Neck and Back Help

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Slick15

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I have neck and back pain on left side that gets much worsr the more i am up. I now lay down 23 hours per day (some of this time in a reclining chair working on computer, the rest lying flatter.) the only medication that controls the pain is dihyroergotamine mesylate injections twice a day.

Long story short, i was in an auto accident years ago (age 28). There seemed to be no problem at first but over the year i started to get headaches on the left side. In my 40's a doctor tried dihyroergotamine mesylate injection. It really worked well however i was taking them 2 to 3 times per day. The problem went away for a few years and they came back this time causing me to need to lay down most of the time and take injections. Mri showed what they said was a ruptured disk. After the operation i did not need any dihyroergotamine mesylate injections for months but i've slowly needed them again.

I have so much to live for, a good business with my son and a great family. I am now 62 and otherwise am in good health. I am a successful designer and continue to run my business although even meetings are done with me lying down.

Any suggestions? I need help.
 
Hi, could you tell me just where y our pain is, neck? what part of your back? Since this has flared up agaiin have you seen any doctor ? You need to see somone so that you know exactly what is wrong and then go from there. Keep us informed and people here will be more than happy to assist you in some way. Hang in there. Invertebrate
 
Yes - I have seen a chiro since the flare up. I was getting adjustments for about a month and trying to rehab but i think the exercises just started aggravating the injury.

It starts at the base of my neck, around C6, travels down my spine and stops midback, between my shoulder blades. It feels like a string or ligament. This pain then radiates into my shoulder.

My current diagnosis is basically from an MRI reading w/ my chiro. I'll be getting opinions from a back specialist consult and a holistic Dr to try to gather more information. I will share those results when I have them and hopefully I'll be able to provide more value. Thanks for your response.
 
I would suggest a consultation with an Orthopedic Spine Surgeon and/or Neurosurgeon. Keep in mind they can do a lot more than surgery. I had a NS who led me to a great pain management doctor that helped me avoid surgery for 2 years after my cervical neck symptoms started.
 
Your days sound very similar to mine.. I have a laptop tray that I use do computer work while lying in bed. I was a passenger in a car accident in July of 2006 and again in Nov of 2007.

Initially they diagnosed my condition as an "extruded disc", then when they changed the prescription laws here I had to be transferred to a Pain Management Clinic to continue my meRAB. They diagnosed me with damaged myofascia (ie Myofascial Pain Syndrome) and informed me the physical therapy I was getting for my extruded disc actually exacerbated my myofascia damage and set me back years in recovery.

Now after so many Trigger Point Injection sessions I've lost count, 5 Basal Branch Nerve Blocks: (The first one they only did one quadrant and the rest of my back ended up over compensating making things worse, from then on they always did both the right and left quadrants of first my lower back and then my upper back in pairs) So 2 more Basal Branch Nerve Blocks for my lower back as a test to see if Radio Frequency Ablation would help. Then the did the RFA on my lower right quadrant then my left lower quadrant after a minimum one week heal period. Sadly RFAs take about 90 mins each so they can't do both sides at once like they did with the BBNBs. Then I had 2 more Basal Branch Nerve Blocks for my upper back again as a test and finally have had RFAs on both my upper quadrants. Now I get to wait 3 weeks and try Myofascial Release Therapy. So there is 4 RFAs in that tally too.

Besides the fact that they didn't want to risk going above C6 so my neck and shoulders (C3 - C5) really overcompensated, the RFAs in my upper back have provided tremendous improvement.

By the way I dealt with my neck and shoulders using a rice pillow my Significant Other made for me. Basically a towel filled with rice that you heat in the microwave for 2 minutes with a Pyrex filled with 2 cups of water. Basically the rice absorbs the water and the shape and flexibility make it perfect for draping across your neck and down over your shoulders. Since its the size of a towel folded in half and the rice conforms to your neck while still providing some firmness and radiating the heat from the water vapor it absorbed.

My lower back isn't experiencing the same degree of relief but a lot of that I probably can reason out that I now have to bicycle to the nearest mass transit stop, 3/4 mile away too far for my back to walk. Perhaps I may be over doing the cycling between Dr appointments, grocery shopping and vocational rehabilitation appointments. Seeing as all my quadriceps have their origin attachment to the skeletal system in the lower back, I'm suspecting this is the difference.

Anyways could be myofascial damage that has taken time to degrade... might want to see a pain specialist about that possibility. :angel:

Michael
 
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