Ever had a pinched nerve root that resulted in "referred pain"?

[undeterred]

My whole left arm hurts and tingles down to my index finger, but my doc says its probably because of a pinch at C6 in my spine. MRI next week.

[ThomCat]

1. Pain travels, especially when your back is involved.

:(

I'm sorry you're dealing with that. I hope there's something they can do in physical therapy to help you. I hope there's a non-surgical option for you.

Be well. :hug:

[undeterred]

2. I went to urgent care and they gave me motrin

and told me to use hot and cold compresses. Achieved absolutely nothing. A month later its worse. Called my headache neurologist in another state and described it to him and he knew exactly what it was- he's even had it. And, he got himself through it without surgery but it took some work. Gotta see it first.

[ThomCat]

3. Motrin and compresses?

Did they think it was nothing but a strained muscle?

It doesn't sound like they took your pain very seriously. :(

I'm glad your neurolgist is much more intelligent and diligent.

[undeterred]

4. No, she really didn't give me a diagnosis or good instructions

My neurologist is 160 miles away (where I used to live), top dog at a teaching hospital, head of the ethics committee, nicest person in the whole world. I just called up his practice in the evening and had him paged, told him my story and he knew what it was...I asked him what kind of doctor should I see and he said Me, on Monday.

[SPKrazy]

5. Yes!

boo!

c4/c5, c5/c6, c6/c7

practically no disc space left and osteophytes

pinch pinch pinch only it makes it tingle and burn.

epidural injections have helped

some meds help a little and

traction (blah) helps too

a "pinch" is more likely due to some kind of impingement on the nerve root caused by deterioration but, who knows?

:pals:

[undeterred]

6. You don't really have all three?

I have something around c6 which makes my arm and index finger hurt. Came up suddenly.

What ails thee?

[SPKrazy]

7. all three are practically without disc

and with osteophytes (calcium deposits) and there is impingement at probably the same place you have as well as possibly the rest too.

Surgery is likely in my future unless i can really and truly do traction well enough and it makes a difference.

:shrug:

this is what ails me :(

but it is better, I still have tingling at times down my left arm and some pain, a burning area about the size of a silver dollar on my shoulder blade, and radiating pain sometimes.

the injections have helped though

:hi:

[undeterred]

8. for how long have you had this?

[SPKrazy]

9. It's weird, I've had some symptoms for several years

and was scheduled to see a neurosurgeon 5 years ago, but the symptoms disappeared. The MRI hasn't changed much in 5 years and this time I saw the neurosurgeon, but he suggested we "wait until it is worse" saying that while I was having symptoms, it wasn't impairing my mobility much. Although I've had some difficulty at times with finger movement in my left hand, it is usually after having my arm at a position that must be putting more pressure on the nerve (such as riding a bike :( )

The most recent symptoms have gone on for about 7 months but like I said they are better.

how about you? just recent?

hopefully your symptoms will recede and maybe it is some inflammation at the nerve root that will improve.

:hi:

[undeterred]

10. Just a month

Like I said above I went to urgent care and got nowhere, then I called my neuro that I see for migraines and he knew exactly what it was. He's had it too- and he has avoided surgery. So I want to get films right away and start conservative treatments right away. My arm aches but thank goodness its my left arm and I am right handed. Kept me awake all last night, so I wont underestimate how serious a problem it could be though.

He said you can't always tell from the film how much pain someone is in- sometimes things that look bad don't hurt and things hurt that don't look that bad.

[SPKrazy]

11. That's true

people can have really bad looking spines and feel no pain and someone else can have something that doesn't look bad and it hurts.

It is weird like that.