Pain and more Pain

My neck is just killing me. I bought a new cervical collar which does help. I can't determine if the pain in my arm is due to my wrecked shoulder joint or if it is nerve pain from my neck.

Hi,

I am also experiencing extreme bad neck pain - the first bout this bad in 25 years (and I am only 40). I have not used a cervical collar since I was a child, at night only. My Doctor isn't a fan of them, thinks that they weaken your neck, which causes more pain later. But I feel like I have the mumps - and have a headache that could bring an elephant down.

Anyway, I meant to be comforting - the neck goes to the shoulder and the nerves get pinched, and it is awful and can stab and burn. Take this time to try and rest, lie down on an ice pack - close your eyes and breathe deeply. OR if a hot shower right on your neck works - I love that too.

I hope you feel better soon.

Nicole

If a cervical collar isn't properly fit, prescribed, and deemed necessary by professionals with access to your records, even if it seems to help, can cause tremendous and irreversible damage.

Taking weight of your c-spine and putting it on your collar bones which make up the bulk of your shoulders which you report to be fubar already makes no sense. Check this out with your PT of Doc first.....

Granted I have a problem with things things like this including splints etc that have not been prescribed as it seems their use has more to do with state of mind and appearances than function as anything that immobilizes joints is generally not good with PsA but this time I mean it.

You are effecting mechanics and stressing joints that likley should not be stressed. PLEASE call someone.

well.

OK. I don't have a PT.

And I think my rheumy takes your approach also ...But when you want to claw your eyes out because your neck hurts so much and the collar really does make it feel better, it's hard to "just say no"

so okay. I will try to survive wihtout it

I think we all know that feeling. Try the ice and heat - they can help for a while, hopefully enough to get some rest.

feel better soon.

You got some good information though.......

IF the cervical collar is indeed helping the PT will also, its a muscle problem, Strengthening and stabilization will solve it. Call your Doc and get a PT referral. Once you know what to do, its easy from there.


it is not a muscle problem. MRIs reveal psoriatic spondylitis (3 discs spontaneously fused) as well as a herniation and multiple bulging disks. As well as badly deteriorated and closed off facets and a bony growth


tntlamb said: (

You got some good information though.......

IF the cervical collar is indeed helping the PT will also, its a muscle problem, Strengthening and stabilization will solve it. Call your Doc and get a PT referral. Once you know what to do, its easy from there.



Qadosh2him said:


it is not a muscle problem. MRIs reveal psoriatic spondylitis (3 discs spontaneously fused) as well as a herniation and multiple bulging disks. As well as badly deteriorated and closed off facets and a bony growth. When my old rheumy saw my MRI she cried....Maybe not very professional but I felt that at least she cared


tntlamb said: (

You got some good information though.......

IF the cervical collar is indeed helping the PT will also, its a muscle problem, Strengthening and stabilization will solve it. Call your Doc and get a PT referral. Once you know what to do, its easy from there.



Qadosh2him said: My rheumy told me to stop exercising as I was risking paralysis. Every time I turn my head even slightly my neck crunches...Makes me nervous.


it is not a muscle problem. MRIs reveal psoriatic spondylitis (3 discs spontaneously fused) as well as a herniation and multiple bulging disks. As well as badly deteriorated and closed off facets and a bony growth


tntlamb said: (

You got some good information though.......

IF the cervical collar is indeed helping the PT will also, its a muscle problem, Strengthening and stabilization will solve it. Call your Doc and get a PT referral. Once you know what to do, its easy from there.

That doesn't mean you don't have weak muscles in those areas. Thats what the collar is subing for. I have been fused in C3-4-5 for 20 years. Bulging discs don't mean anything, everybody has them. My neighbor just spent 30 grand to get those vertebrae fused and they left the bulging discs behind.

I have ankylosing spondylitis. I had no choice in the matter.

This may be a silly question but I asked my Rheumy too and she didn't answer me. My spinal orthopedic suggested fusing some of my cervical and lumbar vertebra. I really have more trouble with fatigue and stiffness than with pain and when I find a biologic that works I have very little of those either. Why would I want to fuse them? Eventually with either PsA and AS you end up with a fused spine. Why would I want to do this early? I hope you can answer this Lamb you are my last hope!

I have a lot of herniations and some symptoms of weakness but not a lot of pain. He may be thinking stability but neither the spine surgeon nor my Rheumy have really answered the question. I had an epidural which really helped the pain in my hip so that is why the subject came up. The injections in my hip did not help much. But when the Remicade has worked well the hip and all other pain disappears. That seems a more reasonable plan to me. I also have seen so many people who have fusions who end up with more pain in other places in the spine after surgery. PT to build strength and a biologic seems like a better plan to me but I do want to understand their reasoning.

I started a new thread abiout "fusion"

http://discussion.livingwithpsoriaticarthritis.org/forum/topics/fusion-surgery-and-other-yucky-things

But my quick answer is I don't know what the hell they are thinking. The apparently have never been fused?? You would think they have worn a cast and know what its like.....