurologist doesn't think this is responsible for the pain.) My questions are: Do you have any idea what the problem could be, and do you think the migraines and back pain are related? (I get migraines once a week or so, and back etc pain almost all the time.) Do you think physical therapy would help? Are further tests like EMGs indicated (my neurologist wants me to take one but I am leary of the idea.)
Thanks so much,
Sally
I do not think thast the migraine ansd neck pain are directly related,
migraine does not cause constant pain usually, and does not radiate intlthe arms and back as you describe.
The problems you describe are very suggestive of nerve root irritation in
the neck area, causing symptoms in the area served by the nerves arising
from those nerve roots.
If the MRI is normal the obvious next test is an EMG as this can localise
nerve root problems. I would not encourage physical therapy until a
diagnosis has been established by this means.
