c5/c6 Injury - lots of pain

[mrmitchell78]

Hi,

For the last three months I have suffered from a posterior bulge at the c5/c6 level (as found on an MRI scan) .  My scan states that there was no nerve impingement but I am suffereing the classic heavy/tingling/slightly numb right shoulder, arm and hand.

Doctors/physios believed (as did I) that it was caused by keeping my neck to one side due to a bad ear infection (I had to put lots of ear drops into my right eardrum).  However, the longer this goes on my wife and several family members have raised another possibility.

I was seriously injured (in fact the eardrum was just one of the injuries I sustained) in the Kings Cross bombing on 7/7 - I was no more than 6 ft away from the bomber and had my back turned to him.  I have read that c5/c6 injuries could be attributed to whiplash, and due to the force of the blast I was thrown to the floor.  I don't recall getting my neck examined at the time as I was fully conscious but I am worried that something is happening to my neck as a result of 7/7.  I have had acunputure, physiotherapy and am waiting for an specialist orthopaedic appointment.

Thanks.

[GARETHLEE]

i suffered a whiplash type injury in work,not that i knew this at the time,i was hit in the face by heavy ladders that fell from approx 12ft,that was in 2003,i suffered no reaction untill 2010,after half a dozen visits to my gp and the local a&e dept who did'nt seem to have a clue,i visited a local chiropracter who within 10 minutes diagnosed c5-c6 injury,10 minutes later she treated my neck & the symptoms eased for the first time in 3 months,after approx 10 sessions i was able to return to work & almost back to normal life.Its been 6 months now & i've gone from intense therapy(4 sessions per week to 1 session every 3 weeks).I will have to have treatment for the rest of the foreseeable future maybe for the rest of my life,but anyone who has had an injury like this & suffered the excruciating pain that comes with it will understand what im talking about.

[ricklearns]

I had an injury to my c5/c6 area in 1967.  It wasn't until 19976 that it began to bother me.  It has been a constant problem.  I've spent a great deal of time in physical therapy, to the point that now I know all of the exercises I need to do to reach a pain-free state.  

The pain-free states are only temporary.

Initially, it was my right shoulder that was the problem.  I've spent the last 5 - 8 years performing the corrective exercise routines, and reached a state of relative comfort.  Now the left shoulder has become a problem.

It would seem that this is a progressive problem.

[trueazul7]

yes- for sure they can  sometimes YEARS later-thats why when one is in a car accident and no injuries are  present they should still go nicely to the hospital and get it documented .
good luck

[mrmitchell78]

Sorry - forgot to essentially ask people's opinion - can whiplash-type injuries flare up some time after the event?