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People here with Cervical DDD and DJD

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rpowell01

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Just wanting to know if anybody here that has Cervical DDD and DJD with radiculopathy also have a ringing in either ear with tingling wrapping around from the neck to the cheek? For 3-4 months my left arm and shoulder was in severe pain and after I finally took a trip to my local ER and given a couple of injections I now have this awful ringing in my left ear and tingling that wraps around from my neck to my left cheek. Yes I have Spondylosis which is both DDD and DJD. Just curious how many folks here have this and what do you do to treat it?

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I have cervical DDD and tinnitus/ringing in both ears. I would not call it a tingling sensation, but instead more like sharp shooting pains. Sometimes the pain gets so bad that they have to give me injections in the muscles which control the jaw. For routine medications I take celebrex, robaxin, ice packs, tylenol with codeine as needed, and also see a non-VA chiropractor.

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I have those issues but I also have tinnitus, so it would be hard, if not impossible, to tell.  The tingling would alarm me a little.  Where did they do the injections on you?  Was the tingling there before or not until afterwards?  Without taking the injections into account, I would immediately suspect a cranial nerve issue, rather than something radiating from your back.  I have learned to never take a diagnosis for granted and realized that I need to spend time researching all the possibilities myself, especially since they are looking crap up on their phones right in front of you these days.  If I wanted to use 'Web MD', I would have stayed home, right?

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There injections was just in the buttocks. It was Toradol and some muscle relaxer because something in my spine was causing the increased radiculopathy and muscle spasms. It weird how the back works with all them muscles back there. Before the injections I could NOT bend my head backwards without increased pain in my shoulder and forearm. Now I can bend it backwards but I have the pain. The tingling I speak about is if I am laying in bed on my side and tilt my head backwards boom theres this tingling or a weird feeling in my spine and back of my head and is wraps around my left cheek. As of right now the ringing is only in my left ear. It sounds like an old picture tube (remember them whenever a TV was turned on?)..Its a very, very high pitch ring. My VA DR says its the opioids causing it and he wrote it in a secured message. Well good now I have evidence for a new claim thanks to him for saying that. I take OXycodone for chronic pain due to service connected issues. LOL Yes I could be stinker and file a claim for it but I'm not. I just don't go file claims for anything. Now if it gets worse or I start losing my hearing in that ear you bet I will file a claim.  Its scary because I play a piano/pro keyboard, not all the time like I use to, but once in awhile I play it to relax. Since the onset of all these nerve issues I just cannot play anymore. My hands don't move like they use to. Its sad, just sad I am in this condition.

Vync  to answer your question about a chiropractor in the other post. I cannot go to a CP anymore. My neck is so bad that he actually hurt me worse. I don't have any cartilege left in my neck. You should hear it, I've been told I gross people out whenever I adjust my neck. It sounds like an M60 machine gun. Its bone against bone grinding making the awful noise. I do go for my back once in awhile and its helps my leg and feet and toe pain for about three days. But he doesn't touch my neck I am too scared because I read some awful stories of people with my condition ending up in the ER because a large blood vessel was ruptured in the neck and they died and almost died...

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I have those issues but I also have tinnitus, so it would be hard, if not impossible, to tell.  The tingling would alarm me a little.  Where did they do the injections on you?  Was the tingling there before or not until afterwards?  Without taking the injections into account, I would immediately suspect a cranial nerve issue, rather than something radiating from your back.  I have learned to never take a diagnosis for granted and realized that I need to spend time researching all the possibilities myself, especially since they are looking crap up on their phones right in front of you these days.  If I wanted to use 'Web MD', I would have stayed home, right?

My TMJ injections consisted of marcaine injected directly into the temporalis and masseter muscles (See picture). It made the muscles go numb for a few hours and afforded me relief until I got home to take my stronger pain medications. The VA dental clinic oral surgeon said they could look at doing botox injections to achieve longer term results, but I don't like the idea of being injected with the same bacteria that causes canned goods to swell.

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There injections was just in the buttocks. It was Toradol and some muscle relaxer because something in my spine was causing the increased radiculopathy and muscle spasms. It weird how the back works with all them muscles back there. Before the injections I could NOT bend my head backwards without increased pain in my shoulder and forearm. Now I can bend it backwards but I have the pain. The tingling I speak about is if I am laying in bed on my side and tilt my head backwards boom theres this tingling or a weird feeling in my spine and back of my head and is wraps around my left cheek. As of right now the ringing is only in my left ear. It sounds like an old picture tube (remember them whenever a TV was turned on?)..Its a very, very high pitch ring. My VA DR says its the opioids causing it and he wrote it in a secured message. Well good now I have evidence for a new claim thanks to him for saying that. I take OXycodone for chronic pain due to service connected issues. LOL Yes I could be stinker and file a claim for it but I'm not. I just don't go file claims for anything. Now if it gets worse or I start losing my hearing in that ear you bet I will file a claim.  Its scary because I play a piano/pro keyboard, not all the time like I use to, but once in awhile I play it to relax. Since the onset of all these nerve issues I just cannot play anymore. My hands don't move like they use to. Its sad, just sad I am in this condition.

Vync  to answer your question about a chiropractor in the other post. I cannot go to a CP anymore. My neck is so bad that he actually hurt me worse. I don't have any cartilege left in my neck. You should hear it, I've been told I gross people out whenever I adjust my neck. It sounds like an M60 machine gun. Its bone against bone grinding making the awful noise. I do go for my back once in awhile and its helps my leg and feet and toe pain for about three days. But he doesn't touch my neck I am too scared because I read some awful stories of people with my condition ending up in the ER because a large blood vessel was ruptured in the neck and they died and almost died...

I have been given the Toradol in the past and they help, but not really for long term relief. If it works, then it is better than nothing.

My cervical DDD sounds like a pebble on concrete being rolled back and forth under foot. My CP does minimal work on my neck, but does spend more time under the trapezius, between the shoulder blades. It seems that if they work there, the neck problems tend to be lessened - at least for me. I'm sorry you can't go to one regularly any more.

Have you tried acupuncture? Supposedly the VA offers it. I was told that the nearest clinic to me is about 2-3 hours away. I might consider trying to use the Choice Card to get an appointment with a local doctor.

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My TMJ injections consisted of marcaine injected directly into the temporalis and masseter muscles (See picture). It made the muscles go numb for a few hours and afforded me relief until I got home to take my stronger pain medications. The VA dental clinic oral surgeon said they could look at doing botox injections to achieve longer term results, but I don't like the idea of being injected with the same bacteria that causes canned goods to swell.

Like with any intrusion into our bodies, there is risk.  An example:  I have a spot on my left bicep where I received an anthrax series shot / booster 5 years ago.  If I touch that spot, even lightly, it hurts for about 10 minutes.  I spoke to my previous neurologist about this and he stated that the anthrax uses a large size needle and they probably nicked a nerve.  Nothing to be done about it.  This is part of the reason why I went away from the occipital nerve blocks and moved to Botox.  The Botox is many more injections but they are tiny needles in comparison and do not go nearly as deep, nor do they need to be injected essentially directly into a nerve.  There is, of course, the risks associated with continued steroid use with the nerve blocks as well that needed to be factored in.  I am not familiar with Marcaine, but maybe this info helps you work thru and figure things out enough to get some relief.

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