Severe Pain - Pinched Nerve or Something Else?

[Roseberry]

Hi,

I've had this problem for almost 9 months on and off. I have severe pain, stiffness, tear off feeling, and burning feeling as I am trying to wash dishes or even for simple things such as opening the fridge lean forwarding and trying to get something to type something on computer, to grab something on the floor. It is a few inches down between my left shoulder and neck close to my spine. I also feel tingling and numbness at my fingers .My hand is very weak since I start dropping off things in my hand which I had never experienced before.

I have already been emergency twice so far since I could not bear the severe pain. They gave me a shot for the severe pain and strong painkillers and a medicine called Gabapentin. I took them for two to three weeks and then I saw a neurologist and she sent me to x-ray and CT scan because she suspected that it was pinched nerve. But both of them was clean(Incidentally, I went through CT scan right after I stop using Gabapentin, I do not know if having that medicine let CT scan to be clear.Since CT scan was clean she suggested me to go and see a physiotherapist for 10 sessions and I did it for 10 sessions. After this, I felt much better and I had the feeling that the most of my problems were gone until a few weeks ago. Somehow, it came back again. She told me to try massage. Thus, I had one session and since then it is even worse. Three days ago, I have been in emergency for the second time and this time they gave me different painkiller and a medicine called Lyrica. Currently, I am having these medicines but to see my neurologist, the first appointment I have in 3 months from now on and I do not even know if she will refer me to MRI and God knows how much wait there is in MRI.

Could anyone tell me what my problem is and suggest me any medicine, treatment or therapy? Will MRI tell what my problem is? Should I try acupuncture or chiropractor?

Please help
Thanks

[easyrider49]

I just wanted to know why you usually remove a disk?  And why the C.T, test didn't revail this neck problem that the patient was experiencing?

Also, I didn't realize that you can have problems with urinating and walking problems from a neck herniation.  I thought that it comes only with a lower back herniation.  
Because I myself went through this similar situation, where I ended up at the ER in 2004 after experiencing a terrrific pain in my lower back and also my neck at the same time.  And yes, I was experiencing urine retension at the time and difficulty walking.  Which I failed to inform my Doctor or the ER at the time. (Not knowing at the time how very important this information is to give to my Doctor was)

Thank you again for your time, easyrider.

[Charles Rosen, MD]

Dear Roseberry,

You probably have a disc herniation in your neck and need an MRI scan.  If  that’s what it is, then you may need to have it taken out, which is usually a one night hospital stay.  If you’re having any change in urination of any sort, or difficulty walking, then it becomes much more urgent and you should go to an ER and tell them this.  Get the MRI soon.  Do not do chiropractry in the face of a disc herniation as it could be dangerous.

Dr. Rosen

Charles Rosen, MD
Clinical Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery
Spine Surgery
University of California, Irvine, College of Medicine
Founding Director, UCI Spine Center  
Orange, California