Just pain, no numbness

joewtny · #1 04-29-2014, 09:11 PM

I'm sort of new here because I've rarely posted, but quick question: can cervical disc failure cause major neck, shoulders, elbows, hands, legs and foot pain, but little numbness, or must numbness always be present to indicate the need for ADRs or fusion? Local (northern Va.) neurosurgeon recommended fusion, but local orthosurgeon says stenosis not severe enough for ADR or fusion, partly because only a little numbness and loss of strength. Recent nerve block briefly helped neck and shoulder pain, but radio frequency ablation did nothing. Thanks in advance for sharing your experience.

Harrison · #2 05-07-2014, 10:20 PM

Joe, sorry on one answered. Yes, (natural or artificial disc) failure can cause any number of symptoms. How are you the last few days? Can you tell us more? Have you had recent imaging studies? What caused so many symptoms in your entire cervical spine?!

Kelly4ADR · #3 05-07-2014, 10:36 PM

Joe,
I don't know how I missed this, so sorry! I have had cervical disc issues for 10+ years. Numbness is actually probably the least of my symptoms. Everyone is different and has different symptoms in varying degrees. Your symptoms can change too. I used to have severe burning pain in my right tricep with numbness and tingling in my right hand. Lately it's been daily headaches with weakness in my right arm, burning and stabbing in my upper trap and along my right scapula and severe tightness on the right side of my neck. No numbness!! And, sometimes I have been without symptoms. This is why it's good we have all the diagnostic imaging available.

Sorry again for the delay. If you have any more questions, please ask!!!

Kelly4ADR · #4 05-07-2014, 10:45 PM

I'm sort of new here because I've rarely posted, but quick question: can cervical disc failure cause major neck, shoulders, elbows, hands, legs and foot pain, but little numbness, or must numbness always be present to indicate the need for ADRs or fusion?

Now that I've re read your post, your question is if numbness needs to be present to indicate the need for ADR. I would say this would be a very weak reason to deny someone fusion or ADR. There should be many clinical factors that are considered by your DR. to recommend surgery. I've never heard of numbness/weakness being the one deciding factor for or against such procedures.

Hope this helps.

joewtny · #5 05-12-2014, 02:41 AM

Widespread pain/discomfort symptoms hard to describe! For neck, mostly on right C5, but often forms a cross from bottom of skull down to about T4 and across shoulders, especially leaning forward. Pain in feet growing (started on outer toes), massive pain in hands spreading to elbows, kept in check with 450mg/day Lyrica + Dilaudid (some alcohol actually helps too!)

Va. Spine Inst. neuro said ACDF could help with all of it & wanted $32k total to do it. Va. Hospital neuro said strength/balance/sensitivity normal but might help neck and shoulders, offered ACDF for free but Va. Hospital would charge $20k. Went with Kaiser under Obamacare & their ortho said try nerve block. That greatly helped neck/shoulders for 2-3 days so then had RF Ablation. Local helped again, but RFA did zip!

So given normal strength/balance/sensitivity, and RFA failure, can discs & "severe" osteophytes cause all this, and be relieved with ACDF? They now want to send me to "chronic pain management" and "cognitive behavioral therapy" while I slowly deteriorate. Went from spry 50 yr old to feeling like 95, unable to exercise. Feels like giant vise slowly closing on back of neck. But now getting numbness in outer 2 fingers each hand in AM. So, sound like ADR/ACDF candidate to you, or just learn to live with the "arthritis"? I'm certain at some point down the road, this pain will become unbearable!