Suzy-Q
08-19-2006, 12:56 AM
Hello-
I'm a lumbar fusion repeat surgery patient just 8 weeks post -op. I have been having recurring, mild cervical neck episodes that have gotten progressively worse over the last 6 months. Used to be I'd wake up with a stiff neck and what felt like pulled musles along my shoulder and mid-back and all would improve as the day wore on. No big deal.
In March I had my first serious episode. Serious and lasting pain all the way into my left hand, total numbness of thumb and index finger (for 6 weeks), serious weakness and all on the left side. A second 'episode' in April was less severe but still very intense for a week. I had an MRI that showed a broad, shallow disk herniation at C5-6 with moderate stenosis of the nerve root. DDD and mild spodyloisis was also noted.
I had surgery in June and I have had about 6 days with the old frozen neck type event that clears up ina day. I have had two 'episodes' but they both resolved in about 4-5 days. Interestingly, the last episode was inteirely on my right side. I am going to be seeing a specialist anesthesioligist/physiologist at a pain clinic on August 30 to discuss injection/treatment options. My spine surgeon thinks some of my symptoms indicate facet joint disease.
OK, but here is my question: This week I am waking up during the night with my arms and hands all numb, tingling, and totally 'asleep'. My hand throbs or tingles and goes to sleep in various postions (like talking on the phone). I have a whole area of my lower inner arm (left arm) that hurts to touch-as though I have an injury or a bruise there. And this morning I woke up and as soon as I opened my mouth to put the tooth brush in I said, "Oh crap, what's this?" Just on the left side of my throat below my jaw hinge area, the muscle there is sore. It isn't blinding pain but it is as though I have a pulled muscle in my throat! Very weird feeling.
Does this sound familiar to anyone? I am very anxious to be pro-active in making sure this cervical situation doesn't jeopardize my lumbar recovery. But I am also ambivilent about epidurals and other treatments that may take up a lot of my time and not help even as much as a RX of oxy will do. Maybe you feel differently but my 4 lumbar epis were a fiasco I could have done without.
Well, best of luck to you all - Suzy-Q
I'm a lumbar fusion repeat surgery patient just 8 weeks post -op. I have been having recurring, mild cervical neck episodes that have gotten progressively worse over the last 6 months. Used to be I'd wake up with a stiff neck and what felt like pulled musles along my shoulder and mid-back and all would improve as the day wore on. No big deal.
In March I had my first serious episode. Serious and lasting pain all the way into my left hand, total numbness of thumb and index finger (for 6 weeks), serious weakness and all on the left side. A second 'episode' in April was less severe but still very intense for a week. I had an MRI that showed a broad, shallow disk herniation at C5-6 with moderate stenosis of the nerve root. DDD and mild spodyloisis was also noted.
I had surgery in June and I have had about 6 days with the old frozen neck type event that clears up ina day. I have had two 'episodes' but they both resolved in about 4-5 days. Interestingly, the last episode was inteirely on my right side. I am going to be seeing a specialist anesthesioligist/physiologist at a pain clinic on August 30 to discuss injection/treatment options. My spine surgeon thinks some of my symptoms indicate facet joint disease.
OK, but here is my question: This week I am waking up during the night with my arms and hands all numb, tingling, and totally 'asleep'. My hand throbs or tingles and goes to sleep in various postions (like talking on the phone). I have a whole area of my lower inner arm (left arm) that hurts to touch-as though I have an injury or a bruise there. And this morning I woke up and as soon as I opened my mouth to put the tooth brush in I said, "Oh crap, what's this?" Just on the left side of my throat below my jaw hinge area, the muscle there is sore. It isn't blinding pain but it is as though I have a pulled muscle in my throat! Very weird feeling.
Does this sound familiar to anyone? I am very anxious to be pro-active in making sure this cervical situation doesn't jeopardize my lumbar recovery. But I am also ambivilent about epidurals and other treatments that may take up a lot of my time and not help even as much as a RX of oxy will do. Maybe you feel differently but my 4 lumbar epis were a fiasco I could have done without.
Well, best of luck to you all - Suzy-Q
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