Trauma-induced peripheral-neuropathy

[jonsgold]

I sustained a major fall in December of 2007; I fell on my left-side, shoulder area, and then landed on my back with head hitting on a ceramic floor with full-body weight. I was scheduled for a C-5/6 fusion that following January which I followed through with. The surgery was a success and no complications from that.
Around April/May I started experiencing pain in my hands and wrists; a neurologist tested me for neuropathy which tested positive for carpal-neuropathy. This test revolved around the hands and arms and the neurologist told me upon finishing the test that I had a neuropathy in hands and arms.
I proceeded to have two carpal-tunnel surgeries on both wrists and the pain resolution was not successful; in fact the surgery seemed in exacerbate the pain.
Furthermore, I continued to be treated for a shoulder ailment which included in treatment, shots and phys.-therapy as well as a more targeted injection with the assistance of radiography.
I went to my regular clinic and was referred by my neurosurgeon to the head of neurology at a leading Medical Center in Seattle. The head neurologist performed additional tests on my arms, hands, feet and legs where a diagnosis of "idiopathic poly-neuropathy" was made following the tests.
My question is this: Couldn't my extreme fall, to where I was taken to hospital and given two major injections into my left shoulder, be a trauma-induced event which eventually evolved into this "idiopathic" poly-neuropathy?
Even though I've had four cervical fusions to the upper back/neck area the neurosurgeon ruled out the surgery as being the "cause" for the neuropathy.
Can a trauma, such as the full-weight fall be considered as the event which many months later developed into the neuropathy? There is no other condition insofar as the doctor's are concerned which may be the culprit for this disease developing.
I may be way off base, but the fall has been the physical traumatic event that I sustained over these past 18-months and I can't help but believe that this event may be the cause. Please elucidate. Thanks for your consideration.
Post script:  I am taking eight (8)  300 mg. Gabapentin (Neurontin) per day for the pain and discomfort that I experience on a daily basis. I also have morphine (extended-release) to take in conjunction when I need to for keeping the pain level down.  


This discussion is related to Trauma induced neuropathy?.

[Sugie1938]

Thank you for you response. It's very frustrating over the years to have pain and no relief.
I am in a HMO, but think I can now see a specialist without a referral from my PCP, so after the 2 weeks he wants me to try these medicines, I will see about making an appointment with a specialist. I am not sure what kind in this case, since there could be arm and leg damage, as well as neck and back. I feel I need to rule out damage to these places before accepting its neuralogical. Some of this goes back eight years when the car struck me.

[montrealmoon]

I have had the run around with doctors for quite a few years for my post polio.  I had a PCP who sent me to this specialist and that specialist.  I never heard from the specialsists again, and my PCP never called me in to tell me what they said, either.  I finally smartened up and dropped my PCP. By then, I had lost almost all faith in doctors, and I don't think a heart attack would have brought me in to be seen.  My psychiatric nurse practitioner had been recommending to me a nurse practitioner who had a private practice for several months, and I finally took her up on it.  I am so glad I did.  Wendy has been a godsend.  She took blood work, and the next day diagnosed chronic active Epstein Barr, and my titer was sky high.  She also sent me to a pain clinic, where I was put on morphine for my pain.  Any time she sends me to a specialist, she keeps me fully informed and in the loop, and she always spends an appropriate length of time in the office with me, if not longer.  My advice to you, then, would be to find a good PCP.  I had to look around.  Wendy was the fourth one in less than that many years.  It was my hematologist that opened my eyes to what I had to do.  I went to him one day for a follow up.  I have an immune deficiency, which was found while going to the PCP prior to Wendy.  He sent me to the hematologist because my neurologist had found low IgG, IgA, and IgM while looking to see if I had RA.  My Hematologist had made a follow up appt with me to tell me that my blood continued to be immunodeficient.  I told him that I felt like no one was in charge of me.  I said that I go to this specialist and that specialist and they say this is wrong or that is wrong but nobody is putting the pieces together.  I told him nobody but God knows what is wrong with me.  He told me my PCP should be helping me put the pieces together.  I told him my PCP does not even call me into his office to discuss what the specialists say, and never talks to me about anything.  The hematologist told me its time to get a new PCP.  So, my advice to you would be the same.  Shop around until you find a PCP who is willing to work with you to put the pieces together, because that is what they are supposed to do.  They are primary care physicians, the keepers of the castle, and they are supposed to work for you, not against you.

[Sugie1938]

Hi, I was a pedistrian 8 years ago, struck by a car. I had 3 fractures of pelvic, rib fractures, sturnum fractures, rotor cuff surgery, and have had extreme pain since in my  in those areas, and leg, just to left of the bone that runs down the middle, front of leg. I  feel a very small bump where I have severe burning.I think the car struck that part of my leg. It feels like someone is holding a hot poker or something on it. I also have had recurring pain in my hip siatic area, and tail bone, & neck.I have numbness in the left small toe, and fingers. I have seen several doctors who say its nerve damage and I have to live with it. I also had a hard fall a few months ago, landing on my elbows, wrists, and knees, which are still painful. My doctor told me last week, I have Fibromyalgia, and gave me a muscle relaxant and a anti-inflammatory drug. I have only been on them 2 days, and see no improvement but its too soon.After the car accident I was on these and there was no long term improvement. He did not refer me to a specilist to pursue possible damage to those areas. Do you think I should forget seeing another doctor, and will these medicines have long term help?  I have tried not taking a lot of OTC medicines.I have had so much pain, and lack of sleep for several years, I feel like I am unable to cope, dealing with it and family emergencies, and life in general. Thank you for any help or suggestions.

[DrNoopurMD]

Hi,

Thanks for posting.
Physical injury can result in neuropathy. Physical trauma is one of the most common causes of nerve damage. Automobile accidents, falls, sports injuries can cause damage to the nerves by crushing, stretching, compressing or completely detaching the nerve from the spinal cord.
Hope this helps.