Veterans With Upper And/or Lower Radiculopathy

[ArNG11]

Ultram was helpful for my pain, but caused me to itch like crazy. Can't takeit.

Tramadol right Vync. Yeah at least you get some help from it. It just made me sleepy.

[ArNG11]

Here's a question. How long did it take you guys to have problems with upper radiculopathy in the upper extremities? Do you have any problems with the Cervical Disks/vertebrae?

My incident, my back and left hip got the most of it but I did get a C-spine injury from it. Chiro care has taken care of most of the pain/problems, however, these last few years it has been getting worse.

Im afraid that I will loose it, if it gets as bad as my back. Not sure how I will deal with that. Anyways interested in your folks experience. Thanks

[TALON II FE]

Mine was cervical. Herniated discs, foraminal narrowing stenosis and spondylosis, etc. I ended up having C-4 thru C-6 fused. Still get pain, but not as bad as before. I had the neck surgery 1.5 years ago.

[ArNG11]

Mine was cervical. Herniated discs, foraminal narrowing stenosis and spondylosis, etc. I ended up having C-4 thru C-6 fused. Still get pain, but not as bad as before. I had the neck surgery 1.5 years ago.

so at least an improvement in your case. How many opinion did you go through before deciding?

[TALON II FE]

Well, mine was an easy decision because I was still on AD and it was debilitating and I couldn't just push thru it anymore. I still have the "burning pain" in my neck and that came back pretty quickly after the surgery, which was disappointing. I have to be frank, though; I think that the AD physical therapy guys messed me up a little trying to get ROM back. I saw them for about a month 6 months after the surgery. They had me trying to torque my head around, I guess to help the VA later, heck IDK why, really. I saw my Ortho Doc, also AD, after a few sessions and he said to not go back. If you put metal plates on a garden hose, it doesn't bend anymore either, idiots! I did have xrays and they didn't look like they had loosened any of the screws, so no follow up surgery needed to fix them. They told me in recovery that they almost did the next level down as well when they were in there, but decided to hold off because it is always better to do the least amount possible, but I think that is where a lot of the burning is coming from, the next level down. I have heard this is pretty common, you fix the ones above and below and it puts more stress on the discs on the "ends" of the repaired area.

My surgery was approached with the mentality "exhaust all other options first". I am sure this is how most approach these things. I tried strengthening exercises first and then moved on to corticosteroid injections a few times. Neither of those things worked and after spending a couple years exhausting other options, opted for surgery. It is bout to where it was about 3 years presurgery, but not perfect by any means. If you go into it with the understanding that it isn't a miracle cure and is not going to give you a new neck, but may help slow down the side effects of degeneration, then you should not be disappointed.

I have had bulging discs in my L4-L5 area for almost 20 years. I was climbing on a "water buffalo" (portable aircraft engine wash equipment) and slipped and fell across a railing. I have a weird bump on the right side of my spine on my back from it now, but it is actually an overdeveloped muscle. Essentially, the muscular system was able to adapt to compensate for the deficiency in the skeletal system which just goes to show what amazing machines are bodies can be! I have fatigue issues in my lower back but I have never even considered surgery. My point there is that it is better still then the surgically repaired cervical spine area and I expect it always will be. IF you can get the muscles built up and supporting your spine, that is a better option. The reality is that doesn't always work. The corticosteroids did nothing to help and just exacerbated the situation for me. Surgery was my last feasible option and I can say that it took my issues to where they were when I started trying to get help in the first place. Still pain, very difficult to clear blind spots while driving, must pivot torso to look at things, etc BUT seems to have stabilized and is not "worse and worse" like it was leading up to surgery. Long term, we will see. I do not regret the surgery so far.

[ArNG11]

Thanks Talon, just want to find out all I can and get the most feedback, don't really want surgery but I am slowly loosing my mind over matter approach.