balging disk in neck

What do you do for this, I have tingling in my left arm and numbness. they thought i was having TIA's . The MRI says its a bulging disk. Do i just live with the tingling and numbness?


This discussion is related to Shoulder Pain, Tingly Arm, Pinched Nerve?.

[Dr. A. Srivastava]

Thank you for your question. Although without being able to examine you I can not offer you the specific advice on diagnosis and treatment that you need, but I would try to provide you some relevant information about your health concern.

Generally pain/numbness in the arm, shoulder and back portion of the head originates from the neck problems due to irritation in the cervical (neck) spine since the nerves that supply these areas start in the upper cervical spine. Mostly, this kind of pain aggravates after turning head and typically occurs in patients with previous neck injuries that causes disc bulge and in patients with marked arthritis of the upper cervical spine. In addition, this pain exacerbate with prolonged sitting in a stooped posture and when working on a computers for long hours.  If you suffer continuous pain, numbness at these areas, please arrange an appointment with a neurologist right away who will evaluate the possibilities here and can provide you an appropriate treatment. Further referral to a physiotherapist for spinal exercises could be beneficial and may produce relief of symptoms. Hope this information proves helpful to you.

Take Care & Regards!!!

[caregiver222]

You should see a pain specialist with experience in subluxion injuries. The specific treatment (other then surgery) involves application of what is called intermittant "axial traction". with a harness. The traction separates the verterbra and enables the bulging disc to return to normal. Sometimes they do. Sometimes they don't. You definitely do NOT want to ever use a cervical collar, because it will reduce muscle tone.

The axial traction harness sells for about $35 without a prescription. Throw away the water bag and suspend yourself ever-so-slightly for six-to ten minutes, with at least an hour or two between suspensions. Do not allow ultrasound, which makes it worse.

Initially prednisone is used, 60 mg first day, 40 the next, 20 the next, then 10, then 5, then 5,then 5, then 800 mg of Ibuprufin every daty in divided doses with food.

As an alternative to surgery in Europe they are injecting ozone into the area around the tissue. This is currently only being done in the U.S. in New Mexico.

Get an inflatable cushion for when riding in a car. The "up and down" bumps make everything worse. Curiously Metformin often helps. Metformin is prescribed for diabetics, but by lowering the blood glucose the osmolatity changes and the bulged disc has a better chance of returning to normal.

Since I haven't seen your MRI I can't comment, but sometimes the treatment is counter-intuitive. That is you have to rotate your head through the limits of pain (Arghh!), or movement will become increasingly restricted. This doesn't make sense because everything inside you telss you that pain means "don't move", but such range of motion exercises are often the only way to regain a normal existence. Don't do these exercises without consulting a pain specialist, because in some cases they may be inappropriate.