[EmilyR]

Hello all - thanks very much from contributing to this forum as it's very helpful for someone that is completely oblivious to spinal procedures.

I'm in Houston.

So nearly 5 weeks ago I started having weird pain in my left arm and shoulder (I now know what nerve pain feels like). I had some neck pain in the couple of weeks leading up to it but didn’t think anything of it/ thought I had strained my trapezius muscles or something during spinning class (top of my shoulders were super sore when I put my head down - felt like muscle pain but I now wonder if it’s this disc issue).

Arm and shoulder pain got progressively worse over about 4-5 days (so bad I contemplated going to ER over weekend, couldn’t sleep, Advil/Aleve did nothing, etc.) I also had major spasming/twitching muscles in the affected arm/shoulder for about 36 hours. Two days in I went to a barre class thinking it might help and ironically pain totally went away while exercising but I realized my left shoulder/arm is now weaker than the right.

That got my attention so I made a doc appt the following week with my normal doc even though pain was starting to get better. I also had a weird patch of skin on my left arm that felt super sensitive but went away after about 10 days.

Doc thought it was a herniated disc but was worried about weakness so ordered MRI of shoulder and neck for the following week. MRI confirmed herniated disc at C5/C6 level impacting my left C6 nerve root. The rest of the cervical spine is perfect. At that point I’m pretty much pain free, just have a quasi-gimpy arm (have full range of motion and can do normal activities, but not the strength on one side to pick up my 45 lb daughter). The weakness he felt warranted a check to neurosurgeon.

So went to two neurosurgeons. One is recommending artificial disc replacement (WTF?!) but made it sound like a breeze (45 min, no real side effects, etc.). Other one reserved judgement until after some PT and oral steroids.

I am totally confused/ shocked as I thought they would tell me that I’m obviously healing and it will be fine and motor nerves just need longer to recover but they weren’t so optimistic/ I am now concerned about potential for permanent nerve damage.

I’m completed course of steroids and have been doing traction to pull my head up/ reduce pressure on discs. One guy said PT/ other guy said just rest and no PT, so that’s confusing too. I have a follow up appt tomorrow and am afraid of going down the surgery route/ don't really feel any stronger in the last 10 days since first seeing surgeons. Just seems odd to consider surgery when at the moment, I feel completely normal/pain free except for the weakness.

I will keep the group posted. Appreciate any words of wisdom or advice!

Emily