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neck, left shoulder and arm pain

I've been having alot of neck, shoulder and arm pain.  My doctor ordered an MRI and the report showed bulging annulus c6-c7 but no focal disc protrusions, mild posterior lateral spurring on the right at c5-c6 with a slight thecal sac encroachment.  What does this mean?  Will this get better on it's own?  I have severe pain that travels down my left arm so bad I can't even use my arm.  It's worse when I first get out of bed in the mornings.  Is this going to require surgery?  If it will get better on it's own, how long will it take before the pain is tollerable?  Thankyou, Rhonda
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Avatar universal
CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT THE TREATMENT WOULD BE FOR CERVICAL SPINAL STENOSIS OTHER THAN SURGERY? THE PAIN IS ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE NECK AND INTO THE SHOULDER. I ALSO HAVE LOWER BACK PAIN AND SUFFER FROM SCATICA IN THE LEFT HIP.ARE THERE ANY EXERSISES OR SOME TYPE OF THERAPY?I AM A 64 YEAR OLD FEMALE.
PLEASE CONTACT ME AT ***@**** THANKS VERY MUCH
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Avatar universal
Dear Judy:

Neurontin is not a psychiatric medication.  It is an epilepsy medication that also had effects on neuropathic pain.  It has been used as a pain medication for headache.  There may be other uses but these are only small studies and haven't been proven in large blinded studies.  I would not think there is much data for neurontin for post traumatic syndrome.  However, I do not treat post traumatic syndrome and small studies would not be known to me.

CCF Neuro MD
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Avatar universal
Dear Doctor,
For approximately 3 years now I have been suffering from chronic upper back pain with headaches, neck pain and left arm tingling.  The upper back pain being the worst of it.  It took pulling teeth but an MRI was finally done on my lumbar, thoracic, and cervical spine.  Pre MRI xrays were done as well.  The findings showed mild C5-6 and C6-7 neural foraminal stenosis possibly secondary to mild bony overgrowth of the associated uncovertebral joints.  Lumbar rotoscoliosis, spondylosis, degenerative disk disease, posterior herniation of disc at L1-2 with mild central canal stenosis and effacement of the ventral aspect of the thecal sac.  Thoracic degenerative disc disease and spondylosis with wedging of T7-10, prominent posterolateral left herniation of disc material at T6-9 with effacement of the ventral lateral left aspect of the spinal cord.  I was also told I have Lhermitte's phenomenon per my neurosurgeon.
   My symptoms include mild pain in the mid thoracic region which increases to severe and intolerable after sitting for periods of time over 1-2 hours.  This includes muscle spasms in the left scapular area radiating up into the left side of neck, jaw and face, then down the left arm and into my little finger and ring finger.  In these areas I also have sensations of burning, coldness, tingling, sharp piercing shocks, and sensations of needles. I also have weakness in my left arm when I try to lift objects such as a book or coffee cup.  The symptoms range in severity and come and go depending on what I'm doing.  There is loss of range of motion in the cervical, thoracic and lumbar regions.  Driving and sitting greatly increase the pain, laying down alleviates the pain.  I was also told that I have straightening of the lumbar lordosis and kyphosis of the thoracic spine.  
   I have been through numerous physical therapy treatments, use of the TENS unit, 3 steroid epidural injections (without lasting relief), muscle relaxors, pain medication and paxil and prozac.  At this point I have found no "cure" for my back pain.  It has resulted in the loss of my job and has reduced the quality of my life.  The pain wakes me up at night and I now take Ambien to help me sleep.  Sometimes the pain is bad enough that it feels like I have a tight band around my chest and taking a breath of air causes shooting pain clear to my middle back.  It all starts in about a fist-sized area in the middle of the spine in the thoracic spine.  None of my physicians have been able to offer me any help for pain relief involving the thoracic spine.  It seems as though this is an area that is lacking in information.  They are more than willing to look at the herniated disc in the lumbar area-but it doesn't bother me!  The solution has been just to exercise and learn to live with the pain.  I do not agree.  Is there any approaches to finding help on this that I have not already done?  With surgery being a last resort effort, would it help?  As my posture has become terrible with leaning forward, slumped forward rotating shoulders, and neck held forward.  I attempted to practice good posture but the more I sit up straight the worse the pain and burning in the back becomes.  I respect my physicians but they tell me there just simply is nothing that can be done for problems of the thoracic spine.  I have to believe that that is not the case and if I do enough digging I will find something.  As evident by this web site there is more than just me who has thoracic spine problems.  I also remember hearing about a device that can be implanted in the back that delivers morphine to a pin-point site and does not have the usual side effects or dependancy.  Have you heard of this?  If so where would one find out more information on the subject?  I have had to make drastic changes to my lifestyle to cope with the pain.  I desparetly need a job but I know that I cannot do the work I spent so much time and money on educating myself in.  Not in this condition.  Not with living with chronic pain day in and day out.  I am increasingly becoming more fatigued but refuse to give up the fight to find relief.  I know there are physicians who specialize in thoracic spine disorders-just don't try to find one in Colorado!
Do you think a CT myelogram would show anything that might be being missed?  I am currently off all the meds except an occasional pain pill and the Ambien to help me sleep.  I have been told that I am not a surgical candidate because I am overweight and I smoke (I'm working on both these issues). Any information you can provide would be greatly appreciated.  Hope is a wonderfully powerful tool.  God Bless You
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Avatar universal
I was recently in a bad auto accident and as a result have a badly bulging disc at C6-7, torn rotator cuff and damaged ulnar nerve both in my right arm. Ihave numbness and tingling in the last fingers of my right hand, burning snesations inthe elbow and have already lost some mobility in the shoulder. I am also having difficulty is grasping small objects with right hand. Ihave had an MRI and an EMG but showing significant damages. My neurologist has sugggested delaying cervical surgery for a while to see if the bulge will receed on its own. He is extremely concerned about the ulnar nerve and shoulder. I have been put on Neurontin and am now in week 3 of the medication. So far it seems to be having an impact on the headaches and the elbow pain but nothing on the shoulder. I recentlyread inthis column that Neurontin is a psychiatric medication with the odd properties of having significant impact on neurologic injuies. My question is this...could the Neurontin have any effect on my PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder) whose source is domestic abuse?
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Avatar universal
Dear Carolyn:

Sorry to hear about your pain.  Most of our bone density, if not all of it, occurs in our formative years, childhood through our teen-age years.  After this time we are just trying to maintain our bone density.  The fact that you have been doing so much that last ten years is great, but it was after the fact.  Using pain medications does not treat the etiology.  You are doing your best, and that is very good.  I think I would seek better rehab for your condition.  There are things that you can do, such as exercises, learning better techniques for lifting, etc.  Second, if you have lost bone density in other bones, then maybe medications for osteoporosis and arthritis might be helpful. I would seek both of these.  See a neurologist and rehab specialist.

Sincerely,

CCF Neuro MD
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Avatar universal
I recently had X-Rays of my neck and spine and an MRI of my back due to neck and back pain.  The results were disturbing:
1)Osteoporosis  2) straightening of the cervical and lumbar spine, and  3) degenerative arthritis and degnerative disc disease with prominent bone spurs. I cannot understand why I have osteoporosis because I have been on estrogen therapy for over ten years, exercise moderately,drink plenty of milk and take a daily multi-vitamin supplement.  Additionally, I had a bone density test in June of '98 and was told that I had "the bones of a thirty-year-old."  I teach and have to lug heavy books around all day.  Plus I must strain my neck by looking down to grade papers for hours on end.  Needless to say, I am in constant pain, but do not want to have to take addicting painkillers.  What can I do?My small-town doctor has chosen to treat me with large doses of steriod/cortisone shots (which will make my "already remarkable" cataracts mature earlier than had been expected) and pain management (i.e. sedatives and Tylox #3).  Should I seek the advice of a larger-town specialist, and if so, what kind--a neurologist, orthopaedist, or rheumatologist?  I need help and quickly!
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