Cord Compression and Problems Swallowing?? - Spinal Cord Disorders Message Board

erica1976 · 03-16-2007, 07:49 PM

Hi everyone...always had a cervical herniated disc but since an injury where i felt my spine get pulled out of place, I have spinal cord compression at c5c6. Just curious...has anyone with cord compression ever had problems swallowing? Sometimes, since the injury, it feels as if a tennis ball is lodged in my throat...Doctors say it's unrelated but i noticed it the night of my injury (a little under 1 year ago)...Anyone else have this?

Also, anyone else with cord compression feel like they are losing their breath every now and then?

PearlDoves · 03-17-2007, 07:31 AM

I had swallowing problems off and on after my accident. I went to a GI doc and had a swallow study done and everything came back fine; it doesn't hurt to get it checked out though, everybodies situation can be different, they make actually find something for you. One thing I wish I had done is some sort of scan muscles/ligament/tendons in my neck to see if any damage was there as well from the accident in addition to the neck spine. But ultimatly the car accident jolted my neck enough to start causing problems. To make matters worse I had stenosis of C5-C6 due to a bone spur. I got along okay for nearly 6 years, then I fell on the stairs really hard and that was the beinning of my road to surgery. I'm 4 months post-op now.

ICC · 03-18-2007, 05:15 AM

Same here. 3 bulged disks, stenosis and a large bone spur indenting the cord at the C5-C6. Have been to two ENT's who have both said swallowing problem has nothing to do with my neck injur, Spine Specialist agrees. Have had every test under the sun done and nothing. Have a slightly enlarged thyroid that has been outruled as the problem. Just seems coincidental to me as it started within 3 weeks of the neck injury. Also have reflux and it is believed that the steroids taken shortly after the injury may have aggravated it to the point of esophageal spasms. It's anybody's guess at this point. No answers in 10 months. Wishing you all the best.

ICC

PNo · 03-18-2007, 02:19 PM

Many of us have been told they are unrelated and have odd symptoms or stories.

About 5 years ago I started up with adult asthma, really bad, interstingly enough after my first ACDF C4-6 in 2004 , I have not had any asthma nor needed any medications! lol

I also have had swallowing problems, I had really bad muscle spasms once food passed around my upper sternum level, they did swallowing study and found nothing, but it improved after my first ACDF C4-6 . It then came back prior to my 2nd one for C6-7.

There are other things that can cause problems or join in the party, like if you have these cervical problems AND things like enlarged thyroid, or acid reflux, etc.

Boy those spasms hurt like heck - don't they!

monarog · 03-19-2007, 05:48 PM

Not the swallowing per se...but, yes I have had weird episodes where it feels like I just can't catch my breath right. I have had unilateral facial numbness a few times (my NS says he's heard of this before with cervical problems). I also have on and off tongue symptoms, burning, irritated - just not right. My NS has not heard so much of the tongue issues, but attributes it to a domino effect of angry nerves.

I have a herniated disc at C6-7 with cord compression. I have ACDF surgery scheduled for one week from today...and counting.