Pain In My Neck-Confirmed Herniated Disc.

Hello! It's me again. Well, remember I was talking about migraines? Turns out that I have a herniated disc in C5-C6. Neck. A few years ago, I had an MRI that showed that all of my bulged disc went back into place.

Does anyone else have a herniated disc in your neck and have you got it to be tolerable to deal with? I now have to go for physical therapy for this and my wrist.

If it's not one thing it's another, it's been one hell of a year.

My orthopedic doctor does not feel I need surgery, it's a moderate herniation, but I'm really upset about it. I can't stop thinking about it. I can't seem to get comfortable at night when I'm trying to sleep because I can feel the pinched nerve going into my shoulder.

When I decided to have this wrist surgery I knew I was going to be taking time off from work but it seems as though I'm going to be taking a lot more time off than I had anticipated, because I'm just too sick.

If you've had a herniated disc, but you've got it into a good position please let me know as that's what I would like to hear. To me, herniated discs always mean surgery.

 

I have a herniated disk in my neck also, thanks for reminding me. I have awoken a few times over the years with my neck out of commission. I should mention this to my disability lawyer!

GG

PS Been waking up with headaches (not migraines, but I did have a Neurologist describe them as migraine like) a lot also, that neck issue probably doesn't help!

 

I have a herniated disc at c5/c6. It seems to be a common location for herniation's. Mine was caused by sports/repetitive motion. Here's how I delt with it:

After getting the MRI, I started a Medrol dose pack for a week. This would be contraindicated if you're on HC or have HPA-axis issues.
About a week or 2 later, I got an epidural injection of cortisone into my neck near the herniation.
After a week, I started physical therapy and continued for 4-5 months.

Note: I had nerve issues, muscle spasm in my arms, so this was designed to treat that.

I did allot of other things like bought a neck pillow (inflatable neck accordion thing), TENS unit, and allot of stretching.

 

@drob31 -did any of those modalities help. Having a hard time finding a good neck pillow. Have TENS. Had injections in neck...totally flared it! Ugh.

Did not have an epidural.

 

The C5-6 disc falls to bits in almost everyone with time. The problem is if it hits a nerve when it does. Discs d not 'go back into place'. The compression force of the spinal muscles is too big to allow that. They bulge and sometimes herniate and then the herniated material shrivels up and with luck the nerve frees. Most people who get nerve pain from a disc like this (maybe 30% of the population at some time) have trouble over a period of a few months - maybe for a year or more, and then the fragment shrivels or the nerve shrivels and pain subsides. The good news is that once the disc has herniated in most cases that is the worst point and healing gradually occurs. Surgery is probably best avoided unless pain is too bad to sleep. In the lumbar spine the long term result is not really altered by surgery - you just get better quicker in some cases. But there are complications and for the neck that is a much bigger issue because the surgery is right next to spinal cord nerves that supply the whole of the body.

 

Looking at report..."I have a moderate sized left foraminal disc herniation causing new moderate left sided foraminal narrowing. Uncovertebral hyper trophy results and mild right-sided neural foraminal narrowing."

All I know, @Jonathan Edwards -is that I don't want neck surgery. I am scared to death of that.

 

That sounds a very typical sort of problem and can be very painful. I have had my share of lumbar nerve root pain but have escaped neck root pain - although my father did not and I was aware of how miserable he was. But he got better, and the great majority of people do - without surgery.

I would be scared of surgery - and that is because I have seen what happens when it goes wrong. But time can solve this one, even if it is not that good at solving ME!

 

One thing that helped me was doing traction during PT, and then later the cervical traction device, like this:

http://www.amazon.com/Best-Traction...439040&sr=1-4-catcorr&keywords=neck stretcher

My injury from inverting my body weight on my neck..

What Dr. E said is right on the money about having issues for months, and then the pain going away over a year with some of the nerve being able to possibly regenerate. That was my experience.

I hate surgery in any case at this point. ACL surgery is what triggered my current health issues.

 

Gosh @Misfit Toy you are having a horrible time. I hope you can find some relief without surgery. Thinking of you.

 

I just bought that yesterday...same exact one!! Thank you...like minds think alike.

 

@Misfit Toy How is your neck pain doing now? I am sorry I was so slow to respond to your PM and got way behind. For my pinched nerve (which I suspect was no where near as severe as yours but was excruciating the first few weeks) I went to the chiropractor 4-5x, used ice, TENS unit and electro stim, ultrasound, gentle traction, gentle stretches to do at home, and also put arnica gel and magnesium oil spray on neck (not at same time!) and took painkillers. Hoping you get some relief soon.

 

I am almost too apprehensive to write this in case I tempt fate! But I have had a lot of problems in the past with a nerve root from that area (c5/c6) and a bit of bulging something between the discs and I'm SURE it said (MRI report) something about narrowing of spinal cord!! Not going to think about that bit too much! Yikes! I can have numbness in my left arm and hand and headaches.

I found it impossible to lie on my left side because that would start it off. I also use a pillow to support my left arm as I lie on my right. I cannot sit on chairs which are not level as this pulls on my spine and kicks things off. (Makes me go a bit dizzy too).

Now, what did (and do) I find helpful: if it is playing up really badly I wear a surgical collar which keeps my neck supported, aligned and WARM. (Warmth is a good thing).

A tip a GP gave me is to put a nice big scarf around the collar so people don't ask questions!

When I really feel things playing up (often because I sat in a sloppy position facing left) I get someone to massage my spine from my waiste up as I stand. That does the trick.

If all else fails! Tramadol WHICH IS A DRUG I HATE. (Some people love them I hear. Well, maybe one tramadol doesn't make THEM constipated for days...).

At the moment it has all mysteriously gone away. But it will be back I am sure.

I don't know if any of that helps.

 

Ginger, I got your email. I'm sorry I never got back to you. Are you any better? I was sad to know you've been not too good.

I bought a traction device, I had an AMAZING massage. Myofascial. Fabulous. I will have another one on Tues. and PT starts Tues evening. I'm not as bad. The chiro is helping!

Thank you! Ginger. ; )

 

@rosamary -ugh! Not you also! It blows. I have a pillow that holds my arm up, too!