neck, shoulder, arm pain

[tammy2524]

About three weeks i hurt myself at work i was helping another girl get her paient back to bed and he didn't satnd as well as she said he could and two hundred pounds of dead weight riped down on my left shoulder. Sence this has happened i have had very bad pain in my shoulder, neck arm and back, i can't move my arm at all without tears my neck i can't even turn it. And i have very bad numbness in hand to the point where it's hard to hold on to things. Also i have been getting bad head aces. I don't know what to do the work comp Dr. they sent me too will not do a MRI and im really scared and this pain is just too m much to take. He did a xray of my shoulder only and said it is just a strain and will be fine but it's been three weeks and i'm getting worse with pain and movement.

[caregiver222]

First of all, the "comp doctor" works for the insurance company. You are getting a "snow job".
You have no legal requirement to go to a doctor in your health plan or one suggested by the company if you have a workman's compensation injury.

Furthermore the "comp" doctor is your adversary. His job is to minimize the injury and claim. You need an independant evaluation.

If you work in a union shop see your shopsteward or business agent.

Otherwise, you need to see a workman's comp attorney.

Under workman's compensation you can get any medical treatment or evaluation anywhere and the insurance company is bound to pay for the evaluation. An x-ray does not meet the "standard of care".

Walk into any hospital or go to the best neurologist for an evaluation and state it is a workman's compensation case and when the smokle eventually clears the comp insurance company will pay the bill. Some physicians may not want to take a workman's comp case, but in general they will. You are suppossed to tell them that is the situation when you make your first visit.

[Dr. A. Srivastava]

Hi, Thank you for your question. These kind of symptoms arise from nerve irritation in the cervical (neck) spine because of cervical disc bulge. This pain & numbness may be referred and perceived as occurring in the back of head & shoulders (as it blades)- LHERMITTES SIGN, arms or chest, rather than just the neck. Other symptoms may include vertigo, nausea (dizziness) and stiffness. It will be best that you consult a neurologist who would like to prescribe Pain killers, steroid and muscle relaxants. Other treatments could be cervical orthosis such as a soft cervical collar or stiffer neck brace to restrict neck movement till you get complete recovery. In addition, cervical traction may also be suggested by the doctor, if condition is severe. Hope this helps.