Burning sensation... - Spinal Cord Disorders Message Board

DaperDan · 03-07-2007, 09:40 PM

I am an incomplete quad (c5-c7 are fused) after a fall broke my neck almost 14 years ago. I am now 27. I can walk with the aid of a left leg brace, mid calf to ankle, and when going long distances a cane. My question is I have been experiencing buring sensations along my left chest side just under my armpit, across the left pectoral muscle and recently now along my right side almost in the same spot as the left. There is also burning in my left leg from the hip to my knee, the back side of my leg. This pain seems to be brought on more when I am siting. I had this same pain in my left leg after the injury but havent really experienced it since. I spend a lot of time at the computer and that seems to make the pain worse. I also smoke marijuana to help with spasticity and that seems to bring on the pain as well, but im not sure if im just being parinoid. I have really bad anxiety and this pain sometimes makes me feel like im having a heart attack or have lung cancer. I am going to see a Doc in two days, but I just feel like there is something wrong with me. I really can not shake the feeling. Any suggestions?

ms.titanium · 03-08-2007, 06:01 PM

Hello Dan, sorry you had to find your way to this board but it's a good place with lots of information. It's hard to say what could cause the burning, I would think it is most likely nerve related. I get a hot knife burn on the top of my left foot sometimes. It's weird. Your doctor is hopefully going to have answers for you. Just hang in there until you see him. I am curious about smoking pot for muscle spasms. I tried it once and did not like the feeling and it did not seem to help. Is there a special way or amount needed to stop the spasms? Everything I have read seems to show that pot is great for muscle spasms but is there a way to use it and not get stoned? I know it's a stupid question...but my pain is increasing and I need to go back to the doctor. I have had an ACDF levels C4-C6 and a posterior fusion C3-C6.

PNo · 03-11-2007, 02:29 PM

Hi DaperDan, i don't exactly understand what incomplete quad means, but I guess from what you write that means you have some function/feeling.

The burning you describe does sound familiar to me, I am now fused C4-7, and in the past and even now and then i have had some chest symtpoms, at the nipple level across the chest into the armpit and down side of chest to above navel level. Sometimes it is burning, sometimes it is more like sharp stabbing at times.

Who knows what it could be for you, but, for me, I have osteophyte ridging continuing to grow along my fused levels on the endplates and central canal. That causes some problems and continued narrowing. Even though you have surgery and get fused, osteophyte (bone spurring, etc), can continue to grow. Maybe they will find something like that on you.

Let us know what they tell you.

feelbad · 03-12-2007, 08:23 AM

Hey DD,try looking up central pain syndrome and see how your symptoms compare.i too am an incomplete c7 t1.i developed the central pain in my L arm up over both shoulder blades,this is actually casued by specific damage to the spinothalamic tract which is one of the many spinal tracts within your cord.if you have suffered an actual spinal cord injury,chances are good that this tract was indeed damaged in some way.it doesn't even have to be a huge amount of damage,just some sort of actual affectation of it.how is your response to hot and cold and surface pain?any areas affected by that at all?the CP is just one of many pain syndrome possibilities post SCI.Marcia

DaperDan · 03-13-2007, 06:38 PM

Thanks all for your responses. My doc gave me an ekg and did some x-rays to put to rest my fear of heart problems, they came back normal, so thats good. To answer the question of how to smoke and not get 'stoned' well thats kinda hard. I would have to say that I am now addicted to the feeling of being stoned and that is probably the reason I smoke now. I have pretty much quit since I have been having the werid pains and have noticed that they are not there when I do not smoke as much, but right after I do smoke bam, left armpit to naval burns and often across my chest, the whole left side of my body actually does burn now that I think of it, down to my knee. Smoking has never stopped my leg spasms but I just seem to forget about them after I smoke. Try baking it into food, that will give you a different high, not as mind altering im told.
In regards to osteophyte, should I go see a neurologist to see if that is happening to me? Is it the same as spinal cyst? I was told that I may have that happen to me in the future. If this is happening, either a cyst or osteophyte is that a bad thing? I do not have any loss of sensation or muscle control, but do you recomend getting an MRI done to make sure nothing is wrong? My hot, cold and pain sensation are werid all over my body under my injury or my shoulders. Some places I have a good pain sensation, nothing like normal pain sensation but I can tell there is pain, and in others no real pain at all. Hot and cold are the same. I can pretty much jump into a freezing pool and the only thing that gets cold is my head and shoulders. Thanks again for your responses. I hope to hear some more.

The Dan