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Avatar universal

C4-5 disc bulge

I am 32 yrs old and have had (L) neck and upper trap pain as well as upper arm and hand numbness and tingling for 6 weeks now. One MD (ortho) was initially treating me and didn't seem to be too concerned but as of now I am getting impatient. He saw a small 2mm C4-5 disdc buIge with an MRI.Then I went to a different MD and he saw in a cervicl flexion x-ray too much forward movement of C2-4 with flexion. He ordered a CT scan and wanted to do an epidural and then he left for vacation. My insurance declined the CT scan secondary to already having an MRI so I never received the epidural. Now I am going to see a diferent MD (spine specialist) on July 26th to plead for help.

I have increased (L) neck and shoulder pain with increased activity with my arms that takes about 1.5 days to subside. Also numbness and tingling in my (L) tricep into my (L) pinkie finger with leaning forward and bending to the (L) with my neck. Also I have a upper trap spasm where my shoulder hikes up if I do too much with my arms. I am a manual physical therapist and am on disability currently because work increases my symptoms to unbearable. (30 patients a day)
I wanted to know if a 2mm disc bulge at C4-5 could cause these symptoms?
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Avatar universal
Has anyone tried spinal decompression???  
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Have any of you heard of a drug Neurontin. My Neurologist put me on it when C5, C6 collapsed. It stopped pressure and numbness. I have nerve damage and i have taken it for 7 years for the pain and pressure that my back causes.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
It has taken at least 24 visits on each of my injured regions to correct the bulges and reduce them in size just enough for the pain to ease. Read my other posts so you can see what else I did. They key is to know when it's okay to do each of those. Certainly you wont be working out anytime soon, but eventually the gym is going to be your best friend. After all, what else supports your spine? Muscle.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
It took 2.5 years of physical therapy, massage therapy, chiropractic, and acupuncture, along with a work out regimen, and a LOT of pain, for the cervical disk bulge to reduce from a 3mm to a 1mm. We have an early mri and a 2.5 yr mri to confirm the change.  The lumbar disks are improved yes but they still cause a lot of pain if I try to do anything. It seems like it takes about 2 years minimum for them to reduce in size. I think that the whole 4mm rule for surgery is total crap and it has everything to do with our junk health care system in the US. Insurance surely wont pay for it, but if you have cash you can get it done yourself, IF the pain is stopping you from working. You see in the US they don't mind drugging everyone to avoid surgery. No one cares about ALL of the side effects of PILLS and how they injure your entire body & life, not to mention how they tear down what muscle you have left supporting your SPINE! In my opinion IF someone is in chronic pain after everything we've all been through, they should qualify for surgery whether it be a 2mm or a 4mm disk bulge.
Good luck to you!
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Hi,
I have 3 cervical  bulged disks and 3 in my back. Pain began just after an injury 3 years ago and now the back region is chronic. My hmo hasn't handled it right, and they're radiologists are pretty much  worthless because their reports weren't honest and showed muscle spasms while there were 3, 2mm disk bulges in my spine. After having the MRI's RE read through higher qualified radiologists OUTside of my HMO we found the culprits, and they just so happened to line up precisely with the locations of my pain. Because my bulged disks are the result of an injury they don't want to support their existence, or pay for what's to come. Hopefully you have a Dr. who's helping you through PPO or at least an honest source. With that said; Just as an example, one of mine is at L4-L5 and it radiates into my leg, ankle, hip and back. It has taken me to the hospital for abdominal pain and constipation. It has also affected my bladder and caused me to urinate at night a lot just after I do anything to upset my back. Something as simple as cleaning house will flare everything up. Physical therapy has helped so much, but that alone is not enough. I also did chiropractic once a month, and massage therapy once a week, as well as acupuncture once a month.
The other bulged disks that are higher up cause numbness in my arm, hand and pain in my shoulder.
I hope that you find some of this information helpful!
Good luck!
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Chiropractic care can make disc protrusions worse. I would make sure any chiro knows about it in advance.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Hi,
I have  neck  pain that radiates to right shoulder and then to right arm initially. But then I got numbness in my right hand ring finer and now feel in right hand. I went to neurosurgeon and he asked me for MRI and results show that I ahve disc bulge at C5-6 and bone spur at C4-5. Then he sent me to physical therapist. I have already visited him for three days but don't see any improvement. I have three more visit to Therapist left.
Any suggestion  that can help me  alleviate pain and make me functional will be appreciated
AM
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Have you guys tried chiropractic care? I have been seeing mine since my onset of my c5-6 hernia twice a week and althought its been trecherous im sure without them i would be lost. My mri revelead a 1.4 cm by .5 cm central disc protrustion/extrusion and im seeing a neurosurgeon next week.
I think it would be helpful for you to take your test results and scans to them to review and see what they can do. I did physio, accupuncture and chiro to see what would help. The doctors pulled me off everything but the chiro.. believe it or not.
They help with doing ultrasound some days when im too sore to be adjusted. they arent adjusting my neck but helping my upper back which is so out of whack from the muscle problems accompanying my pain.
Helpful - 0
212348 tn?1199664646
I was browsing the forum and found your posting.  

I have a 2-3mm herniated disc at C4-C6 and have numbness down to my left thumb.  In short, I've had this for almost two years and the pain and numbness doesn't go away.  Have okay days and bad days.  Work related injury and am on temp disability.  Have exhausted all avenues such as physical therapy (cervical traction, tanscutaneous electrical nerve stimulator, etc.), accupuncture, epidurals.  

Surgery isn't an option at this point unless it gets worse (discs herniated 4-5mm plus).  Only thing that helps is pain meds (moderation) and ice.  Learning to live with it as best possible.

Hope my info finds you okay.
Best to you buddy.
StraightUp
Helpful - 0
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