What would you recommend?

[Stacia718]

Here is the background info...I was in a car accident in 1999 (I was rear ended while stopped by someone going 35 to 45 mph and had an old car with bench seats, so basically no head rest.  My head snapped back and literally hit my back..I believe I was knocked out as well...but don't know.)  I initially had a slight bulge at C3-C4 and had tons of muscle pain (whiplash) that never ended.  By 2003, that slight bulge had literally exploded into about 10 pieces and I had to have a fusion at C3-C4.  Supposedly I was also born with a birth defect where I have an extra lumbar disc and vertebrae (L6) which for some reason L5-L6 and L6-S1 fused themselves together on the right side.  I never knew this until after the accident when I began having pain in my leg and lower back. (I had my foot on the brake so it must have set things off...)  Anyways, the docs didn't believe there were issues until I found my neck surgeon in 2003 who sent me to a new Pain Doc for a Discogram.  Well that confirmed that the discs at L5-L6 & L6-S1 were bulging/herniated as I about flew off the table when the dye was injected!!  My surgeon wanted to fuse my lower back then, but I held off...I so don't want to go there...see next post for continuation...

[Adam Tanase, D.C.]

You might consider looking on this website: www.UpCspine.com for a specialist in your area. Multi-system complaints of this nature may be best served by consulting one of these types of doctors.

[Stacia718]

continued:   A few months ago though I found out that I have moderate nerve damage in both my legs, especially my right one via a nerve conduction study.  So between the knotted muscles, numb tingling hands/arms, pain that is like fire from the base of my shoulder blades up my neck, the very specific burning stabbing pain on the left side of my spine at maybe T3-T4 where I had an ESI w/ catheter up to C3-C4 in 1999, headaches followed by jaw pain and then pain in my teeth, and the odd feelings and occasional pain in my butt and legs which also just ache and the pain wraps around my waist/hip on the right side, I am almost hypersensitive to pain just about everywhere which is weird that is my life.  I am trying to be as normal as possible, but lately...that seems almost like a feat I cannot manage!!  My job requires sitting at a computer for 8+ hours a day and that is like pure torture...I cannot even get comfortable on any piece of furniture at home...I am exhausted from lack of sleep and pain.  I am on pain meds, but they don't touch the pain and the burning seems to just never stop. I am scared of the possible options, but realistic that they may be the only choices...I just don't know what to do....