Neck pain

[tonyfromnj780]

My question is my girl friend was in a car accident two years ago. A van side swipped her mini-van and cause some severe neck damage.  This damage cause constant pain in her neck, migrains, and some numbness.  The treatment they prescribed was getting cold injections to the nerves in neck and head.  She received three treatments over the past  year with some short term relief of pain but always come back.  Beside this  treatment she been doing a routine of physiotherapy, deep tisse massage, water therapy with some relief but not enough.  She is going to start acupunture soon.  My question is besides surgery to burn the nerves (which mostly grow back and pain is worse) is there any other treatments that she can try to find relief.  She is on multiple pills for the pain and to help her sleep, she also on anti-depressants due to the constant pain and lack of sleep.

Her goal is to manage the pain where she can be fully funtionable and to eliminate her pain and sleeping pills.  Please any suggestion would be so helpful.

Tony

[RunningMom]

I injured my neck two years ago and there has been nothing that eliminates the severe pain.  Not even close.

The goal of pain management is to get the pain down to a managable level.  I've done all the procedures and repeated the procedures 1-2 times with no luck.  I've even have a spinal fusion and that did not help the pain either.  I went through 14 spine injections in my neck in 1.5 years.

Right now I'm doing medication management and the medicine barely takes the edge off of the pain.  I am unable to move and spend most my day on the couch or in bed switching my position very often.  This is a major life change, as I use to race in triathlons and run 36 miles a week.  The only thing that really has helped is when I apply ice to my neck.  However, once I take the ice off, it's back to being horrid.  I've gotten frost bite on my neck a few times now due to the ice pack being on almost 24 hours a day.

I honestly don't ever see myself as being fully fuctional and I must adapt to this new life style.  I'm very lucky to have an extremely supporting husband.  I couldn't do this without him.  The doctors are telling me that this is most likely permanent and I'm only 36 years old.

[Tuckamore]

Hello Tony,

Welcome to the Pain Management Forum. I am glad that you found us and took the time to post about your girlfriends painful issues. My heart goes out to her...and you. She is fortunate to have your concern and understanding support.

I am sorry to hear about her MVA and the resulting chronic pain. It sounds like she has had the usually treatments.

In RFA (burning) the nerve(s) are temporarily deactivated, as well as the pain signal by an electrical current.  It can be very successful. I have not heard that this is may produce more pain with the regrowth of the nerves...although that doesn't mean it can't happen. It's not really a surgery of course with this as with any procedures comes risks.  

I have found pain relief through the treatment of an Internal Medicine Doctor of Osteopathy. She is my PCP and performs OMT (Osteopathic manipulation). It is NOT a chiropractic adjustment. It is much more gentle and much safer. If your girlfriend has not consulted a DO that practices OMT I encourage her to at least try it. This is the only thing that keeps my pain bearable....along with narcotic therapy.

Her goals are admirable and I sincerely hope she is able to reach them.  I think we CP patients all have those or similar goals. Some days we meet them and other days we just don't. Learning how to live with chronic pain and acceptance is the key.

If your girlfriend has not been seen by a national known clinic or a large teaching facility I suggest that she consider a referral. When you are seen by those physicians you have the opportunity to be evaluated and reviewed by a multitude of eyes, all on the cutting edge of today's best medicine.

I am sure your GF appreciates your participation in her chronic pain challenges (CP). It is so important for us CP patients. I wish you both the very best. I hope you will keep in touch and let us know how she is doing. Please feel free to ask additional questions and post updates. We'll look forward to hearing from you again.

Peace,
~Tuck  

[Sarajmt]

Hi Tony:  I'm so sorry to hear about your girlfriend.  Must be awful.  But I'd like to welcome you to the Pain Management forum.  We're not doctors but just a bunch of chronic pain patients who support and advise one another based on our own experience.

Burning the nerves isn't actually a surgery per se.  It does help the nerve pain but sometimes the recovery can be a little rough.  If I were she, I'd be open to it.  I've personally done it with very good results.  

Another thing that's helped my neck are patches called Lidoderm patches.  They numb the skin and really help me.  I have no idea if they'd be appropriate for your girlfriend.  Only her doctor can answer that question.

She can always get a 2nd opinion from another Pain Management physician.  Sometimes a new set of eyes will see things previously overlooked.

I am sure that someone with better advice will be along soon.  Welcome to the forum.

Sara