Where are you based?
Quote from: sheavi on October 02, 2019, 01:30:00 pmWhere are you based?About half the time in London, half near Hathersage (long story).I'm already on a fun cocktail of psychiatric meds, and have a track record of freak bad reactions to meds (to the point where my doctors are highly averse to using any medication I've not been on before), so amitriptyline's out.With a lot of strategic propping with pillows, it seems to be possible to find a minimal-pain position to go to sleep, but I get woken early with really bad pain. So I'm now getting a decent amount of sleep overall, but could do without the searing pain at 5am -- if anyone's got any tips on that, I'd be eternally grateful.
As well as experimenting with pillows, as you have done, you could try a deliberate break in your sleep, getting up and pottering around for a little while before going back to sleep again.
I’ve had lots of professional experience with people with neck radiculopathy and distant personal experience of low back radiculopathy. It’s quite worrying and very frustrating. Like sheavi, I’m not always convinced that MR! scans are totally helpful but you've had one and the good news is it has not shown any really nasty pathology like a tumour or spinal cord compression. The usual course of radiculopathy, as sheavi says and in my direct experience, is it slowly improves but with ups and downs on the way. My back and leg was so painful that I was crawling to the toilet for the first couple of days. I was back to work after three weeks, gradually recovered, and am now no more prone to back ache than anyone else my age. It had no long-term impact on my climbing. The night or early morning pain you describe is very common: when you’re not moving and your circulation slows discs swell a little, a bit like ankles swelling during a long flight. As well as experimenting with pillows, as you have done, you could try a deliberate break in your sleep, getting up and pottering around for a little while before going back to sleep again. Nerve pain is notoriously hard to help with prescription medicines and it sounds like this is something to be discussed with your GP/consultant. Some people find heat or cold helpful.Factors known to make recovery slower are: resting completely, being depressed, withdrawing socially or from work, being very scared by what is happening, and expecting someone else to provide a complete fix. It is completely normal and rational to feel, think, or behave like this to some extent, but an excessive amount is unhelpful. I realise some of these factors are not within your power, like being depressed or being excluded by your work, but being aware they could be an issue and watching out for them can be helpful. Try to look after yourself as a whole person, not just your neck. Some people can do this by themselves, many people find a supportive (physio)therapist helpful. Good luck.
Thanks for the reply.Nine months sounds pretty terrible but I am going to try and focus on the ‘gradual improvement’ bit. The main issues for me at the moment are weakness and numbness in the arm and not sleeping more than a couple of hours at a time. For you, was that nine months a gradual improvement in those other symptoms alongside reducing pain?
I just boulder (which is completely unaffected), but I would guess head position in prolonged belaying might cause problems.
Thanks again - really much appreciatedI am still at the experimenting with pillows stage but haven't strung more than a couple of hours together as yet . . . I will try and think more creatively (and have a scan).
Not great - I am definitely at the despair / withdrawal stage which Duncan warned about above . . .Had a scan, shows 'large extrusion' at C6-7 impeding C7 root. Stopped doing physio exercises on GP advice but doing nothing with it doesn't seem to have helped either. There is probably a very limited improvement but left arm feels very weak and is visibly withered. Am occasionally cycling to and from train station (about 15 mins each way) mainly through necessity but it does seem to make it worse. otherwise sitting up straight and 'brisk' walking is my limit. Currently wondering whether to spend £900 on a month's spinal decompression therapy which an Osteopath has recommended.Moan moan moan basically. How are you getting on?
That's my concern (although I don't doubt the sincerity of the individual concerned). It's this sort of thing - https://iddtherapy.co.uk/. (although from that website, it seems to be aimed primarily at people who want to give old ladies piggy-back rides on beaches).I was doing elevated press ups, 'double chins' and bent over pendulums with a really light weight. All produced some nerve symptoms when I was doing them - GP and osteopath both recommended stopping on that basis . . . I haven't noticed any change in symptoms from stopping the exercises but obviously can't know whether I would be doing better had I continued.Specialist referral is next week but I understand they are likely to support conservative management for the time being.
Moan moan moan basically. How are you getting on?
I wouldn't bother with the IDD. The exercises you were doing were probably not appropriate at this stage. I would aim for range of movement exercises for cervical and thoracic spine + shoulder as pain tolerance allows. Also start with some isometric shoulder, bicep and tricep strengthening - nice and steady - remembering to breathe in a relaxed fashion. You can also work on contralateral arm strength work so long as you do not put too much strain on the c-spine - this will give you strength gains in the affected limb (some literature suggests up to 50%). I would aim for rotator cuff and scapula + bicep/tricep. Could also work on forearm/grip strengthening in the contralateral (non- affected limb). Use good posture - no poking chin etc. Hope that makes sense?
I don't want to be ungrateful and really do appreciate your thoughts but that is the fourth set of slightly different medical advice I have received so far . . . I would certainly prefer to be doing something than nothing so that is all worth thinking about.
You're definitely winning at the moment - I am going to use this as motivation to catch up. See you in the YYFY thread when we're both back to normal (hopefully . . .)
Am occasionally cycling to and from train station (about 15 mins each way) mainly through necessity but it does seem to make it worse.
Pain's gone, paraesthesia's rapidly going, my reflexes when whacked with a small hammer are back,