Pinched nerve?

I'm going out of my mind.  I have had this neck pain and other symptoms for over 18 months now with a million tests.  Each test finds "something" wrong and that "something" is treated, but the original complaint still exists.  Recently, my orthopedic doc. diagnosed tendonitis and shoulder impingment syndrome.  Yesterday at my follow-up with him, he thinks that it is more of a pinched nerve in my neck area that is causing the pain.  He gave me cortisone shots in shoulder to see if that would help.  If it doesn't help then I will be treated for pinched nerve. Has anyone experienced pinched nerve and what is the treatment.  I asked my doc. if the MRI or other tests would show the pinched nerve and he said no.  So it's a guessing game.  By the way, this all started with me waking up one morning totally unable to move my head, neck at all.

[crystaly]

hi Duchess Here you go again scenario isnt it! Can't help you Ive never had a pinched nerve but hope someone helps you out with some info. be thinking of you . XXChris

[Duchess47]

Hey Chris,  I just posted to Charley.  I feel so bad and wish we all lived closer to each other.

How are you holding up?  Any news about your husband?

[charley1986]

Hey Duchess,
Geez, I am soooo sorry.  I completely know how you feel.  It seems I kept getting diagnosed with a lot of other junk until this finally came to an end with the thyroid cancer.  After reading your post, I slapped myself in the forehead.  My mom has had several surgeries for pinched nerves and the like.  She has a nice scar on the back of her neck and now has one down the side of her right arm and is unable to use her middle, ring and pinkie on that hand.  Also unable to open hand with out help.  I will talk to her later tonite and ask her about symptoms and diagnosis and the like.  Will let you know what I find out...maybe that will be able to help in some way.  Until then, keep your head up - all I can say is this **** has got to get better at some point!
Charley

[crystaly]

Hi Duchess yeah hes ok at the moment .  Just waiting for his test results really a bit apprehensive as you can imagine but bearing up as they say. I said were a right pair if you know what I mean. Shame we do live so far away ! Everyone I speak to on the forum is in the Usa . I will post when I know anything . Hopefully it will just be some sort of side effect from last stint of chemo or maybe the drugs hes on at the moment. Till then tata for now and take care .Hope yu get the pinched nerve thing outXXXChris

[Demiguise]

Hi Duchess. Can't remember many of your posts but your Ortho,
by clinical eval. can easily tell damage vs impingement. Some are easy. Computer all day = carpal tunnel 'nerve impingement'
but repetition causes wrist nerve to swell tendon & work its
way up to cause pain in elbow & can also impinge there. I played
tennis over 20 ys. & had my share of what you may feel now. The
shots are put in the shoulder or elbow joint. I recall, can't
have more than 3 a year. Most impingement is 'distant' from the
spot of pain. Had a c-spine mri? Disks would show shift & if
came on sudden, may be new or you're doing a constant repetition
of something. Maybe picking up kids/heavy bags/scrubbing w/ more
muscle use at shoulder. The shots helped me but don't stop move-
ment or you'll freeze it up. My best trick was a frozen paper
cup kept handy & peel dwn for use over area 15 min. several
times day. Helps pain & circulation. My forearm would swell on
top & even a finger wiggle really hurt. In the US, A trial set
of shots is done & then a ENC/NC test. Neuro's do it but I've
had Ortho's send me to hospital-tech too to save time. Patches
are stuck on nerve points & electricity goes out & a graph can
find where it stops/slows. Repeats are done. Some say hurts. I
just felt it creepy like a worm was wiggling dwn nerve. Then
they use a few needles in spine up to neck. They're very small.
Wasn't awful but hurt a little. The final at neck made my arm
fly in the air w/ quick jolt. They said 'found it'! NC stands
for nerve conduction. They found the impingement wasn't a total
one so they gave a short hard zap. I had a few bruises but the
NC popped the blockage open. 2 days later, sore but gone. Ea.
time I healed, I'd repeat damage to shoulder. Loved tennis but
tore rotator cuff. Game over. Computer use will swell forearm
'tendon inflamm' so I then use wrist brace that causes that
tendon to hurt. Ice + brace heals it in a week. You also have
bursa-pads allover. Looks like flat fatty swollen tissue that
may get inflammed. Ice/rest helps that. NC test is abt the
only way to know unless you figure it on your own or mri shows
disk problem. Posture between shoulder blades/align shoulders
in case one is lower/after healed, try curls using a handbell
or 1lb can for off/on curls will keep tone. Neck pain or numb
can happen from pillows or just posture. Everyone has had a.m.
numb hand/arm & then flow & nerve function returns. Swelling or
impingement was just sleeping wrong. A Hm-body massage unit is
great. Go the cost & get one that has multi level rt-lft
features. Increases spine circulation up to skull base. Sorry
abt writing 'War & Peace'. Try the shots/ice/PT/Massager.

[charley1986]

Hey Duchess,
Just talked to my mom a little while ago and she told me she didn't have pinched nerve - hers was ruptured disks the first time.  The second surgery was for bone spurs on her spine - caused neck pain that radiated to her shoulder.  This last surgery was for some kind of palsy...can't remember what it was called - only remember the word palsy.  Anyway, I'm sure this didn't help in any way, but it was worth a shot! Sorry!
(((((hugs)))))
Charley