Can neck injury cause rib cage pain?

rkpo26 · 09-19-2004, 03:26 PM

Years ago I had to retire after falling and suffering a c6-c7 herniation and concussion syndrome. This past Sept I has rear ended in my care and the doctor feels my c5-c6 may be herniated. After the accident I didnt associate it with my injury but my upper rib cage hurt. Feeling like I pulled a muscle and hurt severly when I moved in certain directions. It cleared up over a few weeks. This past Friday it has reappeared and I havent done anything that I can think of that would cause it. But it really smarts and again feels like I pulled a muscle causing bad pain. Anyway, what I want to know is could my c5-c6 neck vertabrae cause this?

Thanks Paul

nero · 09-19-2004, 10:26 PM

Most definitely my friend. In fact when I first injured my neck and low back, my neck problem presented itself in my chest/rib cage. My g.p. gave me muscle relaxants and x rayed my rib cage. I went for months in horrific pain till finally I woke up completely paralyzed down one side and in excruciating pain with my head pulled down like a puppet.

It wasn't until I saw a chiro who told me he saw disc herniations in a few patients year and that the cervical ones tended to present with pain in chest/ribs.,

So try to get your neck MRI"d or cat scanned at least. Unfortunately few gps have an understanding of the migration/direction of disc pain and think if you can bend over and touch your toes... there is nothing wrong with your back/neck.

Good luck... its a journey but somehow you get through it.. just hang out with us for support/debriefing/empathy and that will help empower you to get through this... we are all rooting for you..some of us just root our support to you in different ways.

Sincerely.. nearly new again ... Nero

rkpo26 · 09-20-2004, 01:36 PM

I had 4 MRI's over the years since I was first hurt which indicated a hertiation at c6-c7. Along with post traumatic vertigo, severe myfacial pain syndrome, radicliopathy.

I had an MRI this past Sept after my rear end accident, which was not read very well by the radiologist. At least that's what I think. The Ortho I was seeing crossed out the radiologists impression and wrote in herniation at c5-c6. Since my accident in additon to the previous misery from my past injury, now I get a tugging sensation from my neck down to between my shoulder blades. I also now get an electric shock feeling on right side of my head sometimes when I lie on my back. And now a reappearence of the rib cage pain that makes me cry out in pain whenever I move.

nero · 09-20-2004, 10:24 PM

You really need to get looked at again and thoroughly because if you are getting electric shock (L'hermittia) that is spinal cord compression and that is serious and can only get worse.

As well your tugging sensation is the feeling you get prior to paralysis as that is what I got on the way out of paralysis as the disc relented off the spinal cord.

You are in jeopardy of hurting your spinal cord and you need that disc off it.

I am not generally an alarmist and I am certainly NO DOCTOR but as one G.P. said after all you have gone through you know better than I about the symptoms and the diagnosis.

Please be careful and take care and get the best possible advice you can.

Nearly new Nero