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Cervical Issues

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rpowell01

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I have a question for people who has Cervical Radiculopathy. For the past few months I have been having severe pain going down the base of my neck into my shoulder into the back of my left arm into my forearm. The pain is a shooting pain, severe pain and burning pain. I also have been having muscle spasms next to my shoulder blade. I notice that whenever I tilt my head backwards I can really feel the shooting pain. For the past week I've been getting the pain in my right arm, not as bad as my left arm, but the symptoms are pretty much the same. Whenever I sit down, it does not matter where I sit, the pain gets worse in my left arm so I have to lay down for a bit before I can get back up. I also been dropping a lot of items I hold in my left hand even though I don't have any tingling in my hands like I did back in 2010 whenever all the DJD changes began. Even whenever I stand it gets worse. I'm thinking gravity is pulling down on my spine causing the pain to get worse.

Does it appear I may have herniated a disc or the foramina might have some bone spurs?  To be honest the pain was so bad I thought it was my shoulder because I would hear this popping sound but realized that is coming from all the muscle spasms pulling down on my shoulder causing it to pop. Does this make any sense?

I go see my private PCP on Nov 3 and I'm going to request a new XRay and MRI on my neck, upper back and shoulder to see what in the world is going on.

Edited by rpowell01
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At the time, the VA didn't have any MRI's in town.  They sent everyone to Boston Imaging.  Upright MRI would be a different provider, they didn't want that.  To expensive.

They opened the Orlando VAMC now, huge radiology department.  Still no stand up MRI there, but they have a nice fast 3T system that gives really great images.

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Upright MRIs don't even cost as much as a recumbent MRI? I know at Rose Technologiy in Sarasota, FL a cervical upright MRI is approx $500. I know this because I called ahead to get details..

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I have hardware in my neck, lordosis, bulging discs, DDD and all the other back issues that go with it.  I have constant guarding and get botox every 3 months in conjunction with migraine treatment. I agree with the advice above about seeing a specialist, but it looks like you are already working on that.  From my experience, it will happen again...and again...more frequently until it becomes near constant.  Think long and hard before back surgery, which I am sure you have heard before.  Two years removed, I am back to about where I was pre-surgery.  Maybe, I would have continued to decline without the surgery, I don't know for sure, but I can promise you it sucks having plates in your neck.  Good luck and keep the updates coming.

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Well today I am fine except the normal leg and feet pain. Is funny how the issues between the shoulder blades can mess with your mind, your heart and your shoulders and arms. That stuff is no fun. I decided to take an aspirin every morning now instead of the Naproxen as Aspirin things the blood.

Plus that shot that ER MD gave me did wonders for me. I guess I will have to do that every month. I don't know know the name of that muscle relaxer he gave me but it did its job.

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