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  #1  
Old 04-29-2014, 09:11 PM
joewtny joewtny is offline
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Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 8
Default Just pain, no numbness

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.
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54 male, little numbness but pain everywhere. 600mg Lyrica+Dilaudid to calm CNS down
C23 Right disc extrusion+sac effacement
C34 Tiny protrusion
C45 Broad protrusion+cord narrowing
Mild bilateral uncovertable joint degeneration
C56 Diffuse osteophyte complex
Bilateral uncovertebral joint degeneration
Cord narrowing+moderate canal stenosis
Severe bilateral neural foraminal stenosis
C67 Diffuse bulge to the left+sac effacement
No canal stenosis, mild bilateral neural foraminal stenosis
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  #2  
Old 05-07-2014, 10:20 PM
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Harrison Harrison is offline
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Join Date: Oct 2004
Posts: 7,010
Question

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?!
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  #3  
Old 05-07-2014, 10:36 PM
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Kelly4ADR Kelly4ADR is offline
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Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 259
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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!!!
__________________
2004 MRI -cervical bone spur causing pain
2011 MRI -5 bulging discs at C3-7: Recommended C5-6 and C6-7 for a two level fusion, I said no thanks.
2014 MRI -progressive compression C5-7.
MRI 6/5/14- Ruptured L4-5, bulge at L2-3 and L5-S1 Dr recommends discectomy of L4-5 but won't do surgery until cervical is stable
8/2014- 8 months/3 rounds of appeals, Aetna denies 2 level cervical ADR
2 level ADR w/ mobi-c C5-7 Jan 7, 2015
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  #4  
Old 05-07-2014, 10:45 PM
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Kelly4ADR Kelly4ADR is offline
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Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 259
Default

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.
__________________
2004 MRI -cervical bone spur causing pain
2011 MRI -5 bulging discs at C3-7: Recommended C5-6 and C6-7 for a two level fusion, I said no thanks.
2014 MRI -progressive compression C5-7.
MRI 6/5/14- Ruptured L4-5, bulge at L2-3 and L5-S1 Dr recommends discectomy of L4-5 but won't do surgery until cervical is stable
8/2014- 8 months/3 rounds of appeals, Aetna denies 2 level cervical ADR
2 level ADR w/ mobi-c C5-7 Jan 7, 2015
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  #5  
Old 05-12-2014, 02:41 AM
joewtny joewtny is offline
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 8
Default Thanks for responding!

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!
__________________
54 male, little numbness but pain everywhere. 600mg Lyrica+Dilaudid to calm CNS down
C23 Right disc extrusion+sac effacement
C34 Tiny protrusion
C45 Broad protrusion+cord narrowing
Mild bilateral uncovertable joint degeneration
C56 Diffuse osteophyte complex
Bilateral uncovertebral joint degeneration
Cord narrowing+moderate canal stenosis
Severe bilateral neural foraminal stenosis
C67 Diffuse bulge to the left+sac effacement
No canal stenosis, mild bilateral neural foraminal stenosis
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