Prolapsed disk C5/C6

[cank Uncotly]

Hi. This is my first post, and I'm so glad I've found this forum. Last December I hurt my back doing sit-ups. I had pins and needles in my left thumb and a refered pain across the top of my left shoulder and down my upper arm. I eventually went to my GP and she said that I had trapped a nerve in my neck. I had physio for a few months, and it got better. I still occasionally had pins and needles but the pain was gone, and I was back to running and the gym.

I had another 'bad back' on holiday during a long road trip - similar symptoms, refered pain, pins and needles etc but again after about 6 weeks most of the pain went away, and I was just left with occasionall pins and needles in my left hand (thumb and forfinger mostly) when I bent down in certain positions. That was in Apr 08.

I've been working abroad since May in a location where we had a dedicated medical facility. Since I've been abroad I've been spending a lot of time in the Gym. Lost a stone in weight, felt really fit, and then one morning woke up with a horrendous pain accross my left shoulder, down my left arm pins and needles in my thumb and forefinger. I went to the local doc and he checked my range of movements etc and then said I'd pulled my trapezius muscle. I told him that my symptoms were more like those when I 'trapped a nerve' - but worse, but he said no - you've pulled your trapezius. I got given co-codimol and diclofenac, but after two weeks the underlying symptoms of refered pain radiating from the top of the back, across my shoulder top down my upper arm - and the pins and needles.

I went back to the doc mid-August, and saw a different doctor. He said you've got a trapped nerve - and sent me to physio in the faclity. 3 or so weeks of various stretching exercises etc and no real progress. I then woke in the middle of the night in absolute agony and my left arm was totally numb. I moved around a bit and the feeling came back, but my collegues took me down the emergency dept just to check all was ok. I was examined by the doc. Fortunately his collegue was also in the facility who saw me in the morning was a consultant neurosurgeon. His diagnosis was that I have a suspected prolapsed disc C5/C6 and possibly C6/C7. He recommended an urgent MRI scan (when I return to the UK in about 2 weeks). He prescribed me with paracetamol, Arthrotec and amiltriptiline. Unfortunately, I had an adverse reaction to the amiltriptiline during the night after I took it (ened back up in ER!) so they stopped that!

So here I am some 7 weeks on since the most recent flare up started again, with a suspected prolapsed disk. Managing the pain on a day by day basis, which doesn't seem to be getting much better over time - but I know it could be a long road. I have had accupunture by the same physio(who has actually been great), and that seems to be providing a little relief, and I have a greater range of movement of my neck without pain following accupuncture........

I just wonder whats going to happen? What the MRI's scan likely to show? As someone who is very active; I climb, fly, fish run and ride, none of these I am going to be able to do on my return....

Any top tips would be helpfull. I'll keep you posted how I get on

 

[PJJ]

Hi Nimbus,
Welcome to h/pages
Ive had a simular thing happen to me but i havent had a mri scan and im sure that mine is just a trapped nerve! check out my posts!

All i can say is that i am slowly getting better the pain is becoming less, however it really has been a long time coming. I am still under the physiotherapist and she is just great. I have been really down about the whole thing ....as like you quite active then being hit with pain is not nice at all. I have learnt to know my limits .....the other day i did a simple task of food shopping and that put me in pain for about three days.
I am also on amiltriptiline......

My advice would be just listen to you body and take things really slow....this period of pain cannot last for ever!

Love and sunshine
Rachelx