Re: someone...anyone?! peripheral neuropathy exp...

September 17, 2008

_tpowell1977@..._ (mailto:tpowell1977@...) writes: << Are you

not looking at the cervical injury as the source of your numbness and tingling

and weakness? Generally those sensations result from having a pinched

nerve/in your case spinal cord and isn't the same as peripheral neuropathy.

Neuropathy has more burning and pain along with lack of sensation. It all feels

like

it's coming from your cervical injury. What was your initial diagnosis

before surgery?>>

Initially they did think the neck injury was the cause. I had 2 double neck

epidurals and those temporarily helped the inability to turn my head and my

lack of peripheral vision. I was told that the ACDF would help my lower back

symptoms and numbing & tingling, in addition to the neck and shoulder problems

I was having. Everything was temporarily relieved, but never gone completely

away.

Sorry that I have to type everything verbatim from hospital reports, but I

don't know what they mean so I'm afraid to try and interpret & summarize them

to you:

REPORT I:

July 12, 2007 (day of wreck)

ER Report:

Cervical Spine, 3 views

Three views of the cervical spine show loss of the normal cervical lordosis.

Alignment is otherwise within normal limits. There is nonfused secondary

ossification center at the base of C5. Cervical spondylosis noted at C3-4 and

C4-5 in addition to C5-6.

IMPRESSION:

1. Cervical spondylosis

2. loss of normal cervical lordosis

REPORT II:

8/31/2008

Cervical MRI with and w/o contrast

History: cervical disc degeneration, 722.4, patient with prior surgery and

neck pain and numbness.

Findings:

Since the prior exam on 7/27/2007, there has been interval surgery with

anterior cervical spine fusion and C5-C6. There is no abnormal cord signal

present. No abnormal enhancement present within the cord.

At C2-C3, there is a mild central disc bulge. No foraminal stenosis.

At C3-C4, there is uncinate spurring, endplate spurring, and a mild disc

bulge. This abuts and minimally indents the anterior aspect of the cord with

mild central canal stenosis present.

At C4-C5, there is endplate spurring, uncinate spurring, and a disc bulge.

There is moderate right foraminal stenosis and mild left foraminal stenosis.

Overall mild central canal stenosis is present with minimal indentation of the

anterior cord.

At C5-C6, there has been anterior cervical spine fusion. There is mild

uncinate spurring causing mild right foraminal stenosis. There is spurring

present

which narrows the left aspect of the thecal sac and left lateral recess

without significant central canal stenosis.

At C6-C7, there is spurring and disc bulge present. There is mild central

canal stenosis. This minimally indents the anterior cervical spinal cord.

Opinion:

1. multilevel spondylosis as above with prior anterior cervical spine fusion

at C5-C6. No abnormal cord signal.

2. No abnormal enhancement.

*** UGH ***!!!! Sounds to me like they haven't got a clue.

What do you think?

Best regards,

Patty A

**************Psssst...Have you heard the news? There's a new fashion blog,

plus the latest fall trends and hair styles at StyleList.com.

(http://www.stylelist.com/trends?ncid=aolsty00050000000014)

September 17, 2008

It's ok, I'm a surgical tech who specializes in spine surgery, also a 15 year

sufferer of lumbar disk disease, status post 6 surgeries. I understand quite

well and may be able to explain some things to you!

From my experience, it sounds as though everything including the migraines is

coming from your neck injury. Even with the ACDF (anterior cervical disk fusion,

means your scar is in the front of your neck and not the back), many people are

never the same again when having a cervical fusion especially. There is a lot of

scar tissue made after the surgery which can cause pain and even numbness and

tingling, etc when it's in the " right " place. Also,your neck has lost it's

normal movement and this can cause spasm of your neck muscles, this can also

cause your symptoms. There could be some permanent nerve damage from your injury

or the surgery itself, this could also cause your symptoms. There are several

potential causes for your symptoms, but to me it sounds like they all stem from

your neck injury.

I would definitely see a neurologist but would also try to get a second opinion

from a neurosurgeon in a big teaching hospital (an attending not a fellow or

resident). Neurosurgeons do more diagnosing of spine injuries than neurologists

who tend to see undisk related pain.

---

Re: someone...anyone?! " peripheral

neuropathy " exp...

_tpowell1977_ (mailto:tpowell1977) writes: << Are you

not looking at the cervical injury as the source of your numbness and tingling

and weakness? Generally those sensations result from having a pinched

nerve/in your case spinal cord and isn't the same as peripheral neuropathy.

Neuropathy has more burning and pain along with lack of sensation. It all feels

like

it's coming from your cervical injury. What was your initial diagnosis

before surgery?>>

Initially they did think the neck injury was the cause. I had 2 double neck

epidurals and those temporarily helped the inability to turn my head and my

lack of peripheral vision. I was told that the ACDF would help my lower back

symptoms and numbing & tingling, in addition to the neck and shoulder problems

I was having. Everything was temporarily relieved, but never gone completely

away.

Sorry that I have to type everything verbatim from hospital reports, but I

don't know what they mean so I'm afraid to try and interpret & summarize them

to you:

REPORT I:

July 12, 2007 (day of wreck)

ER Report:

Cervical Spine, 3 views

Three views of the cervical spine show loss of the normal cervical lordosis.

Alignment is otherwise within normal limits. There is nonfused secondary

ossification center at the base of C5. Cervical spondylosis noted at C3-4 and

C4-5 in addition to C5-6.

IMPRESSION:

1. Cervical spondylosis

2. loss of normal cervical lordosis

REPORT II:

8/31/2008

Cervical MRI with and w/o contrast

History: cervical disc degeneration, 722.4, patient with prior surgery and

neck pain and numbness.

Findings:

Since the prior exam on 7/27/2007, there has been interval surgery with

anterior cervical spine fusion and C5-C6. There is no abnormal cord signal

present. No abnormal enhancement present within the cord.

At C2-C3, there is a mild central disc bulge. No foraminal stenosis.

At C3-C4, there is uncinate spurring, endplate spurring, and a mild disc

bulge. This abuts and minimally indents the anterior aspect of the cord with

mild central canal stenosis present.

At C4-C5, there is endplate spurring, uncinate spurring, and a disc bulge.

There is moderate right foraminal stenosis and mild left foraminal stenosis.

Overall mild central canal stenosis is present with minimal indentation of the

anterior cord.

At C5-C6, there has been anterior cervical spine fusion. There is mild

uncinate spurring causing mild right foraminal stenosis. There is spurring

present

which narrows the left aspect of the thecal sac and left lateral recess

without significant central canal stenosis.

At C6-C7, there is spurring and disc bulge present. There is mild central

canal stenosis. This minimally indents the anterior cervical spinal cord.

Opinion:

1. multilevel spondylosis as above with prior anterior cervical spine fusion

at C5-C6. No abnormal cord signal.

2. No abnormal enhancement.

*** UGH ***!!!! Sounds to me like they haven't got a clue.

What do you think?

Best regards,

Patty A

************ **Psssst. ..Have you heard the news? There's a new fashion blog,

plus the latest fall trends and hair styles at StyleList.com.

(http://www.stylelis t.com/trends? ncid=aolsty00050 000000014)

September 20, 2008

I'm 16 months post Anterior Discectomy with Fusion of C-4 through C-7

with C-3 now bulging. I'm having pain and bad headaches. My

Neurosurgeon released me at 12 months postop, told me if I had

problems to go to GP/Ortho. Not getting any help, Ortho's nurse told

me to just og to ER.

ER doesn't have my medical record, how can they help me? Last time i

went in with pain, they accused me of faking.

>

> It's ok, I'm a surgical tech who specializes in spine surgery, also

a 15 year sufferer of lumbar disk disease, status post 6 surgeries. I

understand quite well and may be able to explain some things to you!

>

> From my experience, it sounds as though everything including the

migraines is coming from your neck injury. Even with the ACDF

(anterior cervical disk fusion, means your scar is in the front of

your neck and not the back), many people are never the same again when

having a cervical fusion especially. There is a lot of scar tissue

made after the surgery which can cause pain and even numbness and

tingling, etc when it's in the " right " place. Also,your neck has lost

it's normal movement and this can cause spasm of your neck muscles,

this can also cause your symptoms. There could be some permanent nerve

damage from your injury or the surgery itself, this could also cause

your symptoms. There are several potential causes for your symptoms,

but to me it sounds like they all stem from your neck injury.

>

> I would definitely see a neurologist but would also try to get a

second opinion from a neurosurgeon in a big teaching hospital (an

attending not a fellow or resident). Neurosurgeons do more diagnosing

of spine injuries than neurologists who tend to see undisk related pain.

>

> ---

>

> Re: someone...anyone?!

" peripheral neuropathy " exp...

>

> _tpowell1977_ (mailto:tpowell1977) writes: <<

Are you

> not looking at the cervical injury as the source of your numbness

and tingling

> and weakness? Generally those sensations result from having a pinched

> nerve/in your case spinal cord and isn't the same as peripheral

neuropathy.

> Neuropathy has more burning and pain along with lack of sensation.

It all feels like

> it's coming from your cervical injury. What was your initial diagnosis

> before surgery?>>

>

> Initially they did think the neck injury was the cause. I had 2

double neck

> epidurals and those temporarily helped the inability to turn my head

and my

> lack of peripheral vision. I was told that the ACDF would help my

lower back

> symptoms and numbing & tingling, in addition to the neck and

shoulder problems

> I was having. Everything was temporarily relieved, but never gone

completely

> away.

>

> Sorry that I have to type everything verbatim from hospital reports,

but I

> don't know what they mean so I'm afraid to try and interpret &

summarize them

> to you:

>

> REPORT I:

> July 12, 2007 (day of wreck)

> ER Report:

> Cervical Spine, 3 views

> Three views of the cervical spine show loss of the normal cervical

lordosis.

> Alignment is otherwise within normal limits. There is nonfused

secondary

> ossification center at the base of C5. Cervical spondylosis noted at

C3-4 and

> C4-5 in addition to C5-6.

> IMPRESSION:

> 1. Cervical spondylosis

> 2. loss of normal cervical lordosis

>

> REPORT II:

> 8/31/2008

> Cervical MRI with and w/o contrast

>

> History: cervical disc degeneration, 722.4, patient with prior

surgery and

> neck pain and numbness.

> Findings:

> Since the prior exam on 7/27/2007, there has been interval surgery with

> anterior cervical spine fusion and C5-C6. There is no abnormal cord

signal

> present. No abnormal enhancement present within the cord.

>

> At C2-C3, there is a mild central disc bulge. No foraminal stenosis.

> At C3-C4, there is uncinate spurring, endplate spurring, and a mild

disc

> bulge. This abuts and minimally indents the anterior aspect of the

cord with

> mild central canal stenosis present.

> At C4-C5, there is endplate spurring, uncinate spurring, and a disc

bulge.

> There is moderate right foraminal stenosis and mild left foraminal

stenosis.

> Overall mild central canal stenosis is present with minimal

indentation of the

> anterior cord.

> At C5-C6, there has been anterior cervical spine fusion. There is mild

> uncinate spurring causing mild right foraminal stenosis. There is

spurring present

> which narrows the left aspect of the thecal sac and left lateral recess

> without significant central canal stenosis.

> At C6-C7, there is spurring and disc bulge present. There is mild

central

> canal stenosis. This minimally indents the anterior cervical spinal

cord.

>

> Opinion:

> 1. multilevel spondylosis as above with prior anterior cervical

spine fusion

> at C5-C6. No abnormal cord signal.

> 2. No abnormal enhancement.

>

> *** UGH ***!!!! Sounds to me like they haven't got a clue.

> What do you think?

>

> Best regards,

> Patty A

>

> ************ **Psssst. ..Have you heard the news? There's a new

fashion blog,

> plus the latest fall trends and hair styles at StyleList.com.

> (http://www.stylelis t.com/trends? ncid=aolsty00050 000000014)

>

September 20, 2008

As many of us know, when you have a fusion, the stress that those fused

vertebrae were designed to handle, is transferred to the adjacent level. Those

levels were not designed to handle the stress that the other levels were

designed. The result is herniation of that adjacent level. This process can lead

to further operations to fuse level after level as they give out under stress

they were not designed to bear.

Also, as many of us know, our necks are very sensitive areas to disruption. A

small knot in your neck or shoulder can couse days of headaches. Let alone a

surgical procedure which strips the muscles in the neck away from the intended

vertebra and an ensuing operation that is very aggressive to the tissue occurs.

After this process, for some people, the neck may never be the same. It is quite

common to have muscle spasms, pain, trigger points and pinched nerves.

Also, just because a herniated disk is seen on a study, it does NOT mean it is

causing pain. This is why there is a test called diskography. Many people with

no pain could be scanned and have herniations and degenerations and stenosis.

With no symptoms. I myself have two levels herniated for years with no

symptoms...yet.

If I were you, I would look into seeing a trigger point therapist to help with

the muscles in your neck. You would be amazed at how much debilitating pain can

be caused by trigger points which you can learn how to treat at home. There's a

book call " The Trigger Point Therapy Workbook " by Davies & Davies. I used this

book to treat my trigger points that were so bad I could barely stand up

straight. I got these after my last fusion. Trauma to tissues almost always

results in trigger points.

I hope you found this information helpful. Please let me know if you have any

Sign In

Re: someone...anyone?! peripheral neuropathy exp...

Recommended Posts

Guest guest

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Guest guest

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Guest guest

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Guest guest

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Join the conversation

Activity