[LisaW]

Hi all! Thank you Harrison for allowing me to join and for all the great information I've already found on this site!

My big question: Has anyone had ADR to relieve numbness rather than pain?

I started having pain in my neck/shoulder area in September 2021. By October, it was severe pain radiating down my left arm and hand, into my shoulder blade, and occasional pins and needles.

I started conservative treatment in November, including steroids, PT, acupuncture, and stretches which eventually actually reduced the pain dramatically.

November MRI showed C5-C6 large bulge, severe canal and foraminal stenosis and C6-C7 diffuse bulge touching cord, mild canal stenosis, severe foraminal stenosis.

In December, I saw Justin Keadle PA at Dr. Yeh’s neurosurgery clinic in San Luis Obispo, California and he recommended moving forward with Dr. Yeh for evaluation for ADR.

By January 2022, my pain was manageable, but numbness/pins & needles began increasing. For two months, I've had constant left hand numbness in middle and pointer fingers and thumb, and persistent pins & needles in entire left arm, which is increasing in severity. Pain flares but is not interfering with my life like it was in the fall.

My insurance changed, so Dr. Yeh referred me see Dr. James Carr, an orthopedic surgeon who specializes in spine conditions and ADR, also in San Luis Obispo. I see him next week and want to be as informed as possible going into the conversation.

At this point, I am not considering surgery for the pain, just the numbness because of my history: In March 2020, I had to have emergency L5-S1 microdiscetomy. The pain was alleviated, but I still have permanent saddle anesthesia due to compression of the Cuada Equina nerves.

So I am extremely concerned about the possibility of more permanent numbness, especially since I am left handed and am already seeing decreased function (dropping, handwriting and typing issues).

Anyone else have surgery due to numbness from a cervical disc? I would love to have pain relief as well, but it is not severe enough anymore for to consider such a big operation. Thoughts?

Thank you!
Lisa