herniated disk c6-c7

[lap47]

Hello All, about 2 years ago I had an accident playing sports.
It was like beaing in a car accident I went head on into a guys chest which was the begining of my problem - Herniated disk c6-c7. At the time the only symptoms noticable was a sore left elbow and tinglling sensation in my left foot when I bent my head down but nothing severe. I also remember feeling slight burn spot in my right calf muscle. My next step about a 6 months later was a chiropractor. After viweing the xray's the chiropracter appeared unalarm and said that an adjustment would likley help resolve my issue. I wish I had never seen this guy. He decided to adjust my neck on the 2nd visit. Every nerve fiber in my body was on fire! Pins and needles & burning for sevral days occurred. Since then I have been dealing with reocurring episodes of varing degrees of this sensation depending on what day it is but not as intense as the initail onset by the chiropractors manipulation. I got back to my jogging and some light work out, but nothing like before. I know that its the buldging disk on the nerve that causing the problem. I have recently visited another chiropractor in hopes of undoing what the other guy did. However, as a result of the last visit I found that any pressure or massage in the area reactivates the pins & needles and burning sensation all over again. Should I stay away from any massage of neck therapy?
Help!!!

[Stormy32]

I injured myself 10 weeks ago working on my vehicle and blew a disc in my neck doing it. Numbness in left hand 3- 4 fingers sometimes and thumb. if my neck is way back half my arm is dead no feeling. MRI last week stenosis in c7 nerve root passage and sublateral herniation of c7 with lots more stuff i dont understand. This whole thing is making me feel like no end is in sight.. Chiro is sending me to Neuro guys next week. If my chiro trys to manipulate neck on left side i see a black wall and pass out. A little scarey for sure. I want to be better soon.. i hate this

[thebear04]

    I went to Mayo Clinic in Rochester and  they figured out what the problem was within about 2 weeks.  I went to my general doctor there and he did his various tests and then sent me to x-ray dept..  The nest day he said i should not go back to work and put me on med leave.  He also reffered  me toa neurologist.  I seen him and he said to have an mri.  That was the most painful thingI have ever have to have experienced as far as duration time.  The MRI showed a ruptured disk between the c6-c7 vertabrae.  2 weeks later i ad a surgery to correct it and it has been the best sinc then.  The only thing i have a problem with is since it has been a month since I have done phisicall work that i am very weeker in my left arm.  That is expected since that is where the nerves go.  But I am gonna see pt in a few days and i am sure that is what they are gonna say.   I was pretty big into lifting weights and was pretty sure that was the cause.  But after reading everyones' post I can see it happens to eveyone.  But I am feeling immesley better without nerve pain so much.... allthough it still does get to me.  I do have pain in other parts of my hand and legs but I think it goes with the surgery.  The pain/whatever it is I am feeling as steadily dissapated since the surgery.  so I am very optimistic that everything will return to normal hopefully soon.  As that is what I am feeling now.   If you have any doubts just do the surjery.  Evey hates surjery but this one makes a huge diffference in how you leade your life.  I overall feel it hs benf or the better.  I am almost 2 weks out of surgery and have little pain in my left arm...since I have had a left surgery.  I do feel very uncomfortable doing stuff with my left arm but tht should get better from what they say.  

          Overall,..  i would say go  ahead with any type of surgery they tell you to if they are respecteable.  Otherwise,    try to find the best you can.  Mayo is the best in the world from what I have found.  So if you can go to MAyo they will do the best they can.   I am very happy with there surgeons.  

hope this helps

[lap47]

Reading all the post about how surgeries have not helped but hurt are depressing. Is ther any hope out there?
If none of these procedures have a success rate why are they still doing them? God help us all!

Still suffering, contemplating surgery.

[lap47]

I am really not feeling well. I have been on ibprofin off and on. I got a liitle better for a breif period but tonight in a lot of pain. Could there be more rupture after the touching from the chiropractor?

[lap47]

Spoke too soon:( Yesterday was not a good day. Today is fair. But still not back to where I was pre-chiropractor visit. My skin and hair folicals are very sensitive. Anyone else have these symtoms? Anyone have any success with microscopic surgery? What is the procedure like?

[patsy10]

Have you had another MRI of your cervical spine?? Sometimes the disk can push on the spinal cord and cause symptoms all over.  I had this happen to me and I needed surgery.

[lap47]

Yes, I had the spinal xray where they called it "post myelogram ct of the cervical spine".  On the report:
" impresion: Small disc herniation to the right of the midline at c6-c7 attenuating the ventral subarachoid space but not causing obvious root compression."

By the way I feel much better today with some milder symptoms from my last episode. I just need to stay away from chiropractors or find simeone who can put the buldge back in place if there is such a thing. Maybe a localized steroid injection is what I need. Does the steroid injection permanently reduce swelling in the area or is this just a temporary soultion that may or maynot work?

[Viaudine]

I was hurt at work approx. 3 years ago.  The doctors at that time said I had one herniated disc and that I was not a candidae for surgey.  Now I have finally found doctors outside of the workers comp arena and they found 4 herniated disc's in my neck with a fractured vertebre, nerve damage and myelomalasia.  What is the solution.  Physical thereapy, surgery, taking meds the rest for the rest of my life.  I don't know what the condition is.  I really can't find any solution on the internet.  What is the answere?  

[lap47]

Is there a recommended way one should sleep-on side on stomach on back to bring the most comfort. I guess it would depend on the indvidual. I frequently change postions thru the night.

[allikins]

I too had herniated discs but mine was C-5 and C-6, about 5 years ago. I had mine repaired, and it was the smartest thing I did. Before surgery I couldn't mop or fold clothes, sew, lift, etc. I too went to a chiro, and while the adjustments helped relieve my pain some, I too would get the burning in my neck as well afterwards. I saw him for 3 years. I finally went and seen a neurosurgeon and had another MRI done to see how bad they had gotten. He decided to prevent further damage and repair them. After going in he said the second one wasn't that bad and didn't need to be repaired. Six months after the first disc was repaired I fell and landed on my rear, and completely ruptured the second disc. So, back into surgery I went. That one wound up being worse than the first one, I was in surgery for 7 hours. My point is, that if you do wind up having surgery get them both fixed, even if one isn't worse than the other. I don't know how old you are but surgery is hard on the body, and I really wish he would have done them both the first time.It was harder to recover from the second one. Mostly because of the fact they were only 6 months apart. Now because he tried to go in the same incision as the first one and couldn't, I now have two scars on my neck, it goes almost all the way across it. I'm not really a vain person but, it just didn't heal the way it would have if he had only gone in once. But I am glad I had it done, because I did feel better the day i had the surgery than when I went in. Now, I have a little trouble with my neck, but only if I get tight muscles and need an adjustment, occasionally. That's due more to stress than anything though. Hopes this helps! Allie

[lap47]

I am a 46 year old male. I was pretty active in basketbal jogging and weight lifting. I am thinking about having surgery but I was hoping that I could do the microscopic type to shave the protrution off the nerve. From the xray it appears that the matter between the disk was protruding on the spine. This  is causing havoc thru out the body. I notice moles appearing on my body these days.Could these be the result of this injury or something else. Does the micro surgery have any promise?

[monarog]

I too herniated at C6-7 about 1.5 years ago.  I have had a host of neuro issues since that time.  Personally, I would, under no circumstances, have anyone manipulating my neck.  A consult with a neurosurgeon with a recent MRI in hand would be what I would do.  They may offer lots of conservative approaches with injections, physical therapy etc. prior to even considering surgery.  At this point, I've not had any surgery myself...but, I've been having a miserable time with things.  Anyway, that's just my 2 cents for whatever it's worth.  Good luck to you.