Severe Neck Pain - General Health Message Board

Ed Hoffman · 12-28-2004, 03:16 PM

My wife has had severe pain in her neck sholders and left are from some time now. Epidurals did not work, trigger point injections did not work, norco 10/325 works, but she is taking too many of these (8 a day) and I am worried.
She has a lump on the back of her neck that the doctors do not seem interested in, but this lump gets bigger and firmer when the pain is at its worst. If anyone touches the lump or around it the pain starts getting worse within minutes.
She also has symptoms that nerves may be interferred with as she now gets sharp pains, and burning sensations and well as a spasming sensation.

Anybody got any ideas, we are running out of options and the pain is so bad she often thinks that ending it all is better.

Thanks in advance...

feelbad · 12-29-2004, 05:41 AM

Has she had an MRI to try to determine the cause of all of this and to find out what that lump consists of?if not, this would be the first thing to do.This will give the Drs at least some idea of just what the problems may be.Marcia

Kissa · 12-29-2004, 11:24 AM

The lump is not something "normal" by any means. It could very well be fluid, similiar to that of the bursea. Obviously her body is telling her there's a real problem. There's probably a really good chance that she has herniation causing some nerve inpingement.

I would advise certainly that she see her doctor again. If he/she seems disinterested in her problem then seek out a different doctor, either a nuero-surgeon or a nuerologist and as Marcia said, get an MRI done. She has a very real problem needing immediate attention. The longer an inpingement occurs the longer the likelyhood of permanent damage appears.

During painful flareups in the meantime have her use ice on it, not heat. Heat will induce more swelling.

Her dosage on the Norco is a bit high, she should probably be on something stronger taken fewer times a day.