c5, c6 problems and shoulder and bicep pain
 

Did anyone with a bad c5 or c6 disc experience pain in shoulders, almost feels like a rotator cuff problem, and pain in the biceps, and pain to raise hands above the head? I am wondering if this i related to my bad discs or something else.... THANKS ESTELLA

Re: c5, c6 problems and shoulder and bicep pain
 

[quote=estella3;4167443]did anyone with a bad c5 or c6 disc experience pain in shoulders, almost feels like a rotator cuff problem, and pain in the biceps, and pain to raise hands above the head? I am wondering if this i related to my bad discs or something else.... Thanks estella[/quote]

yes! I have severe pain in my shoulders, chest, and biceps. However, wierd as it is if i raise my arms above my head it feels better. It's my understanding those nerves run directly through those areas.

Re: c5, c6 problems and shoulder and bicep pain
 

Yes, many people think they have a shoulder problem, even some have surgery for shoulder pain, and later find it's actually caused by cervical disc problems. I am having a bit of this right now in my right shoulder due to C4 or C5.

I have heard that if you lift your arm up over your head and get relief it usually means it's more likely pain related to cervical problems. Whereas a true shoulder problem would not feel better in that position. When laying back watching TV I find myself, without thinking, rotating my arm back to have it lay behind my head - which gives some symptom relief.

Re: c5, c6 problems and shoulder and bicep pain
 

Thanks ,,,

Well then i must have a true shoulder problem,, BECAUSE mine definately gets worse when lifting it above my head... thanks estella

Re: c5, c6 problems and shoulder and bicep pain
 

Hi Estella

I too have been having some similar symptoms to those you describe but have been diagnosed with a frozen shoulder (adhesive capsulitis), probably set off by my ACDF surgery last February. The pain is in the other shoulder too but I have not lost any range of movement there (yet). The pain radiates along my shoulder blades, into my shoulder socket and down into my biceps, elbows, wrists and hands. It is excrutiating at night. I wake up screaming most nights with the same type of cramps you sometimes get in your leg in at night but right across my shoulder blade. Reaching for anything and getting dressed or washed is a nightmare. I have read somewhere that a frozen shoulder can have similar symptoms to a rotator cuff but that there are some physical differences which show on a medical examination.

The problem is that that my neck is also in spasm and I am not sure whether it is coming from further disc problems or from the pain in my shoulders and arms or a combination of both. I have had a cervical MRI and a neck and shoulder X-ray but am still awaiting the results.

I will let you know the outcome if there happens to be any C5/6 involvement.

Bobbyboo x

Re: c5, c6 problems and shoulder and bicep pain
 

hi,, do you know what type of doctor do you if the pain is coming from the shoulder? Is it an orthopedic? Estella

Re: c5, c6 problems and shoulder and bicep pain
 

Yes, look for an orthopedic surgeon

Re: c5, c6 problems and shoulder and bicep pain
 

Hi, new here, I have severe pain in my neck & shoulder. I had an MRI 2 yrs ago and my whole neck is screwed. My family DR. has ordered another MRI with an appointment with a neuro surgeon. I take oxycontin and even that cannot stop the pain completety. Nerve pain is the worst pain in the world.

Re: c5, c6 problems and shoulder and bicep pain
 

[QUOTE=Bobbyboo;4168539]
The problem is that that my neck is also in spasm and I am not sure whether it is coming from further disc problems or from the pain in my shoulders and arms or a combination of both. I have had a cervical MRI and a neck and shoulder X-ray but am still awaiting the results.
Bobbyboo x[/QUOTE]
Why don't they give you over there in Ireland Oxycontin, Percocet(do they have percocet in Ireland at all?), gabapentin(neurontin), diazepam for all your pain? My doctor added diazepam for neck spasms(it used to cause me stomach pain 2 years ago but now it's ok, it's just make me sleepy and dizzy). I now take all the above, not cause I want to take it, it's cause I have to in order to have a life.

Sounds like you're really suffering and in agony. From what I recall you only use the patch? hey you know, my doctor told me the patch is not enough.

Please don't tell me the medicine in Ireland is like in South America or Russia.

Re: c5, c6 problems and shoulder and bicep pain
 

I had a bout of adhesive capsulitis some 6-7 years post ACDF of C5-C7 and went through several weeks of PT. It is somewhat like a spasm of sorts, I know that I would grab a doorknob and pull as hard as I could to make the spasms stop. However, I was told later that could have caused other damage. The PT did free up the shoulder and I do some stretching exercises still to keep it from happening again. I know how painful it is.

Re: c5, c6 problems and shoulder and bicep pain
 

I have C-5 C-6 foramen stenosis, haven't had ACDF yet. Pain started as tingling of middle two fingers. Then shoulder pain which seemed to come from under my right shoulder blade. Tricepts muscle was sore. Then pain started running down the front under my right collar bone into my bicepts muscle. Now forearm muscles are hurting.
Not much seems to relieve the pain. A hard day at work just kills me. I'm a Sonographer and scan with my right hand. On busy days I may do as many as 15-16 sono exams and I can barely get through the last several due to the pain. Nobody can understand me when I tell them it feels like my arm is going to "explode".

Re: c5, c6 problems and shoulder and bicep pain
 

[QUOTE=sattergren;4167449]yes! I have severe pain in my shoulders, chest, and biceps. However, wierd as it is if i raise my arms above my head it feels better. It's my understanding those nerves run directly through those areas.[/QUOTE]

Re: c5, c6 problems and shoulder and bicep pain
 

Estella3,
I have been suffering with those same symptoms since Jan.27,2009.I also suffered sudden onset of "MYASTHENIA GRAVIS" when I injured my neck due to the trauma of the injury. At first the symptoms were severe neck pain which was so bad I couldn't get out of bed except for short periods, the MG symptoms were mixed in with the neck symptoms and I had double vision,problems swallowing, speaking, breathing. The only thing that helped the pain was a heating pad. Doctors for Workers comp would only give me ULTRAM for the pain and it was useless.

After 90 days I was diagnosed with the two separate problems and the meds for the MG cleared some of the symptoms(Double vision, speach and so forth.) However the neck pain persisted and just as severe. PT didn't help, it made pain worse. I was given an Epidural Steroid injection in June and this spread the imflammation into my upper body area instead of being just in the neck from between my shoulder blades up into my head and down around my shoulders. On about the 14th day I woke up with my right shoulder extreamly painful, left side not as bad, but painful. I had numbness in my arms,fingers, wrists hurt. The symptoms moved around from day to day for a month or so then just settled in my upper body. I can hardly use my arms above breast level. My left arm is half asleep most of the tome. I drop things all the time. My shoulders are painful ( I had severed rotator cuff several years ago which required surgery) pain in my shoulders is almost exactly same as with that injury. My arms are weak and ache all the time. I' Miserable 24 hrs a day. I also have to cope with the muscle weakness and debilitation of the MG. I fell in Jan due to these problems and broke my left Hip. I'm just trying to recover from hip replacement.

My MRI showed a fragmented disc at C5/C6 with a spur. The doctor ignored this and told me I had to learn to live with the pain. The WC insurance company has failed to treat my injury and I am coping badly, but life must go on I guess. 14 months and coping. Doctors say this type injury rarely requires surgery, say it will get better with time. I BELIEVE THEY ARE NUTTS!!! Cause it ain't getting any better!

Re: c5, c6 problems and shoulder and bicep pain
 

I have severe neck pain and it never gets any better. In fact, as years go by it gets worst and I'm in more agony. Why don't they give you percocet or oxycontin I don't understand. At least it takes the pain away. diazepam is not enough.

Re: c5, c6 problems and shoulder and bicep pain
 

[QUOTE=estella3;4167443]Did anyone with a bad c5 or c6 disc experience pain in shoulders, almost feels like a rotator cuff problem, and pain in the biceps, and pain to raise hands above the head? I am wondering if this i related to my bad discs or something else.... THANKS ESTELLA[/QUOTE]

Re: c5, c6 problems and shoulder and bicep pain
 

estella3, and others with these type symptoms.
Search: nerve root impingement/ruptured disc C5C6. Symptoms you describe suggest you have a ruptured disc and nerve root impingement at C5C6 as I do. These symptoms can include the entire upper back and chest. Shoulders, hands, arms. What has your doctor told you? Have you had an MRI done. I was told by one doctor that I would just have to learn to live with the pain. I told him that was not an option, but workers comp cut me off anyway. I've been (along with an attorney) trying to get treatment for 14 months now. Ins co just stonwalls every way they can. I will get something done before it is over.

What have you tried to ease the pain? Heating pad helps. Light exercise may help as long as you don't get to crazy. As for doctors giving something that will really help with the pain, they are very hesitant to give strong meds, guess they are afraid we'll get hooked. State laws also limit what they can give too.

My brother lives in FLA. he has all kinds of back problems and has had cancer which damaged his joints. His doctors give him anything he wants for pain. I live in Ala. these guys here don't want to give you anything but ULTRAM or LORTAB 5. I did get Oxycodone 10 after my hip replacement surgery but only while i was in the hospital and physical rehab facility. Then doc gave me Darvacet, which was useless. Tylenol worked better. I finally convinced him that while I was trying to get back on my feet I needed something better than Darvacet. He gave me Tylox5, (xycodone/tylenol) it does help as long as I take it before I really get into the hard pain mode.

Nerve impingement at C5C6 causes an array of symptoms. I found many articles describing symptoms. I'm sure you will recognise this as soon as you read about it. Educate yourself as to what is going on with you. I had one neuro-surgeon tell me to stay off the internet and not try to treat myself. I simply told him if he would answer my questions and stop beating around the bush I could do that, but I was not getting the info I wanted from him.

Re: c5, c6 problems and shoulder and bicep pain
 

Anybody here knows howcome I have two bulging disks with chronic pain in the neck without any symptoms with shoulders, hands arms. It's only the neck. But it's enough!. I suffer daily and need sleeping pills cause cannot rest my neck on the pillow at all times, anybody here has this type of problem of resting neck on the pillow? I've never met anyone here in this board who has/had this problem. I can't believe I'm the only one with this problem. My doctor told me he practised medicine for years and never met anyone like me:(

It's only the percocet that helps or the oxycontin then I can rest my neck in the pillow, great life.

I can't believe your doctor doesn't want to prescribe you more than percocet 5? I didn't last much on percocet 5, had to increase to 10. high tolerance to narcotic. It's probably the metabolism I have, no wonder I'm skinny.

Re: c5, c6 problems and shoulder and bicep pain
 

Estella, I had severe shoulder pain. My condition progressed where I could not move my arm without setting off spasms in the surrounding areas, ribs, chest neck, etc... I wore a sling for awhile just to keep the arm/shoulder comfortable. Even the weight of the arm hanging down bothered me.
Had an MRI of the cervical but it did not who enough to cause my problems. There was what was considered a minor herniation. I ended up having decompression of the shoulder only to find the pain & symptoms did not improve enough. Then after starting PM he sent me for another MRI which showed the herniation was not so mild anymore. My shoulder hurt like heck & it would radiate down. Before the surgery it went into both shoulders.

Your right it does feel like a shoulder problem & can be really confusing. I had not neck pain for the longest time.
I ended up with bursitis, tendonitis, arthritis & bone spurs in my left shoulder but yet the worst was coming from the cervical. Hard to believe but the decompression did not give me the use of my arm back due to the herniation.

I had the C5-6 fusion 18 months ago & it did help with much of the pain, not all but at least I got the use of my arm back. That took along time due to the time I could not use my left arm.
I hope you get it figured out soon. Good luck, Sammy