[sheavi]

Spinal decompression therapy sounds like a scam - I can't find any evidence to support it? Traction was long since dropped from EBM if that indeed is what it is.  As for your GP advising to stop the physio exercises - based on what evidence? What exercises were you doing? 

Sorry to hear you're still struggling.  As the scan matches your  symptoms and the picture becomes clearer have you been referred to a specialist? 

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?

[petekitso]

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.

[sheavi]

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?

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.

[slab_happy]

Moan moan moan basically. How are you getting on?

Pain's pretty much gone unless I move/sit in a way that aggravates it. And the physio exercises do seem to be doing something useful for me, even if it's only keeping me from going squirrelly with boredom.

But I nearly got pitched back into gloom a couple of days ago by trying to do a pull-up (first time in ages I'd tried, having been warned against any stress on neck/shoulder) and finding I can't do a single one; I was weak before this, but not that weak, dammit.

(And it took me a really, really long time to get to being "not that weak" in the first place.)

Some testing established that my right arm's not too far off my "normal", so it's not general muscle loss from being off climbing; my left arm is massively weaker than it was. So, bit grumpy about that.

On the other hand, I can hang off a fingerboard fine with a lot of weight subtracted, so my Aerocap should be fucking fabulous by the time this is over. And I realize I'm in no position to whine as I seem to be recovering about as fast as humanly possible.

[petekitso]

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.

[/quote]

Pain's pretty much gone unless I move/sit in a way that aggravates it. And the physio exercises do seem to be doing something useful for me, even if it's only keeping me from going squirrelly with boredom.

But I nearly got pitched back into gloom a couple of days ago by trying to do a pull-up (first time in ages I'd tried, having been warned against any stress on neck/shoulder) and finding I can't do a single one; I was weak before this, but not that weak, dammit.

(And it took me a really, really long time to get to being "not that weak" in the first place.)

Some testing established that my right arm's not too far off my "normal", so it's not general muscle loss from being off climbing; my left arm is massively weaker than it was. So, bit grumpy about that.

On the other hand, I can hang off a fingerboard fine with a lot of weight subtracted, so my Aerocap should be fucking fabulous by the time this is over. And I realize I'm in no position to whine as I seem to be recovering about as fast as humanly possible.
[/quote]

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 . . .)

[slab_happy]

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.

For what it's worth, my strategy was "compile list of different physio exercises suggested by different articles and websites, start trying them, eliminate any that make the symptoms worse, put together a fairly random handful of the ones that don't make symptoms worse and are convenient for me to do, keep doing them."

If nothing else, a lot of them seem to target aspects of posture (forward head position, rounded shoulders, etc.) that I'd already been kind of aware of as issues for me.

Based on how fast I've been recovering, I'm sure I must have been lucky and had a relatively mild disc protrusion to begin with, but like you I'd rather be doing something than nothing,  and if nothing else this seems like it might be useful prehab against other problems.

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 . . .)

*fist-bump* It's on!

[slab_happy]

Am occasionally cycling to and from train station (about 15 mins each way) mainly through necessity but it does seem to make it worse.

I specifically got warned against cycling by the specialist I saw (I don't cycle, he raised it spontaneously as a bad idea) -- the way you tend to have to tip your head back to look forwards compresses the space in the back of the neck maximally, apparently.

Obviously needs must, but if you've got to cycle sometimes, might be worth working out if there's any way of mitigating the damage.

[webbo]

Recumbent is the way to go if you have neck problems.

[slab_happy]

Anyone got tips on rehabbing muscle weakness from radiculopathy?  Pain's gone, paraesthesia's rapidly going, my reflexes when whacked with a small hammer are back, but my left arm's now about half as strong as my right, which is freaking me out a bit.

Medical advice is that hopefully the muscle weakness should go over time, but come back in two months if it isn't decreasing (or is getting worse).

Obviously I know the basics of strength training, but wanted to check in case there are any specific tricks/tips for when the weakness is resulting from nerve compression or irritation.

[cheque]

Pain's gone, paraesthesia's rapidly going, my reflexes when whacked with a small hammer are back,

  Great to hear this.

 I had unilateral strength loss in my left leg (still have it to a certain extent) but don't have any advice beyond "work hard and stick with it" I'm afraid.