I have arthritis and have 3 degenerative disk
in neck, When I try to walk very far, I get
a terrible pain in upper back, anyone had this problem, Marine
I have cervical (neck) problems. I am sorry that something as simple as walking hurts so much. No matter where you have back problems it seems that this is so. You are not alone.What kind of pain are you talking about?
Burning sensation on and either side of spine?
A pressure feeling like one of your vertabrea or discs wants to jump out of your spine and shoot 2 metres through the air?
Electric shock like pain shooting down your spine?
These are some descriptions of pain I feel when walking. Does anything sound familiar or are you experiencing something completely different?
Thanks for your reply, My pain is a aching,
burning pain that starts slow and grows more intense with the farther I walk, The odd thing is That some days I can walk with very little pain, and other days the pain
starts with very few steps. When this all started I thought I might have a heart problem such as angina, But after some testing they found the cervical problems. and my doctor told me that this kind of pain goes along with the problem I have. He suggested wearing a cervical collar when walking, but that does'nt help much. Marine
Hi Marine: I, too, have neck problems. I had a fusion of C5-6 in June, 2000. What position are you holding your neck when you are walking? I have found, when I walk, (I live in the forest of Wash. state on 23 acres, so I walk my property or gravel roads, uneven ground) I look down a lot. I have low back and mid-back problems as well (arthritis and my spine appears to have been squeezed together, so I probably have a few disks degenerating). Looking down for an entire walk can aggravate my neck condition. Not only did I have a herniated disk at C5-6, I have arthritis on the vertebre of my spine, as well as in the facet joints. When you are dealing with soft tissue, as disks are, the secret is changing positions of the affected part. With the arthritis, before a storm moves in, I really get a flare of the severe ache. Also, I have found a drug called neurontin really helps with the burning pain (not so much the aching). Although neurontin is an anti-convulsant, my neurosurgeon prescribed it for me for that burning pain (300 mg once in the morning and once at night; I am only up to the pill at night, as it is a drug that will take my body a couple of weeks to adjust to, as I'd get the "spins" from it). Also, with the type of damage going on in your neck and what you are describing, you may need a stronger pain medication. From what I heard, Maine is a state that is an advocate for proper pain control. Don't let your doctor get away with under prescribing the proper medications you need to control your pain. (I lived with that for 8 years; I had to change doctors) Do you notice that your pain increases prior to a storm? Marine, you are not alone; KLC (and you) have described what I live with constantly, that burning and aching. If you have any further questions, feel free to post to me. I visit these boards just about every day. (unless my son and his friend are using the computer). Take care, Patmg
Thanks for your reply, The Doctor has me on
celebrex, It does help some but I have a very sentive stomach and have to be careful with pain meds. I do have another questions
what kind of pillow is best for this condition as I wake up most morning's with pain in the neck. Marine
Hi Marine: You could either go to your physical therapist (if you have had one) and they can recommend a cervical roll to put under your neck when you sleep, or roll up a small towel, and put that under your neck, right where the curve is. Of course, these only work well if you sleep on your back. I actually use a rather flat pillow that I can sort of roll under my neck and basically, I form fit my old pillow to my neck. I say old, as it is not all stiff like a new pillow. Also, you could check a medical supply shop for a cervical roll. They may have different sized rolls, too. (I've never bought a neck roll, only a lumbar roll)I make do with my old, soft pillow, and I can only sleep on my back. Finances are very short around here, so if I needed a better roll of sorts, I'd try a towel, or if that is too fat, a thick wash cloth. You also could ask your doctor what he/she recommends. I wish I was able to give you a better answer. (I also use a towel, thinly rolled, for my lumbar area, too.) Take care, PatG
