balance and headaches

[ke4uzj]

i had surgery for c3/4 herniated with cord flattening on 10/29/08 . i am still having problems with headaches from the neck up back of head , and drunks have more balance than i do , i also still have hand and arm symptoms . my dr has told me all kind of different things from it will take 2 months , 3 months , 6 months up to a year to feel better . i went for appt today , and he jumped all over me and told me there was no reason for me not be better he did everything he was supposed to do and he did everything right and he is a good doctor . he acted as if i am lying . told me that there is no way my headache is coming from my neck , the neck does not cause headaches . there are alot of things i can not do at this time , but he seems toi think i am faking it . he takes x-rays everythime and tells me the fusion is healing so i must be fine . i don't know what else to do this is workmans comp in alabama , and dr heck just finished residency in july of 07 at duke university . can somone tell me if i am crazy and just imagining all of this , or if he could be wrong and i am suffering from the cord compression i had ? all i feel like doing is crying tonight , i am not faking , but maybe i am crazy i don't know . please help me !!!!

[ke4uzj]

i am now set up for several test mri , ct , eeg , functionability , and some others . workman comp nurse case manager set these up for next week . do you think i need a neuro doc instead of this spine specialist ? i personally think i need a new dr .

[JainMD]

Hi,
How are you feeling?
Disorders of equilibrium can be produced by disorders that affect vestibular pathways, the cerebellum, or sensory pathways in the spinal cord or peripheral nerves.
I think if you still feeling the numbness in your arm and hand, it suggests that it is due to neuropathy. This neuropathy might be due to nerve compression at the exit from the vertebrae.
Firstly this might be due to post-surgical complication associated with spinal fusion surgery.
Secondly it could be due to nerve compression at your arm level due to compression of brachial plexus group.
Headache which is radiating from back of neck can also be due to nerve compression of nerve roots originating from C1-C3 nerve roots.
I think you should get imaging study that is MRI and electrophysiological study that is Nerve conduction study.
Keep me informed if you have any queries.
Bye.