My Neck

[SLEDGE]

I finally got the MRI that the specialist wanted and it's bad.

The structure of my neck is really screwed up. Bulging, collapsing, slipped and slid, arthritis and curving the wrong way.

The effects on my body and daily life from the pinched nerves is getting pretty severe.

Do you think this is serious?

Should I let the VA go in?

How about a D.N.R.?

Could this be connected to my lower back which I injured while in the service?

Any comments?

sledge

[Hoppy]

sledge,

I was in so much pain for three months I went in to the VA and begged them to get it over with and operate on me. I was having neck, head, shoulder arm and hand pain cause by a C4/C5 disc. They scheduled me for physical therapy. Two more months went by and I was in half the pain half as frequently. A total reduction of 75% of the pain that was happening three months earlier. When I entered physical therapy I still could not turn my head to one side. After a month of therapy most of the pain went away. I never had any surgery and I am glad I did not have to count on the doctors to cut me up and see what resulted. The surgeries are not always a great relief. I have heard that fussion is the way to go. Oh yea, This is all part of ongoing degenerative disc disease. I have had this for 30 years.

The bottom line is that only you can decide how much pain you want to acept. Then the doctor always have a mind of their own. Usually that will not operate unless there is loos of musscle or some other complication. Pain usually does not motivate them to operate.

[Guest phubai70]

Sledge - How do you go about getting an MRI. I should have one done for my neck and back.

What do you do, just ask the primary care doc?

chuck

Edited March 14, 2006 by phubai70

[Guest jstacy]

Sledge, if you can get a Doctor to provide a Nexus betewwn your lower spine and your neck you may have a case. As far as surgery, I had cervical fusion in 1990. It is ok for a few years but I will tell you this from experience.

My disk space has narrowed. The Bone grafgt they used is working but the constant pressure and arthritis is causing some problems. I take some powerful meds for this right now. The worst problem is that the disk above the the fusion and below the fusion are starting to degenerate.

Surgury is a good option is it is the only option and the success and removing the pain cannot be guarnteed.

In addition, if you have a bone spurr pressing on a nerve root then the damage is likely to be permanent. Surgury may relieve the pain but the residual effects may remain.

Phubai, The way to get a MRI is to go to the va and complain to the PCP that you are having wserious neck problems. They should order a MRI based on the complaint. Thus starting the entire process.

The Keywords in looking at the results are this.

Spondylosis ( Arthritis)

Spondlyothesis ( Shifting of the disk) ( slipped disk)

Neural foraminal narrowing.( Neural foramen is narrowed)

Bulges ( Minor herniations of disks)

Degenerative facets disease. ( Facets are what hilds the vertabrtate together. If the facets are degenerated, then there is a problem.

Read the exams over colsely and do get copies of all MRI results. It can help

Radiculpathy. ( Nerves compressed from the neck).

The VA rates Cervical spine on Limitation of moption if it is post fusion.

They rate the disk problems as IVDS. They base the ratings on incapacitating episodes requiring bed rest presctibed by a Doctor.

I hope I have answered the questiopns you have asked.

John

[david walker]

Please think long and hard about having surgery. Some people it helps, some its does nothing and some it makes worse. I had a level 2 cervical fusion 3 yrs ago. Six months later the hardware broke and I have had severe problems since, now I have chronic pain thru my entire body, side effects from medication, not to mention how this has effected me mentally. The VA gave me 20% for ROM. The doc may say your lower back has nothing to do with your neck, but I beleive if one disk is damaged the others have to work harder to compensate for the bad disk. My disks above and below the fusion have herniated and in my lower back. Only you can decide, only you know how you feel. Good luck and God bless you.

[john999]

As far as neck and back pain I don't think there is a cure. There is a condition called "failed back surgery" syndrome. That is because so many have back and neck surgeries that fail and leave the person worse off.

[SLEDGE]

phubai70

I had to bug her for quite some time just to do the x-rays.

After they saw the films I had an immediate appointment for the MRI.

The VA just called and they want me in to see the specialist at 2:00 pm today.

There ain't no magic formula, just pursue what you know is right.

jstacy

"Surgury is a good option is it is the only option and the success and removing the pain cannot be guarnteed.

In addition, if you have a bone spurr pressing on a nerve root then the damage is likely to be permanent."

The doc did say that there does not appear to be any permanent damage YET.

Just refrain from moving my neck and head until further notice.

Moving my neck, especially looking up, messes with my heart and lungs, blood sugar, blood O2, kidneys, eyesight and my sex life (what's that?).

I'm mostly worried about falling sideways, this happens a lot, and dropping everything.

The next time I really jar my neck and head I'll do A Dale Waltrip.

Pain is not a real issue yet.

Gotta go now, a long drive ahead before 2:00.

sledge