Hi everyone, makes me feel better that you all agree I need to go to the medical community. I typed up a note to send work so they know my status. I thought you all might like to read the summation.
I know everyone has probably been wondering how I'm doing so I thought I'd send everyone an email. Unfortunately, I am still having a lot of pain some days.
Let me recap:
The pain:
1.Left neck, into top shoulder, pain and muscle weakness, middle and ring finger. While uncomfortable, this one isn't debilitating, it hurts to lift even small items (like 2 lbs), but I can (I probably shouldn't).
2.The debilitating pain is at the base of skull on left side right where your spine enters your skull. This I would rate as a 10 on the pain scale. It's not constant, but when it hits, I am praying for some type of relief. Chiro says it's inflammation. It comes and goes, maybe because I've taken a bunch of Advil, maybe because something doesn't always press on the nerve to that area. I'm not sure yet, but it is not getting better.
What I know:
I do have a c4/c5 and c5/c6 compression and bone spurs on c6 (possibly beginning of arthritis). I know xrays showed similar damage 25 yrs ago, I believe could have been caused by trauma to the neck when I was 5 when I went through the right window in a car accident. Maybe age has made it so I can't recover when this acts up -- ie. the discs get more brittle as you age(I've dealt with this type of pain for years....never was the pain at skull so severe and long lasting).
What's been done so far:
Chiro thinks it's all about alignment. 4 weeks later I have minimal relief (and I've had more muscle pain in the muscles up and down the spine as he has realigned me). According to him I keep coming out of alignment and my main problem is my super tight muscles. Stretch he says.
What I plan to do:
After intense pain Sunday morning (the base of skull one), I just don't think this is all just caused from bad posture, tight muscles and being out of alignment--heck I've been that way most my life! Something is pressing on a nerve somewhere. After a morning of tears and threatening suicide (yes I admit it, the pain was THAT bad), many Advil, a muscle relaxer, wine (at 7am), hot/cold therapy, relaxation therapy, neck stretching it finally eased up. Upon researching on the internet, I think it was the massive Advil that helped. That makes me wonder if the pain in the skull that has come and gone (and even come intensely a couple hrs after an adjustment) has been masked by advil all this time (I learned to take advil before chiro visit for muscle soreness). But I digress.
I'm seeking out a medical doctor (neurologist eventually), I need to get a MRI and a electromyelogram, I'm hoping it shows something that can be surgically fixed (disc fragments? My Dad had these and had to have surgery, bulging disc, something), and if it comes to surgery and fusing c5/c6 or anything else that may help surgically, I'm ready to do that. I just have to get this fixed!
I'm sorry for the lengthy note, I know everyone has been wondering. It was easier for a mass email because typing and even holding the phone can make it feel worse if done for too long.
Don is home this week (actually has been home all this time) but I believe he travels next week, so I hope we can get most of the tests we need done this week. Wish me luck!
