Persistent inflammation in the neck

[arkadyka]

Hey Folks,

First time posting here, hoping to get some insight.  I am 29, but have been living with several chronic pains for the past 14 years.  The one I am asking about is in the left side of my neck right around the hair line.

The trauma happened 14 years ago, on a Sunday morning, when I was doing routine wrestling exercises.  Sharp pain in the neck almost as if the muscles "clinched" and never quite let go.  During many years of useless physical therapies doctors discovered that I had a congenetical birth defect, where the C6 and C7 are fused - they suggested that this fusion is causing me persistent pain.  I bought the explanation, even though up to the wrestling injury I never had any neck pain what so ever.

I pretty much accepted my fate and lived with pain, but every 4 years or so I would see another doctor with some hope of possibly being pain free.  In the past 8 years or so unfortunately my pain only got worse.  I developed shoulder impingement in the right shoulder and distal bicep tendonditis in my right arm.  Not related to the neck pain...at least I don't think.  

Every time I would see a doctor or a therapist, the visit would usually end with "you have to live with pain..." and this is hardly encouraging for someone in their 20s.  Yet, I refuse to believe it.  

3 years ago I had an MRI done on my neck and it showed clear signs of inflammation, very clear.  In fact I somewhat contemplated having non-surgical spinal decompression done because the therapist claimed he would fix my problems, but for 4.2K and an orthopedist telling me it was a sham I could not go through with it.  

As of today, things got a little worse because now I developed sharp neck pain on my right side too.  Although this pain is acute and is directly on the shoulder lever, whereas the original neck pain is to the left of the spine and deep inside the muscle belly.   Once again, not sure if it's related.

I would like to see a very skilled surgeon in the Boston area and present him with some information, but I have already been told by someone from New England Baptist (a spine surgeon) that I have no recourse...  

Can anyone give some ideas?

[arkadyka]

Other than that the inflammation was *above* the c6-c7 fusion, right around c3-c4.  Discs looked healthy.  I forgot to mention that around that time I had x-ray guided cortizone shots right into that area and they did nothing what so ever.

Did the doctor miss anything...what could there be?  

[Kalvin]

What did the MRI show besides inflammation? That's a very critical piece to this puzzle.