My name is Rosa and I have a question. I had surgery April 9 for DDD/spinal stenosis in my lower back and I knew something was also wrong with my neck. After surgery, my husband was told I have arthritis in my lumbar spine. Neck was bothering me but my ns said to get over my back surgery first. Okay, no problem. One thing at a time. Well, about three weeks ago my neck popped. Went to internist and he did x-rays. Other things have happened too but I chose to ignore it. Today I went for follow-up with my internist and he told me I definitely have arthritis in my neck. Forgot to ask which vertebrae...what a dummy!!!
Has anyone have this happen to them. I figure that if the arthritis is bad enough to show on x-rays, I may also have DDD/spinal stenosis in my neck like I did in the lumbar region of my back. He said if I need surgery it may not be for a year or two. The pain is in my ear and travels to my shoulder. He offered injections and I said no. I want to go the PT route for now.
i have lumbar issues too (bulges 4-5mm on 4 discs, with ddd, stenosis, & annular tears), and my neck is causing me trenmendous pain too. it also pops all the time. an mri revealed a couple of bulging discs in the neck also (2-3mm). i can't remember which ones, and i don;t have the report. i'll get a copy.
i was told that because of the ddd and the stenosis it is very probable to have issues with my entire spine. i don't know how i hurt myself. other than years of sitting at a desk job.
i have been off work since april. the neck area is a little better, but have times whem it is very painful even to the touch. i ice it. and because of my lower, i take vicodin (twice a day 1000mg), 800 motrin 3 x per day, and magnesium plus a whole other slew of vitamins.
i wish i could tell you all these things work, but they don't. i'm in chronic pain. i don't know what to do. ddd is in my family. other members of my family that have had surgery, have had so many problems that i am trying to figure out what to do.
take care rosa. and i hope you can get an mri soon. xrays are basically useless in my opinion.
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chronic back, shoulder, neck, arm pain and numbness. fatigue, dizziness, fainting, low blood pressure, hypothyroid, hypoglycemia, tenderness thru out body. polycystic ovarian disease.
l2/02:mri central disc protrusion at L2-3 (4mm) & L3-4 (4-5mm) with right paracentral disc prtorusion at L4-5 (5mm) & l5-s1 (4mm) causing mild central canal stenosis, osteoarthrosis is also noted at L-4-5 and L5-S1. There is mild neural foraminal stenosis at these levels.
4/03 diagnosed with fibromyalgia/chronic fatigue;
5/03 c1c2-c3 3mm disc protrusion.
8/03 quit work after 32 years; piddling around the house; love to garden, but kills me for days following
rosa, i forgot to mention that mine travels to my shoulders, arms and what i call "my chicken wings" in my upper back. sometimes it can be a stabbing pain. also before insisting on the mri, was told that it was my lower back radiating all the way up my spine.
good luck with the pt. let me know how you do. you are so very courageous to have surgery!
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chronic back, shoulder, neck, arm pain and numbness. fatigue, dizziness, fainting, low blood pressure, hypothyroid, hypoglycemia, tenderness thru out body. polycystic ovarian disease.
l2/02:mri central disc protrusion at L2-3 (4mm) & L3-4 (4-5mm) with right paracentral disc prtorusion at L4-5 (5mm) & l5-s1 (4mm) causing mild central canal stenosis, osteoarthrosis is also noted at L-4-5 and L5-S1. There is mild neural foraminal stenosis at these levels.
4/03 diagnosed with fibromyalgia/chronic fatigue;
5/03 c1c2-c3 3mm disc protrusion.
8/03 quit work after 32 years; piddling around the house; love to garden, but kills me for days following
Hi Rosa, mine started opposite, I had lumber L5/s1 removed 1999, no fusion, now collapsed-ddd- arthritis. March 2003- had cervical fusion c 5-6-7 ddd arthritis, also l3-5 ddd and bulging, arthritis. The numbnes is traveling up my neck, face and ear, also the arm and leg. What a mess! It seems once you have a disc problem it just dominoes...My jaw is locking up and have speech trouble off and on, maybe related? or ms? I am seeing a neurologist Fri. hope to get some answers. Its so hard for others to understand us because everyone has had a back problem, but until it hits as hard as the people on this board they don't know! Just be so careful on lifting!! that is what did my final herniation, not much just a water jug! Best wishes and hope this board gives you some encouragement!
Thanks for getting back to me. I knew I wasn't the only one out there. I started on the back problem boards, now I'm here and there...lol!!! I wanted to make sure I responded tonight before it got too late, West Covina time.
I haven't worked in over a year and believe me I had to have surgery. I didn't feel right for years and went from doctor to doctor and they all told me my blood and thyroid were fine. I told my husband to screw it and he convinced me to give it one more try. The new doc did back x-rays that were clear so he ordered a MRI. The MRI showed it all and he referred me to a ns. I told my husband that if I have trouble in my lumbar area, I guarantee I have it somewhere else. He didn't want to hear that.
Juju-bee, I didn't have any accidents but I had to have surgery because I was starting to fall. Chronic pain is no joke and people do not understand how you feel. I can't take Vicodin at all because it makes me sick and boy does that hurt my neck!!
My new symptoms are pulling in my right ear, rt side of neck hurts, pain down to shoulder, constant pressure on my shoulder blades like someone leaning on me, sometimes can't open my mouth, singing is a problem and the list goes on.
Cardinal, I agree with you 100% about the dominoe effect. I could feel it before my lumbar surgery and I know there's arthritis lurking somewhere else. It's easy for other people to say "when I had my...", well that was them, they can be quiet now. Ready to rant. The results of my x-rays were faxed to my ns and this time my husband is listening to me. I'm so sorry about your current situation, a water jug. Dang! Good luck Friday and I will keep checking to see what your ns says.
Problems Started with Lumbar, Now It's My Neck!!! 
It seems once you have a disc problem it just dominoes...My jaw is locking up and have speech trouble off and on, maybe related? or ms? I am seeing a neurologist Fri. hope to get some answers. Its so hard for others to understand us because everyone has had a back problem, but until it hits as hard as the people on this board they don't know! Just be so careful on lifting!! that is what did my final herniation, not much just a water jug! Best wishes and hope this board gives you some encouragement! 
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